(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the officials of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to promptly renovate the historic Hindagala Cave Temple.
The Prime Minister has given these instructions to the Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana Religious and Cultural Affairs, Prof. Kapila Gunawardena, following a recent newspaper report that the cave temple is nearing destruction.
Ven. Embilmigama Dhammakiththi Thero, the Chief Incumbent of the cave temple, had told the newspaper that many of the paintings in the cave temple with historic value were being destroyed and that the responsible authorities should pay attention to it.
Accordingly, officials of the Department of Archeology and the Central Cultural Fund will visit the cave temple to assess the situation and restoration work will be carried out as per the instructions given by them.
Hindagala Viharaya or temple, located underneath a large boulder close to the University of Peradeniya Campus includes paintings from the Anuradhapura, Gampola, Kandy, and Kotte kingdoms.
