Nomad Saikat
Historical locations and structures tell a story. And many times we hear such convincing stories about a particular location that there is no other way than believing it. However we cannot deny that these stories related to a particular location undoubtedly makes a site more interesting to visit. What these locations bring in with itself are tales to tell after you visit these spots. One such interesting location to visit is the Ravana Palace. And as the name suggests the place is believed to be a palace that belonged to King Ravana from Ramayana at one point of time. The fact that this location is associated with the Hindu epic Ramayana makes it an interesting site to explore. And if you are wondering then the Ravana Palace is located in Sri Lanka and is popular as the Sigiriya Lion’s Rock.
An UNESCO World Heritage Site this site is often called the Eighth Wonder of the World as well. The unique formation, the stories behind it and the connection with the Hindu epic are undoubtedly the major attractions of visiting this spot. But along with that the structure of this rock and the geographical significance are even more interesting to explore. If there can be any such location that you simply cannot miss out on your trip to Sri Lanka it would be the Ravana Palace. From the unique rock formation to the structure everything about this palace will make you wonder about its presence. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you need to know about the palace in Sri Lanka. This will be a helpful article for you if you are planning a visit to the Ravana Palace in Sri Lanka any time soon.
Ravana Palace
Location: Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
Timings: 7 am to 5:30 pm
Entry fee: For the locals the fee is LKR 50 and for SAARC Citizens it is USD 15 and for foreigners from other countries it is USD 30
How to reach
Located in the Dambulla district, Sigiriya Rock is located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. To reach there you can easily take a car to enjoy the sightseeing. However public transports are also available here as well. You will get buses on this route from Dambulla every 30 minutes. From 7am in the morning you will find these buses to reach Sigiriya. It would hardly take you around 40 minutes to reach the location from Dambulla by bus. So you can easily opt for a public bus or take a hired car to reach Ravana Palace according to your preference.
Overview of Ravana Palace
Sigiriya Rock derived its name from the Sinhagiri that translates to Lion Rock. It is an ancient fortress located in the Central Province in Sri Lanka in the Matale district. It is a popular tourist attraction in Sri Lanka that also holds archeological as well as historical significance. According to history, previously this area was a large forest. After many landslides and storms it became a hill.
It was then that King Kashyapa chose this place as his new capital during 477 AD- 495 AD. He therefore built a beautiful palace on top of the rock. Halfway up there is a small plateau where he had built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The location also further derived its name from Simhagiri and currently is popular as the Sigiriya Lion Rock.
After the death of king Kashyapa the palace remained abandoned for a long time. However after that, until the 14th century this location served as a Buddhist monastery. Currently this site is an UNESCO World Heritage Site as well and therefore is a popular sightseeing location. Furthermore it is one of the popular preserved sites which is a great example of ancient urban planning.
History of Ravana Palace
There is no such proof of Ravana Palace in Sri Lanka and there is practically no evidence that suggests this as well. But definitely there are some stories or myths that suggest that this was the palace that belonged to Ravana at one point of time. But according to history this palace actually belonged to King Kashyapa. He was the son of king Dhatusena. Kashyapa I murdered Dhatusena to seize the throne from him. Moggallana the other son of Dhatusena fled to South India as he feared for his life.
It was then that King Kashyapa shifted his capital to Sigiriya from Anuradhapura. He therefore built a royal palace on top of the Sigiriya Rock. But soon Moggallana returned to Sri Lanka. He then waged a war against Kashyapa and succeeded in it too. The army of Kashyapa deserted him in the battle and then Kashyapa committed suicide. Then Moggallana again moved the capital back to the original place that is Anuradhapura.
Read More : Best Historical Monuments of India
According to another popular version the Sigiriya Rock is the site of the Ravana Golden Palace in Sri Lanka. Located on the top of Sigiriya Rock, people believe that Kubera built this palace with solid gold. According to beliefs furthermore this palace is 50 centuries old. They also believe that there was a special lift here for Ravana and his visitors. And according to mythology there is a cave at the bottom of this massive boulder where Ravana had imprisoned Devi Sita and that is the Ravana Palace Ashok Vatika Sri Lanka.
What’s more?
The stories don’t really end here as there are other alternative stories as well. Some stories suggest that Kashyapa was a playboy and this palace was his pleasure palace. Then there are other stories that suggest that Kashyapa was poisoned. Furthermore some other stories suggest this location as a Buddhist location. Whether you want to believe the stories, or you don’t, or you believe one story but discard the other, it depends on you. No matter how many stories there are, the site is always an interesting location to explore. And as you visit here you would get to understand the essence of the location even more. So next time you are visiting Sri Lanka surely include this palace in the list of must visit locations in the area.
Sigiriya Lion’s Rock Climbing
The most interesting activity at this location is obviously rock climbing. For that it would be best if you can reach the booking office as early as possible in the morning. The only way to reach the top of the rock is to climb up. There are options for other sightseeing locations which are located at the base of the rock. It charges around LKR 2000 per person for a drive to 9-10 spots. The charges do not include climbing on top though.
One of the major attractions of the location is also to enjoy the sunset from top of the rock formation. Because of the timings it is however not possible to witness the sunrise here. There are a total of 1250 steps here and it takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes approximately to reach the top. Here you will get to see the caves at the bottom of the rock. And other than that you will also get to see the frescos, mirror walls, lion’s paw, Sigiriya water tank as well as the ruins of the palace. The mirror walls here are one of the major attractions here. According to history the mirror walls at one point of time were so polished that the king could actually see his reflection in it. The frescos here are a set of paintings on the western face of the rock.
whats more ?
The lion’s paw and the lion’s staircase are major attractions as well. The lion’s staircase is located above the lion’s paw. This area leads to the top of the plateau and it further offers a mesmerizing view of the Central Province as well. From there you can even catch a glimpse of the Pidurangala Rock. If you are visiting the Sigiriya Rock in the morning then you can also visit the Pidurangala Rock in the evening. It would be another 30 to 60 minutes hike to reach there though.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Ravana Palace in Sri Lanka and now you need to plan a trip to this location as soon as you can. It is a picturesque location that also has a lot of historical and mythological significance as well. Everything about this site in Sri Lanka makes it worth a visit. You will find beautiful locations here and can enjoy a lovely view from the top of the rock. The unique rock formation and the geographical elements also will be wonderful to explore here. So whenever you are visiting Sri Lanka you will have to make sure that you are not missing out on this beautiful location there. The beauty and the excitement of visiting this location is something that you will remember for a really long time.
So when are you planning a trip to Ravana Palace in Sri Lanka? And let me know if this article on the Ravana Palace is helpful for you in planning a trip to this beautiful location in Sri Lanka.
