RAMAYANA TOUR

05 NIGHTS / 06 DAYS

The great Hindu epic Ramayana, tells of the conquest of Sri Lanka in 3000 BC by the Hindu god "Rama" who fought with the demon King "Ravana" in Sri Lanka.

DAY 01

AIRPORT /CHILAW /DAMABULLA
APPROX 05 ½ HOURS DRIVE]

Arrival to Sri Lanka You will be met by Journeyline Travel Representative on Arrival at the Airport and procced to Chilaw, Muneeshwaram Temple and Mannavari Temple for religious observances.

Munneswaram Temple – It is believed that Munneswaram predates the Ramayana and a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was located here. Munneswaram means the first temple for Shiva (Munnu + Easwaran). A Shiva Lingam was already here when Lord Rama visited this place. Lord Rama after his victorious battle left for Ayodhya with Sita in one of King Ravana’s Vimanas. He felt he was being followed by a Bramhaasthi Dosham (a malevolent black shadow) as he had killed King Ravana who was a Brahmin.

Thereafter leave for Dambulla En route witness Dolukanda Temple

Dolukanda Temple – At different points of time during the war both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were hit by powerful arrows, fell unconscious and to bring them back to life Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch the lifesaving herbs from Himalaya. Hanuman went to the hill, lifted the whole hill and brought it, as he was not able to identify the lifesaving herbs alone. Parts from the hill fell on five places in Sri Lanka, namely, Rumasala in Galle, Dolu Kanda in Hiripitiya, Ritigala on the Habarana Anuradhapura road and Thalladi in Mannar and Kachchativu in the north.

Check in at the Hotel and rest of the day at leisure

Dinner & overnight stay at – Dambulla

DAMBULLA / DOLUKANDA /DAMABULLA
APPROX 01 ½ HOURS DRIVE

After Breakfast proceed witness Dambulla cave Temple and climb up the Sigiriya Lion Rock (In Decent Attire)

Dambulla – is famous for the five cave Temples on a rock. The first 03 caves are better, older and larger than the other two. Some caves dates to 1st C.B.C. All the 5 cave walls and ceilings are covered with Buddhist murals and there are more than 130 Buddha statues, statues of Gods and Kings are also found here.

Sigiriya – is home to the 5th Century ‘Fortress in the Sky” which is tipped to be the 8th wonder of the world. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the fortress. Within its triple-moated defense, the huge rock rises almost to a sheer height of 500ft. On its summit are the foundations of what was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with swimming pool. On one of the stairways, the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of life-sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original color.

The Relationship between Lankapura Ramayana and Sigiriya – In the rock garden area of Sigiriya there is a Cobra Hooded Cave. It is a rock-shelter surmounted by a boulder in the form of a cobra hood. It is believed as one of many hideouts of Sita on Lankan soil after captivity by Ravana. 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. In the Ramayana Trail legend, even the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya itself is sometimes claimed to have been a palace of Ravana.

Dinner & overnight stay at – Dambulla

DAMBULLA /KANDY
APPROX 02 ½ HOURS DRIVE

After Breakfast leave for Kandy. En route visit Aluvihare Rock Temple and visit Spice Garden.

Afternoon commence Kandy City Tour, including Upper Lake Drive, Market Square and Gem Museum.

Kandy – the hill capital. Venue of the annual Perahera. The last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings was finally ceded to the British in 1815. Kandy is an example of the Buddhism’s influence in Sri Lanka today. Temple’s shrines and monasteries keeping alive Buddhist traditions are everywhere

Evening Witness a Kandyan Dance Performance in Sri Lanka.

Proceed to Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha and join with the pooja ceremony. (In Decent Attire)

Dinner & overnight stay at – Kandy

KANDY /NUWARA ELIYA
APPROX 02 ½ HOURS DRIVE

After Breakfast proceed to Nuwara Eliya. En-route visit Ramboda Sri Baktha Hanuman Temple, Water Falls, Tea Factory and Tea Estate.

Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple – The Sri Lankan branch of the Chinmaya mission, committed to promoting the Ramayana philosophy as well as Ramayana Trail pilgrimages, has built a temple with Hanuman as a presiding deity in Ramboda between Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya main road. There is a 5 meters tall granite statue of Rama’s devote supporter Hanuman. He is believed to have started his search for Sita in the Baroda hills. Hanuman traditionally was not as popular among Sri Lankan Tamil devotees as he indeed in India, because he devastated parts of the island with his burning tail. But in recent times Hindu missionaries and local Tamil spiritual leaders began building shrines for worshipping Hanuman in Sri Lanka, too. The Tamil word for Ramboda, Rampadai, means “Rama’s force”, this is why Ramboda is believed to be the area where Rama collected his troops.

Dinner & overnight stay at – Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya Railway Station in Central Sri Lanka

NUWARA ELIYA /COLOMBO
APPROX 05 HOURS DRIVE

After Breakfast leave for Colombo. En route visit most important Ramayana site called Seetha Amman Temple, Hakgala Botanical Garden and Divurumwela Temple.

Seetha Amman Temple – located halfway between the highland village of Sita-eliya 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 Ashok Vatika or Ashokavanam where she lived under Ashoka trees. It was here that Ravana’s wife Mandodari visited her and that Hanuman met her for the first time, identifying himself with the ring (finger) 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.

Evening proceeds to Kelaniya, visit the Temple in veneration of Vibhishana – Kalaniya is the place where King Veebeshana ruled after being crowned by Lakshmana. As Lord Rama was in exile for 14 years, could not take part in any coronation ceremony, deputed his younger brother prince Lakshmana to crown Veebeshana. Today in the very place a Buddhist shrine and a temple for King Vebeshana exist. There are murals enshrined outside the Buddhist Temple depicting the crowning of King Veebeshana. Today temple for king Veebeshana is found throughout Lanka and he is still considered as one of the 4 guardian deities of Sri Lanka. A painting of King Veebeshana adorns the walls of the new parliament. It is a fact that there is no temple for King Ravana where as many exist for King Veebeshana. This goes on to prove that his stand towards dharma and justice made him a god is Sri Lanka.

Next, visit the Panchamuga Anjaneyr Temple – the Only Temple in the world to have a Chariot for Anjaneyer (Hanuman)

Thereafter commence Colombo City Tour & Shopping

Dinner & overnight stay at – Colombo