Sigiriya: A Journey of Discovery

Sigiriya is one of those historic places, where the journey is as fabulous as the destination. The long drive into the heart of Sri Lanka, the surrounding wilderness, the steep stairways that lead to the top, the stops at the frescoes and at the Lion’s Paw entrance, and the finale with the view from the top – it’s full of wonder at every turn.

The ancient city of Sigiriya is about who inhabited it and what it was used for. The rock was adaptable, and under ingenious human intervention it was transformed into a palace of pleasure, a fortress of defense and a haven for meditation.

Sigiriya is situated in the Matale District in the Central Province, which is about a three-hour drive from the commercial capital Colombo. The rock itself is 180m in height and is in an area 350m above sea level. One of the seven UNESCO world heritage sites of Sri Lanka, it is also a part of the country’s cultural triangle (that includes five of the country’s seven world heritage sites).

There is an impressive history behind Sigiriya, from politics to pleasure and palatial planning to defense strategy. The origins of Sigiriya go as far back as pre-historic times. Excavations have uncovered evidence of human habitation in the area as far back as 9-10th centuries B.C. The discovery of 30 cave shelters at the base of the rock points to the existence of 3rd century B.C. Buddhist monasteries. Then came the royal occupation.

The stories surrounding the rock and its royal complex are varied, although at the centre of all these stories is King Kasyapa, who ruled from A.D. 477-495. The most popular version paints the King in a brutal light. His father was King Dhathusena and his mother was a non-royal consort, which effectively barred him from ascending to the throne. It is said that Kasyapa murdered his father by walling him alive, and usurped the crown from its rightful owner, Prince Moggllana. Moggallana escaped to India, but vowed to return, and Kasyapa’s response was to move his kingdom to a more secure location from its traditional seat in Anuradhapura. His choice? Sigiriya.

An aerial view of the palace complex
© Central Cultural Fund

The threatened battle did come to Kasyapa and Sigiriya, and the king was defeated. Kasyapa took his own life, and Moggallana went back to Anuradhapura and converted the complex into a monastery. It seemed to have been in use in the 12th-13th centuries A.D. and then abandoned altogether. In the 19th century it came back to some prominence as a military outpost used by the kings of Kandy, but it was the 1832 discovery by Major Jonathan Forbes of the British military that rekindled its interest as a place of immense historical value.

The first thing that strikes you is the ingenious Water Gardens. There are three large water gardens and one miniature water garden. The second water garden has fountains and two summer palaces that flank it. Where does the water for the fountains come from? There are moats that connect to subterranean channels that bring in water. On rainy days, the fountains come alive, with cool, clear water gushing through.

The limestone pathways leading to the rock take you on a winding journey past the Boulder Garden with its five-metre long throne carved out of the rock, and various rock caves used by monks. You also walk through the Terraced Gardens, which is a series of terraces that connect the Boulder Garden to the stairs on the rock. This long walk up can be very calming, because everything is very quiet and peaceful. You can almost picture the King surrounded by his ministers and attended by servants, engaged in matters of state.

Beautiful and mysterious: The women of Sigiriya
© Central Cultural Fund

The path to the top also takes you past the frescoes and the graffiti. The paintings are simply magnificent: the forms, the colours, the artists’ sketch lines, the sweeping strokes and the expressions are all made dearer when you realise how they have withstood the test of time and decay. These alluring women float among ethereal clouds, bearing flowers and wearing beautiful jewellery. Just who were they? Several interpretations are on offer: Kasyapa’s concubines (H. C. P. Bell), goddesses (Ananda Coomaraswamy) or symbolic representations of rain and lightening (Prof. Senerat Paranavitana). Evidence suggests the existence of 500 such figures, but most have faded or been wiped out (so as not to distract meditating monks).

Then comes the Mirror Wall, with its polished inner surface and the graffiti that reveals who visited the rock over the centuries. Some verses are poetic and elegant, some record personal thoughts and observations, and some reveal details of visitors through the centuries. You can no longer write on this wall for obvious reasons, but look out for the ancient writing. A word of warning: There are hornets’ nests that would not tolerate too much noise!

A long and steep stairway takes you to the Lion’s Paw, the actual entrance to the palace complex above. Picture postcards sold at the site make an attempt to imagine what the lion entrance may have looked like, and it would certainly have looked very majestic. A lion bearing its teeth, with its mane flowing back and claws pointed at you – an entrance fit for a king. Nowadays, only the paws remain, and the stairway remains exposed. Stand near a claw and watch it rise above you, and you will get a sense of the size of that massive lion.

What the Lion's entrance might have looked like...

Finally, you come to the top – and what a magnificent view and what an elaborate site. The ruins of palatial rooms, the enormous pool with the king’s special seat (in the rainy season, you can go for a short walk on the pool’s edge with the water reaching your knees), and the sense of aesthetic appeal is remarkable. The view extends from all points in the palace to as far as the eye can see. Down below the wilderness looks like a green carpet and just above you the clouds look so close. The wind is strong and cool, and you can spend long minutes just admiring the view.

Sigiriya is to be admired for its workmanship, its artistry, its use of symmetry and asymmetry in design, the way the natural landscape was integrated into the man-made plan, its position as a fortress, and its obvious indulgence in all things pleasurable. Its story is as much about a man’s mission to defend as his vision of everlasting power; and therein lies its value.