Ramayana Tours

After breakfast we proceed to visit Munneswaram Temple and Manawari Temple. We can visit PunchiKatharagama Temple en-route. PunchiKatharagama Temple This neat and colurful new Replica of Katharagama temple in Madampe was dedicated to Lord Murugan in January 2012. This is a huge and busy temple. Munneswaram Temple The Munneswaram Kovil close to Chilaw is one of the 5 major Shiva temples of Sri Lanka and Rameshwaram islands, called Ishvarams. According to a Tamil legend, the temple is situated at a place where king Rama prayed to Shiva after committing the worst crime according to Hindu Dharma, namely Brahmahasti, the killing of a priest, because Ravana who had to be killed by Rama in order to liberate Sita, was of Brahmin caste. Rama stopped the Vimana vehicle at Munneshvaram because of his impression the Doshana sin was not following him at this place. So he ascended from the vimana and prayed to God Shiva asking for a remedy. Shiva advised Rama to install four lingams at Manavari, Trinco, Mannar and Rameshwaram for this purpose. Manavari Temple Manavari, about 6 kms north of Chilaw, is the first place where Lord Rama installed a Lingam, as a remedy to Lord Shiva after committing Brahmincide by killing the king Ravana who was a Brahmin. This Shiva Lingam in Manavari is called Ram lingam because it was made by Lord Rama. There are only two Lingams in the world named after Lord Rama, the other one being that of Rameshvaram in India. Optional: DolukandaSanjeewanee Mountain Dolukanda is a table mountain rock 20 kms north of district capital Kurunegala, close to Hiripitiya village. When during the war with Ravana's army of demons both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were seriously wounded by powerful arrows and fell unconscious Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch life saving herbs which only grew in the Himalayas. Hanuman carried a whole mountain range to Lanka, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs himself. Parts from that piece of the Himalayas fell on five places in Lanka. Dolukanda in Hiripitiya, north of Kurunegala, is believed to be one of them. This legend explains the abundance of Ayurvedic herbs in this area, which was one reason to build the nearby ancient forest monastery called Arankale which during the Anuradhapura period served as a healing centre, too.) You're overnight staying at Sigiriya.

We start our journey to Trincomalee early in the morning and breakfast on the way. ThiruKoneshvaram ThiruKoneshwaram, lovely located on a rock promontory of Trincomalee, was built by Rishi Agastya on the instructions of Lord Shiva who was impressed by the devotion of King Ravana. This place is unique in this respect, the Lord building a temple for his devotee as a reward for his devotion. Lord Rama is believed to have offered his prayers here, too, in order to get rid of the malediction of killing Ravana who was a Brahmin, meaning BrahmahasthiDosham. The famous temple built here during the glorious era of the Tamil Pallava and Chola and Pandya empires, was destructed by bigoted Portuguese Christians between 1622 and 1624. Sri Shankari Devi ShakthiPitam Adjacent to Trincomalee famous Koneshvaram temple there is another shrine; it is small in size but of some significance for Hindu pilgrims. This Shankaridevi temple is a reconstruction at a new place. The original Shanakridevi temple, said to be built by Ravana, was the first in the list of AshtaDasha (18) Shakti Pitas written down by AdiShankara, but its whole cliff was destroyed by Portuguese cannon balls. Only a pillar for commemoration is placed on that spot now. And it is believed that the original idol of the goddess has been preserved and replaced, being venerated now in this nearby new Shankaridevi temple. Kanniyai The hot wells of Kanniyai or Kanniya are close to the main road to Anuradhapura only about 10 kms from Trincomalee town. Pilgrims believe in heir healing power. There are many different versions of the myth how these curative hot water wells came into existence; most of them are connected to Ravana. One legend about Kanniya's origin has it, that this is the place where King Ravana carried out the last rites for his mother. When he was unable to find water to duly perform the rites, he in anger pierced his Trishula into the ground seven times. Water started gushing out immediately. The very hot water cooled down to the present degree when Ravana's anger calmed down. The temperature of the water is different in all the seven wells. You're overnight staying at Trincomalee.

We proceed to Kandy early in the morning and breakfast on the way. Nalanda TheNalandagedige is geographically located in the very centre of the island. It is a Buddhist temple in the first place, but in many respects exceptional. The images of this temple prove Mahayana Buddhist and even Tantric influence on this Theravada dominated island during its late Anuradhapura kingdom period (7th to 10th century). Furthermore the architectural style of this Gedige is obviously influenced by the Dravidian architecture of the Pallava and the Pandya kingdoms of Southern India. So the Nalanda Gedige resembles very much an ancient Hindu shrine. And maybe it was even a sanctuary before Buddhist times. (Optional: Sigiriya In the rock garden area of Sigiriya there is the Cobra Hooded Cave. It is a rock-shelter surmounted by a boulder in the form of a cobra hood. It is one of the many spots believed to have been a place of Sita's captivity on Lanka. An inscription mentioning a Naguliya Lena is said to be a proof for it as Naguliya is identified with Sita as allegedly both names can have the same meaning "born from a furrow", because "Naguliya" could be derived from the words for snakes and for plough. But historians believe Naguliya to be the name of a local chieftain who donated the cave to the Buddhist order. The Ramayana Trail legends even the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya itself is sometimes claimed to have been a palace of Ravana, because historically it is connected to the cult of Kuwera. Kuwera was the step brother of Ravana who became his successor as king of Lanka.) Temple of the Tooth and Devales, Kandy Kandy's Tooth Relic Temple is the most significant Buddhist holy place in Sri Lanka, venerated by Buddhists from Southeast Asia as well. There are four shrines for gods connected to the Buddha's Tooth Relic Temple. These four Devala plays an important role in the processions of the Buddha's Tooth Temple, The mainly Sinhalese places of worship, whereas Tamil Hindu temples are called Kovil. But the Devala are closely connected to Hinduism in many ways. The above mentioned world-famous procession called Kandy Perahara, originates in the RathaYatras held for the Hindu deities. And the priests of the KatharagamaDevale in the city centre are not Sinhalese Caporals, but Tamil Brahmins. Kandy city tour, Evening enjoy a typical Sri Lankan Cultural show of drumming dancing music and walking on fire. You're overnight staying at Kandy.

We departure from the hotel proceed to Ella after breakfast. We can visit Sita Amman Temple, Hakgala garden, Divurumpola temple en-route. Sita Amman Temple, AshokaVatika, SitaEliya The Sita Amman Temple, located halfway between the highland village SitaEliya and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, has become the most venerated of all Ramayana Trail sites in Sri Lanka, because it is believed to be the place where Sita lived most of the time of her captivity on the island of Lanka. After she refused to stay in Ravana's magnificent palace she was transferred to AshokaVatika or AshokaVana where she lived under Ashoka trees. It was here that Ravana's wife Mandodarim visited her and that Hanuman met her for the first time, identifying himself with the finger ring of Rama. Sita is said to have bathed in the nearby stream. There are remarkable holes in the rocks at the river bank believed to be footprints of Lord Hanuman. Hakgala Hakgala rock surmounts the Hakgala Botanical gardens, only a few kilometers away from the AshokaVatika. It is sometimes told that Hakgala rock is one of the pieces of the Himalayas that fell down when Hanuman carried Mount Dronagiri to Lanka. But usually the Ramayana Trail identifies only 5 other places as originating from these events, viz. Rumassala near Galle, Dolukanda in Hiripitiya, Ritigala near Habarana, Thalladi on Mannar, and Kachchativu island. Divurumpola Divurumpola is said to be the location where Sita underwent the famous fire ordeal Agni Pariksha, in order to prove her chastity. From the flames arose the fire god Agni who was invoked by Sita. He lifted her from the flames unharmed and presented her to Lord Rama who explained this test was only necessary to prove the truth of her purity and innocence to everybody. Divurumpola is said to have been the location of this episode, because the Sinhalese name means a ‘marketplace of oath’. Today the temple is respected as a suitable place for oaths that can be helpful settling disputes between parties. You’re overnight staying at Ella.

Now we completed our 10 days Ramayana tour around the Sri Lanka. We leave to airport for your departure.