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Exploring heights of Pilikuththuwa-by Mahil Wijesinghe The Pilikuththuwa cave temple and the small Dagaba in the cave on the lower terrace of the hills Source:Sundayobserver The ancient cultural concept of the Dagaba, Keth Yaya (paddy field) and Wewa (tank), revolved around the Pansala (temple) and Gama (village) for executing manifold day-to-day social and religious activities to the people. Not far away from Colombo and Gampaha, along the Colombo-Kandy highway, off Yakkala, into its interior, lies a magnificent mountainous frontier called Pilikuththuwa. On its lofty heights is a mass of ancient rock cave shelters turned into Len Viharas (rock temples) dating back to the Pre-Christian era of 1st, 2nd and 3rd centuries. There are about 99 rock caves with prominently carved out drip-ledges (kataran) on these rock cave hermitages. These drip-ledges were meant to prevent rain water trickling into the caves. Brahmi inscriptions etched below the drip-ledges of some caves go ...