Bronze

Sri Lanka

This photograph has captured a captivating sight of Sri Lanka’s Lion Rock, commonly known as Sigiriya, from the less grand and often-overlooked massive rock formation in the vicinity named Pidurangala. Standing 199 metres tall, the Pidurangala Rock is a volcanic hill situated in the central plains of Sri Lanka. It has a long history which is believed to date back to the second century BC and is said to be related to that of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. According to chronicles, King Kashyapa had built a monastery for the monks who previously resided at Sigiriya. The historic cave complex on Pidurangala believed to be remnants of this monastery. Surrounded by a rich history and folklore, both rocks offer an adventurous climb and a glorious view at the peak. Whilst the climb to the top of the rock was quite strenuous, we managed to make it a pleasurable one. The hike was divided into two stages: the first stage was past the Pidurangala Rock Temple, leading to the Statue of the Recumbent Buddha, made completely of clay and brick, which was later reconstructed and restored due to its destruction by treasure hunters. The second stage began at the far end of the landing, passing the Recumbent Buddha statue, which did not consist of a clear path. After reaching the top by clambering through tight crevices and steep boulders, we were able to witness a breath-taking view of the most ancient historic and sacred cities in Sri Lanka, a section of which is displayed in the above photograph.

Participant