Sigiriya

Sigiriya
The Rock Forrest

     The history of Sigiriya goes back to the pre-historic times, but the historic period begins from the 3rd century BC., where the rock caves
served as residential accommodation for the Buddhist monks.There is no doubt that the monks where living at the foot of the rock till
 the 5th century BC. Sigiriya,the Lion Rock, three hundred and sixty metres abovethe sea level and another two hundred meters above the ground
level, is located at the very center of Sri Lanka.

The Royal Capital was founded by King Kashyapa,as his second capital.The rock was crowned with the palaces that once covered it, and
marble white walls and brazen roofs and jeweled finials gave back the blinding of the sun and the great mural emblazoned on the
rock-face,carried maidens it depicts halfway to the clouds.

King Kashyapa referred to the Kingdom of Sigiriya as Alakamandawa and lived there as its lord.This implied that King Kashyapa gave
expression to the legend of Kuvera-the God of Wealth, since Kuvera had two kingdoms,Kashyapa too followed the same.

The name Sigiriya allows various interpretations.The most popular,translates Giri as throat and etymology lent color by the partial
restoration of the fantastic ruin of a crouching lion through whose throat,the way to the summit passes. The lion rock or the lion mountain could
well be older than Kashyapa's time and there is no doubt the rock was known before him.

Crouching Lion

The grandeur of Sigiriya remains in its distinctive features of the Royal citadel on the summit of the rock, the brick-built massive figure;The World Famous
frescoes. Shielding this pathway to the summit,is a nine and half feet plaster wall,so highly polished,that even today ater fifteen centuries of exposure to sun
and rain,one can see his reflection in it.Hence the name "Mirror-Wall", on this polished surface are the Sigiriya Graffiti
recorded by procession of visitors to the rock in the past.

The World Famous Frescoes

The summit of the rock is nearly three acres in extent.Within the outer wall constructed around the rock covers the skillfully planned and constructed ponds,
gardens and water gardens etc.,laid out attractively.