Author: 
The island of Sri Lanka is home to eight World Heritage sites. One of the most interesting is Sigiriya, the rock fortress located in the District of Matale in the center of the island. The 180m rock rises up from the flat plains standing defiantly amidst a landscaped water garden.
The historic events and legends that are associated with Sigiriya are better than a thriller. A special effort to visit this intriguing place is well worth the trip.
The location
The trip to Sigirya will take the best part of three to four hours from the commercial capital Colombo. The island has a wide variety of landscapes, fauna, and flora that keep changing every few kilometers and this trip is no exception. The historically important District of Matale is strewn with ancient ruins and other artistic and religious sites that showcase the island’s past.
Driving east on the Colombo-Habarana highway you come upon the village of Inamaluwa and 10km from there you will reach Kimbissa, a little township, and Sigiriya. The drive itself is enchanting. Lush vegetation, lightly swaying emerald paddy fields, and rivers flowing amidst sleepy villages and bustling towns make it an interesting drive.
History of the Sigiriya Rock Citadel
The history of Sigiriya is a long and colorful one. In the 3rd Century BC, it was a monastery for reclusive Buddhist monks. Some think it is the Alakamandava or City of Gods as described in the ancient Sanskrit work Ramayanaya.
In the year 495, the visionary King Dhatusena ruled from the city of Anuradhapura. He had two sons. The elder was Kashyapa, the son of a minor consort and the younger was Moggalana, the son of the Queen. Kashyapa was angry at his father for planning to make Moggalana king. So he entombed his father in a wall and let him die. Then he declared himself the king. Moggalana fled to India to gather an army to battle his brother. King Kashyapa knew his brother would return to kill him and decided to construct a palace on top of the Sigiriya Rock surrounded by elegant gardens with an entrance through the resting lion staircase. King Kashyapa’s Palace in the Clouds endured for 18 years before he was defeated and eventually died by suicide.
Soon after, the palace and gardens were handed over to Buddhist monks. Later on, Sigiriya was abandoned altogether and was rediscovered by the British Officer, Major H. Forbes in 1831. The climb to the summit was completed only in 1853. This was the colorful history of a mere lump of granite that was turned into an ecologically viable engineering marvel that was surrounded by brilliantly designed, sophisticated gardens.
The Rock Citadel of Sigiriya, Boulder Gardens, and Water Gardens
This notable Heritage Site is important not only for its aesthetic value but also for what it says about the craftsmen in the 5th century AD. City planners, architects, builders, and a host of other specialized workers built this fortress in the sky without any of the modern tools we take for granted today.
As you approach the Sigiriya complex, perfectly landscaped gardens meet the eye. The natural flora of the area had been cleverly and seamlessly woven into the nooks and crannies of the park accentuating its beauty. This is a fine example of urban planning of that time. The gardens have withstood the test of time, defying the elements, and still function as a working garden and an ecological wonder. The designs are subtle, unobtrusive, and highly ordered. The gardens include hydraulic systems, moats, and other man-made constructions that combine well with the palace and pleasure garden atop the summit supporting a luxurious lifestyle there. You have to see it all to appreciate- the approach to the summit, the Sigiriya frescoes, the Mirror Wall, the Lion’s Head entrance, the moats, fountains, caves, pools, and terraces.
The gardens of Sigiriya
The most popular entrance to the gardens of Sigiriya is the western entrance. The rock stands in the distance with the sophisticated gardens laid out surrounding the bottom and leading up to the entrance to the summit. Once you leave the parking area you have to walk about one kilometer to reach the outer ramparts of the moat. You will come across Yan Oya and also pass the Sigiriya Archeological Museum. Walking further on you will come to the second moat that is crossed by a bridge. The moats are solid constructions with two-tiered walls guiding them. On the other side of these extreme safety measures of King Kashyapa, you will step into the gardens of Sigiriya.
Water gardens
The gardens are designed to flank the path that leads to the majestic Sigiriya Rock. The symmetrical designs of the garden add to the majestic look of the whole complex. The rains bring the water garden to life. Water changes the garden turning it into a wonderful sight. There are four pools near the entrance that creates an island in the middle when filled with water. A small replica of a river winds itself in a ribbon through the gardens. The gardens are constructed using limestone and survive to this day.
The fountain sprinklers in the water garden are still operating using pressure and gravity to coax the water to flow. There are approximately 95 pools and ponds together with waterways scattered around the gardens. The ruins left also tell the story of numerous buildings that would have stood there in the past eras. Small rock walls are used to stem erosion and are cleverly incorporated into the design of the garden itself. Careful attention to detail is apparent when you consider the materials used and their varied shapes and sizes.
Boulder garden
This is an impressive feature of the Sigiriya complex. The natural features of the land are cleverly utilized to create an interesting landscape with different-sized boulders. This feature is part of the garden area where the ground starts to rise toward the base of the rock. Some boulders are used as the floor or walls of construction done to build steps. The boulder garden stands in stark contrast to the man-made designs of the symmetrical water garden. Here, the designer seems to have been dictated to by the boulders and the surrounding vegetation. It is natural and extremely pleasing to the eye. King Kashyapa’s main concern was security and these boulders may have reassured him of his safety at ground level by creating an obstacle path to an enemy army. For the Buddhist monks who inhabited the place before this time, the boulder garden may have offered respite from the elements.
Sigiriya Frescoes
As you ascend the rock of Sigiriya on the western side you come across a special cavity that had been used as an art gallery. The wall face was also the canvas for the artist. Out of the original paintings numbering around 500, now only 21 remain. The paintings depict females known as ‘Apsaras’ or celestial nymphs. They may have been the likenesses of the ladies of King Kashyappa’s court who lived at the palace on the summit.
The current gallery that is seen by visitors is 70 feet long and is accessible by a spiral stairway that leads to an iron platform 45 feet above. The attire of the damsels may have been what was worn at court in those days. Some of the damsels have covered themselves while others are bare-breasted. Jewelry seems to have been popular as the paintings show necklaces, bangles, hair ornaments, and other numerous items. Most of the damsels carry themselves with an air of refinement and are depicted with flowers and floating on clouds. One notable fact about the Sigiriya rock is that there is no religious art as seen in other venues where you find ancient ruins. No carvings, statues, paintings, murals, or other forms of religious art exist here confirming that was indeed the pleasure palace of King Kashyapa.
Mirror Wall
This is the wall that is seen along the length of the gallery. It is covered in graffiti from the 7th Century to the 10th Century AD. People seem to have viewed the gallery after the demise of King Kashyapa and were so moved by the art that they left verses on the Mirror Wall or ‘Kadapath Paura’. One factor that is evident from these graffiti written in a refined language in appreciation of the beauty of the art is that literacy at the time was at a high level.
Lion’s Paw Stairway
As you proceed, one comes to the lion’s paw stairway. It is most probably what is left of the lion’s head symbolically guarding the entrance to the upper areas of the Sigiriya Rock. Once again, security and aesthetics were combined and may have led to it being known as the Lion Rock. The lion Platform is a spacious flat surface that you encounter as the final part of the steep climb to the summit starts with limestone steps. The ascent to the summit starts in silence through the mesh coverings placed to avert wasp attacks from the hives that hang from the underside of the rock. The old pathway to the top consisted of notches in the rock and can be seen winding its way up. An iron stairway attached to the rock face has made the climb easier and more accessible to all.
The palace atop the rock
The palace atop the rock is a magnificent work of art and architecture. The natural layout of the rock surface with an area of around four acres had been used to construct pools, garden areas, buildings, corridors, viewing platforms, and halls at different levels all connected with innumerable steps and pathways.
The 360-degree views at the top are simply stunning. The eye can travel for miles and miles of the flat landscape showing the vegetation and lakes in the distance. Despite the compact nature of the palace, it seems to have been luxurious as can be seen from the foundations that remain in testimony to the grand palace that once stood there.
Caves of Sigiriya and the Audience Hall
There are a number of smaller rock formations scattered at the ground level of Sigiriya and amongst them can be found about 20 naturally made caves. Buddhist monks who had inhabited this area before and after King Kashyapa may have lived in these caves. This is evident from the dripstone ledges carved around the edges of the rock to stop water from seeping inside. Some caves have inscriptions while others seem to have been painted over. Two of the main caves here are known as Deraniyagala Cave and Cobra Hood Cave.
There is a construction carved out of rock in the garden. The floor of this area is smooth and has a stone-cut throne at the back. This is believed to be the remains of an audience hall that may have once sported a wooden roof and walls that have deteriorated since.
The designs of the art and architecture of Sigiriya are simple, yet ingenious in their execution. This is a site that should not be missed. There is easy access from any part of the island to Sigiriya located at the heart of the island. Since the site is a popular one there are hotels and other accommodations in the area to suit any budget.
