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We visited Sigirya about three years ago during a great holiday in Sri Lanka.
During the 1st Century AD, Kassapa (a minor Royal) built an impregnable fortress – doubling as a pleasure palace – at the summit of the rock. It’s a steep climb up and not for the faint hearted! There are some extremely hairy bits – including a metal spiral staircase pinned to the rock face leading to Sri Lanka’s most famous frescoes – busty beauties painted in the fifth century.
I don't usually do heights! Elaine went up the staircase leaving me behind but seeing so many people heading up this dangerous looking structure (including some very young children) I took several deep breathes, prayed to several deities and headed upwards. “Don’t look down, don’t look outwards, just don’t look!” I repeated to myself on the way up. I made it – not happily – but it was worth it. Pheeew!
Then up the steep paths again to the Lion Platform. The final path to the summit with two enormous lion paws carved out of the rock on either side, once led directly into a carved lion’s mouth. We both declined the final ascent up a narrow metal staircase attached to the bare rock face. Despite the horrors of the staircase, it was a very windy day, too!
It’s quite ironic that the guy who built the fortress was apparently afraid of heights.
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"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Lao-tzy, Chinese Philosopher (604 - 531 BC) |
The Rock Fortress of Sigiriya
Dec 22 2009, 03:35 PM
