SIGIRIYA & BEYOND – travel

We delight in over two thousand five hundred years of history, culture and civilisation. But in concrete terms, what does that mean? Was there art, dance, education and literature that flourished in an unbroken line? Have we been written of as a civilised nation by others, either now or at any part of our history? What did we ourselves write about two thousand years ago, or even a thousand years ago and does it endure? When were the Sandeshayas written and have you read them? Where can you unearth your heritage?

One thing is certain – that we live in an ancient land with vestiges of an interesting past. Whoever we are descended from had a fascination for building from stone, in stone, on stone and with stone and luckily, long after kingdoms crumbled and the wheel of history turned, some of these ruins live on, letting us imagine a glorious past. Either on your way from A to B or if you have a long weekend to spare, there will be nothing more enjoyable than arming yourself with a copy of SIGIRIYA & BEYOND to discover off the beaten track sites that the Archaeological Department’s little black boards point to.  

You will encounter scattered, almost undocumented ruins on our north-west and north-east coasts and through much of the dry zone, but the richest treasure of ruins is concentrated in the cultural triangle. Although much has been written about Sigiriya, placing it squarely on the tourist trail, the most interesting sites remain the ones that have not been overly documented, the ones that are often overlooked and remain unknown and are therefore more pleasurable to visit for the independent traveller. In this context, Pidurangala, barely 15km away from Sigiriya is a virtually undiscovered monolith barely 11m shorter than its famous cousin and one that the guide book SIGIRIYA & BEYOND will deftly guide you through.

In other areas, discover drip ledge caves and ones with cave paintings, random stone steps in Somawathiya, moonstones and guard-stones, Brahmi script in Habarana and seemingly everywhere else, and in the very centre of our island the Nalanda gedigé with its unusually erotic carvings. Contrast that with traditional temple art at Galewela or the more elaborate statues and frescoes in nearby Dambulla. Don’t miss the Resvehera at Sasseruwa and its colossal Avukana-like Buddha statue. Enjoy the magnificent view over the Pihitirata from the stone beds high up on Gerandigala and wonder for whom they were carved. Marvel at the Ritigala complex with its still functioning stone well. 

Resembling closed off Ambalamas, Tampita Viharayas are small, often squat buildings raised off the ground on short pillars, often containing image rooms that date to the Kandyan period. SIGIRIYA & BEYOND will point you towards Ambarali, Habarana, Madawala and Mahadivulweva to name just a few. Although often in a state of neglect, these buildings which are inexorably giving way to modern structures are well worth visiting before they disappear forever. And disappear they will; incumbent priests have little interest in maintaining our historically rich but sparsely documented past; treasure hunters are hell-bent on vandalising little known or little visited sites; and in our supremely indifferent material world, all of this has but ephemeral value. 

In its layout, content and sophisticated style, SIGIRIYA & BEYOND is a guide book unlike any other you will find, and we look forward similar comprehensive guides from Back of Beyond. Before your heritage disappears completely, grab this guide book and go.  

(Sam Perera is a partner of the Perera-Hussein Publishing House which publishes culturally relevant stories by emerging and established Lankan and regional authors - for a primarily Lankan audience. Ph books are available everywhere books are sold and through www.pererahussein.com.)

SIGIRIYA & BEYOND – travel

By N. Gunetilleke, P. Abayawardane, P. de Silva, Y. Weerasuriya

Back of Beyond Travel Guides, Rs. 2,400

Available in all bookshops from Barefoot to Vijitha Yapa and www.pererahussein.com