A Short History of Sigirya

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History: A Tale of Three Cities

Sigirya's legacy stretches back into prehistory; it boasted human settlements as early as the Mesolithic period, and can claim  continuous occupation for a period of over five thousand years. The rock outcroppings at the base of the huge rock formed caves in which people lived. These caves became monastic cells during the fifth century B.C. with the establishment of a Buddhist settlement on the rock-strewn western and northern slopes of the hills surrounding the rock. Sigiriya grew from a series of rock shelters into an urban center in the 5th century A.D.,  during the reign of King Kasyapa, the man who transformed the mountain into a spectacular kingdom. There seem to be three distinct theories about Kasyapa's life, his aspirations, and his role in the development of the Sigiriya complex.

KASYAPA, THE EVIL SON: A MORALITY TALE

The most-oft told story paints Kasyapa as a parricidal monster. Kasyapa, the son of the king by a consort, killed his father, Dhatusena I (459-477), by imprisoning him and entombing him behind a wall while he was still alive in order to gain the throne. Driven into exile, his half-brother, the crown prince Moggallana, retreated to India and assembled an army to avenge his father's death. Kasyapa prepared for this eventuality by transforming the Sigiriya into a impenetrable complex. It was all for naught for, according to the legend,  Kasyapa was lured from the rock by Moggallana. Enroute to do battle Kasyapa's elephant changed direction, sensing a swamp; his followers interpreted this as a retreat, and Kasyapa found himself alone in the face of an advancing army. Rather than facing death at the hands of his half-brother he beheaded himself, bringing this morality tale to its fitting  conclusion. Click here to learn more about this view

KASYAPA: REALIZING THE DREAMS OF DHATUSENA I

However more recently other theories have been advanced. One disputes Kasyapa's patricide, arguing that  he inadvertently killed his father in battle, deceived by his half-brother.  This version paints Kasyapa in an entirely different light; he is viewed as a brilliant designer and devoted son. According to this view, his decision to abandon his father's capital at Anuradhapura arose from the desire to complete his father's dream, to build a heavenly palace on the order of the mythical Tibetan palace of the god of wealth, Kuvera. In so doing Kasyapa would assume the highest mantle of power to which a secular leader at that time could aspire; Sigiriya is in essence a completion of his father's dream, and Kasyapa is seen as a faithful son. Click here to learn more

SIGIRIYA: THE BUDDHIST CREATION

Still another version casts doubt on both theories. First, it maintains that it is unlikely that Sigiriya was built as a fortress, for it could be starved out by a siege in less than six months. And it also challenges the  the heavenly palace theory, arguing that given the weather conditions and the relative brevity of Kasyapa's tenure at Sigiriya, it is most likely the grand design was executed over a much longer period of time. This view maintains the development of Sigiriya was accomplished by and large by the monks who occupied the mountain before and after Kasyapa, the gradual evolution of a religious and aesthetic vision. Click here to learn more about this view. Click here to learn more

While we may never know the true story of Kasyapa and his contributions to Sigiriya, it is clear that by the time of his death in 495 A.D., most of the architectural details which make Sigiriya a wonder of the ancient world were in place. Let us now turn our attention to those details.

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