Was Sigiriya the abode of King Rawana? This was the question of Dr. Lal Sirinivas of Bangalore who accompanied me to observe the historical and geographical facts as well as the background of world famous Sigiriya the rock fortress of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is one of the unique monuments of antiquity as well as pre-historic culture in our country. According to the Ramayana this giant fortress had been the Alakamanda Palace of King Kuwera about 50 centuries ago. Grandson King Kuwera was the grandson of Maharishi Pulasthi who was in Polonnaruwa. Kuweras father Visravasmuni was the elder son of Maharishi Pulasthi. Kuwera was the elder son of Visravasmunis first marriage with Princes Illavila, the beautiful daughter of a Brahmin - hermit called Bharadwaja Magina. Later King Visravasmuni married Kesini, the beautiful daughter of Sumalin King of Asura so, king Visravasmuni had a group of children by his second marriage with Kesini. They were Rawana, Vibhishana, Kumbakarana Hema and Suparikha. Kuwera, the first son of King Visravasmuni ascended the throne of Sri Lanka after the death of his father and ruled the country in a just and righteous manner. So, with the passage of time, Ravana the step brother of Kuwera, advanced in power, and got interested in the reign of Sri Lanka. Then he asked for the transfer of Alakamanda which was the abode of Kuwera, along with the throne and aeroplane called Pushpika. Kuwera was furious because of the unjust request of Ravana and chased, him away. But Ravana was not a coward to be easily bullied by anyone and he gathered of his Yakkha relatives to wage war against Kuwera. Within a very short time Rawana the warrior came to power and got all of Kuweras wealth, including the palace, throne and the air plane. Four tribes Some original historical records relate that the Sinhala race was formed by the combination of four Sri Lankan tribes such as Naga, Yakkha, Dewa and Gandhabba all related to Maharishi Pulastis family. So, the Sivhelas (four tribes) who worshipped the sun god were united under the flag of king Ravana and developed this resplendent island to be the treasure house of the Orient. The Ravana flag depicting the Sun and Moon with Ravanas portrait is the oldest flag of Sri Lanka. The present lion flag was brought here by King Vijaya about 25 centuries ago. As soon as Ravana came to power he built a temple for his beloved parents. King Visravasmuni and Kesini it is said that worshipping dead leaders was an ancient ritual of Yakkha nobles in Sri Lanka. Visravasmuni Temple at Anuradhapura had been changed into a Buddhist shrine after the days of King Pandukabaya, who had a special regard for Yakkhas. This identifical temple is now called Isurumuniya The world famous stone carving of the lovers - at Isurumuniya Vihara - depict none other than the parents of Ravana. Chithrakuta According to ancient ola manuscript - Ravana Katha the foremost designer of Sigiriya was the talented architect called Maya Dannawa. He had built Sigiriya for the order of king Vistawas the father of King Ravana. Sigiriya was known as Alakamanda during the days of Kuwera and later it was known as Chitrakuta. Ravana Katha an ancient ola book says that, after Ravanas death Vibhishana came to power and transferred the royal Palace - fortress and the capital from the hill country to Kelaniya. Then, Chitrakuta the Palace fortress of Ravana became the residence of a Yakkha noble called Chithraraja, a relative of Vibhisana, Chitraraja, the hero who helped King Pandukabhaya (437-367 BC) and his parent was a descendant of Chitraraja senior. Since the days of King Pandukabhaya, Chitraraja Palace had been a Yakkha temple and later king Dhatusenas son Kassapa (459-447 AD) arranged a coup detat against the father and chose Chitrakuta temple for his palace fortress as he had a belief that his mother too was a descendant of Yakkha dynasty. King Kassapa is the only King who had renovated Chitrakuta (Sigiriya) and maintained it as Ravana did. Ravana Katha the ancient ola book relates that world famous frescoes of Sigiriya depict the beautiful damsels of Ravanas harem and later those murals had been re-drawn by those who maintained the treasure house. Most of the blue figures depict the Yakkha damsels and others depict Naga, Deva and Gandabbha damsels. The beautiful flowers in their hands show the national unity. Lift Chitrakuta is the only Sri Lankan fortress which had a wooden lift operated from top to bottom. If any one enters this great fortress through the lions head, he will be able to see a huge hole on the rock. Stone structures and stands both on the top and bottom of this route-hole are believed to be places on which the wooden lift had been fixed. King Ravanas period was famous for woodcraft and they used a lift too, for the day to day work in the fort. History relates that Ravanas air-plane was also made of light wood which was brought from Himalayan forests. Archaeologists, historians and some legends say that there were more than 500 paintings on the walls of Chitrakuta and most of them had been dilapidated due to natural causes. King Ravana was talented in all the fine arts as well as physician and pundit. So, we Sri Lankans should be proud enough to have Chitrakuta or Sigiriya, the worlds oldest palace fortress. 03) Ravana. Source : saibabaofindia/ravana.htm In the Age of the Ramayana Epic, Ravana was the most powerful Tamil King of Lankapuri (Ceylon or Sri Lanka). He was a renowned devotee of Siva, who was pleased with his severe penances and austerities, granted him the boons of earthly fame and worldly might. Ravana was a very talented Veena (Indian music instrument) player. Ravana used Veena picture on the country flag. Ravana is not a Hindu God but rather a demon given great powers by the Gods because of his worship. The Gods granted him immunity from Death by a God and conferred super-powers upon him. Ravana set himself up as Tamil King of Lankapuri (Ceylon or Sri Lanka). In the height of his sovereignity, imbued with the desire to have the Lord of Kailas, his tutelary Diety installed in Lanka, he exceeded the limits of disciplined discrimination, and attempted by his invincible strength to transfix Mount Kailas, the traditonal abode of Siva from the Himalayan region to that of Lanka. He was foiled in this feat by the Lord crushing him under His Feet; and finally it was his astonding act of penance that saved him from the wrath of Siva. Ravana ripped into his left thigh, removed the nerve fibres and turned it into a lyre, and sang praise of Siva. Then it was that Siva released him, pleased with his mortification. This episode of Ravana was constantly alluded by the Saiva psalmists to signify that piety and devotion alone without purity and humility, could not redeem man or give him peace. Ravana was a great Hindu Bhakta; yet his code of life violated the Hindu Dharma and he had to pay for it dearly. Again in the life of Ravana, his insatiable pride and lust made him carry off Sita, the chaste wife of Rama of the powerful dynasty of Raghu at Ayodhya, when they were living in the forest in exile. Rama and his union with the monkey God Hanuman to eventually attack Lankapuri ( Ceylon or Sri Lanka) and kill Ravana. Ravana was able by magic art to take his soul out of his body and leave it in a box at home, while he went to the wars. Thus he was invulnerable in battle. When he was about to give battle to Rama, he deposited his soul with a hermit called Fire-eye, who was to keep it safe for him. So in the fight Rama was astounded to see that his arrows struck the king without wounding him. But one of Rama’s allies, knowing the secret of the king’s invulnerability, transformed himself by magic into the likeness of the king, and going to the hermit asked back his soul. On receiving it he soared up into the air and flew to Rama, brandishing the box and squeezing it so hard that all the breath left the King of Lankapuris ( Ceylon or Sri Lanka) body, and he died. You will get much pleasure from reading the Ramayana and tracking the whole adventure. There are lot of evidence proofs that powerful Tamil King of Lankapuri (Ceylon or Sri Lanka) Ravana has been lived in Trincomalee. Because the Tamil tradition has it that the wife of the mythical king of Lankapuri, Ravana who was a devotee of Siva, worshipped at the Koneswaram shrine in Trincomalee. Another proof is Discovery of Ravanas swayambhu lingam. It was originally found on a Tibetan mountain and later brought to Sri Lanka reportedly by the Tamil King Ravana. Moreover, in the Ramayana Epic period Ravana has used Veena as Ceylon Flag and according to the Veena Pictures on the Trincomalee Fort proofs that Ravana has dominated in Trincomalee. Also the seven Hot Wells ( Hot springs ) in Kanniya was made by the Tamil king Ravana.
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 12:39:14 +0000
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