Despite being just a stone's throw away from the better known Sigiriya fortress, Pidurangala remains off the tourist trail and goes unnoticed by the thousands who visit Sigiriya daily. While this is a pity since the vast majority who visit Sigiriya remain oblivious to the wonders that Pidurangala has to offer, it is also a blessing since Pidurangala remains untouched, unspoiled and un-commercialized.
The Pidurangala forest monastery traces its roots back to the 1st century BC. Pidurangala gained prominence during 477 - 495 AD when King Kashyapa built his palace at Sigiriya. Some historians are of the opinion that monks who occupied the Sigiriya rock were relocated to Pidurangala when the Sigiriya fortress was constructed.
Passing the main Pidurangala temple, your journey begins when you traverse a staircase that winds its way through the forest gradually ascending the rock. More often than not, you will have the place all to yourself and the only sounds around you would be the wind in the trees, songs of birds, chirping of crickets and other forest sounds.
The Pidurangala forest monastery traces its roots back to the 1st century BC. Pidurangala gained prominence during 477 - 495 AD when King Kashyapa built his palace at Sigiriya. Some historians are of the opinion that monks who occupied the Sigiriya rock were relocated to Pidurangala when the Sigiriya fortress was constructed.
Passing the main Pidurangala temple, your journey begins when you traverse a staircase that winds its way through the forest gradually ascending the rock. More often than not, you will have the place all to yourself and the only sounds around you would be the wind in the trees, songs of birds, chirping of crickets and other forest sounds.
After a steady ascent, which can take anything between 15 minutes to half an hour (depending on the number of "photo stops" you want to take), you will reach an opening with a breathtaking view to your left and a set of caves to your right. Ascend a few more steps to reach the remains of a large reclining Buddha statue.
For most, this marks the end of the journey and indeed there seems to be hardly a trail from here on. But don't be deceived, if you don't mind sweating it a bit and scrambling over rocks - you will not regret it.
Proceed beyond the statue where you will find a small footpath leading into the forest. In 5 - 10 minutes, you will come across a rocky obstacle which has to be ascended with caution - no high heeled shoes beyond this point. There is no apparent path through the rocks but the summit is just beyond so don't give up.
After a few minutes of scrambling through the rocks, claw your way on to the rocky plateau that is the summit of Pidurangala. A breathtaking view of Sigiriya awaits you, not to mention the awesome 360 degree view from the summit.
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