by Anura Guruge
on March 16, 2022
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I knew what it was as soon as I saw it. I have never seen it like this from the air, but I know this ‘Rock Fortress’ well. During my time in Ceylon, viz., 1953 to 1967, I was lucky enough to visit it quite a few times. We, i.e., my adoptive parents & I, even took a three- or four-day holiday there — there being a ‘Rest House’ within quarter of a mile of it. During that stay, I climbed it, from top to bottom, multiple times, four times in one day. I think admission was free in those days (i.e., mid-1960s) or I had some exemption. (My adoptive father, a BIG muckety-muck in the government, was always on ‘official duty’ (even if we were on holiday) & I, as his adoptive son, got the official concessions.
My last time there, when I climbed it so many times, in the mid-1960s, was before the last (sad) vandalism of the lovely, historic fresco of the topless beauties. There were no cages or glass. You could crawl in there & enjoy it at eye-level.
It was cool to see it as a high-resolution Windows 10 lock-screen. Made my day. Enjoy. Look it up.
