In this rock-cave shelter Buddhist monks during King Valagamba’s reign wrote the Thripitaka in Pali on Ola leaves, as indicated on the cave in Sinhala. The epic reign of King Valagamba (104-77 B.C.) would go into the annals of the Buddhist literary history as the Thripitaka (Buddhist scriptures) were written down on Ola leaves in Pali by a conclave of Buddhist monks at the Aluvihare Temple, close to Matale. Thripitaka at first came down orally, by being committed to memory by Buddhist monks of the time. Thripitaka is classified into three divisions. They are Vinaya Pitakaya (Basket of discipline), Sutra Pitakaya (Basket of Discourse) and Abidarma Pitakaya (Basket of Metaphysics). The entrance to the canopy has a prominent Pandal with an arch constructed out of concrete. From there is a steep ascent of stone steps leading to the Meda Midula - frontage terrace. Here looms a mass of rock boulders harbouring cave shelters. Then from there, rises round and round steps of stone giving way to other rock caves, having well chiselled drip ledges on the apex. Mr. Edwin who is in charge of the library housed in a roomy building which is named as the International Library and Museum for writing the Thripitaka on Ola leaves in Pali. The foundation stone for this International Library and Museum was laid by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Sihanouk of Cambodia on 17.2.1957. He had been in Sri Lanka then to attend the Buddha Jayanthi Celebrations held in February 1957. This edifice was inaugurated by the late Premier, Sirimavo Dias Bandaranaike on 1.9.1974. It was constructed with state funds. The Librarian, Mr. W. Edwin is a real storehouse of all Buddhist philosophy and other historical episodes connected with this Aluvihare Temple and other archaeological artefacts of cultural value. He was receptive to me and briefed me its origins. There is an influx of tourists both home and abroad flocking to this historic temple. The library contains a gallery of antiques ranging from Buddhist statues, seated, standing made out of clay, brass, marble, while some of them have been gold plated. There are priceless Buddha statues gifted by Siam, Cambodia, China, Japan, and Myanmar (Burma), together with other archaeological artefacts pertaining to old Lanka, as well. Then there are also displayed Buddha statues of Mahayana sect gifted from countries like China, Japan, Cambodia and Korea. There are well bound Thripitaka on Ola leaves written in Pali displayed in a separate bookshelf. Then next is an array of heaps of talipot leaves (fresh ones) processed into Ola leaves on which the scriptures are written with the aid of the panhida-style. These specimens are in the form of display to visiting tourists as Mr. Edwin, the Librarian explains, as to how these Ola leaves are processed from the tali-pot palm-leaves. Besides Mr. Edwin being proficient in Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and he is also well-versed in foreign languages like French, Italian and German