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A distant view of Sigiriya heritage |
Sigiriya or the lion’s rock fortress, is a legendary monument which depicts the glorious past of our ancestors. This archaeological site with all its enchanters, now attracts incessant crowds consisting of both local and foreign tourists more than ever before.
Sigiriya which is located in Matale District is discernible even at a distance since it soars 1,214 feet above sea level with nothing to stand above its height on Sri Lanka’s central plains. According to the famous legend Sigiriya rock fortress was built by King Kashyapa during his reign from 477 BC to 495 BC. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site and also considered as the eighth wonder of the world.
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Reasons
Reminding us of the nature’s law of impermanence, this gigantic rock had also been undergoing a process of physical weathering due to prolonged direct exposure to sun and due to various other natural causes. As a result the rock had loosened at several places and a possibility of breaking into pieces if not properly treated had emerged. It was at this point that the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) had been entrusted with the mission to recommend a pragmatic solution to preserve Sigiriya as one unit.
The GSMB had been silently carrying out this serious work over the past 12 years using its expertise knowledge and experience at mines. According to the GSMB Chairman Dr N P Wijayananda, six spots where the rock had been loosened had been identified and those were successfully stabilized by anchoring back to the mother rock using locally developed cost effective technology.
Challenging task
The attempts made by all at the GSMB from top level officials to the labourers to preserve this magnificent rock cannot be underestimated. The workers had been working even at nights with special permission to avoid any disturbance to the visitors. All the renovation work had been done manually to avoid frescoe plaster being affected from the vibration coming out of machines.
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Newly expanded staircase |
Dr Wijayananda explained that temporary platforms were built where necessary to carry out the renovations without building scaffoldings from the base of the rock which is too costly. “This technology was adopted from Kahatagaha Graphite Mines. Two senior engineers involved in the Sigiriya renovation project had previous experience at Kahatagaha mines,” he noted.
He also stressed the need of continuous close monitoring of the rock to identify loose spots resulting from the natural process of weathering. “If not loose rock slabs may fall and it may pose a danger to the visitors including schoolchildren and foreign nationals,” he observed.
Visitors’ comfort
The latest phase of Sigiriya renovation project was carried out for the last one and half years with the funds of Rs 52 million received from Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). In addition to the anchoring of the loosened rock, the GSMB had also reconstructed and widened the platform in the frescoes pocket. With this reconstruction, a section in the frescoes pocket which had been closed for many years due to the eroded platform is now open for the visitors. This section consists of six paintings.
Moreover, the narrow staircase running from the Lion’s paw to the top of the rock had been expanded for the comfort of the visitors. “Now there are two pathways to climb up and down. Four people can pass with ease after the expansion of the steps,” the Chairman observed.
Senior Technical Officer R Manchanayake who had contributed to the Sigiriya renovation project from the beginning noted that stainless steel was used in all renovation work due to its long lasting quality. He also pointed out that the damage caused by the roots of the trees on the rock surface cannot be disregarded and those should be uprooted for the protection of Sigiriya.
The whole project had been a teamwork effort and a strong evidence of the inherited potential of the Sri Lankan engineers. The GSMB carried out this project under the direction of the Environment Ministry. With the completion of the latest phase of renovation work, Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa arrived in Sigiriya for an inspection tour recently. He commended the silent work of the GSMB to revive Sigiriya while reiterating the fact that “Sigiriya has now regained its life and ready to welcome any number of tourists throughout the year”.
Courtesy Daily News by Disna MUDALIGE
