I stayed in Polonnaruwa for two nights so that I could visit the World Heritage site of Sigiriya. It is about one and a half hours from Polonnaruwa. So I organised a three-wheeler with another traveller for the day for 1300 rupees.
The journey was through small communities with souvenir stalls, rice paddies and scrubby jungle. The highlights were the sighting of a mongoose, dart across the road. There were also several porcupines, as large as wombats with extremely long spikes, tied to poles to entice tourists for a closer look - for a considerable donation, of course.
The mongoose
Porcupines used as a tourist lure for a price
Sigiriya or Lion Rock is an ancient rock fortress near the town of Dambulla. It is thought to look like a sleeping lion.The site is dominated by a massive rock 200m high. The site was selected in 477AD by King Kasyapa as his new capital. He built his palace on top of the rock, commissioning frescoes in caves and surfaces. It was abandoned as a palace on the king’s death in 495 AD and was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.
The entry to Sigiriya is spectacular as you realise the enormous size of the fortress and the immense achievement of the fifth century workers who created such a feat.
These gardens are the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. There are intricate waterways and irrigated gardens with natural fountains in the forecourt.
From the base of the fortress you walk up a small staircase between two giant lion’s paws and begin the steep climb to the top. Well-established walkways transport tourists from platform to platform, to view the magnificent frescoes. Originally the king was carried up from the lion’s paws to another structure, representing the lion’s mouth.
The Sigiriya Damsels
These are believed to represent celestial nymphs and are similar in style to the rock paintings in the Ajanta caves in central India. These have been protected by an overhanging shelf and are in remarkable condition.
The surface of the fortress at the summit is 1.6 hectares. Although originally it was covered in buildings, only the foundations remain.
A gold and jewelled earring from the King Kasyapa’s reign, now in the Colombo museum, gives an indication of the opulence and splendour of the time.
The next day I caught the bus back to Colombo and met up with Margaret and some other volunteers for a drink and supper at the iconic Galle Face Hotel. A fitting conclusion to an amazing experience!
M
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