grade 7 sigiriya essay in english

100 Words Essay On I Went On A Trip To Sigiriya In English

My trip to Sigiriya was nothing short of a magical one!

Situated in Sri Lanka, it is the perfect tourist spot for history lovers like me! 

Also referred to as Sinhagiri, Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress. This famous world heritage spot is, in fact, the ruins of a palace atop a massive 200-meter-high rock, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures. The rock, interestingly, is a lava plug left over from an ancient long extinct volcano.

Everyone ought to visit Sigiriya, the Lion City, at least once in their lives!

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The 'Lion Fortress' of Sri Lanka was swallowed by the jungle

Built in the fifth century, Sri Lanka’s Sigiriya fortress attracted the attention of British archaeologists in the 1800s, who were amazed by its leonine rock art and beautiful frescoes.

Perched on a slab of rock that juts dramatically over the forests of central Sri Lanka , Sigiriya is as imposing a sight now as it must have been when it was first built by a fierce king in the fifth century A.D. Meaning “lion’s rock,” Sigiriya (designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982) is accessed by way of passageways cut into the rock face between a monumental pair of lion paws.

The fortress was later swallowed by the forest, and only familiar to local villagers. Outsiders used knowledge of its past, preserved in Buddhist texts, to search for the ancient site. British historians rediscovered its astonishing buildings and frescoes in the 19th century.

Kingdom to colony

Sigiriya was built by the fifth-century king Kashyapa I, who ruled the native Sinhalese dynasty, the Moriya. The imposing fortress was the capital of the Sinhalese kingdom until Kashyapa was defeated in A.D. 495. (Watch: An ancient palatial fortress overlooks this barren desert in Israel .)

After Kashyapa, dynasties rose and fell, their fortunes shaped by internal power struggles and conflicts between native Sinhalese and outside invaders from India .

The Lion People

The Mahavamsa, a fifth-century Sri Lankan epic, tells how the Indian prince Vijaya was the grandson of a lion. He traveled to the island of Sri Lanka and married Princess Kuveni. From their union was born the Sinhalese race ( sinhala means “of lions”). In the Sinhalese tradition, the lion is the mythical ancestor of kings and a symbol of royal authority. The photograph shows what remains of the monumental Lion Paws Gate at Sigiriya.

Various cities held the status of capital after Sigiriya, such as Polonnaruwa. By the 12th century, however, overall control of Sri Lanka progressively weakened. Sinhalese power retreated to the southwest of the island, abandoning the Rajarata region, and the former administrative centers, including Sigiriya, started to fall into disuse.

Sri Lanka’s position in the Indian Ocean made it vulnerable to Europeans looking to expand their control in the region. By the mid-1500s the Portuguese had thoroughly exploited dynastic tensions in Sri Lanka’s ruling elite and controlled much of the island.

A century later the Dutch had replaced the Portuguese as colonial masters, and they were in turn displaced by the British in the late 1700s. By 1815 the Kingdom of Kandy, the last independent, native state on the island, became part of the British Empire.

Knowledge is power

British imperial rule brought civil servant George Turnour to the island. An aristocrat, scholar, and passionate historian, Turnour worked with a Buddhist monk to translate an ancient fifth-century chronicle, the Mahavamsa, from the Sri Lankan Pali language into English. Based on this and other texts, he identified two ancient capitals: Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.

Turnour also studied a later chronicle of Sri Lankan history, the Culavamsa, which told the story of King Kashyapa. In the late fifth century, this Sinhalese prince killed his father, King Dhatusena, and seized the throne, usurping his brother, who fled to India. Fearing reprisals, he built the fortress Sigiriya—but in vain: His brother returned, defeating Kashyapa, and Sigiriya lost its brief status as capital.

In 1827 a Scottish officer, Jonathan Forbes, became friends with Turnour, and on hearing the story of Kashyapa and his palace, decided to look for it. In 1831 he set off to where locals told him he would find the remains of an ancient city.

His memoir, Eleven Years in Ceylon, describes “the rock of Sirigi [sic], . . . frowning defiance over the scanty fields and the far-extending forest of the surrounding plain.” As he approached, he could see platforms and galleries carved into the rock. Two of his party managed to scramble some way up but dislodged rocks, “which crashed among the boughs of the trees at a great depth below.”

Unsure as to whether he had found the Sigiriya mentioned in the Buddhist texts, Forbes abandoned the expedition. Revisiting a few years later, he traced the moat that surrounds the gardens at the foot of the rock but did not attempt to climb the cliff face. He doubted that the name Sigiriya was related to lions, as he had seen nothing to support that etymology.

Fabulous frescoes

British mountaineers eventually reached the top in 1851, but the task of surveying the site fell to the Archaeological Commissioner of Ceylon, Harry C.P. Bell. His survey at the end of the 19th century has formed the basis of all studies since.

Bell painstakingly ascertained the layout of Kashyapa’s fantastical city as well as detailed the magnificent carving of the lion’s paws at the entrance, which Forbes had not been able to see.

In addition to the elaborate water gardens at the foot of the rock, Bell’s survey also lavished attention on the galleries on the rock face. These are decorated with exquisite wall paintings that have become some of the most prized objects in Sri Lanka’s artistic heritage. A total of 21 surviving frescoes may depict apsaras, celestial singers and dancers. (See also: 40,000-year-old cave art may be world's oldest animal drawing .)

Nearby, also on the walls of the rock face, are well over 1,000 items of graffiti, scratched by monks and pilgrims who visited the site in the eighth to the 13th centuries. These messages from the past can cause a frisson when read by visitors today. One reads: “At Sigiriya, of abundant splendor, situated on the island of [Sri Lanka] we saw, in happy mood, the rock that captivates the mind of all people who come here.”

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Sigiriya: An Early Designed Landscape in Sri Lanka

2018, Orientations

Inscribed today on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, Sigiriya, an archaeological site in central Sri Lanka, may be one of the oldest gardens known in Asia. The late antique (4th–7th century) remains of buildings, zoomorphic architecture and rock paintings upon its central outcrop have elicited interpretation since the late 19th century (Figs 1 and 2). Sigiriya was thought to be a palace complex, and the art historian Ananda Coomaraswamy likened its paintings to the Gupta period (c. 320–550 CE) cave paintings at Ajanta in India (Coomaraswamy, 1971, p. 163).

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The history of archaeology at Sigiriya, in its antiquarian manifestation that worked with the notions of discovery and adventure, began in the mid-19 th century with the adventures of European explorers. The published travelogues of Major Jonathan Forbes on the island 1 are an early example of this. A century later, by the mid-decades of the 20 th century, Sigiriya had begun to permeate and play a vital role in the shaping of the historical consciousness of modern Sri Lankans. The migration of the idea of Sigiriya, and other similar sites that the adventurous colonial explorers first brought into the discourse of discovery from ruined wild places, and then to the discourse of archaeology and heritage, over time, registered the notions of the ancient glory of the Sinhalese, with nationalist rhetoric that fueled anti-colonial sentiments. The colonial discourse of "discovery", bolstered by authoritative English-language publications on Sigiriya and other such sites, ensured this migration and persisted throughout the 20 th century, first by colonial archaeologists and then by their brown descendants as an integral component of the discipline of archaeology 2 .

The conditions that affect the heritage management of archaeological sites in Sri Lanka arise from two interrelated but distinct histories. One has its roots in the colonial legacy of Sri Lankan archaeology, and the other in the populist-nationalist politics that draw rhetorical strength from archaeology and history. In this setting, "heritage" 1 means religion and ethnic identity. In a word, ethnonationalist. Since its inception in the late 19th century and its engagement in Anuradhapura, the Archaeological Survey Department of Ceylon (now the Department of Archaeology) had to negotiate the idea of heritage and "sacred site." The demands by Buddhist devotees, led by Walisinha Harishchandra in the early 1900s, that confronted the Archaeological Survey Department in the historic city of Anuradhapura was a struggle between colonial archaeology and the idea of heritage. Buddhists urged that the living characteristics of historic Buddhist sites be taken into account in their preservation 2. These early-twentieth-century clashes with colonial archaeology had long-lasting consequences for the country's post-colonial politics. The ancient city of Anuradhapura, thus acquiring a wealth of historical truths through colonial archaeology, and having been co-opted in a nationalist discourse, pitched by Harishchandra, that showed a particular kind of anti-colonial sentiments 3 , became the treasured historical center for Sinhala-Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura became the ethnonationalist symbol of the ancient grandeur and political authority of modern Buddhist rulers 4. These two mutually inclusive histories effectively keep archaeology from becoming a critical social practice. For a significant majority of Sri Lankan archaeologists, archaeology remains a project to construct culture-historical narratives about the country's past, using a loosely positivist-empiricist and commonsense approach of knowledge production entangled in locating essences and origins in ethnic, geographical, and chronological categories in Sri Lanka's past 5. Finding such

Prashantha Mandawala

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VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPES OF SRI LANKA Silva, D.A.M.S.* and Yakandawala, K.** Department of Horticulture and Landscape Gardening, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka, Makandura, Gonawila (NWP), Sri Lanka *[email protected], **[email protected] ABSTRACT The history of architecture in Sri Lanka spans to the prehistoric era. However, well developed architectural and landscaping knowledge was transmitted from Indo-Aryan settlers, after Buddhism was introduced in 3rd century BC. Ancient Sri Lankan architecture primarily developed around religion. Sustainability and natural balance were key philosophies of this. All these monuments and landscapes have a remarkable calming effect on visitors. Remains of Buddhist and Hindu shrines, literature, maps and silpa texts are the main sources of evidence for studying ancient architecture and landscape gardening in Sri Lanka. Historic books like Mahawansa gives a detailed explanation of construction efforts led by each king during their ruling dynasties. Sinhala and Pali books written by great scholar monks, specially the Sandesha kavyas provide descriptive information on ancient buildings and gardens as well the biodiversity of surrounding landscapes. Stupas, the world's universal Buddhist architectural monuments, were built to preserve holy artifacts of the Lord Buddha. Ancient Stupas emphasize architectural and engineering capabilities of the ancestors of the island, and Stupas are considered the largest brick monuments of the pre-modern world. Sri Lankan Buddhist architecture was under threat ever since it was introduced, first by the South Indian invasion, then by Europeans, and recently by civil war, when many architectural monuments as well as architectural documents were destroyed. In spite of the brave effort by the Sri Lankan people, Buddhist monks, and leaders who tried to protect ancient Buddhist monuments, many of them have rapidly decayed and have been destroyed in the past. The protection and restoration of ancient architecture, its theories and techniques has become a challenge to the present generation. Focus should not be limited to protecting, maintaining and restoring ancient heritage but also on the need to reuse these principles in modern architecture and landscaping, mainly because of its sustainability and ecological balance. Developing 3D models of ancient monuments using computer software is very useful for in-depth studies and reconstruction efforts. However, designing 3D models using traditional geometrical designing software such as AutoCAD, Maya, 3D’s max are sophisticated and time consuming. Google SketchUp was recently introduced as a free and open source 3D modeling system, which is user-friendly and easy to learn. Now many engineers, architects, researchers and students are using Google SketchUp together with Google Earth in engineering, geography and archeology projects as a rapid designing tool. KEYWORDS: Buddhist Architecture, Computer Aided Designing, Archeology, 3D modeling

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Real Archaeology

Anth 100 searches for the truth.

Sri Lanka’s Man-made Wonder: Sigiriya

I googled “what famous archaeological discoveries are in the country Sri Lanka” ( the country where my parents are from). What frequently popped up was this magnificent fortress called the Sigiriya. What’s fascinating about this fortress is that it is sitting right on top of a six hundred foot rock! This article will assess the story behind the story and discovery of Sigiriya with an archaeological spin to it.

Let’s rewind the clock back hundreds of years to about the fifth century AD. Meanwhile , Sri Lanka was a monarchist country; specifically, the kingdom was in the Moriya dynasty. The dynasty was in the midst of a heated turmoil as two half-brothers (Kashyapa and Moggallana) competed for the throne (Dowson 2017). Kashyapa’s mother was a concubine for the king while the mother of Moggallana was the queen; thus, Moggallana was the rightful heir to the throne. However, Kashyapa seized the crown from his father in a coup with the help of the military. Fearing for his life, Moggallana fled to South India. At the same time, Kashyapa dreaded that his half-brother might return with vengeance one day. So, he moved the capital from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya in 477 CE (Dowson 2017). In order to make his palace more secure, he constructed it on the top of a colossal rock. As the years went by and no sign of Moggallana, Kashyapa turned his fortress into a lavish palace. However, Kashyapa’s omen will become a reality in 495 CE as Moggallana returned (Dowson 2017). With his allies betraying him, Kashyapa committed suicide while Moggallana became king. Sigiriya was abandoned shortly after and was forgotten.

It was not until the 1800s in which archaeologists recovered the lost site and fortress. Archaeologists excavated the site in order to reconstruct the importance of Sigiriya (Dawson). Surrounding the fortress, are lavish gardens decorated with limestone and encompass pools of water like in Figure 1. Archaeologists assess that these gardens were constructed during the period when Kashyapa turned the fortress into a palace. One garden however was dated to the twelfth century which archaeologists raised the question if Sigiriya was ever abandoned at all (Dawson). A separate investigation found a huge stone paw, pictured in Figure 2, at the entrance of the rock.  Archaeologists assessed that these are lion paws since Sigiriya, translated in Sinhalese, means “lion rock.” A third excavation found beautiful frescoes depicting the culture during Kashyapa’s reign. In Figure 3, this massive painting of a Buddhist woman was found on the side of the rock.

Figure 1: Bird’s-eye View of one of the gardens surrounding the rock fortress. Photo by Bernard Gagnon

Figure 2: Remains of the “Lion” guarding the entrance to Sigiriya. Photo by Atlas and Boots

Figure 3: A beautiful fresco painting of a woman during Kashyapa’s reign. Photo by Bernard Gagnon

Archaeology isn’t just about excavations. It’s about constructing the stories and meanings behind them through the knowledge of the site’s culture and history. We don’t know if Sigiriya was truly abandoned. It’s normal to not have answers to every question since archaeology is a process that’s not written in stone. However, we know that Sigiriya will be for years to come!

References Dowson, Thomas 2017 The Ancient City of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. Archaeology Travel. August 13

Take a look at these websites to start your journey!

https://sigiriyatourism.com/

Sigiriya 2019: Best of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka Tourism. TripAdvisor.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g304141-Sigiriya_Central_Province-Vacations.html

2 thoughts on “ Sri Lanka’s Man-made Wonder: Sigiriya ”

I like how you conclude this blog post. I think it is important to recognize, as you do, that archaeology is a process. The field is constantly evolving and bettering itself. You raise the question of whether Sigiriya was actually abandoned. Can you expand on this? How would this appear in the archaeological record? Why do you think it had been abandoned?

There is debate of whether Sigiriya was completely “off limits” or was the fortress used in some capacity after Kashyapa’s reign. The source that I used said that Buddhist monks inhabited the area while the source listed below said that it was completely abandoned and never found until European archaeologists arrived to discover Sigiriya. Thus, there is discrepancy in the archaeological community about this issue. In order to solve this problem with the help of the archaeological record is to date the various artifacts that could be found throughout the area of Sigiriya. Through the dates, we can figure out if there possibly were inhabitants after Kashyapa. I believe that it wasn’t abandoned because Sigiriya is so unique, beautiful, and colossal that I just simply can’t believe that it went undetected and forgotten for so long.

Extra Source 2017 Before Machu Picchu Was – There Was Sri Lanka’s Sigiriya. Ramblin’ Boy. March 6.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012

• Sigiriya Rock Fortress

110 comments:

King Khashyapa's brother is King Mugalan. Not Mihidu. Please correct this.

In this essay have many spelling problems

Verry important information

Thanks for this thees are very important informations.

Sigiria is an ancient city in Sri Lanka

Every one have mistake don't say like that ok

It is very nice , Thank you

Yes Mugalan (moggallana).

Very important details

Yah it is Mugalan not Moggalana

Nope.these two names are correct (Mugalan/Moggallana)

King Khashyapa's brother is Mugalan.

Very important details 👈

Nice post and pics about sigiriya. Sigiriya is truly awesome place see this post to know more about Sigiriya.

I really helpful this thanks you 👍

No word to tell.it's a very Valuable place in Sri Lanka.

It's true

Very use full information

Information is very fruitful

Kasyapa's brother is Mugalan .not mihidu .But information is very useful

Don' you know? King kashyapa's brother is MUGALAN Please correct this

This was very helpful for my studies. Thank youall.😄😄😄❤❤❤👍👍👍👌👌👌✋✋✋

Thank you very much

This was very helpful for my studies. Thank youall.������❤❤❤������������✋✋✋

Yes it is very helpful for my assignment on the topic of the sigiriya rock. Thank you so so so much.❤❤❤❤❤💗💗💗💗😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍❤❤❤❤❤

Don't you know king Kashyapa's brother king Mugallan?

Shut up dear don't ask like that

You shut up asshole

Aww! This is damn helpful to understand the history and their knowledge!

Very interesting

மிகவும் நன்று🙌🙌 என்றும் இவ்வாறு

It's very useful❤️ thank you... but you have to correct king kahsyapa's brother is mugalan not mihindu😒

Thank you. It's very useful for my son's studies.

වැරදි අදහස්

Nice.but there ara small mistakes.

It is very interesting

Thanks for help me...��

Helpful🌎🌎✌️✌️

Very helpful

Nice..but there are small mistake...

It is nice...but you have to correct quickly king kashapa's brother is mugalan not mihidhu..don't chainge our(sihala nation) chronicle ....thank you..

this is very useful for my studies,thanks

This is very useful for everyone and thanks a lot for this description

King kashysppa's brother is mugalan. And this is very helpful for my essay. Thank you. The picture are clear. Last trip o went to sigiriya as a trip without a guide and a notebook. So, I couldn't get all the information in my mind. But this information made me to get a lot of information. And for the last. I say, thank you

Spelling mistakes are most in this essay.

What are they????

It is very helpful

Mugalan is king kashyapa's brother..not mihidu

Useful essay

That's most helpful thanks ✌️

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Thanks this is very helpful thanks 🖤🖤

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i had seen hydraulikpresse gebraucht in that fortress what do you think there were getting used in that fortress ??

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Sigiriya Rock Fortress Sri Lanka

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What is Sigiriya ?

Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress and palace built by King Kashyapa during the reign of 473 – 495 which is standing majestically 660 feet straight up. It is located in the northern Matale district near the town of Dambulla in central province of Sri Lanka. The word Sigiriya or the Sinhagiri means the Lion’s Rock where you have to climb up 1200 steps before you reach the Lion Rock Fortress on top of Sigiriya. There are several platforms that break up the steps and allow for a little break if you need it. Today Sigiriya rock fortress is one of the most famous Archeological Treasure and UNESCO named Sigiriya rock as a World Heritage in 1982 under the name “Ancient City of Sigiriya Sri Lanka”. 

Architecture of Sigiriya Lion Rock

This fortified garden city of Sigiriya rock fortress is an exceptional master piece of ancient urban planning / landscape & architecture / construction technology /exceptional hydraulic engineering & management / ancient fine art with unique harmony between nature and human imagination and all these living examples proved that it was a Well Planned City & Palace in 5th Century AD. Sigiriya rock fortress is recognized as one of the best preserved surviving ancient urban sites in Asia from the 1st millennium or simply it’s a Living Museum. Sigiriya World Heritage Site is versatile and many-faceted appeal, and it is one of Sri Lanka’s ancient political capitals and Sri Lanka’s most sensational heritage site.

History of Sigiriya Rock Fortress 

Historical research carried out at the site has brought to light evidence to show that the origins of Sigiriya date back to pre-historic times. Situated at the base of the Sigiriya rock of its eastern side, is a monadnock named Aligala (Elephant Rock). In a cave underneath this, excavation have revealed remains of pre-historic human settlements that existed here around 5,500 years B.P. In addition, there is evidence of human habitation in this area, as far back in history as the 9th — 10th centuries B.C. 

In the 3rd century B.C. a Buddhist monastery had been established at Sigiriya rock fortress. Thirty cave-shelters with drip-ledges, which accommodate monks, have been identified at the base of the great rock so far. In eight of them, details of donations of cave shelters have been inscribed in Brahmi script. All the principal structures that are found today in Sigiriya, have been erected during the reign of King Kasyapa (A.D. 477 - 495), who chose to make Sigiriya as his seat of administration. According to the eminent archaeologist Prof: Senerath Paranavithana, Sigiriya reflects the sensuousness of a pleasure-loving king, who modeled the city  on  the   mythical   Alakamanda   of god Kuvera. Indian and Roman coins and pottery belonging to the Sassanian dynasty of Persia (Iran) found in Sigiriya rock fortress as well as the affinity to Persian styles in the creation of pleasure gardens all indicate commercial and cultural relations with foreign countries during this brief period.

Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress in 7th AD 

Subsequently however, in the 6th and 7th centuries A.D., Sigiriya ceased to be of political importance and once again became the abode of Buddhist monks. During this period, the cave-shelters with drip-ledges which belonged to the earlier monastic phase were further improved. Additional shrines such as stupa, image house and bodhi tree shrine were constructed. This second phase of the monastic development continued up to the 12th - 13th centuries A.D.

19th Century Sigiriya Rock 

In the centuries that followed, Sigiriya was totally abandoned, until the 19th century, when it was used as n military out-post of the kings of Kandy. Later, it was a British military. officer, Jonathan Forbes in 1832, who once again brought Sigiriya out of its obscurity, back into historical focus. In 1894, under H.C.P. Bell the Archaeological Department commenced archaeological activities in Sigiriya. Nearly a century later, in 1982, the Central Cultural Fund took over the task, which it continues with great success, to date.

City Planning of Sigiriya Rock 

The Lion rock Sigiriya has two fortified precincts where the western precinct encompasses 90 hectares, and the eastern precinct covers 40 hectares. The western area was the royal park area, a symmetrically-designed pleasure garden with elaborate water-retaining structures, as well as surface and subsurface hydraulic systems. It is surrounded by three ramparts and two moats, forming a rectangular area whose inner precincts measure about 700 meters from east to west and 500 meters from north to south.

On the other side of the Lion rock Sigiriya, the eastern area appears to have been a ceremonial precinct with a large central pavilion as its only permanent structure. Kasyapa and his royal family lived their lives within these walls. Moving inward from the two precincts in an ever-ascending fashion are a series of boulder gardens and then terraced gardens, leading to the entrance to the Sigiriya rock. Access to the rock is gained via a long passageway that begins on the west side of the terrace gardens, and winds northward along the Mirror Wall to the Lion Platform.

Water Garden / Landscape & Gardening of sigiriya

Among the significant features of Sigiriya, the Water Gardens are especially noteworthy. Though outwardly the Water gardens appear to be one garden system in Concept, four distinct parts are clearly discernible in its creation, and at present they are called the Water   Garden Nos. 1, 2 and 3 and the Miniature Water Garden.

Lion Rock Sigiriya Graffiti

Main features of Sigiriya rock are Sigiri graffiti, Lion’s paw entrance, Boulders garden, Mirror wall, Fresco paintings of female figures, Extensive networks of landscaped garden, Water gardens, Moats, Ramparts and the remains of the palace.

The lion rock Sigiriya Graffiti were written on the surface of the Mirror Wall at Sigiriya. Scribbled on the wall are over 1800 pieces of prose, poetry and commentary written by ancient tourists. These graffiti offer a fascinating insight into the history of Sigiriya and the evolution of language in Sri Lanka over a period of 800 years. The majority of the graffiti refer to the beautiful paintings of semi-nude females. These graffiti confirm that this site was the residence of King Kashyapa who ruled from 477 to 495 AD. The texts also suggest that the females depicted in the frescoes are the ladies of the King's royal court - the ladies of the harem. The graffiti range from statements of awe, declarations of love, commentary, curses, laments, diary entries, or mere statements of visit.

Many demonstrate a very high level of literacy and a deep appreciation of art and poetry written in a Sinhala, Sanskrit and Tamil. These early scribblers have left us priceless insights into the past. Out of these paintings 685 individuals identified so far, 12 were women, over half identified themselves by name, many noted their social rank, and some even mentioned where they came from towns like Weligama and Ritigala in Sri Lanka. The majority of these visitors appear to have been from the elite of society: royalty, officials, professions, and clergy. There were also soldiers, archers, and even metalworkers. Over 1000 unique words have been identified.

Boulder Garden of Lion Rock Sigiriya 

The Boulder Garden comprises sloping terrain around the central rock which is dotted with boulders of various sizes. The routes to the palace on the rock summit are laid out through the boulder garden as winding pathways that are punctuated by natural boulder arches.  Among the unique features of this garden are the Cistern Rock  deriving its name from a large cistern formed out of the natural boulder and large granite slabs, the ‘Audience Hall’ where a five-meter long main throne is carved out of the living rock,  the  ’Preaching  Rock’  where a seat is carved out at the flattened edge of a fairly high boulder, and the ‘ Asana Cave’ where a seat is carved out inside a natural cave. Rock caves with drip-ledges and shrines used during the periods when Sigiriya was a Buddhist monastery are also to be seen in this area. The Terraced Garden of Sigiriya Lion Rock lies in the high ground between the Boulder Garden and the Sigiriya rock and it is fashioned into a series of roughly concentric terraces by means of stone retaining walls.

Lion Staircase

The final ascent to the royal palace atop Sigiriya rock lies through the Lion Staircase, which faces north and has two huge paws  of  a  lion in front. These lion-paws, made of brick and covered with plaster, are the remnants of a fore part of lion figure that must have once stood there.

Palace Complex of Sigiriya Lion Rock 

The Palace  Complex  on  the   top of the Sigiriya rock is around 1.5 hectares in extent. The principal monument to be seen there is the royal palace which lies towards the west. The palace garden consisting’     of a  large  artificial  pool  and. other garden features are located to the east. Below the palace, on a rock facing the east is a throne carved out of the natural rock.

Lion Rock Paintings

The fifth century A.D. paintings are indisputably the zenith of all artistic creations of  Sri Lanka. These paintings, found in a depression on the western side of the rock-face, nineteen in number, are figures of exquisitely beautiful damsels, floating among clouds. According to the Sigiri graffiti (verses scratched on the Mirror Wall over the ages) however, there had been five hundred such figures painted all over the western and northern rock-faces, originally.

Many theories attempt to interpret the. identity of the beautiful women portrayed in these ancient masterpieces.    According to H.C.P Bell, they are Kasyapa’s concubines, on their way to worship at the Pidurangala temple near by, bearing flowers for offering. According to the eminent scholar Ananda Cnomaraswamy, the damsels are Apsaras or goddesses. The eminent Sri Lankan archaeologist . Prof. Senerat Paranvitana offers a very original interpretation of the identity of the Sigiriya damsels, which maintains that the damsels are symbolic representations of rain-clouds and lightning. According to this interpretation, the dark- skinned maidens (Meghalatha)  are symbols of rain clouds and fair golden skin once Vajji Kumari symbolized lightning. Apart  from  these  paintings,   Caves   in the Boulder Garden also appear to have contained   paintings.      The  Deraniyagala Cave, Cobra-hood Cave and Asana Cave show clear traces of paintings. In addition to this, it has been recently discovered that there had been paintings on the outer surface of the Mirror Wall. Though these paintings are all faded, one female figure, apparently floating among clouds, can be discerned.  The Terracotta figurines, closely resembling tire figures in the. paintings have been discovered at Sigiriya during archeological excavation. According to Prof. Senaka Bandaranayake, who headed the major archeological projects in Sigiriya, these may be replicas of Sigiriya Damsals sold to visitors as souvenirs in the past.

How Sigiriya related to Ramayana Yatra Sri Lanka ?

Cobra hood cave & ramayana yatra sri lanka .

Cobra hood cave also known as the “Parumaka Naguliya Lena”, is a natural geological formation projected as a cobra hood located within the boulder garden of Sigiriya Rock Fortress complex with plastered interior of the cave once embellished with floral and animal paintings. This is also part of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress complex (UNESCO World Heritage) 

According to the Palm Leaf Book (Puskola Potha) of Ravana Watha (Ravana Story) the architect of the Sigiriya was a Danava called Maya Danava. He built up Sigiriya on the instructions given by King Visthavasa (Vishravasamuni) the father of Ravana. During that period the Sigiriya was called Alakamandava and during the period of King Kuwera it was called Cithranakuta. After the death of Ravana, Vibeeshana became the king and he shifted the kingdom to Kelaniya.

The man-made drip ledge and Brahmi inscription of the 3rd century B.C. associated with this cave indicate that the cave has served as a Buddhist monastery / dwelling for monks. The paintings on the rock ceiling has floral and stylized animal motifs with a geometric composition. The brick paved floor of the cave has been finished with lime plaster. The boulder connected with the cave has been sliced from the mother boulder and resembles the hood of a cobra. A fallen off piece of the boulder is still to be seen in front of the cave. 

Therefore hhistorians believe Sigiriya to have a connection with Ramayana. It is believed that the plateau top was the site of Ravana’s majestic palace, made of solid gold and crafted by Kubera, the God of Wealth, around 50 centuries ago. One look at the site, and you would know how big an architectural feat this place must have been. As believed, one of these caves is where King Ravana imprisoned Princess Sita, after abducting her. 

Skeletal discovered at Cobra Hood Cave Sigiriya The archaeological excavations conducted at the cave / rock shelter has led to the discovery of nine human skeletons. Excavations at the Sigiriya Cobra Hood Cave excavated what appears to be a Middle Historic Period burial site. The excavations yielded skeletal remains of nine individuals. This study suggests that at the time of death these individuals were young healthy adult males of 152 cm or more in height. Burial practice has been in an extended position in a west-east orientation with hands clasped in front and the face turned towards the south. No burial offerings or other ritual objects were found.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress FAQ 

What is sigiriya famous for.

Sigiriya is a best-preserved ancient rock fortress and one of the archeological treasure in South Asia. It’s a masterpiece of ancient urban planning / landscape & architecture / construction technology /exceptional hydraulic engineering & management / ancient fine art with unique harmony between nature and human imagination. Thus UNESCO declared this site as a World Heritage 

Who Built the Sigiriya rock?

A Sri Lankan King Kashyapa built the famous Sigiriya lion rock 

How many steps are in Lion Rock Sigiriya to climb? Approximately 1,200 steps are to be climbed to the summit. 

What is the height of the lion rock sigiriya? Its 660 Feet from surrounding plain 

Is it hard or danger to climb lion rock Sigiriya ? Its is not danger to climb but make sure you are healthy enough to climb 1,200. 

Can senior citizen climb Sigiriya lion rock fortress? Yes people do and you may take time and climb. There are places for you to take rest and climb.  We suggest you to keep senior citizen in nearby restaurant and climb. Also you may let them to visit the Sigiriya museum close to the main gate. 

Can I climb lion rock with my infant or kid ? Not recommended but people do climb with kids like 8 Y and above. 

Opening time of Sigiriya lion rock for visitors ? 7.00 AM to 5.00 PM

Entrance fees for lion rock Sigiriya  30 USD per person / Foreign  15 USD per person only for SAARC Countries nationals (Need to submit the passport to get this discount) 

What is the best time to climb Sigiriya lion rock? Ideally in the morning 8 – 10 Am or 3 – 5 PM to avoid hot sun 

What is the temperature of Sigiriya lion rock ? Approximately 27 – 30 C 

Can I buy Sigiriya lion rock entrance fees ticket online ? Not yet as of now but this will be online soon

What is the dress code for Sigiriya Lion rock? Sigiriya is not a temple or any religious place and you can wear your own dress. 

CCF – Central Cultural Fund Sri Lanka 

SLTDA – Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority 

SLITHM – Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management 

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