The Monastic Era
Long before it became a hiking destination, Danigala was a sanctuary for spiritual seekers.
Cave Inscriptions (Brahmi Script)
Archaeological surveys have identified several rock caves with inscriptions written in early Brahmi script. These short texts typically record the donation of the cave by a lay devotee to the Sangha (community of monks). Paleographically, these date to the 2nd century BCE (Sumanarathna et al., 2020).
Petroglyphs of Danigala Kanda Caves
One of the most fascinating findings comes from Chithra Lena Cave. On the cave’s left wall (approx. 25ft by 16ft), a well-preserved petroglyph panel features symbols and imagery strikingly similar to those found in India’s Edakkal Cave, hinting at cultural or symbolic parallels across ancient South Asia.
The symbols include:
- Human-like forms and geometric shapes
- Peacocks (or extinct giant storks) and birds of prey
- Dogs, plants, ladders, bows, and arrows
- Unique "bind code" patterns (Bind Runes)
Some researchers believe these symbols could be early counters or astronomical notations, pointing to an advanced level of symbolic thinking and celestial observation by the cave dwellers.
Architectural Remains
Remnants of brick walls and stupas can be found in the vicinity. The Kandegama Dhananjaya Raja Maha Viharaya, located at the base, is the modern successor to this ancient tradition, but the ruins suggest a much larger complex existed in antiquity.
The Ravana Connection?
While archaeology confirms the Buddhist monastic history, alternative historical theories often link Danigala to the kingdom of Ravana. However, unlike the monastic evidence (inscriptions, ruins), evidence for the Ravana era remains largely within the realm of logic, oral tradition, and interpretation of the Ramayana epic.