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Message: <blockquote data-quote="001flyD" data-source="post: 12408306" data-attributes="member: 311432">Defacing of Sigiri Frescoes <img src="http://www.elakiri.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=1760&pictureid=9349" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> Sigiriya is one of the Sri Lanka’s main cultural          centers. Today, it is considered one of the eight wonders of the world.          During King Kashyapa’s reign it was a place of safety. He was the          seventieth king of Sri Lanka. Its beautiful breath- taking, majestic          view, architecture, buildings, lakes, reservoirs, moats and springs and          paintings of Apsaras, Vijjulathas, Meghalathas, added more colour to          this great historical site. The heartfelt inner feelings of the visitors were          recorded in the "Mirror Wall". Professor Senerath Paranavitana, archaeologist, deciphered 685          poems in his masterpiece,SIGIRI GRAFFITI. Dr. Paranavitane was one of          the most brilliant, outstanding personalities that adorned Sri Lanka in          the 20th century. Sigiriya and Paranavitane are inseparable.          Paranavitane was a veritable gold-mine of knowledge. The villagers loved          him. They believed that whenever Paranavitane visited Sigiriya he          brought rain. One of the poems written in the "Mirror Wall" depicts          that Sigiriya’s splendour was known world over, even at that time,          because of these beautiful frescoes. Si rajue yasasa Sri        Tubu mulu lov Patiri  Nilupulasun Asiri  alumo Sihigiri  (Sigiri Graffiti- Poem 205)    (We witnessed at Sigiriya, the king of lions, whose fame          and splendour remain "Spread in the whole World" and the wonderful          damsels with eye resembling blue lilies). I was a graduate teacher attached to Sigiriya Vidyalaya          in the late 1960s. The harsh climate of the dry zone was such, even the          wind did not have a cooling effect on the body, although huge towering          trees grew in abundance in the environment of the Sigiriya rock          fortress. The hot sand was like burning charcoal. It reminded me of what          we read in "Vannupatha Jatakaya" –"Kihinagurk" which emanated unbearable          heat to the atmosphere. On October 14, 1967, the sun gradually spread its rays          across the mist- laden landscape, covering the majestic Sigiriya rock. I          got off to school at about 7.15 a.m. A student of Sigiriya Vidyalaya,          came racing on his bicycle, alighted, and uttered these heart- rending          words: "Sir, last night, someone daubed paint over the Sigiri          frescoes. Some of the frescoes where destroyed and damaged beyond          repair."I was dumbfounded for a moment. Accompanied with some          students, I immediately climbed Sigiriya, and went up the spiral ladder.          At the door step, I met Mr. Nugegoda, Assistant Archeological          Commissioner. "Mr. Epasinghe, this is a heinous crime. About 15          beautiful Sigiriya frescoes were daubed with lacquer paint and          disfigured. Two or three paintings were completely damaged, probably          with some iron- rods" stated heart- broken Nugegoda. I was the first outsider to see this brutal crime. This          can be considered the most barbaric, very wicked crime or act recorded          in the cultural history of the world in the 20th century. Many foreign          visitors, whom I have met at the Sigiriya Rest House, were of the view          Sigiriya frescoes surpass the beauty of Ajantha and Vellore paintings.          They also stated they witnessed the most fantastic, beautiful sight in          the world, from the summit of the Sigiriya rock. During my university days, I worked as a "Stringer"          attached to Lake House. I knew the "Defacing of Sigiriya Frescoes" was          international news. I gave this "Scoop-Story" exclusively to the Lake          House Group of papers. There were no mobile phones at that time, so I          booked a trunk-call through Dambulla post office from Sigiriya Rest          House. Within about 10 minutes I got through to Dinamina News Editor,          the late U. L. D. Chandratilaka. He recognized my voice. I read out from          a piece of paper, I had scribbled on, relating to the defacing of the          Sigiriya frescoes. Chandratilaka, with excitement shouted: "Wette, Wette Epa on line. He says last night Sigiriya          Frescoes were destroyed." I spoke to the late Dharmapala Wettasinghe and the late          Cecil Graham, the highly respected editors of the Dinamina and the Daily          News, respectively. They thanked me profusely in transmitting the news.          I suggested to them to send a staff reporter and a photographer          immediately. The following day, my story hit the headlines, in the          Dinamina, Thinakaran and the Daily News. SIGIRIYA VINASI, SIGIRIYA          DESTROYED. Dayasena Gunasinghe, photographer, our beloved Wally Perera,          "Wally uncle", arrived at Sigiriya Rest House around 6.45 p.m. We went          into action the following day. Early in the morning we climbed Sigiriya.          First we were not allowed to climb the spiral ladder. I spoke to          Nugegoda, requested permission to get into the "Pocket", where the          tragedy took place. "Only thing you are not allowed to take any photographs"          stated Nugegoda. Daya and I, entrusted the job to be tackled by Wally          Perera. Rolly-Poly, Wally Uncle, spoke to Nugegoda politely. "Sir, you cannot hide this. It’s international news. We          have to break the news to the world" stated Wally Perera. After a long discussion, we won the day. Wally Perera,          photographed the tragedy. Daya and 1, interviewed the watchers,          labourers and some of villagers, near the frescoes’ Pocket and spiral          ladder. Most of the innocent villagers stated that during Dr.          Paranavitana’s period, Sigiriya frescoes were guarded day and night.          During the time of this tragedy there were no guards or watchers, on          duty, at night. Sigiriya, was bubbling with activities. The police          officers were everywhere. Many government officers, from Kandy, Matale,          Naula, Dambulla flocked to Sigiriya. The hurly burly, Joseph Gaffoor,          the tough police officer, was seen at Sigiriya. He was a notable figure          in the investigations. He was seen questioning the guards, watchers and          some villagers. Three of us, arrived at Lake House in about three hours.          Ariyaratne, our driver was more like a Grand Prix champion driver. On          arrival, Dharmapala Wettasinghe and Cecil Graham instructed me to meet          Dr. Paranavithana for a statement immediately. I proceeded to Raymond          Road, Nugegoda and met Dr. Paranavitana. "Epasinghe, I looked after and protected the frescoes          like my own eye. It was one of the greatest treasures of our proud          nation. As the Commissioner of Archaeology, I kept guard, watchers on          duty day and night." Although feeble, this great man, heart- broken with          tears in the eyes quipped: - "SIGIRIYA REKA BALAGATTE MAGE ASE DEKA          VAGAI" Sigiriya was neglected and covered with shrub jungle,          from the 19th century. It was rediscovered by an Englishman- army          officer Forbes. A British national Rhys Davis, who was a civil servant,          was the first to discover the frescoes in the Sigiriya rock. He once          mentioned this in a lecture delivered at the Royal Asiatic Society in          England. Alick Murray, an Englishman who worked in this country, was the          first to climb the Plaster Wall ("Mirror Wall").                  Rain-Giver As I mentioned earlier, Dr. Paranavitana was considered          the "Rain- giver". Still the old people who worked under Dr.          Paranavitana, in Sigiriya, consider this great man as a God-"Paranavitana          Deviyo." The government of Sri Lanka with the assistance of          UNESCO invited an Italian expert, Lusiano Maranzi, to repair this          cultural damage. It must be mentioned here the Assistant Commissioner of          Archaeology, Dr. Raja De Silva, the great archaeologist, scientist,          author of "Sigiriya Paintings", a valuable book, was the first to          commence the repair work on the damaged and disfigured Sigiriya          paintings. Thanks to this great man and Italian expert Maranzi, we are          fortunate today to see again the smiling faces of Vijiukethas,          Megalathes and Apsaras, the damsels proceeding to the nearby Pidurangala          temple. Prophets are not honored in their own country. I read an article, which appeared in The Island dated          October 3, written by Bandu de Silva, where there was a quote referring          to an article written by reputed journalist, former editor of The Island          newspaper, Gamini Weerakoon, where he states the "Savior"of the most          valuable Apsaraas or Sigiriya frescoes, Dr. Raja De Silva did not          receive an invitation card for the opening ceremony of the multi-          billion rupees project. (Courtesy of the Japanese Government) If it was so, I presume, the higher authorities should          take up this matter and see, why Dr. De Silva was not extended an          invitation.Sometimes, prophets are not honoured in their own          country. If this was the case, I presume even Dr. Senarath Paranavitane,          if he was living, sometimes would have not received an invitation. Have          they forgotten history? The study of past events, especially political,          social and economic development of a country, can be defined in a          nut-shell, as history. The nation that forgets the past has no future. By Premasara Epasinghe <a href="http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html" target="_blank">The Island-</a><a href="http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html" target="_blank">http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html</a><a href="http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html" target="_blank">14</a><a href="http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html" target="_blank">/10/</a><a href="http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html" target="_blank">http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html</a><a href="http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html" target="_blank">2009</a><a href="http://www.island.lk/2009/10/14/features4.html" target="_blank">/</a> .................................          </blockquote>

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