The Degaldoruwa Temple was one built by King Rajadi Ranasinha in 1771 but the brainwave of which was his elder brother’s King Keerti Sri Rajasinha. This is a Cave Temple depicting the Kandyan period designs and portraitures. Amunugama, a village close to the Kandy Town in Sri Lanka is home for Degaldoruwa Temple, which can be reached from Kandy along the road over the Lewella Bridge or by going along Kundasale Road and proceeding left at Nattarampota.
It is obvious that the Kings of the days gone by were versatile in constructions, architecture and paintings, as the Degaldoruwa temple has been turned out at a place where two rocks met each other from above and below. The mass of rock is in itself a height of 40ft. The cave was turned out by carving the rocks into a shape large enough to house a Shrine Room of the Lord Buddha and a passage leading to the Shrine Room as well.
The paintings are the best in this temple as it is the work of four painters who brought out the best in Kandyan era paintings. Four “Jathaka Stories” have been turned out in paintings at this cave temple and one of the most legendary of all is the Vessantara Jathaka story.
The Shrine Room has a beautiful painting of Lord Buddha and Mara and his forces which are depicted on the rock surface. The ceiling has a picturesque painting of Mahi Kanthawa or the Earth Goddess. The Bo Tree and Stupa are situated at a promenade above the pinnacle of the Rock Temple. A path with carved steps emerges from the lower promenade and then rise to an avenue leading to the Bo Tree and Stupa arena.
The Copper Plate Grant of King Rajadi Rajasinha explains the building details of the temple.
