View source for Dambulla

{{more footnotes|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = 
| native_name              = 
| image_skyline            = Dambulla-outside.jpg
| image_caption            = [[Dambulla cave temple]]
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 
| image_map                = 
| map_caption              = 
| pushpin_map              = Sri Lanka
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = [[Sri Lanka]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[Provinces of Sri Lanka|Province]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central Province]]
| subdivision_type3        = [[Districts of Sri Lanka|District]]
| subdivision_name3        = [[Matale District]]
| government_type          = [[Municipal councils of Sri Lanka|Municipal Council]]
| leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name              = Jaliya Opatha
| leader_title1            = [[Deputy Mayor]]
| leader_name1             = Sameera Jayasekara
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_urban_km2           = 54.0
| area_total_sq_mi         = 
| area_land_km2            = 
| area_land_sq_mi          = 
| area_water_km2           = 
| area_water_sq_mi         = 
| population_as_of         = 2012
| population_urban         = 23,814 [[Municipal councils of Sri Lanka|(Dambulla Municipality)]]
| population_metro         = 
| population_density_km2   = 162.9
| timezone                 = [[Sri Lanka Time|Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone]]
| utc_offset               = +5:30
| timezone_DST             = 
| utc_offset_DST           = 
| coordinates              = {{coord|7|51|28|N|80|39|09|E|region:LK|display=inline,title}}
| website                  = 
| footnotes                = 
| name                     = Dambulla<br>{{lang|si|දඹුල්ල}}<br>{{lang|ta|தம்புள்ளை}}
| population_total         = 72,306 [[Dambulla Divisional Secretariat|(Dambulla Division)]]
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| translit_lang1           = 
| subdivision_name4        = [[Dambulla Divisional Secretariat|Dambulla Division]]
| subdivision_type4        = [[Divisional Secretariats of Central Province, Sri Lanka|Divisional Secretariat]]
| area_total_km2           = 444.0
| pop_est_as_of            = 2012<ref name=census2012>{{cite web|title=A6 : According to Divisional Secretary's Division, 2012|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/srilanka/admin/matale/2206__dambulla/}}
</ref>
| area_blank1_km2          = 
| area_blank2_km2          = 
| population_density_urban_km2 = 441.0
| government_footnotes     = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailynews.lk/2018/04/06/political/147733/dambulla-mc-members-sworn|title = Dambulla Mayor Sworn}}</ref>
| governing_body           = [[Municipal councils of Sri Lanka|Dambulla Municipal Council]]
}}
[[File:Sun setting over Kandalama Lake, Sri Lanka.jpg|thumb|[[Kandalama Reservoir]].]]

'''Dambulla''' ({{langx|si|දඹුල්ල}} ''Dam̆bulla'', {{langx|ta|தம்புள்ளை}} ''Tampuḷḷai'') is a city situated in the north of [[Matale District]], in [[Sri Lanka]]'s [[Central Province, Sri Lanka|Central Province]]. It is the second largest populated and urbanised centre after [[Matale]] in the [[Matale District]]. It is situated {{convert|148|km|abbr=on}} north-east of [[Colombo]], {{convert|43|km|abbr=on}} north of [[Matale]] and {{convert|72|km|abbr=on}} north of [[Kandy]]. Due to its location at a major junction, it is the centre of major vegetable distribution in the country.

Major attractions of the area include the largest and best preserved [[Dambulla cave temple|cave temple complex]] of Sri Lanka, sigiriya rock fortress located in the division and the [[Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium]], famous for being built in just 167 days. The area also boasts the largest [[rose quartz]] mountain range in [[South Asia]], and the [[Mesua ferrea|Iron wood]] forest, or [[Na Uyana Aranya]].

[[Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs|Ibbankatuwa prehistoric burial site]] near [[Dambulla cave temple]] complexes is the latest archaeological site of significant historical importance found in Dambulla, which is located within {{convert|3|km|abbr=on}} of the cave temples providing evidence of the presence of indigenous civilisations long before the arrival of Indian influence on the Island nation.

==History==

The area is thought to be inhabited from as early as the 7th to 3rd century BC. Statues and paintings in these caves date back to the 1st century BC. But the paintings and statues were repaired and repainted in the 11th, 12th, and 18th century AD.  The caves in the city provided refuge to [[Valagamba|King Valagamba]] (also called ''Vattagamini Abhaya'') in his 14-year-long exile from the [[Anuradapura|Anuradhapura]] kingdom. [[Buddhists|Buddhist monks]] meditating in the caves of Dambulla at that time provided the exiled king protection from his enemies. When King Valagamba returned to the throne at Anuradapura kingdom in the 1st century BC, he had a magnificent rock temple built at Dambulla in gratitude to the monks in Dambulla.

At the Ibbankatuwa Prehistoric burial site near Dhambulla, prehistoric (2700 years old) human skeletons were found on scientific analysis to give evidence of civilisations in this area long before the arrival of [[Buddhism in Sri Lanka]]. Evidence of ancient people living on agriculture have been detected in this area for over 2700 years according to archaeological findings. (750 BC)

It was earlier known as '''Dhamballai''' and was ruled by Kings like [[Raja Raja Chola]] and [[Rajendra Chola]] during their tenure in the late 10th and early 11th centuries.

==Dambulla Cave Temple==
{{main|Dambulla cave temple}}

It is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers {{convert|160|m|abbr=on}} over the surrounding plains. There are more than 80 documented [[caves]] in the surrounding. Major attractions are spread over 5 caves, which contain [[statues]] and [[paintings]]. This paintings and statues are related to [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] and his life. There are a total of 153 [[Buddharupa|Buddha]] statues, three statues of [[Sri Lankan kings]] and four statues of god and goddess. The latter four include two statues of [[Hindu]] gods, [[Vishnu]] and [[Ganesh]]. The murals cover an area of 2,100&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup>. Depictions in the walls of the caves include Buddha's temptation by demon [[Mara (demon)|Mara]] and [[Buddha's first sermon]].

== Demographics ==
=== Ethnicity in Dambulla town (2012) ===
Dambulla is a [[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]] majority town, there is also sizable [[Sri Lankan Moors|Muslim]] minority with a small [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Sri Lankan Tamil]] community. Others include [[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamils]], [[Sri Lankan Malays|Malays]], [[Bharatha people|Bharatha]], [[Sri Lankan Chetties]] and [[Burgher people|Burgher]].  
{{bar box
| title    = Ethnicity in Dambulla Area (2012)
| titlebar = #ddd
| left1    = Population
| right1   = Percent
| float    = right
| bars     = 
{{bar percent|[[Sinhalese people|Sinhalese]]|#FFFF00|95.90}}
{{bar percent|[[Sri Lankan Moors|Muslims]]|#009000|2.89}}
{{bar percent|[[Sri Lankan Tamils]]|#FF8000|1.05}}
{{bar percent|[[Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka|Indian Tamils]]|red|0.12}}
{{bar percent|Others|#0080FF|0.05}}
}}''Source:[http://www.statistics.gov.lk/PopHouSat/CPH2012Visualization/htdocs/index.php?usecase=indicator&action=DSMap&indId=10&district=Matale&Legend=3# statistics.gov.lk]''

===Time line===
* 7th to 3rd century BC: early inhabitants
* 1st century BC: paintings and statues
* 5th century AD: the ''stupa'' was built
* 12th century AD: addition of the statues of Hindu gods
* 18th century AD: most of what is seen nowadays
* 19th century AD: an additional cave and some repainting
* 20th century AD: UNESCO restoration and lighting ...

==Sports==
[[File:Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.jpg|thumbnail|right|Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in 2014 during ODI match]]
The international cricket venue [[Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium]] is located here in a scenic area.

==See also==
*[[Place names in Sri Lanka]]

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|Dambulla|Dhambulla}}

* [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/srilanka/admin/matale/2206__dambulla/ Dambulla population]
* [https://www.citypopulation.de/en/srilanka/cities/?cityid=34069 Cities' population in Sri Lanka]
{{Largest Sri Lankan cities}}
{{Municipalities and Urban areas of Sri Lanka}}

[[Category:Dambulla| ]]
[[Category:Grama Niladhari divisions of Sri Lanka]]