The
ruins of the capital built by the parricidal King Kassapa I (477–95) lie on the
steep slopes and at the summit of a granite peak standing some 180m high (the
'Lion's Rock', which dominates the jungle from all sides). A series of
galleries and staircases emerging from the mouth of a gigantic lion constructed
of bricks and plaster provide access to the site.
Ancient City of Sigiriya ©
Barbara Blanchard
Sigiriya
is a unique witness to the civilization of Ceylon during the years of the reign
of Kassapa I. The site of the 'Lion Mountain' was visited from the 6th century
AD, by passionate admirers. The frescoes of Sigiriya inaugurated a pictorial
style which endured over many centuries. The poems inscribed on the rock by
certain of these admirers, and known as the 'Sigiri graffiti,' are among the
most ancient texts in the Sinhalese language, and thus show the considerable
influence exerted by the abandoned city of Kassapa I on both literature and
thought.
In
the heart of Ceylon, the extraordinary site of Sigiriya, a lofty rock of
reddish gneiss dominating, from a height of some 180m, the neighbouring
plateau, has been inhabited since the 3rd century BC, as attested by the
graffiti which proliferate in the grottoes and the shelters of the Buddhist
monks. The fame of the 'Lion Mountain' is, however, due to one single factor:
during a short period in the 5th century AD, a sovereign established his
capital there. King Kassapa I (477-95), son of Dhatusena, only came to power
after he had engineered the assassination of his father and had, briefly,
dispossessed his brother.
Justly
fearing the vengeance of the latter, Kassapa had a fortified palace built on
the rock of Sigiriya which was reputed to be impregnable. However, it was there
that he was defeated after a short but cruel battle in 495, following which he
cut his throat. After the death of Kassapa, Moggallana returned the site of
Sigiriya to the monks, thus condemning it to progressive abandonment. During
the eleven years that Kassapa resided in Sigiriya, he created a residence of
exceptional splendour and founded his capital there, impressive vestiges of
which are still extant.
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