Pvt Colombo Shoreexcursions From Colombo Port To Sigiriya

Pvt Colombo Shoreexcursions From Colombo Port To Sigiriya

SIGIRIYA AND DAMBULLA DAY TOUR
Sigiriya, an ancient palace, was once nominated as the 8th wonder of the world. Today, Sigiriya and Dambulla are a UNESCO recognized heritage site and a major tourist attraction. The city of Dambulla is 148 km north-east of Colombo, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is home to an ancient cave Temple also known as the Golden Rock Temple, which is a popular tourist attraction. Approximately 25kms from Dambulla is Sigiriya, which is where you will find the “Lion’s Rock”. This is a 220 metre high rock, at the top of which an ancient King built his Palace. In addition to being a well maintained model of ancient urban life, Sigiriya is also an adventure of rock climbing for many. A day tour of Sigiriya and Dambulla will suffice for you to explore Sri Lanka’s Majestic past. Leave from Colombo at about 6.00 a.m., enjoy the scenic your tour destination, explore the two cities, and be back to Colombo by midnight.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress, Sigiriya 21120 Sri Lanka

SIGIRIYA ROCK FORTRESS
In the 5th century when Anuradhapura was the royal capital, there was a king who had three children, two sons and a daughter. The princess was given in marriage to the King’s nephew, a General in his Army. One day the princess with bleeding injuries complained to the king that they were caused by her husband. The king made his own inquiries and meted out immediate justice by ordering the General’s mother |( his own sister) to be burnt at the stake. Engraged by this, the son in law determined to take revenge on his father – in- law for the killing of his mother, and he plotted to poison the mind of Kashyapa (younger of the two princess) against the farther. He told the prince, a head strong youth,that he had knowledge that the king would not give him the throne, also that the king had a great treasure. Two of them then conspired and locked up the king in jail. The elder prince, fearing for his own life, fled into voluntary ecile. Kashyapa then became king and he demanded from his father for information about the hidden treasure. Foreseeing that his end was near, the royal father requested that he be taken to a particular spot to expose the treasure. Kashyapa and his brother-in-law, ( the army general) set off for the spot with the father. Part of the way lay over a dam which skirted a reservoir built by the royal father. He expressed a desire to take dip in the water. The wish was granted. He got into the water, pointed to the reservoir and declared, “ This is the treasure I prossess and I have kept it for the benefit of my people”. At this the young Kashyapa lost his temper and ordered the general to plaster his farther into the side of the dam.This was done. Thus, the son – in – law of the king aavenged the killing of his mother.
When the exiled brother learned of the crime committed on the royal father, he said that his brother would be called upon to payfor it one day. For his own security, Kashyapa built a fortress palace on the rock of Sigiriya where he lived for 17 years. One day he learned that the brother was coming to wage war with him. He decided to fight him rather than face the prospect of being taken away prisoner. On the way Kashyapa was abandoned by the people, and h ended his life by committing suicide. His brother then took the throne and ruled from Anuradhapura. Sigiriya declined into oblivion.
Students of archaeology believe that the rock of sigiriya was originally covered with earth.
Kashyapa had the massive rock complex cleared to construct an unassailable fortress palace. Around 200 m high, the great rock was carved to the shape of a crouching lion. Some of the lion’s paws were built of stone and binding. The main palace come on the back of the “lion” but what remains today is only the great foundation work of this constructions.
Archaelogists believe that there were over 500 frescoes, admirable works of art, around the outer surface of the rock. During the British period, they discovered a series of undisturbed frescoes at one spot under a natural rock hood. They built a spiral stairway reaching up to the nearest possible point to this to enable people to view the timeless frescoes, which date back to the 5th century A . D.


Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Kandy - Jaffna Highway, Dambulla 21100 Sri Lanka

DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE
There are a few attractions in Sri Lanka that can be described as ‘sublimely spiritual’. Among them is the Golden Temple of Dambulla – one of the largest and best preserved sacred cave complexes with its impressive rock monastery, and shrine rooms containing centuries old statues of deities and religious dignitaries.
This sacred site is located in the cultural centre of Dambulla some 150Km northeast of Colombo and over 70 Km north of Kandy. The temple is perched atop a rock that is 180 m high at an elevation of 340 m above sea level and spans an area of 2,100 square metres.
The Dambulla Rock Temple is believed to have been constructed during the regin of King Valagamba. Five months into his reign (circa 103 BC), the reigning monarch was forced into exile and had to abandon the Anuradhapura Kingdom following a South Indian invasion. For 14 Years, the sovereign remained in hiding and frequented the cave complex near Dambulla to safeguard his royal person.
After regaining his kingdom, the ruler established a religious sanctuary in his established a religious sanctuary in his erstwhile place of rocky refuge as a mark of gratitude for the shelter afforded to him.
Historians and art history lovers would delight in the caves, which have been maintained down the centuries, and still contain icons and images depicting the life of the Buddha. The religious works of art here were created over 20 centuries ago. Over the millennia, successive kings embellished and ornamented the murals among other artefacts that are extant in five caves.
The appeal of the work off worshipful art in these caves lies not only in the 157 statues but also the many intricate and colouful murals, which adorn the complex’s a statue of Venerable Ananda, Gautama Siddharta’s most devoted disciple, is found near the base of the monument. The area is adorned with several beautiful ( albeit faded) paintings.


Duration: 2 hours