සීගිරිය | Sigiriya

සීගිරිය (සිංහ ගිරිය ) පර්වතය අතීතයේ දී රජ මාලිගයක් ලෙස මෙන්ම බලකොටුවක් ලෙසද භාවිතා වී ඇත.

මාතලේ දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ පිහිටා ඇති සීගිරිය පර්වතය ආශ්‍රිතව එකල පැවති ඉදිකිරීම් වන උද්‍යාන, වැව්, ජල අමුණු ඇතුළු විධිමත් නගර නිර්මාණසැලසුම් පිළිබඳව සාක්ෂි අද ද දක්නට හැක.

දෙස් විදෙස් සංචාරකයින්ගේ අනිවාර්ය ගමනාන්තයක් වන සීගිරිය වඩාත්ම ලොව පතල ඇත්තේ, පර්වතයේ ඇඳි සීගිරි අප්සරාවන්ගේ සිතුවම් සහ කැටපත් පවුරේ කුරුටු ගී නිසාවෙනි.
සීගිරිය ලොව අටවන පුදුමය ලෙස ද මෑතකදී නම් කෙරිනි.

සීගිරිය ක්‍රි.පූ. 7 වන සියවසේ රජ කල කාශ්‍යප රජුගේ රජ මාලිගය යි. ඔහු තම පියා වූ ධාතුසේන රජු මරා දැමීමත්, ඉන් අනතුරුව සීගිරියට පලාවිත් සීගිරිය පර්වතය රජ මාලිගය මෙන්ම තම සොයුරු මොග්ගල්ලාන ගෙන් අනාගතයේ ඇතිවිය හැකි ආක්‍රමණයන්ගෙන් ආරක්ෂා වීමට බලකොටුවක් ද තැනීම පිළිබඳව ඓතිහාසික තොරතුරු මහාවංශයේ සඳහන් වේ.

කෙසේ වුවත් ක්‍රි.පූ.7 වන සියවසට පෙර සිටම ප්‍රාග් ඓතිහාසික යුගයේ පටන් සීගිරියේ සංඝාවාස පැවති බව ද නොයෙකුත් කැණීම් සහ පෞරාණික සටහන් සනාථ කරයි.

නමුත් සීගිරිය අලංකරණය කොට විශිෂ්ට නගර නිර්මාණ සැලසුම් සහිතව ඉදිකර ඇත්තේ කාශ්‍යප රජු විසිනි.
පර්වතයේ බටහිර දෙසින් වන්නට ඇත්තේ රාජකීයයන් සඳහා ඉදිකල උද්‍යානායයි. මනාව සැලසුම් කල ජල කළමනාකරණ ක්‍රම සහිතව ජලතටාක මෙහි ඉදිකොට ඇති අතර අදද මෙහි ක්‍රියාකාරීත්වය එලෙසම පවතී.
දකුණු දෙසින් වන්නට ඉදිකර ඇති වැවක් ද පර්වතයට ඇතුළු වීමට ප්‍රවේශ මාර්ග 5ක් ද ඉදිකර ඇත.
ඉන් බටහිර දෙසින් වන්නට ඇති ප්‍රවේශ මාර්ගය රාජකීයයන් සඳහා වන්නට ඇතැයි සැලකේ.

පර්වතයේ ඉදිකොට ඇති කැටපත් පවුරට ඒ නම ලැබී ඇත්තේ එවකට එය කැඩපතක් තරමටම ඔප දමා තිබූ බැවිනැයි පැවසේ. සීගිරිය නරඹන්නට පැමිණි සංචාරකයින් ඔවුන්ගේ අත්දැකීම් මෙහි කුරුටු ගී ලෙස සටහන් කොට ඇත.
ඒ අතරින් "බුදල්" නම් වන පුද්ගලයෙක් ලියා ඇති පහත සඳහන් වැකියන් කැපී පෙනේ.

"බුදල්මි. සියොවැ ආමි. සීගිරි බැලිමි. බැලු බැලු බොහො දනා ගී ලීලුයෙන් නොලීමි."

පර්වතයේ බටහිර මුහුණතෙහි සිතුවම් කොට ඇති අප්සරාවන්ගේ චිත්‍ර පිළිබඳව නොයෙකුත් මත පවතියි. මේ සිතුවම් අනුරාධපුර යුගයට අයත් යැයි කීවද ඒ චිත්‍ර ශෛලිය අනුරාධපුර යුගයේ චිත්‍ර වලට ශෛලියට පරිබාහිර මෙන්ම අනන්‍ය වන්නකි. මුල් කාලයේදී මෙහි කාන්තා චිත්‍ර 500ක් පමණ තිබූ බව පැවසුනද මිනිස් සහ ස්වාභාවික විපත් නිසාවෙන් වර්තමානේ ඉතිරිව ඇත්තේ ඉන් ඉතාම සුළු ප්‍රමාණයකි.



Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin situated in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. A popular tourist destination, Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos),[1] which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. The Sigiriya was built during the reign of King Kassapa I (AD 477 – 495), and it is one of the seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.[2][3]



Sigiriya may have been inhabited through prehistoric times. It was used as a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the 5th century BC, with caves prepared and donated by devotees to the Buddhist Sangha. The garden and palace were built by King Kasyapa. Following King Kasyapa's death, it was again a monastery complex up to about the 14th century, after which it was abandoned. . The Sigiri inscriptions were deciphered by the archaeologist Senarath Paranavithana in his renowned two-volume work, published by Oxford, Sigiri Graffiti. He also wrote the popular book "Story of Sigiriya".[4]



The Mahavamsa, the ancient historical record of Sri Lanka, describes King Kasyapa as the son of King Dhatusena. Kasyapa murdered his father by walling him alive and then usurping the throne which rightfully belonged to his brother Mogallana, Dhatusena's son by the true queen. Mogallana fled to India to escape being assassinated by Kasyapa but vowed revenge. In India he raised an army with the intention of returning and retaking the throne of Sri Lanka which he considered was rightfully his. Knowing the inevitable return of Mogallana, Kasyapa is said to have built his palace on the summit of Sigiriya as a fortress and pleasure palace. Mogallana finally arrived and declared war. During the battle Kasyapa's armies abandoned him and he committed suicide by falling on his sword. Chronicles and lore say that the battle-elephant on which Kasyapa was mounted changed course to take a strategic advantage, but the army misinterpreted the movement as the King having opted to retreat, prompting the army to abandon the king altogether. Moggallana returned the capital to Anuradapura, converting Sigiriya into a monastery complex.

Alternative stories have the primary builder of Sigiriya as King Dhatusena, with Kasyapa finishing the work in honour of his father. Still other stories have Kasyapa as a playboy king, with Sigiriya a pleasure palace. Even Kasyapa's eventual fate is mutable. In some versions he is assassinated by poison administered by a concubine. In others he cuts his own throat when isolated in his final battle.[5] Still further interpretations have the site as the work of a Buddhist community, with no military function at all. This site may have been important in the competition between the Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist traditions in ancient Sri Lanka.

http://www.cpcouncil.net/home/45-slideshow/53-sigiriya-lions-rock.html
http://www.sinhalaya.com/network/index.php?topic=3895.0

ඉසුරුමුනිය | Isurumuniya

 මෙය තිස්සරජු විසින් නිර්මණය කරන ලදි. ඉසර මානයේ කොටස් වේ. මෙහි ගුහවත් වන අතර මෙය අතීත සියවස් හි භික්ෂුන් වහන්සේලා ලැගුම් ගන්න ලදි. ස්ථානයකි. මෙහි අනුරාධපුර යුගයේ ඉතා අලංකර නිර්මණ වලින් ගහන අතර මෙවයෙහි තේරුම් තේරුම් ගැනිමට අපහසුය. මෙම පර්වතයේ නැගෙනහිර දිශාවේ පියගැට පෙලට පසු කල විට පොකුනක් හමු වන අතර මෙය ජල කපොල්ලක් හරහා ජලය පැමිනේන කුහර අලංකාර ඇති කැටයම් ලෙස නිර්මානය කොට ඇත.

Probably only part of the 'Issaramana founded by King Tissa in the 3rd century BC. There is a cave, which must have sheltered monks during the early centuries of Buddhism, but many of the sculptures are not in fact religious in nature the sculptures themselves are, amongst the most beautiful works of art in Anuradhapura but what they represent is still debated by scholars.

On the eastern side of the rock next to the steps, is a pond. A cleft in the lock comes down to the water and on both sides of the fissure are Sculptures of elephants. Scholars have said that the group on the left is related to South Indian art of the Pallava period (i.e. 7th century)

The artist has used the natural shape of the rock to the full arid has created a three dimensional effect in relief. Immediately opposite on the light, is another elephant carved in bas‑relief, which is a most amusing work of art. It seems to have been calved by a forerunner of Walt Disney. It is probably unfinished arid may be by the same sculptor as the elephants in the Royal Pleasure Gardens.

Above the elephants, calmly surveying the view, sits a man in a relaxed pose, with his right aim over his knee, a horse's head peers out from behind him. The identity of this figure is still a matter of controversy, but the best explanation so far is that it represents Aiyanar, a forest deity of Sri Lanka who tides on horseback, arid watches over humankind in the jungles. It is usually associated with elephants.

We come next to the stairway. The stairway and the platform have been rebuilt with all sorts of fragments from the site, of differing dates. In between the stair‑way arid, the modern Buddhist Temple is the famous sculpture known as 'The lovers”. It has been dated to the 16th century AD arid it resembles the work of the Gupta styles in India. Although the main sculptures at 'Isurumuniya' can be dated by comparison with Indian styles, they all have a clearly Sri Lanka character. Again, identity of the lovers is not known; the sculpture is nevertheless extremely good. Local legend identifies this pair with it King Dutugemunu’s son Saliya arid the low‑caste maiden for whom he gave up the throne. On the staircase, to the right, is a collection of chubby dwarfs.

The modern Buddhist temple contains a large recumbent Buddha and a semi‑circle of rather beautiful modem plaster figures, which have been worked by a Kandiyan sculptor. Behind these can be seen the ancient Wall of the cave, with its drip line. Coming out of the temple, there is a rock ‑fissure where there. Is another sculpture of similar style to, although probably of later date than “The Lovers”? It represents a court scene, of a king surrounded by handmaidens and attendants, one of whom holds a flywhisk. Along the base of the rock, there are some very good figures of dwarfs.

The Story of Kataragama

Kataragama was living in India with his wife Tevanai, with whom he had a 'tiff'. He left her and went to Ceylon landing at Dondra. Thence he went to Veddahundkanda — a hill above Kataragama—where he lived alone.

One day out hunting he met Walliamma, the adopted daughter of a local Veddha. He proposed marriage and she refused. Thereupon he went and consulted his brother Ganesha and asked for his help.

Next day he appeared as an old Brahmin before Walliamma and asked for food. She gave him some but he said he could not eat it unless he had a drink of water to wash it down. So she agreed to show him the way to the well. On the way he asked her if she was not afraid of living alone in the chena while all the men were away hunting.

She said she was afraid of nothing except elephants. Immediately Ganesha appeared as an elephant and Walliamma clung to Kataragama asking him to protect her (a most amusing fresco of the scene). He said he would do so if she would marry him. She agreed and the elephant disappeared. So Kataragama brought her back to the chena.

On their return her family and friends (Veddhas) rushed out to attack Kataragama whereupon he turned himself into a tree. The Veddhas were proceeding to cut down the tree when at the first blow blood gushed out, so the Veddhas thereby knew him to be a God and agreed to the marriage. Thus Kataragama and Walliamma lived together happily for many years.

After a while Thevanai being tired of being a grass-widow sent Muttulingam Sami—Kataragama's teacher—and a man called Mohamed Navi to search for Kataragam. They searched for a long time and were giving up the task as hopeless when one day Muttulingam Samy found that his opium pipe, which he had left behind the previous day, had been smoked. By this he knew that Kataragam must have done it and that he could not be far off. He was then soon found and was asked to return to India.

At first Kataragam consented but afterwards refused when he was told that Walliamma could not come too. Kataragam however persuaded Muttulingam Samy to stay behind, but Mohamed Navi returned to India and betrayed Kataragam's whereabouts to Thevanai.

Thevanai came forthwith to Ceylon and Kataragam built a Kovil for Muttalingam Samy and a mosque for Mohamed Navi on either side of Walliamma's Devale. And now when the perahera conducts Kataragam to Walliamma's shrine there is a furious bell ringing and beating of drums and other loud noises in Thevanai's shrine to drown Thevanai's cries—or as others say to distract her attention. The noise would do either easily!

It is curious how the part of Mohamed Navi is dragged into the story so as to give the Mohamedans a place in the worship. But they have to "take a back seat" as owing to Navi's betrayal of Kataragama no Mohamedan is allowed to appear within the temple precincts during the perahera under penalty of being beaten

http://kataragama.org/docs/ga1922-kataragama-story.htm

Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay is a bay situated on the Indian Ocean in the dry zone of Sri Lanka's southeast coast. The bay is located 320 km due east of Colombo. "Ullai" as Arugam Bay is locally known is a popular surfing and tourist destination.Beyond surfing there are many things can be enjoyable, Lagoon tour, bird watching, elephant watching, Kumana National Park, Kudumpigala monarchy and many ancient ruins & archaeological sites. After the war ended, there are lot of tourist not only surfers but many nature lovers visiting Arugam Bay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arugam

POORWARAMA RAJAMAHA VIHARAYA WEHERAHENA MATARA

Situated at Matara district, in the southern province of Sri Lanka, the temple can be located on the Matara – Kekanadura road via Weherahena about 6km from Matara town. The temple complex, inclusive of all features spreads up to a vast land of three acres. It is also known as the first tunnel temple in the world. The colossal Buddha image which was built after Anuradapura and Polonnaruwa period is also a significant part of the temple.

This temple consists of all the main features such as chetiya (pagoda) sacred Bo-tree and Samadhi Buddha statue. The walls of the tunnel temple are adorned with Buddha frescoes. According to the historical records, the tunnel temple frescoes narrate the Jathaka stories (legends) of Ummagga Jathaka and Umandawa which were written about Pandit Mahewushada (mahoushadha).

The enormous Buddha image which is 88 cubits in height is situated facing to East of the temple. The courtyard has been constructed on the frontage of the statue. There are also two beautiful ponds in the middle of the yard.

http://weherahenatemple.org/