8th Wonder Of The World = Sigiriya, A Temple Reaching For The Stars

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  Hidden atop a strange 200-meter high geological formation
  lie the magnificent ancient ruins of a temple reaching for the stars: Sigiriya.
  This ancient site is considered by many scholars the eighth wonder of the world.
  
  
  Dhanya Dissanayake
  I am Sri Lankan and we grew up hearing the story of king Kashyapa.
  According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Cūḷavaṃsa,
  this area was a large forest, then after storms and landslides it became a hill a
  nd was selected by King Kashyapa (AD 477–495) for his new capital.
  
  He built his palace on top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes.
  
  On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway
  in the form of an enormous lion.
  
  The name of this place is derived from this structure;
  Sīnhāgiri, the Lion Rock (an etymology similar to Sinhapura,
  the Sanskrit name of Singapore, the Lion City).
  
  The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death.
  
  It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.
  
  Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site.
  
  It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.
  
  The water systems built during that time still function to this day.
  
• 
  Sabita Pillai
  Stunning frescoes on the cliff face that are still intact
  
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Jim Clark
says:
I was there 25 years ago, climbed to the top, sat on the "kings" throne.

There was originally a Lions head and feet at the base,
you entered through the mouth, but only the legs and paws are left.

Sri Lanka was the best place to visit.

tsunami of 2004 wiped out many villages on the east coast there.

This is inland and not affected.

 

Sabita Pillai says:
This is not a temple but the summer palace/ fort of a very young king who changed the face of Sri Lanka.

After he had a disagreement with his father and step brother on his accession to the throne,
he was influenced by the kings nephew to kill his own father.

His father the king was walled alive in his prison cell..

Despite his doing great work for the people and kingdom,
the Buddhist monks never forgave his crime. plagued with guilt ..
he set out to go as far away as possible from his palace and start life afresh.
.and that's how this fort was built on top of the only monolithic hill in the dense forest
on the other side of Sri Lanka.

Known as the playboy prince, he built massive settlement for the buddhist monks on the foothills of Sigria.

The cliff face of this monolithic hill has most stunning frescoes
of celestial women showering flowers on those below.

It still shines bright even after 2000 plus years.

The final coat of the wall was done with crushed ivory.

The dazzling white finish can be seen miles away when we approach.

It's a wonder how they reached those rocks up there to build this beautiful palace
complete with a stone sofa facing the pool at the edge of the site.

He committed suicide but before that made peace with his brother.

He was barely 30 years old.

Margaret Handley .

 

Noopura Isindu
Sabita Pillai Can you plz point out the primary sources which prove this story you originally commented? I mean it's very similar to the Kasyapa story in the Sinhalese Chronicles but I want to know where the 'Playboy Prince' name comes from.
And also I have to disagree with your opinion on the Kasyapa name's origin. Because I don't think there is such a thing as a 'Hindu' name because apparently, Hindu is not a language. Kasyapa is a Sinhala word probably derived from Sanskrit or Pali(its ancestral languages).
And I also want to know about the opinion you put forward about Sri Lankan Architecture being similar to that of Kerala. What buildings are you talking about? I would love to know more
Thank you

 

Noopura Isindu
Sabita Pillai Can you plz point out the primary sources which prove this story you originally commented? I mean it's very similar to the Kasyapa story in the Sinhalese Chronicles but I want to know where the 'Playboy Prince' name comes from.
And also I have to disagree with your opinion on the Kasyapa name's origin. Because I don't think there is such a thing as a 'Hindu' name because apparently, Hindu is not a language. Kasyapa is a Sinhala word probably derived from Sanskrit or Pali(its ancestral languages).
And I also want to know about the opinion you put forward about Sri Lankan Architecture being similar to that of Kerala. What buildings are you talking about? I would love to know more
Thank you

 

Indrajith Wijesooriya
Top contributor
Sabita Pillai your wrong ...one thing Who said he is an Indian.. He is Sri Lankan. Name Kashyap. He killed his own father to take the kingship. (Put on a wall and hit clay) This was created when he was hiding to save his life because his younger brother was coming to find him..He killed himself with his dagger on the verge of losing the war.

 

Sabita Pillai
Top contributor
Sabita/ Savita in Sanskrit means sun...so what if Kashyapa meant turtle? It was the sacred animal of the Hindus .lord Vishnu too took the Avatar as a giant turtle. No matter how much you bend backward to prove Hindu and Bharata did not play a role in moulding Sri Lanka..history, ancient or otherwise, says it does!
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  Satish Chandra
  Sabita Pillai so true , Sri Lanka nee Ceylon is fully influenced by India in history … only got real freedom in 1948

 

Looks like the first version of Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore

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Goh Choo
Absolutely amazing ! Was lucky to visit in 2016. The other spectacular temple is Dambulla.

 

• • The sigiriya lion rock in Sri Lanka is one of the country’s fantastic place in tourist attractions…
    
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  Mattias Aggebäck
  I have been there, so much more to say, in the rock there are lots of tunnels, on the roof there are pools that they still dont know how the ancient people pumped up the water straight up 1000 meters. These place was a gift to a prince who said had 500 girls there. The entrence to the rock are two majestic and big lionpaws. Truly a wonder!
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  Ela Nata
  It is a megalithic structure not a natural rock formation