Day 7, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Cave Temple, Spice & Herbal Garden, Kandy

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

This is a picture from a postcard of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress as I didn’t go with the group up the staircase in the photo. Shyam, our tour director, said DON’T go up if you have a heart condition or are afraid of heights. The latter referred to me. To see what is in the photo, you have to go into the paid entrance to the site. The rock fortress here was designed as a huge stone lion. In the photo, you can see its paws that still remain. The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Tuk Tuk Tour

Instead of climbing up the rock, I took a tuk tuk tour around the grounds. I had walked down the street from the hotel that three of us had been dropped off at in order to take photos of the rock. A tuk tuk driver there asked me if I wanted him to take me on a tour. I said yes. The tour showed me the rock from different views such as this one.

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is on the top of this hill, 1,213 feet (370 m) above sea level. On its top are the remains of a ruined palace built by King Kasyapa after he killed his father, King Dhatusena, to inherit the throne in 477 AD. However, his half–brother, Mogallana, vowed retribution and Kasyapa built the rock fortress palace between 477 and 485 to escape from his half–brother. Since the 3rd century BC, it was a Buddhist monastery.

Tuk Tuk Tour

Stairs Up the Rock

A view of the 1,250 steps up to the top of the rock.

Stairs Up the Rock

Frescoes

There are frescoes in a sheltered gallery in the rock face, originally about 500 of them, now 21 remaining. They are of celestial nymphs or the Mahayana goddess. This is a postcard of one of the frescoes. You are not allowed to take photos of the frescoes, so postcards would be one way to show others the frescoes. I cannot find out information about how many steps there are to climb to see the frescoes. If you went up to see the frescoes only, then you had to wait until the group that climbed the entire 1,250 steps to come down before you could go down. I don’t know the exact number of our group who climbed all the 1,250 steps but there were some that did.

Frescoes

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

I was able to take a photo of the top of the rock.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

With my zoom lens, I was able to take a photo of part of the palace/fortress ruins.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Tuk Tuk Tour

There were some interesting sights on my tuk tuk tour such as this pea hen with a colorful neck.

Tuk Tuk Tour

Also, this iguana that was hiding out in a termite hill.

Tuk Tuk Tour

I also saw these people taking an elephant ride through the grounds.

I have put my photos of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress on a slideshow. Go to http://www.peggysphotos.com/siririya–rock–fortress/ (Slide Shows, Asia–2, Sri Lanka, “Sigiriya Rock Fortress”).

Tuk Tuk Tour

Dambulla Cave Temple

Our next stop was at the Dambulla Cave Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are five caves in the Dambulla Cave Complex. Prehistoric Sri Lankans lived in these caves at least 2700 years ago. Buddhist monks lived in them from the first century BC. King Walagamba had to hide from Indian invaders and the caves in Dambulla was one of his hiding places, which was already a Buddhist monastery. Once he regained power, he started building this temple. There is a steep hike up the rock to where the caves are. With my foot still sore and my balance not very good, I had a wonderful gentleman from Toronto helping me walk up––very much appreciated. Coming down, I had two wonderful gentlemen from Toronto, very much appreciated, helping me walk down––I think we made it down in record time. Three people holding onto each other must be the way to do it.