Sigirya - Abode of the King
Sigiriya is an enormous 360 meter high-rock converted to a fortress by the parricidal King Kashyapa I, who reigned for 18 years between 477 and 495 A. D. He cleared the rock summit and built his palace as an abode of God King. Simultaneously, the surrounding lands of the rock transformed into a Royal Pleasure Garden with pools and shallow serpentine streams paved with
marble kerbs. Underground channels and cross channels were built to supply water under pressure to fountains operating in a simple principle of gravity and pressure. To have access to
the summit at the ground level he built a stair case in the form of a lion and the protective wall on the mid-way finished with glistening surface had been used by the visitors to record their graffiti in the form of Sinhala verses. Out of the world famous frescoes similar to those of Ajanta
caves in India now survive about twenty one. Considering the entire Sigiriya complex as one unique creation the UNESCO declared World Heritage Site in 1982. The complete story of Sigiriya is visually presented in this documentary.
Screenplay/Direction: Christy Shelton Fernando
Script: Kusumsiri Kodituwakku
Consultant : Prof. K.D. Paranavitana
Camera: Lalith Kumara
Editor: Thivanka Udagedara
Music: Kapila Poogalaarachchi
Narration : Arun Dias Bandaranayake (English)
Ajith Indraji Wijesena(Sinhala)