The archaeological wonder of Sri Lanka

The Archaeological Wonder of Sri Lankan city planning, arts, gardenscaping, engineering, hydraulic technology and defence of the 5th century AD is the the Sigiriya rock fortress.

Before Sigiriya became a kingdom, the Sigiriya Rock base and places such as Pidurangala which were endowed with many caves and a temple had been the dwellings of Bhikkhus from around 3rd century BC. It is also found that the areas had been inhabited by people prior to King Kassapa's reign. Many caves also have Brahmi inscriptions dating back from the 3rd century BC to 1st century AD.

After King Mahanama who ruled Anuradhapura from 410- 432 AD, a prince named Dhatusena became the King of Anuradhapura in 459 AD, defeating the Indian invader 'Pandu'.

He had two sons from two queens. Mugalan (also called as Moggallana) from the head queen and Kassapa (also called as Kashyapa) from a companion queen.

Prince Kashyapa, with the help of the general of the army of King Dhatusena, named Migara, got his father killed and became the King. Prince Mugalan, fearing for his life, escaped to India.

After 18 years, Prince Mugalan came with an army from India to fight with King Kassapa. During the battle Kassapa killed himself thus Mugalan became the King. He went back to Anuradhapura and ruled the country from there and handed over Sigiriya back to the Bhikkhus.

The rock itself has its unique identity on its shape not found anywhere else in the island and can be recognised miles away from a distance.

Sigiriya was rediscovered during the British rule, by Major H. Forbes in 1831. Climbing the Sigiriya summit was achieved by A.H.Adams and J.Bailey in 1853.

Sigiriya being a fortress, had been well designed for its defences by having ramparts and moats built around it. There are several approaches to the inner city and the most prominent is the Western entrance.

From the summit of the rock, the land areas up to distances of tens of miles can be watched making it hard for the enemy to make a surprise attack on the kingdom.

King Kassapa had reverted his fortress to an ecological wonder by having royal pleasure gardens, water gardens, fountain gardens and boulder gardens made in the inner city as well as at the palace premises on the rock summit. The most renowned is the Sigiriya rock paintings or frescoes of Sigiri damsels locally called ' Sigiri Apsaras' painted on a western rock face cavity about 100 metres high from the rock base.

There now remains around 21 paintings of Sigiriya damsels but there had been around five-hundred paintings during King Kassapa's time along several other places of the same Western rock face.

- Internet