At the Sigiriya Museum, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

Stamps depicting Sigiriya rock and some of its artifacts.

Ruins of the 'Pidurangala' monastery, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

Ruins of a building.

Ruins of a Stupa.

A pleasant walk among the trees,

Overshadowed by the glamour of the Sigiriya rock fortress, the equally ancient Pidurangala cave temple is neglected by the authorities as well as visitors

Sigiri Pidurangala Raja Maha Viharaya is just a short distance from the Sigiriya Rock fortress. Although its origins date back to the same period this site does not share the same glamour and renown of Sigiriya.

Not even 10 percent of the visitors who flock toSigiriya, spare a glance at this ancient shrine.

Located down a dusty gravel track off the road leading to Sigiriya, the Pidurangala monastery, according to Dhaniyagama Ananda Thera, the chief priest of the temple, was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th Century A.D.

"There is a strong connection between Sigiriya and Pidurangala," Ananda Thera says. "Sigiriya is only a kingdom. King Kashyapa's religious service is seen at Pidurangala. Kashyapa is known for the patricide he committed but his good works are forgotten. A tour ofSigiriya is incomplete without visiting Pidurangala."

When Kashyapa discovered Sigiriya, there was a monastery where bhikkus lived and meditated in the lower levels of the rock. Kashyapa built a new aramaya for these bhikkus at the Pidurangala site nearby, before he started work on the Sigiriyafortress.

Spread over 13 1/2 acres, the monastery gave sanctuary to 500 meditating bhikkus. The monastery was said to be 'panchavasa', complete with the five major ritual buildings, the Chapter House, Image House, the Bodhiya (Bo tree), Chaitya and the Sangharamaya or Sabha for the monks.

According to a legend Bhikkhu Mahanama, the author of the Mahavamsa had lived at Pidurangala, Ananda Thera said. There is a brief reference to this in the Mahavamsa.

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/heritagesl/pidurangala/pidurangala2.htm

Sigiriya - scenes from around the terraced garden, Sri Lanka.

Cave dwellings of monks.

An ancient stairway.

Sigiriya (Lion Rock, Sinhala: සීගිරිය, pronounced see-gee-REE-yah Tamil: சிகிரியா) is located in the central Matale District of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name refers to a site of historical and archeaological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 meters high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa the site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the 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 —Sīhāgiri, the Lion Rock. The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.^[1]

Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.^[2] It is the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka.^{[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigiriya}

To see a Youtube presentation click on the web-link below:-

http://youtu.be/ADmmC9ysl6I

My photos:-

http://youtu.be/4AgiKN4HEGg

Sights inside the 'Hotel Sigiriya', Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

A village style tree-house.

A corridor in the 'Hotel Sigiriya'

Flower petals floating in a stone basin.

A 'wattle and daub' mud hut.

Inside 'Hotel Sigiriya', Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

'Thalagoya' S, 'Udumbu' T, Pangolin.

'Common Mormon'- Papilio polytes.

The swimming pool.

The hotel logo.

Sights from Hotel Sigiriya, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka.

The 'Lion rock' as seen from the area near the swimming pool in the hotel.

Climbers at the top of the rock - Zoom 400mm on my Nikon D90.

Kids in the swimming pool.