Sigiriya Day Tour

Sigiriya Day Tour

Description

Legend of Sigiriya 

The history of Sigiriya is shrouded in many legends. It is popularly believed that Kasyapa imprisoned his father, King Dhatusena in a wall, in order to usurp the throne. He then moved the capital from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya Rock and, fearing attack from Mogallana, built a palace on the summit. There is, however, a different theory that has been put forward by Dr. Raja de Silva, the former Archaeological Commissioner of Sri Lanka. He maintains that there was never a palace or fortress on the rock, but rather a Buddhist monastery. There is evidence to suggest that monks lived here before, during, and after the time of Kasyapa, and that they were here until the site was abandoned in the 12th century.

However, most people favor the theory of Kasyapa's impenetrable rock palace and fortress. Bust of King KasyapaSigiriya, a historical rock fortress, and the former royal palace, is one of Sri Lanka's most visited and best-known sights, dates back to 477 AD, designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site. However, its ingenious garden and water systems at the foot of the rock are what make it a world heritage.

The gardens at Sigiriya are not only the best-preserved water gardens in South Asia but some of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. Important guests in the 5th Century would have walked a path with the impressively designed water gardens on either side, serving as a grand entrance to the more than 1,200 steps leading up to the palace.

The gardens at Sigiriya consist of three distinct but interlinked sections: the symmetrical or geometrically planned water gardens; the asymmetrical or organic cave and boulder garden; the stepped or terraced garden circling the rock. The 5th-Century palace was built to resemble a lion, with the paws flanking the main entrance.

Within the gardens were artfully designed pools, fountains, streams, and platforms that once held pavilions and performers. Surprisingly, the detailed design of these gardens is not what's most impressive; it's how they work. These water systems are considered an engineering miracle due to the use of hydraulic power, underground tunnel systems, and the gravitational force that creates a visually spectacular system of pools and fountains still functioning almost 1,500 years later.

The city of Dambulla is 148 km northeast of Colombo, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is home to an ancient cave Temple also known as the Golden Rock Temple, which is a popular tourist attraction where you will find 150+ Buddha statues standing in various positions and built inside natural caves.

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The beautifully painted cave temples of Dambulla were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. The cave temples date back to the 1st century BC, when King Valagambahu (r.103 BC and 89-77BC) sought refuge in the caves after being exiled from Anuradhapura. When the king regained his throne after 14 years, he converted the caves into rock temples in gratitude to the monks who had offered him sanctuary. Further improvements and embellishments were made to the temples by various kings down the centuries. The temple complex is made up of a series of five caves that are filled with statues of the Buddha in various sizes and mudras. The walls and ceilings of the caves are adorned with paintings depicting religious and secular themes. The murals date from between the 2nd century BC to the 18th century Cave IV (Pascima Viharaya) Relatively small in size, this cave contains a dagoba in the middle that was broken into by thieves who thought it contained some of the jewels of Queen Somawathie, wife of King Valagambahu. The cave also contains a splendid seated Buddha under an elaborate Makara Torana, along with several larger seated Buddhas. Cave V (Devana Alut Viharaja) This cave is the newest and smallest of the temples. Unlike the statues in the other caves, some of which are carved out of rock, the images here are built of brick and plaster. The cave features a 10-m (33-ft) reclining Buddha, and on the wall, behind his feet, are paintings depicting the Hindu deities, Vishnu and Kataragama. Temple Exterior The five cave temples are carved out of a granite outcrop that towers the surrounding countryside from the terrace; on a clear day, it is 100 m (350 ft) above Dambulla town. There are excellent views over possible to see as far as Sigiriya in the distance. Cave II (Maharaja Viharaya) The largest and the most impressive, this cave contains a painted wooden statue of King Valagambahu and another statue of King Nissankamalla, in addition to a large number of Buddha statues. The murals here depict the life of the Buddha, as well as scenes from the history of Sri Lanka. Cave I (Devaraja Viharaya) The highlight here is a 14-m (46-ft) long reclining Buddha, carved out of solid rock. A statue thought to be of Ananda, the Buddha's loyal disciple stands at his feet. The paintings on the walls and ceiling of this cave are faded by smoke from incense. Dambulla Golden Temple The imposing golden Buddha. statue at the foot of the steps leading up to the Dambulla Cave Temples is hard to miss. This 30-m (98-ft) high image portrays the Buddha in the dharmachakra (wheel-turning) pose. At the base of the statue lies the Golden Temple Buddhist Museum, the entrance to which is through the mouth of a kitsch-looking dragon. Exhibits on display include Buddha statues from Thailand, Myanmar, Korea, and Japan, panels illustrating the story of the Buddha's life, ola-leaf manuscripts.

Founded in 1963 by British tea planter and dendrologist Sam Popham, this is the only dry-zone arboretum in Sri Lanka. When Popham bought this abandoned piece of land, it was covered with scrub. After clearing the scrub vegetation, he noticed that the indigenous trees, which were unable to grow previously due to the dense scrub cover, were starting to thrive. Following this observation, he developed the "Popham Method", an experiment in reforesting that involved selectively clearing a scrub jungle so that native trees could seed and grow. Spread over an area of 14 ha (35 acres), the arboretum has around 200 species of trees and shrubs, including many endemic ones. Among the tropical trees here are satinwood, ebony, tamarind, and ironwood, which in turn provide habitat for a variety of birds such as the endemic Sri Lankan jungle fowl, the grey hornbill, and the blue-tailed bee-eater, in addition to small mammals. Designed by Geoffrey Bawa, the visitor center of the arboretum used to be Popham's home before he left Sri Lanka in the 1980s and headed back to the UK. An album containing photographs of what the arboretum looked like in its early years, and of the mud hut that was Popham's first home is available on request. There are three color-coded trails that meander through the arboretum grounds. Visitors can explore these trails independently, or arrange for a guided walk all trails begin from the visitor centre. It is also possible to come for an evening walk when there is a chance of sighting a slender loris, a spotted deer or a pangolin.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, the ancient citadel of Sigiriya (Lion Rock) sits atop a giant gneiss rock rising 200 m (656 ft) above the surrounding countryside. There are conflicting theories about the history of Sigiriya, but according to the Mahavamsa King Kasyapa killed his father, King Dhatusena, in AD 477 to inherit the throne. Fearing retribution from his half-brother, Mogallana, Kasyapa built an impregnable palace fortress on the summit of the rock between AD 477 and 485. The site is thought to have been occupied for millennia, but much of what can be seen here today is attributed to the time of King Kasyapa. The ruins were first discovered by British archaeologists in the early 20th century, and excavations have continued here ever since. The Royal Gardens These landscaped gardens are divided into water, boulder, and terrace gardens. The water gardens on the way to the rock form an avenue, with brick-lined pools and islands with ruined pavilions on either side. Beyond these lie the boulder and terrace gardens at the base of the rock. Sigiriya Frescoes One of the highlights of a visit to Sigiriya Rock is the beautiful frescoes that can be seen in a sheltered gallery on the western rock face. Of the estimated original 500 frescoes, only 21 remain today. Dating from around the 5th century, the paintings were initially thought to depict Kasyapa's concubines but are now believed to be portraits of apsaras (celestial nymphs) with their attendants. However, a theory suggested by Dr. Raja de Silva claims that these are actually depictions of the Mahayana goddess, Tara. Among the island's most iconic images, the frescoes have been likened in style to those in the Ajanta Caves in southwestern India. Despite their antiquity, the paintings remain remarkably well preserved, in part because of the protection afforded by the stone ledge. The paintings of the damsels are naturalistic in style, with each of the figures possessing a distinct character. The girls are mostly bare-chested and adorned with jewelry. Guides are able to point out the errors made by the painter, such as the girl with three hands, or the one with three nipples. Some of the frescoes were defaced by a vandal in 1967. Italian restoration expert Luciano Maranzi was then brought in to help restore the damaged paintings. In recent years, there has been much discussion over their fading colors and how to counter this, as well as accusations of neglect. However, the frescoes have also been damaged by exposure to the sun and by the insects that have nested beneath the plaster.

visitors can get Experience the pleasures of village life, and visit a rural house in the village. A farmer making his way to the rice field with a mamotee on his shoulder. his wife making lunch for him. Visitors can enjoy the village tour and have a simple home-cooked meal and village drink for free of charge by journeying into the heart of ehelagala.

Pidurangala Rock which translates to “offered piles of Gold” is an important place for Buddhists and was first used as a Buddhist monastery. It is believed to date back to the reign of King Kasyapa before the first and second centuries – that’s pretty old! These days, the cave temple / Buddhist temple near the top of the hike is still visited by locals and tourists alike but most visitors come for the spectacular views of the surrounding area and Lion Rock! Getting to the top of the rock is done by hiking along a manmade staircase and path.

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