Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A TRIP
THE AUKANA BUDDHA
Aukana Buddha STATUE
(admission Rs 500)
According to legend, the magnificent 12m-high standing Aukana Buddha was sculpted
during the reign of Dhatusena in the 5th century, though some sources date it to the 12th
or 13th century. Aukana means 'sun-eating', and dawn - when the first rays light up the
huge statue's finely carved features - is the best time to see it.
Note that although the statue is still narrowly joined at the back to the rock face it is cut
from, the lotus plinth on which it stands is a separate piece. The Buddha's pose, ashiva
mudra, signifies blessings, while the burst of fire above his head represents the power of
total enlightenment.
You'll need a sarong to visit the statue; the ticket office is at the top of the first set of
steep steps. A couple of vendors sell drinks near the parking area.
e & Away
The Aukana Buddha is 800m from the village of Aukana. It's hard to visit this site by pub-
lic transport. Buses between Dambulla and Anuradhapura stop at the junction town of
Kekirawa (Rs 30, 30 minutes, every 30 minutes), from where there are infrequent ser-
vices to Aukana, you may be hanging around for some time. A three-wheeler from Kekir-
awa to Aukana is around Rs 1000 with waiting time.
Alternatively, Aukana is on the Colombo to Trincomalee rail line. Four daily trains stop
here: the station is 1km from the statue.
Gettttiing Th
g Therre & A
Sigiriya
066 / Pop 1800
Rising from the central plains, the iconic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka's
single most dramatic sight. Near-vertical walls soar to a flat-topped summit that contains
the ruins of an ancient civilisation, thought to be once the epicentre of the short-lived king-
dom of Kassapa, and there are spellbinding vistas across mist-wrapped forests in the early
morning.
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