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Visiting Ramayana Places in Sri Lanka is one of the important tours to embark on for any Hindu devotee. Ramayana being one of the most important inscriptions in Hinduism, every Hindu hold the epic sacred. The story of Rama Ravana, which leads to war, is full of sacred events, miracles and moments that reconfirm faith in Hindu deities and their powers. As the main location where the majority of the Ramayana events took place, there are many Ramayana places in Sri Lanka of huge significance to Hindus around the world.

With numerous Ramayana tale related sites well-preserved to this day that can be backed with folklores and other evidence, Sri Lanka offers you the incredible opportunity to pay a visit to these places and pay your respect. The Hinduism of the country provides the perfect setting for a spiritual holiday while offering every comfort you need, from vegan foods to a range of accommodations.

In this article, we share 11 must-visit Ramayana places in Sri Lanka to explore during your Ramayana Yathra.

Located 5 kilometres away from Nuwara Eliya, Seetha Amman Kovil is the only temple dedicated to Seeta, wife of Lord Rama. It is believed that she was held in captivity in this place by King Ravana after he abducted her from India. The beautiful Hindu kovil, rich in vibrant colours and Hindu architectural elements, is worshipped by many Hindus today. The water stream next to the Kovil is believed to be the place where Seetha has bathed. To this day, there are large footprints on the stones in the stream, and the legend says those belong to lord Hanuman which came spying to find the whereabouts of Seetha.

Settled on a picturesque hilltop in Ramboda, Sri Baktha Hanuman Temple, is one of the most important temples in the Ramayana trail in Sri Lanka. The temple is situated 30 km away from Nuwara Eliya and offers historical and spiritual value along with a stunning scenery. The temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman is believed by many to be a place where Lord Hanuman rested during his search for Seetha. If you visit the place on a full moon poya day, you are able to participate in a special celebration and ritual performed for Lord Hanuman’s statue in the temple. Today, the temple is considered one of the must-visit Ramayana places in Sri Lanka.

Being another important Ramayana attraction situated in the beautiful hill country, Gayathree padeem is also known as Gayathri Cathedral. Sri-Lankatheeswarar Temple is another name used for the temple, which is the first-ever temple dedicated to Goddess Gayathri. As the folklore goes, the Tri Moortis – Siva, Brahma and Vishnu, has appeared in the place, when Indrajith, the son of King Ravana performed Siva Thapas and Nikumbala Yagna. One of the unique features of the place is that here you can often hear the chanting of The Gayathri Vedic Mantra.

Thirukoneswaram is a place where another significant Ramayana event took place that is located in Trincomalee. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is believed as the place where Lord Rama installed the second lingam following the instructions of Lord Shiva, where he advised, lord Rama to install 4 lingams as a remedy for Brahmahathi dosha. The Brahmahathi is known to be the biggest dosha in Hinduism, which lord Rama committed after killing king Ravana, who was a Brahma. The temple surrounds a beautiful view of the Indian Ocean, nestled on a top of a hill. The gigantic blue Shiva statue is one of the main highlights of the place.

Munneswaram is one of the 5 Ishwara kovils in Sri Lanka dedicated to Ishwara in the form of the god Shiva. The sacred temple complex consists of 5 temples and is known to have a history that runs back to 1000CE. With strong ties to the Rama-Ravana story, Munneswaram is another popular attraction that Ramayana Yathra travellers often visit. Located in Chillaw, the place is considered as the place where Lord Rama prayed to Shiva after he killed Ravana to rescue Seetha, which was a Brahmahathi as in the Hindu Dharma.

Manavari is another Hindu temple with significance to the Rama-Ravana story that is also located in Chillaw. The place is believed to be the place where Lord Rama built that first lingam following the orders of Lord Shiva to overcome the Brahmahathi dosha after killing Ravana. The lingam erected in the temple is named Ramalingam, making it one of the only two sacred temples in the world that has a lingam named after him. The temple is one of the most sacred Hindu temples worshipped by Sri Lankan Hindus as well as Hindus from other countries.

The famous Kataragama temple is also known as the temple of Lord Karthikeya Subramaniam, who was requested to go to fight on the last day of the war. The request was made by lord Indra to protect lord Rama after committing Brahmahathi. As they were worried the dosha would weaken Lord Rama on the battlefield. Lord Karthikeya was able to protect Rama from a powerful weapon called Brahma Asthma during the war. Today the temple is known as one of the unique Hindu temples in Sri Lanka with its own set of rituals. With pooja offering of fruit trays and skin piercing and fire walking rituals, the temple boasts miracles.

Located in Ella, Ravana caves and waterfall holds a major significance in the Rama-Ravana story while offering breathtaking beauty as its cascade charms visitors from all over the globe. The waterfall is easily accessible and known to have hidden caves at the top of the fall, which is believed to be used as a residence by King Ravana. The waterfall is 25 m tall and consists of a beautiful cascade and a large water pool, and provides the perfect backdrop to snap a photo with, to remind your Ramayana trail adventures in Sri Lanka.

Divrumpola is another must-visit Ramayana attraction in Sri Lanka that can be known as quite eventful. Situated in Walimada, Divrumpola is known as the place where Seetha had jumped into a pit of fire when she was asked to prove her priority. According to the folklore in the area, Seetha has risen from the fire unharmed, passing her Agni Pareeksha. The word Divrumpola translates to English as the ‘spot of the oath’, still remembering the miraculous event that took place in Ramayana.

When you travel to the southern coast in Sri Lanka, there is another one of a kind mind-blowing place, another significant Ramayana event took place. Known as the Rumassala forest, the folklore shares a major relationship to the Rama-Ravana story, supported by many evidence found in the area. The jungle rich in medicinal plants is believed to be a piece of Himalaya, which lord Hanuman had dropped when he was grabbing a piece of land from Himalaya. The land was grabbed from an area abundant in medicinal plants in Himalaya, especially the Sanjeevani plant, which was the plant lord Hanuman was asked to fetch to treat the battle wounds of Lakshman. He has brought the whole piece of land as he couldn’t find the plant himself. It is believed that there are some rare medicinal plants in the jungle that can be found only in Rumassala in Sri Lanka that can also find in the Himalayas.

The famous Buddhist temple, where Lord Buddha has visited himself during his time, also has ties to the Rama-Ravana story. After the war, Lord Rama has crowned Vibhishana, Ravana’s brother, as the king of Sri Lanka, and Kelaniya was the place he has been using to rule the country. Today, the Kelaniya temple is one of the most sacred Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka, which you can visit to admire Ramayana history as well as the Sri Lankan Buddhist history and culture.

Why not explore these scared sites with a tour guide that you can count on! Plan your Ramayana Yathra with us.

Valmiki Ramayana by Rajendra Tandon