The Eight wonder of the world!
Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress which Build in 3rd century BC and it’s become monastery over 800 years, has also been declared by UNESCO as the 8th Wonder of the World. In 5th century before it become the Royal palace and fortress of king Kassapa. He is son of king Dhathusena, but he murdered his father by walling him up alive and then usurping the throne which rightfully belonged to his half-brother Moggallana. He ruled the country from lion rock for 18 years.more than 5000 soilders came and invaded and won, king kassapa had to suicide .
The subface has a complex hydraulic water system during ancient times that still functional today! During the rainy season the water channel filled up and water efficiently circulate through entire fortress. This system is still too advanced for this period and its big curiosity remains where this technology come from.
The rock called as lion rock, and its rise up 200m approximately 600m,12000 steps are there. the talent of urban architecture of first millennium in Sri lanka can’t imaginative, combined concepts of symmetry and asymmetry to surroundings are used efficiently for a fortress which looking forward a war.
Sigiriya consider as engineering marvel, this is basically two parts
Massive royal garden at the base
Royal palace at the top
This world oldest landscaped garden is divided into 3 parts
Water garden
Boulder and cave garden
Terraced garden
In village peoples and among the country has a story said by blind old man who live nearby the lion rock, that old man said once too, few researchers who came to explore sigiriya rock, he said that in past, when British control the country Mr H.C.P Bell found the lion rock and he got the help of villagers to explore and took the treasure out from the rock fortress, finally he put heavy concrete to the hidden door and close it for forever. And that blind old man was not blind on that period, after they did it every one who was participate to do that, was passed away suddenly and he lost his vision, he said, it happen because of ghost power,
In addition imagen how, king reached to the top, Do you think he climb all stair from outside in sunny time, or go with the help of people to the top, or is he trust his workers can hold him to top in dangerous path way, no definitely bottom of the lion rock have some way to go to up quickly to king, it called Karkataka machine, it’s like modern lift. And also have folklore inside the lion rock had seven stores. they had huge water control system, do not they have lift to go to top for the king?
This wonderful fortress in the shape of a lion, which is a great masterpiece of Ceylon ancient architecture, exploring this fortress more and more archeologist realizes this is a major urban of ancient Sri Lanka than a fortress, because they found ruins from the garden of east side of Sigiriya which has more tools used to made clay pots, jewelries, agriculture equipment and foreign coins, foreign goods etc. There was a placed called Mapagala which is consider as the work place of lion rock, it also has big two stone wall one after one, bigger and small blocks used. And sigiriya tank also spread in the past covering that area.
Sigiriya has been made famous throughout the world for the focus on it pictures of the two womens in rock surface wall and advanced water system. It is registered as a world heritage site, visitors to the palace have to enter through a stone stairway that takes them into the lion’s mouth and through its throat. Only the lion massive paws remain today, but they indicate how gigantic the rest of carvings must have been. A new stairway has been attached to the side of the rock to allow access to the summit. Enabling visitors to stroll around the ruins of the palace and gasps at the panoramic views.
Two water tanks, used for bathing and drinking, still fill with rain water, but a sophisticated pumping system had been used to filled the tanks from lake at the foot of the rock.
The most famous feature of Sigiriya are the fifth century paintings found on the rock, the painting of the two female figure preserved on the rock-face. The figures represent the Apasarawa or celestial nymphs which are the common motif of Asian arts. These painting have attracted people from all over the country in the past and the modern times from everywhere in the world. In the Lion rock there are more than 200 Pictures of those womens and there were two major womens consider as
Black and blue Women(Mega Latha^) angle for rain
Gold color women(Vishnu Latha^) angle for Lightning
But archeologist given different ideas about those women’s, Pro H.C.P Bell said King Kassapa had two daughters called Uppalawana and Bodhi and they’re behind group carring flower and they faced to North side which Pidurangala Monasatery side and worshiping for them,
Black and blue Women (Uppalawanna)
Gold color women (Bodhi)
People who visited in the past had written poems by looking at them on the rock wall. (this is considered as a world first comments wall) and they are known as the Sigiri Graffiti. The sigiri Graffiti on the mirror wall dates from about the 6to 14 th century and are mostly address to the ladies in the paintings. About 700 of these were deciphered by professor Senarth Paranawithana, Sri lanka foremost Epigraphist. The poems expressed the visitor’s emotions and comments on the beauties in the paintings.
The gardens of sigiriya are unique and is one of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. The water garden in the sigiriya is the most interesting garden, occupy the central section of the western precinct. There are three water gardens lying along the east west axis, the central island is surrounded by water in the largest garden and linked to the main precinct by cause ways.
The sigiriya palace complex consists of three distinct parts.The outer palace(lower palace) occupies the lower eastern part of the summit. The inner palace (Upper palace) occupies the high western section. The palace garden occupies the south, the three sectors converge on a large beautiful rock-cut pool. The layout and the ground plan of the palace is still clearly visible.and archeolgies did measurement if you draw a line from the middle of rock, which divided in to equal two parts, the main road directly devided it into equal two parts.
