Sri Lanka is a little wonderland where visitors tend to think of what they see in Sri Lanka. Due to its geological features, there are a lot of breathtaking destinations to visit around the country. Nature has created such beautiful places, and the others are manmade, and some of them depict the prestigious history of the ancient Sinhalese people. The lion rock fortress, Sigiriya, is such an ancient place that it took the title of the “8th world wonder”.
The entrance to Sigiriya Rock takes the shape of a lion, so it takes the name of Lion Rock. This beautiful creation was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982 due to its historical value. This rock fortress is in an accessible area that anyone, local or foreign, can visit. Sigiriya is a small town in Matale district- Central province.
The Kingdom
Sigiriya was built by the fifth-century king Kashyapa, who ruled the native Sinhalese dynasty. The story began with King Kashyapa’s fled away from Anuradhapura in fear of his own brother Mugalan. The spot that he selected to hide from the outside was this rock on which later he built an empire in the whole area. The investigations show that there had a powerful kingdom started with King Kashyapa’s enthrownment and the kingdom spread around making Sigiriya the center. Earlier it used to be a Buddhist monastery, and after the palace was destroyed, it became a Buddhist monastery once again.
Studying about this fabulous creation is likely a separate subject. There are different aspects to be looked to identify the real value of this place. Sigiriya is undoubtedly a historically valuable archaeological site. But without confining to the archaeological value, there are lot more to explore about.
- The architecture
- The art and literature based on Sigiriya
- Paintings and frescoes
- Tourism in Sigiriya
The architecture and planning
The woods once swallowed Sigiriya, and later it was discovered by Europeans in 1831. Historians and archaeologists excavated the place to discover the fortress. And this stepped a golden era of tourism in Sri Lanka as the glory of the rock was uncovered after the excavations. Though there have only the ruins of a kingdom today, it has been revealed after an investigation that there had a palace on the top of the rock. This is Considered one of the best examples of ancient urban planning.
The rock is about 200 meters above the plain. It has two parts, the Western part, which is about 90 hectares and the Eastern part, which is about 40 hectares. The western area has a high park area with three ramparts and two moats. The Eastern part has boulder gardens.
Water garden – to the top of the rock, the view of the landscape is eye-catching, and it is a mix of natural floral species. The view of this garden takes the same planning plan as a botanical garden. The palace was surrounded by a wonderful water garden; even today, there’s no clue of the technology King Kashyapa used to create those water fountains in Sigiriya. On the top of the rock, there is evidence of Water Gardens and fountains. The technology and architecture of city planning are based on a square module. The technology of the water management system on top of the rock is unbelievable. The water fountains are evidence of Sigiriya’s hydraulic system. There is also a miniature water garden. All these are evidence of excellent water management and irrigation systems. All these evidences show the ancient Sri Lankan technology in architecture and irrigation.
The palace – Atthe entrance of the Sigiriya rock, there are two large lion paws carved out of the rock. It will lead up to a gigantic lion statue. It is believed that this carving of a lion represent the pride and the strength of King Kashyapa. Even the term Sigiriya derives from Sinha-Giri which means ‘Lion Rock.’ Going through a mouth of a rock, the palace is likely a citadel.
The art and literature based on Sigiriya
There is an outstanding culture, art and literature based on Sigiriya. The ancient artists, musicians and writers have taken Sigiriya as an object for their works of art. The reason for this is the painting, the fabulous frescoes, the graffiti and the mirror wall in Sigiriya. The artistic side of the society, and especially the King’s taste in art, is depicted through these paintings.
One of the other main attractions of Sigiriya is the Sigiriya frescoes and Sigiriya paintings. The murals can be seen once you climb the circular staircase. The Sigiriya frescoes are the maidens with beautiful curves carrying flowers. There are dressed in heavy garments, and it is believed that they are carrying flowers to the king for blessings. In literature they were given different meanings in metaphors. And some believe that those are the ladies of king’s heram.
Sigiriya Graffiti can be seen on the lower area of the Mirror Wall. The Sigiriya mirror wall is something worth visiting when you are at the top of the rock. This is a polished rock and is situated next to the Sigiriya frescoes. The mirror wall is a parapet wall. It is a kind of protective wall built in those ancient times.
The Graffiti contains reflections on the rock. These reflections are the collections of thoughts of the many people who have visited the Sigiriya rock. After Sigiriya was discovered, locals came to visit. The visitor, overwhelmed by the beauty of Sigiriya and the paintings, wrote their own thoughts in the mirror wall. The earliest language was used by the people when writing their thoughts, and later they were translated into modern Sinhala for a better understanding of the people. Those reflections written in ancient times are still in Sinhala literature to depict the artistry and the creative thoughts of the people. There had a separate art related to Sigiriya. The people who visited praised the wonder of Sigiriya as well as the beauty and elegance of the king’s maidens in frescoes.
Paintings and Frescoes
Graffiti left by medieval travellers to Sigiriya is a response to the site’s extraordinary rock paintings depicting beautiful women dancing and bearing offerings. These paintings of maidens drawn on the rock wall are still allowed to visit after the conservation process. These ladies, according to some people, are the maidens from King Kashyapa’s harem and on the other hand, they believe these ladies in the palace having flowers on their hands are going to worship the Pindurangala vihara, another historic temple a few miles away from Sigiriya. Another theory believes them to be depictions of apsaras, singers and dancers in Indian mythology who inhabit heaven. Sinhala literature in poems and prose praises the beauty of these ladies, and some writers have given different meanings to the facial expressions of their places.
Tourism in Sigiriya
Sigiriya is obviously a hard-to-believe place where each and every person gets obsessed with the beauty of the creations. Though King Kashyapa built his palace on top of a rock for his safety and as an administrative center, it has currently become a key place in the field of tourism in Sri Lanka that any foreign traveller would choose to visit Sigiriya over many places. Sigiriya is now a must-visit tourist destination that is so much popular around the world. The whole area of Sigiriya is a historic and archaeological site which attracts travellers who are interested in historical tourism.
Climbing Sigiriya is likely a mini hike that it probably may take few minutes or may be few hours.
The best time to visit Sigiriya specially to climb Sigiriya rock is the sunrise or sunset. As it is sunny and dry during noon time, it may be more exhausting to climb and visit.
Choosing rainy season to climb the rock is not a good idea since the place get wet and the rock may be slippery.
You can visit the water garden and the Sigiriya museum if you are not interested in climbing heights.
Sigiriya is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, and the ticket price is 2000 rs. Parking vehicles are available outside of the site.
There is no separate dress code to wear, but it is advisable if you can choose clothes that are suitable for climbing. It is sunny during day time the surround gets hot. So be prepared with caps, hats and clothes for this climate, and it is better to get hydrated before the visit.
Things to do in Sigiriya
The main destination in Sigiriya is Sigiriya Rock and the museum. Other than Sigiriya, there are a few things you can visit in Sigiriya.
Pidurangala Viharaya
Pidurangala Vihara is another ancient place to visit. This is a temple with a huge rock, and the top of this rock is an amazing viewpoint. The view of Sigiriya Rock is mesmerizing, and it is one of the best photo locations in Sigiriya. You can visit or hike in Pidurangala temple.
Village tour
Another thing you must not forget is to enjoy a village tour in Sigiriya. There are village tour providers in Sigiriya, and also your travel partner or tour guide will guide you to enjoy a village tour. Sigiriya is a rural village where you can feel authenticity everywhere. To get into the simplicity and the feel of the village, you can have a village tour. There you can choose a tuk-tuk, a bullock cart or even a foot bicycle. You will also experience an unforgettable traditional catamaran ride.
Village tours give you a memorable experience in a countryside rural village in Sigiriya. You will enjoy the sightseeing of paddy fields, visit a chena cultivation, a traditional cooking demonstration in a rural village house and have an authentic Sri Lankan lunch during this tour. You can taste the traditional Sri Lankan dishes and enjoy the way authentic Sri Lanka food is made. This city tour will surely make you feel like so Sri Lankan.
