The Ramayana sites in Srilanka have been identified,
protected and promoted as places of interest by the Srilankan Government.
But here in India our governments and people are trying to bury Ramayana.
It is ironical that when a predominantly Buddhist country is acknowledging and preserving the places connected to Ramayana,
the Indian government is bent upon dismissing even Rama as a myth.
The Srilankan government's aim may be to promote tourism by this effort,
But what we must not ignore is the fact how it is keen on preserving
the historical evidences
despite being a Buddhism dominated country.
Whether it is about faith or not,
no one has the right to touch places having historic and ithihasic connections.
Civilized human behavior means that.
On Ramayana sites in Lanka and Bharath Gyans' efforts, click the following link.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/7731363/Ramayana-Trail-in-Srilanka
"Sri Lanka is the lushest and most fertile country, even in the dry zone resourceful communities manage to grow crops. The country has several climates and landscapes ranging from humid jungle where the pages of your book get damp, to cool mountains that resemble Scottish highlands. Ramayana has left story imprints everywhere: in rocks, caves and waterfalls; in buildings and fine art, and in the names of streets, houses and businesses. On a mountain pass I saw a gleaming truck named after Rama's brother, 'Lakshman motor horse' inscribed above the window.
The highlands near Nurwara Eliya are where Ravana is supposed to have hidden Sita. For Sri Lankan's Ravana is not a demon, but a brilliant King and the inventor of the aeroplane. This version of the story perhaps reflects Sri Lanka's history of ancient engineering and architecture, and its deep relationship to demons as agents of health and well being.
One misty afternoon I went with a driver to a Hindu temple - Sita Amman Kovil. In the shade of a mountain is Sita's blue temple with shrines to Rama, Sita and Hanuman the monkey God. Beside the temple is a stream and a large rock with giant footprints on it - the footprints of Hanuman as he jumped to find Sita and give her Rama's ring. The looming mountain is the Medicine Mountain that Hanuman carried from the Himalayas to heal Lakshman. Black earth covers the region of Nurwara Eliya; it is good for growing tea and very different from the usual Sri Lankan red dust. The earth is black because it was burnt when Ravana set fire to Hanuman's tail. …"
More on
http://www.bl.uk/learning/cult/inside/corner/meetramayan/meeting.html
Also to be read
http://www.travelsrilanka.com/index.cfm?PAGE=559
http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/09/stories/2006040902132200.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~lkawgw/mdannawa.html
http://www.travelsrilanka.co.uk/home/region_details.asp?Region=hill-country&Country=Sri%20Lanka
Sita Eliya Temple - The Temple is located about 1km away from the Hakgala Gardens. According to legend the temple is believed to mark the spot where Sita, the heroine from the Indian epic Ramayana, was held captive by her abductor, King Ravana.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1708/17080560.htm
http://www.bootsnall.com/asiatravelguides/srilanka/jan00lanka.shtml
Nuwara Eliya - 1890 metres above sea level. Walk to Badulla Road from the bus stand to search for a hotel. Even has a golf course. Definitely the most convenient in Sri Lanka to find a hotel. I chose the New Blue Heaven Inn (tel. 052-23707) and discovered its owner Senaka Gunasekara to be the kind you would like to meet on a holiday. NE is distinctly colonial in character and the tea heartland. 180 km from CMB.
Sita Eliya the site of the only temple in the world dedicated to Sita, wife of Lord Rama, associated with the Indian epic the Ramayana is just 5 km from Nuwara Eliya. East of Nuwara Eliya is Kitulgala where the "Bridge on the River Kwai" was shot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanuman
