Reach for the Sky

We’re in Anaradhapura, a small town in the middle of Sri Lanka that is part of a cultural triangle containing ruins and temples that date back more than 2,000 years.  Enormous dagobas, soaring brick towers, ancient pools and crumbling temples are all around us.  Ankor Wat it isn’t but the sights are still impressive.

Our guide is knowledgeable and has a good sense of humour.  He also has the hairiest ears we’ve ever seen.  John and I stare in fascination at the hairy appendages as our guide intones the facts and history of the various sites that we visit. 

Our favourite is the Jetavanarama, a brick built giant that was at one time the third tallest building in the world behind the Great Pyramids.  Originally 100 metres high, the dagoba now stands at 70 metres and contains 38 million bricks, sufficient it is said to build a wall 3 metres high and stretching from London to Edinburgh.  Strangely, Jetavanarama is deserted with neither worshippers nor tourists about.  We have the place to ourselves and in the company of a stray dog, our bare feet pad on the hot smooth stones as we walk around this impressive monument.

Afterwards we lunch at the ‘not so’ Grand Tourist Resort which enjoys lovely views across the Nuwara Wewa (an anagram of Edward Woodward without the ‘D’s) and in the distance we can see the hilltop stupa of Mihintale.

Unknown to us, our final stop of the day is the Mihintale complex of temples which rise to 420 metres above sea level – and is reached by 1,847 steps hewn from the rockface.  There is almost a riot when we find that we are expected to make the ascent.  Our guide, Asoka promises that he will get John to the top and back and reluctantly we press on.  Our guide climbs up and down the mountain twice a day and is in the Docherty school of ploughing on ahead.  At each level of our climb we make sure to ask as many questions as possible of our guide whilst we regain our breath – later we resort to asking about trees, plants and animals en route in order to slow the pace. 

Only 1,839 to go!

There is plenty to see – the monks’ refectory houses enormous rice and curry troughs that provided daily feeding for more than 2,000 monks and the system of aquaducts which provided water for the kitchens is a significant feat of engineering carried out about 250 AD.  Toward the top of the climb we reach Cobra Pond, the main water source for the temple.  We’re joined by inquisitive monkeys that shuffle ever closer when your back is turned – they’re small but their numbers can on occasion be a bit threatening.

There's lots of restoration going on and as we push for the top we're overtaken by soldiers carrying buckets of water up to the summit for mixing mortar - they seem to make the trip with ease although at least one bucket leaves a leaky trail behind as water pours from a hole in the bottom.  We too are leaking, or rather sweating like navvies but a few more steps and we emerge at the summit – and the effort of our climb is well rewarded with fine views of the surrounding areas.  

That's not smiling it's gasping for air

The ruins of the complex, frangipani trees, and below us the rocky outcrops towering out of the paddy fields that shimmer in the evening light.  In the distance we can just make out Anuradhapura and its dagobas, with the giant Jetavanarama towering above the surrounding plains.

We will sleep tonight!