Month: December 2012

continues to attract tourists with its rugged imposing exterior, the contrasting softness of surrounding greenery, the head turning beauty of its maidens and the galleries and murals that combine to give a sensational aesthetic experience.

The gardens of Sigiriya indeed are a fine tribute to the architects of the olden days. While the construction of the fortress itself on so high a rocky climb is indeed a matter of applause, the gardens constitute a more detailed insight into how far exactly the techniques of that era were developed. As one of the world’s oldest landscaped garden in the world, it is a scholar’s adventure trip and a photographer’s paradise. Even for the average tourist, the fine boundaries and neat contours of the ponds and pools and water drainage systems gives a sense of harmony without an oppressive feeling of being in a technical workshop. The serpentine waterways and reclining pools blend so well into the spacious of the garden as the unchartered winds ruffle through the plantation to roam in the green wilderness beyond and the birds that chirp among the clusters of bushes relieve the impeccable neatness with an unruly charm of their of their own.

The gardens indeed are three in type although they are clearly interlinked. While the water garden takes the centre of attention as the most intricately designed one, the other two, boulder garden as well as Terrace garden do not fall far behind. The largest garden is surrounded by water connected with causeways and is an island with a walled enclosure. In the fountain garden, marbled serpentine streams drain into the two large deep pools. The fountains in Sigiriya are indeed another cause for wonder as they operate even this day, and are fed by underground water channels and arise through the perforations in the limestone circular plates. The miniature water gardens adds to the picturesque beauty of the garden while the cooling palaces or water pavilions reminds a visitor of warm days spent here in reverie.

Sigiriya accommodation can be exotic as Sigiriya itself. Jetwing Vil Uyana takes you back in time to the olden days when Sigiriya was a kingdom and life in a village was simple and charming. The exotic clusters of villas appear like an ancient village with their coconut fringed roofs interconnected by foot paths and lanterns setting up their illuminations at night like scattered fire flies in the darkness. The villas are surrounded by lakes brimming with water lilies or marshy lands amongst where the lotuses bring out their fine petals or forrests that shrouds you in dark and unfathomable mysteriousness.

The wooden villas with their polished timber walls and floors with coconut shells on their tops appear rugged and primitive externally while their interior resemble a king’s abode. This famous Sigiriya hotel is more than a hotel. It offers a chance to live another life, in another day, with the primitive charms of an uncomplicated lifestyle closely mingling with nature while still enjoying the comforts of a modern hotel that you simply cannot do without.