Some make Lion Rock sound like Mount Everest. It’s not. The stone steps have been worn to a slippery dent in places, but unless you’re unlucky enough to ascend when it’s wet, or extremely out of shape, you won’t have a problem. There are handrails for most of the way, along with a steady stream of people to break your fall, should you make a misstep. The spiral staircase to view the frescoes (unlike everyone else, King Kasyapa decided to decorate his walls with half naked women, instead of religious depictions) might be the worst part, but it’s certainly not a deal breaker. Until that point, I wasn’t aware of my sister’s fear of heights. I suppose I should have inquired beforehand, but it never crossed my mind – you learn as you go. At certain points, I questioned whether we’d make it to the top, but with a few words of encouragement and the occasional pat on the back, we found ourselves peering down at the valley below.
When overlooked as the heir to the throne, despite being the oldest son, Kasyapa didn’t take it too well. He decided to imprison and then kill his father, and take power for himself – which actually worked out quite well, until he realized the people hated him for it. Oops. He abandoned his capital in Anuradhapura and set up shop on what is now known as Lion Rock, or Sigiriya. On a small plateau about halfway up, he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion (only the paws remain) in an effort to protect himself, and his palace above. King Kasyapa was eventually killed in a battle with his brother, bringing his 22 year reign to an end. A family feud of epic proportions.
To say the “palace” is in a ruined state is putting it politely. There are partial staircases and shallow stone walls, with a brownish colored pools, but everything else has faded with time. For me, the real showstopper was the lovely view and landscape below. Side by side, we were treated to a magnificent sunset, as the sky changed colors and the valley glowed. My sister wasn’t keen on the climb, but she loved what it led to. And it was truly the perfect day… until she drove our motorbike into oncoming traffic.
