CEYLON KING’S FOLLY

Evening Star, Issue 22448, 19 September 1936, Page 26

CEYLON KING’S FOLLY

A FORT THAT WAS NEVER DEFENDED In Ceylon, 50 miles north of Kandy, there occurs a peculiar rock formation, precipitous and mushroom like, rising 400 ft above flat, jungle-covered plains. It is Sigiriya—the Lion Rock. The history of this strange mass is as striking as its conformation. Abruptly it rises above the jungle flats. Equally as abruptly it rose into prominence in Ceylon’s history; or, to be precise and to use the ancient form, into Lanka’s history. Massive ahd formidable, Sigiriya is expressive of the eternal order of things; but, as far as man can tell, it has been occupied for only 18 ■ those in the fifth century. After a thousand _ years of almost .constant strife, of civil wars, of terrible invasions, and of sudden and awful, deaths of kings, it seems strange ■ that.there should nave been any aspirants at all to so insecure a throne. We shall take, as a starting point, the reign of Buddha Dasa; although only because of its proximity to Sigiriya’s occupation and because of the opportunity of mentioning that Buddha Dasa was rather a remarkable man, being credited with having, on his death, 80 sons. This last, of course, would he quite enough to ensure bloodshed in competition for the throne. CONFUSION. Buddha Dasa should have known better! At all events, Dpatissa, the eldest', who succeeded his father, was stabbed at the instance of his wicked queen, who preferred a younger brother. Mahanama. But, strange to say, Mahafiaina managed rather well for -22 years. At his death, however, there was “ some confusion regarding the succession ’’ and the Tamils—always obligingly. ready to swarm down .from Southern India and fill in any gaps in Lanka’s history which otherwise might have seemed comparatively tame—took the opportunity tp come again, The “ confusion ’*• referred to was due merely to the murder, on the day of his accession, of Sotthi Sena, the preceding king’s son. This was accomplished by Sotthi Sena’s half-Tamiu stepsister, in order that her husband Chattaganaka might become king. He did, and, one is tempted to say, in consequence he died within the year. It is possible, but unlikely, that it was a natural death. 1 Mita Sena followed, but this was where, and when, the_ Tamils came in. They killed him within the year and held the country from 437-461 a.x>. Rather, they held much of the country; but not the wild central territory of Ruhuna, which was the usual retreat of the Cingalese (or, again to be precise, Senhalese) kings and nobles in retirement.- The - Tamils did fairly well, needing themselves a line of only six kings in the 25 years of this occupation ; but when a Senhalese named Dhatu Sena killed three of these in quick succession, the Tamils decided, apparently, that the game wag not worth the candle and retired to their own territory. The law of averages allowed Dhatu Sena a reasonable occupancy of the throne, vet he is the one whose fearful death was to afford the sidelight from Sigiriya on the cruelty of the times. His elder son, Kasyapa, formed a conspiracy against the King, seized the throne, and built a wall with a niche in it affording standing room for his father—a living grave in which the King was duly walled up alive. The younger brother, Mugulan, was discreet and fled to India. Kasyapa’s fears led to the occupation and fortification of Sigiriya. Kasyapa was cruel, he feared, he fortified, he beautified his fortress, he was foolish—all in a very big way. IMMUNITY. On the several acres of flat rocktop he might live far up above his subjects and enemies—how hard it was to tell the difference! He would be immune, here, from attack, and could look down upon their every move, even if it started 20 miles* away! So his slaves laboured for seven years, unceasingly. First, presumably, they built up defences. But they were wall upon wall at the only approach to_ the rock. Above them he cunningly placed tremendous boulders, propped up on slender stilts of stone. They still stand there, terrifying. These, on knocking’ away the, stilts, would crash down on. enemies who forced the walls. His staircase, protected from enemy holts by a sft wall of stone, still winds upwards around the precipitous rook face; but not right up, for Kasyapa ahd those who shared his palaces on top had to put up, for the sake of added security, with negotiating the last 100 ft or so by climbing tooth and nail over a smooth stone surface merely notched for foot and hand hold. • ROYAL ELEPHANTS. But perhaps there was some form of hoist for the Royal Person, and the Royal or Sacred Elephants, who had their fine housing and great, elaborate, stone baths 400 ft above the ground! Inside the lower walls, at the foot of the rock, are ruins of the many priest houses and temples. The whole face of the mountain, save for the numerous military look-out galleries, appears to nave been worked with frescoes, of which impressive traces still remain. * But the fruits of the. seven years’ colossal labour were enjoyed for only 11 more years. Now comes the equally colossal folly 1 Mugulan, the dreaded brother, came back from India with a host of supporters. Kasyapa from his impregnable fortress, which, against such a time, it had taken him seven years to build, saw him coming—and sallied- out to fight him on the plain! With the end of Kasyapa’s story further references to Sigiriya in Lanka’s history cease. Kasyana’s force was utterly defeated, and the parriside committed suicide.