Image title: Audience Hall

Audience Hall—This is regarded as the audience hall belonging to the royal city complex of King Kasyapa. this is on a flattened summit of a boulder, a naturally split section of a rock in front. The main seat at the southern end is carved out of the living rock and the others on either side,though carved out of the living rock, have certain parts made separately and fitted on to them. The small square holes on the surface of the flattened boulder suggest that there had been a roof to this hall supported by timber pillars.

Sinhala transcription:
සභා ශාලාව
sabhā śālāva
sabha shalava

Tamil transcription:
சபா மண்டபம்
capā maṇṭapam
sapa mandapam

In Sanskrit this would be known as Sabhāmaṇḍapa (सभामण्डप, sabha-mandapa).

Gallery information:

These photos are taken at the Sigiriya rock in Sri Lanka. This archaeological important site dates to the 2nd century BC when it functioned as a monastery. In the fifth century, King Kassapa I transferred the administrative centre from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya in order to  rule from there. The on-site museum displays various artifacts and paintings found at the Sigiriya rock.