There are many places on our planet that fascinate with their grandeur. One of these can rightfully be called Sigiriya - an ancient rocky plateau of volcanic origin, lying in the very center of the island of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya rises 370 meters above the Indian Ocean, and from its top for many miles around, an amazing panorama opens up. Its name is translated from the Sinhalese language as “Lion Rock”.
Why is Sigiriya so remarkable that the flow of tourists never runs out to it, and the Unesco Association in the second half of the twentieth century even took the rock under its protection as a world heritage site?
In the XVII century. this area passed into the possession of the kingdom of Kandy. With the fall of the Kandy dynasty, for unknown reasons, Lion Rock was abandoned by the inhabitants.
The next round of mentions of Sigiriya was in 1890, when archaeologists became interested in it. True, the research at that time was of a point nature. This serious study began in 1982 and continues to this day.
The history of Sigiriya is full of legends. According to one of them, at the dawn of mankind, the creator of the universe, Vishvakarman, erected a fortress-monastery made of gold on the Lion Rock. God Brahma presented him as a gift to Kubera, the deity of prosperity. But the prosperity of Kubera did not last long, because very soon, the island, and with it the rock, were captured by the Rakshasa demons and their leader, the monster Ravana. Ravana became famous for kidnapping the beautiful wife of Prince Rama. The prince freed his wife, destroyed the monster and himself reigned in Sigiriya. Here is such a beautiful legend.
A more realistic version from the history of Lion Rock refers us to the 5th century BC. AD during the reign of the ruler of these lands, a certain Dhatussen. The king had two sons - Kassapa and Mogallan, the elder and the younger. The father wanted to transfer the throne to the younger Mogallan. Upon learning of this, Kassapa treacherously killed his parent and seized power. Mogallan survived the strife and hid in India.
After removing the pretender to the throne, Kassapa set about decorating his lands. Fear of revenge on the part of his brother still haunted him, so the capital of the kingdom was moved from the plain to the top of Sigiriya. The rock, due to its height and steep slopes, was almost inaccessible.
During the 18 years of Kassapa's reign, a palace was built at the top, striking in wealth and luxury. Rich gardens and fountains were planted around Sigiriya (according to archaeologists, almost the first on the planet). Kassapa spent his days in idleness and contentment, losing all vigilance. The same cannot be said about his exiled brother.
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In India, Mogallan gathered a huge army and attacked the kingdom of Kassapa. The battle was long, and it is difficult to say what its outcome could be, because opponents were not inferior to each other in strength. Everything was decided by chance. In the midst of the battle, Kassapa's elephant thirsty and unauthorizedly moved towards the water. The army, not understanding it, decided that the tsar was retreating, and fled. Abandoned by his subjects, Kassapa slit his throat. So his reign ended ingloriously.
So, justice prevailed: Mogallan avenged his father's death, returned the crown, and moved the capital of the state back to the plain in Anuradhapura. The palace at the top of Sigiriya was destroyed by order of the new king, but, interestingly, not to the ground. Fortunately for archaeologists and tourists, something survived!
Note that even the ruins give an idea of the extraordinary skill of ancient architects. The ruins of the palace walls are graceful, and fresh water reservoirs continue to hold it!
The main miracle of Sigiriya is called a "mirror" wall made of a special kind of porcelain. In the old days, it was polished to the point that Kassapa could see his reflection. Part of the wall is covered with verses, the oldest of which date back to the 8th century.
Another of the wonders of Sigiriya is the unique art gallery located in the temple. Its length is 140 meters. Previously, it was all covered with frescoes. A small part has reached us.
The Government of Sri Lanka takes care of the heritage of the past and does everything to preserve it. How could it be otherwise? If you are still standing on the top of Sigiriya among the royal ruins, you can easily immerse yourself in the times of the "golden age" of King Kassapa!