The year is 481 A.D.  The Persian Ambassador and his entourage at a loss for words at the spectacle before them, stood staring in amazement. Before them was the gigantic stone figure of a crouching lion. In order to reach  the palace on the summit of the rock of this fabled city, they had to first enter the mouth of this monstrous animal and follow the steps which led through its body to the beginning of the staircase leading to the top. They had never seen anything like it in the western world. Of course they had heard of the 'Hanging gardens of Babylon' built on the orders of  King Nebuchadnezzar in 591 B.C., which ranked as one of the wonders of the ancient world. The ambassador had in fact visited the site, Babylon being in proximity to his own country, Persia.  But this was the year 481 A.D. and they were in the royal city of Sigiriya on a diplomatic mission to present letters of accreditation to King Kasyappa whom they heard being referred to as "The God King".  Still gazing at the palace on the summit of the rock, the ambassador thought that this was a king who had defied gravity! Travellers from the East and West who had visited Sigiriya related wondrous tales of this many splendoured city.

Written by - Bernard VanCuylenburg