THE SIGIRIYA SAGA  –   THE AFTERMATH – by Bernard VanCuylenburg A poet, writing in the glory days of the Moghul empire in India referred to the Taj Mahal as “..a teardrop on the face of India…” I would go a step further and say that Sigiriya is more than a teardrop. Long after the tears have been shed, it remains a lingering heartache in the psyche and spirit of Sri Lanka and an archaeological treasure where the full gamut of human emotions   – anger, hatred, revenge, greed, murder, and  lust for power, have been played out to the maximum. The events that unfolded on  that fateful day over 1600 years ago still resonate today, which is why Sigiriya is perhaps the most visited historic site in the island. The protagonists in this drama, King Dhatusena, Prince Kasyappa, Prince Moggallana, and the commander of the army Migara ,who was King Dhatusena’s son-in-law are names ...

Read More →