Funday Times

This article is part of a continuing series on the 'Mahavamsa', the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history

Building of Sigiriya
1. King Dhatusena wished good-bye to the priest, with tears in his eyes. He went up to the Kala-Wewa, kept looking at the tank for a while, got into the water and bathed to his heart's content. He came out of the tank and addressed Kashyapa's men who were there. The king pointed his hand towards the tank and said, "Look here, this is all the wealth I have'. These men went to Kashyapa and repeated his words. Kashyapa was furious.

2. Kashyapa told Migara, "Now see. My father is not giving me the hidden treasure. He is hiding them for Mugalan. The longer my father lives, more is the displeasure I earn from my subjects. They hate me now. The best we could do now is to kill him". The evil commander, Migara accepted this as the solution. He was also waiting for a chance to take revenge from the king, for killing his mother. This 'sinner', thought it was his luck to kill his uncle, King Dhatusena. He was happy to have got this chance.

3. As soon as he got the order, Commander Migara went to the place where King Dhatusena was imprisoned. He paraded up and down, smiling to himself. In a very haughty manner he looked at the king, cleared his throat and shook his head. All this told the king that his death was near. The king thought thus. "How happy is this sinner about the death that is to come to me. He is a fool who is ready to go to hell. I feel sorry for him. I confer my love and kindness on Mugalan. Now I have only to seek refuge in the Buddha".

4. The king further wished that as long as he wanders in Samsara, no one on earth - not even a little ant, should suffer a fate of this nature. As the king did not, in any way, respond to the actions of Migara, he went away. Then came a number of men and took the king out of prison. They took him to a wall, that was being built there.

5. Commander Migara was there. He ordered the men to tie the hands of the old king, keep him against the wall and go on plastering the wall. The men did as they were told. The king who once saved the country from the foreign enemy and did so much for its development, died in pain. He was only thinking of the 'Triple Gem', till the last moment. Hearing this news people of the entire country were extremely sad and all of them wished him 'The bliss of Nibbaba'.

6. Not only the people of Anuradhapura, but the people of the entire country, were disgusted with the king. They hated the Commander Migara, who was instrumental in getting all this done. King Kashyapa knew this. He himself was frightened of the sin he had committed by getting his father killed. He was haunted with the thought that Prince Mugalan would definitely come with an army and take revenge for the murder of the father. This way, King Kashyapa spent many a sleepless night.

7. Now the king did not like to stay any more in Anuradhapura. He looked for a safe place to hide from the enemy. He noticed a rock which was rather difficult to climb. So he got a fortress built on top of this rock. He got steps cut to reach the top. After climbing the steps, he got an entrance done in the shape of a lion's mouth. As the entrance to the fortress was through the mouth of the lion, the rock was named 'Sinhagiri' or 'Sigiri'.

8. He deposited a lot of treasure here. A palace was built on top of the rock. Scholars began to compare this palace to the Alokamanda of the deity Kuvera, who comes in mythology. The paintings at Sigiriya are wonderful creations of art. 'Sigiri Frescoes' are world famous.

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