Ramayana in Sri Lanka

Posted by Harsh Nevatia Dec 27, 2007

An article in the Indian Express on the 27 December 2007 refers to a project by the Sri Lankan Tourism Department, in which they aim to develop sites in Sri Lanka associated with the Ramayana as tourist destinations. The Lanka of Ravana was situated in Sri Lanka and the final events of the Ramayana were enacted there.

The Sri Lankan Tourism Department has identified several important sites. Sita was held captive at Goorulupota. Goorulupota is today known as Sitakotuwa and a temple dedicated to her still exists. The epic battle between Rama and Ravana took place in Yudhaganapitiya. Rama released the Brahmastra that killed Ravana from Dunuwila. Hanuman had brought the Dronagiri Mountain from the Himalayas so that Laxman could be revived using a plant found on it. It is believed that the mountain now rests at Rumassala.

What I find amazing is that the Sri Lankan Tourism Department is seeking India’s assistance for this project. Though Rama’s journey from Ayodhya to Lanka covered a large part of modern India there is no such project in India. Religious tourism is a totally untapped source, despite the rich mythological heritage of the Epics and the Puranas. How then can India assist Sri Lanka in this venture? Today the political situation in India is such that the government is afraid to promote anything associated with Hinduism because that “angers” its minority vote bank. A few months ago the government’s Archaeological Survey of India had informed the Supreme Court that there is no historical evidence of the existence of Rama or of the events in the Ramayana. The issue arose when the government backed The Samudrasetu Ship Canal Projectto build a canal between India and Sri Lanka involved destroying a part of Rama’s Bridge.