A bathing pool in the gardens at the base of Sigiriya, in Sri Lanka. A bathing pool in the gardens at the base of Sigiriya. Photo: Getty. Kasyapa also used water defensively. He built two large moats around the base of the fortress, the outer one of which was apparently filled with crocodiles and was 52 metres (171ft) wide and 4m (13ft) deep. Only traces of the outer moat still remain - with no crocodiles in sight. But today's visitors will cross over the much better preserved inner moat, which is 23 metres (75ft) wide. But despite his aquatic ingenuity, Kasyapa couldn’t prevent the eventual return of his half-brother Moggallana - with an army - ready to claim his birthright. Moggallana’s army managed to make their way almost up to Sigiriya without being noticed. Kasyapa’s army met them on the nearby plains to do battle. In those days, kings rode elephants into war. The legend goes that, encountering an area of boggy ground, Kasyapa had to turn his elephant around to find an alternative route. His army misread this as a retreat, and deserted him. Filled with shame, Kasyapa slit his own throat, enabling Moggallana to take the throne.
A bathing pool in the gardens at the base of Sigiriya, in Sri Lanka. A bathing pool in the gardens at the base of Sigiriya. Photo: Getty. Kasyapa also used water defensively. He built two large moats around the base of the fortress, the outer one of which was apparently filled with crocodiles and was 52 metres (171ft) wide and 4m (13ft) deep. Only traces of the outer moat still remain - with no crocodiles in sight. But today's visitors will cross over the much better preserved inner moat, which is 23 metres (75ft) wide. But despite his aquatic ingenuity, Kasyapa couldn’t prevent the eventual return of his half-brother Moggallana - with an army - ready to claim his birthright. Moggallana’s army managed to make their way almost up to Sigiriya without being noticed. Kasyapa’s army met them on the nearby plains to do battle. In those days, kings rode elephants into war. The legend goes that, encountering an area of boggy ground, Kasyapa had to turn his elephant around to find an alternative route. His army misread this as a retreat, and deserted him. Filled with shame, Kasyapa slit his own throat, enabling Moggallana to take the throne.