Sigiri Graffiti Intro 001

INTRODUCTION

1. SIGIRI, ITS HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

1. THE rugged mass of granite forming the rock of Sigiri(1 Sigiri is in the Inämaluve Köra!é of the Mätalé District, and the road to it branches off from the Kandy—Trincomalee trunk road between its 50th and 51st mile-posts. B 597 ) rises, with unscalable, precipitous sides, to a height of 1,193 feet above mean sea-level—nearly 600 feet above the surrounding plain. In the fifth century, in consequence of a series of violent and brutally cruel deeds which disgraced the domestic life of the princes then ruling Ceylon, this rock suddenly became the focal point of the Island's political life, only to revert to its former obscurity after a brief, though splendid, period of eighteen years. Monumental remains of unusual interest to be seen today on the summit, as well as at the foot of the rock, bear testimony to the royal splendour which was once manifested on or around it. The history relating to Sigiri, as narrated in the chronicles,(2 For the history of Sigiri, as narrated in the chroni-

cles, see Cülavathsa (Geiger's translation), chap. 38,) is briefly thus:

2. Dhätusena, who ascended the throne of Anurädhapura in or about 456 A.D., had two sons, one named Moggalläna, born of the anointed queen, and the other, Kassapa, by a consort of lesser rank. He also had a 'charming daughter, who Was as dear to him as his life'. This princess was given in marriage to the sister's son of Dhätusena, who held the office of senäpati (commander-in-chief). Without any fault on her part, she was on one occasion severely whipped on her thighs by her husband. Dhätusena saw her with blood-stained garments and, in his rage at the brutal treatment meted out to his favourite daughter, had the senäpati's mother, his own sister, burnt to death, naked. The senäpati, who now was the aggrieved party, resolved to avenge his mother, and plotted with Kassapa to bring about Dhätusena's downfall. They undermined the loyalty of the people towards their sovereign, seized power, and kept the king a prisoner. The rightful prince, Moggalläna, escaped to India. The senäpati, having persuaded Kassapa that Dhätusena had concealed his treasures for the benefit of the exiled prince, received orders to have the king put to death. Dhätusena thus ended his days by being walled up in a room.

3. Kassapa, t ough he was firmly established on the throne, lived in fear of the day of reckoning— the return of Moggalläna with military aid from India. He, therefore, wished to build for himself a stronghold where he could hold out against adversaries in times of danger; and found Sigiri to be a suit- able place for this purpose. He cleared the land round about the rock which 'was difficult of ascent for human beings', 'surrounded it with a wall and constructed stair-case houses in the form of lions'. It was this last-named detail which gave the rock the name that it bears to this day. 'He collected treasures and kept them well protected and for the (riches) kept by him he set guards in different places. Then he built there a fine palace, worthy to behold, like another Älakamandä, and dwelt there like (the god) Kuvera. (3 Cü!avaphsa, Geiger's translation, Part I, p. 42.)

4. After Kassapa had reigned for eighteen years, Moggalläna returned with an army from India. Kassapa, confident of victory, went out with his own forces to meet Moggalläna on the battlefield; but a trivial incident decided the day against him. Mounted on his elephant, he was manoeuvring for position in the course of the battle; and, coming to a swampy ground, he turned the elephant so as to avoid this obstacle. His army, however, mistook this movement for a retreat, lost their morale, broke ranks and fled in disorder. Kassapa, who found himself almost alone facing his enemies, realized that all was lost and, rather than fall into the hands of his brother, from whom he had no right to expect any mercy, cut his own throat with his dagger, 'raised the knife on high and stuck it in the sheath'. Moggalläna, having regained the throne, took up his residence at the ancient royal seat, Anurädha- pura, for he had no inclination to continue the policy or preserve the works of his brother who had so grievously wronged him and his father. He, therefore, converted the palace on the summit of Sigiri rock into a monastery, but the Buddhist Church itself evidently had no great love for the place, for it is not mentioned afterwards as having had anything to do with religion.

5. About a century after the close of the reign of Moggalläna, Sigiri is again mentioned in the chronicles as the scene of the tragic end of a prince. Samghatissa, who came to the throne in or about 606 A.D., had an adversary in the person of Moggalläna, the general of his predecessor. Due to the treachery of his own general, Sarhghatissa was at last defeated on the battlefield, and fled for his life, accompanied by one of his sons and a faithful minister. In the garb of Buddhist monks, they wended their way to Rohapa; but at Minneri they were recognized and captured by Moggalläna's men. Mog- galläna, on being informed of this, ordered the royal fugitive and his son to be taken to Sigiri and decapitated. The faithful minister was to be sent to him alive. The young prince begged of the executioners to be beheaded first, so that he might be spared the agony of seeing his father's end. Thus, at Sigiri, Samghatissa and his son had to bow their heads before the axe of the executioner. The faithful minister refused to remain alive, and lay prostrate, holding his dead master's feet, so that Moggalläna's men had perforce to cut off his head, too. 1