SIGIRIYA

By: Diana Knezevic

The famous rock-fortress built by King Kashyapa 1 is called Sigiriya. King Kasayapa 1 gained the throne of Sri Lanka in 477 AD. Sigiriya is situated in the Central Province of Sro Lanka, 183 kilometer (113 miles) from Colombo. It also has the distinction of being a World Heritage Site named by UNESCO. Sigiriya derives its name 'Lion Rock' from the huge archway shaped like a lion's head, which is the entrance to the fortress. 

Sigiriya history is as interesting as the fortress itself. Kashyapa was the eldest son of King Dhatusena, he ascended the throne in 459 AD. However, Kashyapa was born of a consort of lesser degree while his younger brother Muggalan was the son of the chief consort or queen, which made Muggalan the rightful heir to the throne. Dissatisfied, Kashyapa had different plans. And with the help of a renegade chief of the army, he assassinated his father and gained the throne. Muggalan, who was in fear escaped to southern Idia. After gaining the throne, King Kashyapa went on and built his fortress and a magnificent palace on top of it. It was said to have taken seven years to complete.

The whole place complex consists of several sites. The rock fortress itself is of two rectangular precincts, one in the east spreading over 90 hectares and one in the west spreading over 40 hectares. All of this is surrounded by two moats and three ramparts. The long rising gallery which led up to the rock face was shaped like a lion and the stairways that led to the palace on the summit rose from inside this colossal lion.

Ascending the stairway, there are many wonderful and interesting artifacts which highlights the skills of the ancient artisans. And about halfway to the summit of the rock, there situated the 'Ketapath Pawura' which is the mirrored wall. It gets its name from the smooth glistening surface. It is believed that this was achieved by a glazing created with a mixture of lime, egg whites and wild honey. It was an irresistible invitation for visitors to etch their thoughts and feeling for posterity. 

Visitors who came to Sigiriya for nearly six centuries recorded their thoughts in form of verse and poetry on this wall and can be seen today. Out of them over 700 hundred of the verses have been deciphered and published by archaeologist, who agree that they are of great value in studying the development of Sinhala script and language from the 8th to 10th centuries.

A little further up the rock face there will be enchanting maidens of Sigiriya. These beautiful frescoes are painted on plastered rock face and are similar in style to the contemporary frescoes at the Ajanta caves in India.

Let's go and explore Sigiriya on our own! Let's delve into their history and admire what Sigiriya has to offer. After all, it would be a waste if we do not learn anything when we visit Sigiriya...