Trincomalee to Sigiriya: Temples and Caves

A last tasty breakfast – coffee, pancakes, fresh bread, roti, curry, eggs, fruit, coconut sambal – a last dip in the Bay of Bengal, a generous tip for the staff  and a settling of the bill, and a car and driver was taking us to nearby Trincomalee, the east coast’s largest town.

There we stopped just past the entrance to Fort Frederich, originally built by the Portuguese in 1623 on the town’s southern peninsula. It’s still in military use, but we joined lots of other locals and some tourists to walk to Swami Rock at the end and the Koneswaram Kovil, a Hindu temple feating a huge modern statue of Shiva. Unfortunately the original medieval complex was destroyed by the iconoclastic Portuguese in 1624. We were immediately transported back to southern India, & not just by the Hindu imagery, but by the litter, filth, and smell. I’ve always wondered at why Hindu temples are so filthy, and the impression was thrown into sharp relief after the pristine white experience of the ceremonies at Rumanwelisaga Dagoba in Anaradhapura.

Back on the road we headed to Sigiriya, a trip that should have taken a couple of hours out instead took somewhat longer because our driver took a short cut and we got lost in swampy rice fields and light jungle, slowly edging our way along rutted dirt roads flooded by large puddles. Eventually the road ran out, and using Google Maps we navigated our somewhat hopeless driver back to the right road and made it to Sigiriya Choona Lodge. This is a relatively cheap and cheerful family- run place where we have a big tiled room. It had been raining, the rich orange mud out the back was pockmarked by pools of water, and the air was relatively cool, if still humid. We walked around to the large rock outcrop behind the lodge to check out a wonderful view of both Sigiriya and Pidurangala rocks. A peacock perched at the end of the rock as I scrambled up the slope (and managed to poke myself in the eye with a twig, though luckily it hit my lower lid).

Without even stopping for lunch we got a tuk tuk to Dambulla about 15 kms away to see the famous cave temples. I bought a snack from a shop in the carpark, but then made the rookie mistake of opening the wrapper in the presence of monkeys, one of which snatched the small curry roll out of my hands with lightning speed. Another close escape – if it had clawed me in the process I would have been in trouble! 

As we reached the top of the granite outcrop’s steps, sweating buckets, and left our shoes at the the gate, the heavens opened and ran came bucketing down. Just in time to get undercover at the far end of the line of five cave temples, which have a sort of gallery passage built along the stone, with doors leading into the caves.

While the rain thundered outside we explored these absolutely magical caves, from the smallest cave 5 up to the enormous cave 2, and finally cave 1. I was reminded of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, as the caves were not only covered with stunningly detailed murals and decoration, and incredible statues gave the spaces an otherworldly feel, but the atmospheric up-lighting made them very hot and humid.

Originally built in the first century BCE, the caves (actually one huge overhang divided into man-made spaces) were restored and added to by subsequent kings. Most of the visible murals date from the 11th, 18th centuries.

Caves 2 and 3 were especially huge, with vast rock ceilings looming overhead like vast folds of fabric, and every inch covered with colourful paintings. l Impressive Buddha, were carred out o the vodk – over 50 in cave 3. Carol 2 l wandered through the spaces taking scores of photos 2 dimking m the atinospheve. I was definitely one of those extra special, unique travel expeniences never to be forgotten.

Our tuk tuk took us back to the lodge, stopping it an ATM en route where withdrew another 40K Sri Lankan rupees. I noticed the young man in front of me withdrew 3,500. Back at the hotel we had dinner in the ground floor eating space with a few other tourists at the tables. OK food, but we both had hearty plates of kottu.

After dinner I organised a driver for the next morning. Unfortunately rain is forecast to keep falling for a few days, but we’ve decided to go to Polonnaruwa regardless.