The day Sigiriya frescoes were defaced

Premasara Epasinghe

VANDALISM: The harsh avid climate of the dry zone was such, even the wind was not conducive to have a cooling effect on the body. Although, huge towering trees grew in abundance in the environs of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, the hot sand, which felt like burning charcoal, emanated unbearable heat to the atmosphere.

The world famous Sigiriya fortress, known as Alakamanda (Abode of the God King), is encircled by a mountain range on all four sides and surrounded by a moat. King Kassyapa and his engineers transformed this rock, into a marvel and its environment into a "Pleasure Garden".

Sigiriya is unique and memorable to all mankind. From the 8th Century AD, to date, it is a place of tourist attraction. There is hardly any Sri Lankan who has not visited Sigiriya. It is a centre of attraction for everyone.

The world famous Sigiriya, standing like a sentinel in the sky, symbolizes the culture of the Sinhalese. It has protected the frescoes known as Apsaras, Vijjulathas, Megalathas the Celestial damsels and maidens of lightning (Cloud maidens) drawn on the rock face with standing the ravages of sun and rain for centuries, proclaiming to the world our proud and glorious heritage and history.

These priceless works of art, which was protected and preserved even during the long period of foreign invasions and domination, were vandalized on 14th October 1967.

This is undoubtedly the most barbaric heinous act that can be recorded in the cultural history of the world in the 20th Century.

I was the first Graduate Teacher attached to Sigiriya Vidyalaya at that time. On the day prior to the disfigurement and destruction of the Sigiriya Frescoes, I climbed Sigiriya accompanying an eighty-year-old American Mother Mrs. Armstrong, who was returning home after a World Tour.

"Sigiriya Frescoes is fantastic. I think it surpasses Ajantha and Vellore. It was on the summit of the Sigiriya, I witnessed the most panoramic breath taking view I have ever set eyes on in the whole world," she expressed.

On 14th October 1967, sun gradually spread its rays across the mist-laden landscape. As usual, I was ready to set off to school. It was about 7.15 a.m. A student of Sigiriya Vidyalaya came racing on his bicycle. Alighting from his bicycle, he uttered these heart-rending words. "Sir, last night, someone daubed paint over Sigiriya Frescoes. Some of the Frescoes had been destroyed."

I was dumbfounded for a moment. Mrs. Armstrong and I would have been the last to see these beautiful frescoes before this great tragedy. Accompanied by some other students, I immediately set off to climb Sigiriya. I climbed the spiral ladder.

At the doorstep I met Mr. Nugegoda, one of the Assistant Archaeological Commissioners. "This is a heinous crime. About 15 paintings were daubed and disfigured. There are two or three paintings, which were completely damaged with some kind of iron rods" stated Nugegoda.

I booked a call via Dambulla Post office to Lake House. Within about 10 minutes I got through to late U.L.D. Chandratilake, News Editor Dinamina. He recognized my voice. I read out to him a short note relating which I scribbled on this barbaric incident.

"Chandratilake shouted Wette, Wette, Epa on line." He says Sigiriya Frescoes are destroyed." Dharmapala Wettasinghe - Dinamina Editor called Mr. Cecil Graham Editor Daily News. I explained the whole story. They profusely thanked me in providing a "Scoop Story" to Lake House group of newspapers.

I took up an appointment as a Graduate Teacher in 1966, after serving a couple of years as a journalist of the Daily News and Dinamina. I must mention here with gratitude, it was that great gentleman par-excellence, Cecil Graham - Editor of Daily News, who gave me a letter of introduction to Sigiriya Rest House Keeper A.W.P. Ranasinghe, to find a place for me to stay in Sigiriya.

Thanks to his letter I stayed at Mr. Ranasinghe's resident for couple of weeks. I knew, defacing of Sigiriya Frescoes means international news. Therefore, I gave this story exclusively to Lake House, which was so close to my heart. It was like my second home. Incidentally, all the other print media and radio missed this international story.

In my conversation with the two Editors - Daily News and Dinamina - I requested to send a journalist and a photographer to Sigiriya, immediately.

The following morning - 15th October 1967, my story captured the headline - "Sigiriya destroyed". Late Dayasena Gunasinghe and photographer Wally Perera (Wally Uncle to all of us) arrived at Sigiriya Rest House around 7.30 p.m.

We spoke to Mr. Nugegoda - Assistant Commissioner of Archaeology and requested him to allow us to take some photographs. He refused and declined our request.

The big made rolly-polly Wally Perera, very politely in his own inimitable style said "Sir, this is a thing that you cannot hide. The people of this country have the right to know what has happened to world renowned Sigiriya."

After listening to Wally Perera very reluctantly Nugegoda allowed him to photograph the damage. Dayasena and I interviewed the watchers, labourers and some villagers, at the site.

Sigiriya was neglected and covered with shrub jungle from the 19th century up to the end of the 19th century. It was re-discovered by an English Army officer - Major Forbes. A British National Rhys Davis who served in the Ceylon Civil Service was first to discover that there were frescoes on the Sigiriya Rock. He mentioned this in a lecture delivered, at the Royal Asiatic Society of England in 1874.

Alick Murray, an Englishman, who worked in this country, was the first to climb up the Plaster Wall (Mirror Wall) and noticed these beautiful works of art. In 1890, Governor of Ceylon Arthur Gorden gave every assistance and encouragement to Allick Murray. In the annals of Archaeological History of Sri Lanka, the year 1890, was significant as the Archaeological Department was established. H.C.P. Bell was appointed as the first Commissioner of Archaeology.

Paranavitane - The rain giver

It was really the one and only Dr. Senerath Paranavitane, that brilliant archaeologist and historian par-excellence who really made Sigiriya an international centre. He read the poems scribbled in the Mirror Wall and complied the masterpiece Sigiriya Graffati - (Poems written in the Mirror wall) which depicts the true feelings about the Frescoes and Sigiriya.

As an Archaeological Commissioner, he kept, watchers and security guards on duty day and night. During the time of this incident, defacing of Frescoes, watchers did not guard the Frescoes Gallery in the night. This was a big lapse on the parts of the Archaeology Department at that time.

After reaching Colombo I immediately met Dr. Paranavitane at Raymond Road, Nugegoda. Sigiriya and Paranavitane were inseparable. "Epasinghe, I looked after the Frescoes and protected them as my own eyes. With tears in his eyes and with a broken heart he said: "SIGIRIYA REKA BALAGATTE MAGE ESDEKA VAGEI".

Sigiriya Village believed that whenever Dr. Paranavitane visits Sigiriya, he brings rains. He was considered as the "Rain Giver". Still the old people in Sigiriya venerate this Great Man as a god - "Paranavitane Deviyo".

I have to believe this story as it rained on the day the Minister of Education I.M.R.A. Iriyagolla accompanied Dr. Paranavitane to see the disaster.

Dr. Raja De Silva - Lusiano Maranzi

It must be mentioned here with gratitude, the attempt made by Assistant Commissioner of Archaeology Dr. Raja de Silva. This great archaeologist and scientist along with Lusiano Maranzi Italian expert repaired the damages of the Frescoes.

Thanks to them today we are fortunate to see the smiling faces of "Apsaras". The Defacing of Frescoes is still a mystery. Who did this and who were responsible for this crime?