The Story of Sigiriya

The historical facts surrounding the story of Sigiriya and its builder King Kasyapa is a tale of cruelty, intrigue, vision, grandeur, chivalry, betrayal, and abandonment.

In the fifth century, Kasyapa acquires his throne by murdering his father, who he has plastered up alive into a wall. Tormented by guilt, he abandons his capital and flees into the inhospitable forests of central Sri Lanka. There, in an area dominated by a massive column of rock 660 feet high, he builds his royal citadel, a terrestrial paradise of gardens, pavilions, and ponds. He transforms the once foreboding column of rock to appear like a huge white cloud. Around its girth, he paints an exquisite tapestry depicting semi-nude celestial nymphs. On an escarpment halfway up this formidable rock, he constructs a gatehouse in the form of a sphinx-like lion giving his lair its name, Sigiriya-Lion Mountain. Atop the rock, he builds himself a sky palace of unparalleled beauty to emulate Alakamanda, the city of the gods. Hidden from view, he lives in splendid isolation tormented by guilt and fear, finally coming to a gruesome end. Then his splendid city disappears and is forgotten until rediscovered thirteen centuries later by an adventurous young British army officer on an elephant hunt.

The book consists of two parts. Part 1 details the history of the site and the king who built it. Part 2 contains an extensive Site Guide with vivid and never before seen photographs of the site.

This beautifully illustrated, easy-to-read book that presents the fascinating history of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. It guides us through the events leading up to the creation, abandonment, and rediscovery of one of the most fascinating historical sites in the world. An extensive Site Guide with vivid photographs included.
Senani Ponnamperuma was born in Sri Lanka, educated in the US and now resides in Australia. He has as always had a deep fascinated with Sri Lankan history. Having collected a dossier full of interesting facts about Sri Lankan history, he was encouraged by his children to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Senani has now combined his love of literature and history to produce the first easy-to-read books on the history of Sri Lanka. The first, The Story of Sigiriya, is a truly comprehensive account of one of the most fascinating historical sites in the world. The second, The Story of Anuradhapura, is an equally interesting history of the Anuradhapura Kingdom one of the most prolific civilizations of ancient Asia. Senani has had a successful career in Information Technology. He was the CIO of two large Australian retailers and spent many years as a senior IT Consultant. Senani's website, Trishan's Oz, a website about Australia created in 1997, won numerous prestigious awards and has been visited by over 12 million people. It was selected by the National Library of Australia "for the preservation and long-term access of Australian online electronic publications of national significance." Senani is also the creator of a number of websites on Sri Lanka.

"'The Story of Sigiriya' took me as a reader, into a vivid world of stunning perspectives and picturesque descriptions. It balances fact with storytelling and is full of poetic imagery. The author's grasp of the language and skills in photography have enhanced the value of The Story of Sigiriya. Its appeal to readers will inspire them to visit King Kasyapa's "palace in the sky" at least once in their life-time." - Sunday Observer

The Story of Sigiriya is a beautifully illustrated book that presents Sigiriya in a new light. Its author Senani Ponnamperuma is a brilliant storyteller. Using a crisp narrative style, he brings this story alive and introduces us to many previously unknown and overlooked facts. - Daily Mirror

"Senani Ponnamperuma's book (The Story of Sigiriya) has put the ancient rock fortress into perspective, with details that have been ignored by many other writers up to now. This book has some beautiful photographs by the author, which showcase the splendour of Sigiriya. The frescoes in all their colour are not merely reproduced, but this is done in a unique manner that gives deep insight into their vibrancy and colour as well. - LMD Magazine

"The author had done a great job at researching a great book. I have visited the sigiriya rock when I was in Sri Lanka and was happy to read this." - Indika Guruge

"Very informative and well written. Highly recommend this book if you want to learn a lot about Sigiriya. I am a Sri Lanakan but learned a lot that I have not learned when I was a child." - Ruwini Goonewardena

"The story is as rare and captivating as the archaeological site itself. The author has done a brilliant job of portraying the story surrounding the site." - Jaisurya Banerjea

"The first thing I noticed was the very nice way in which pictures - old and new - complement the telling of Sigiriya's story. The author's passion for his subject is very noticeable in the way he tapped every conceivable source for information and photos." - Jan Koch