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Pidurangala Rock – steeped in history and legend By Arundathie Abeysinghe Located at a height of approximately 200 meters and situated to the north of popular Sigirya Rock Fortress, Pidurangala Rock was not a popular tourist site until recently.   Pidurangala Rock has a long history believed to date back to the 2nd century BC. According to ancient chronicles, *King Kashyapa (477 to 495 AD) had built a monastery at Pidurangala (for pious Buddhust monks who previously resided at Sigiriya Rock) and donated it to the monks before the King resided at Sigiriya Rock. The King had enlarged the Temple and monastery before relocating the monks to the Temple. The caves and flat terrain spread across a large area had provided solitude and seclusion for monks. The surface of the rock has been carved to form grooves to prevent rain water seeping into the caves.  There had been five buildings at ...