Sri Lanka launched “Shree Ramayan Trails” to boost tourism

A historic milestone in the Indo-Sri Lankan cultural and religious bond was marked with the official launch of the ‘Sri Ramayan Trails’ project at Taj Samudra in Colombo recently, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

This initiative aims to bolster the country’s tourism industry by leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovative tourism methodologies, it said.

“Under the auspices of His Holiness Swami Govind Dev Giri Maharaj, the Chief Treasurer of the renowned Sri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, and graced by Sagala Ratnayaka, Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff, the launch event showcased a commitment to fostering deeper ties between the two nations”, the PMD said.

“The Sri Ramayan Trails seeks to highlight nine significant sites mentioned in the epic Ramayana, scattered across Sri Lanka. By offering a spiritual and cultural journey for Hindu pilgrims and travelers alike, the initiative aims to draw millions of Indian and international tourists to the country. Its overarching goal is to strengthen the nation’s spiritual and cultural heritage while also boosting its tourism sector” it said.

In addition to offering access to these sacred sites, the project aims to provide visitors with an immersive experience by showcasing the ancient spiritual events associated with these revered shrines, brought to life through cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR).

Spanning from Adam’s Bridge in the Mannar Basin to Seetha Eliya in Nuwara Eliya, every location mentioned in the epic Ramayana has been carefully chosen for inclusion in this pilgrimage endeavour.

Notable figures such as former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Indian High Commissioner HE Santosh Jha, former member of the European and British Parliament Niranjan Dev Adhitya, and other dignitaries graced the event with their presence.

The establishment of Ramayana trial which includes a land bridge between Sri Lanka and India will be a “game changer” for the island nation’s tourism industry, Indian High Commissioner for Colombo Santosh Jha said.

Sri Lanka has seen a spike in tourist arrivals from India in its recovery from an unprecedented economic crisis.

The places include Sigiriya, Ashok Vatika, a garden in the city of Nuwara Eliya, which is believed to be the place where Ravana kept Sita captive, Ravana Ella Falls, Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee and Divurumpola Temple in Bandarawela which is believed to be the place where Sita underwent a trial by fire to prove her purity among many other places.

“Our effort to establish the land bridge, on which we have begun our joint work, promises to further provide fillip to our ongoing efforts to promote tourism between our two countries. No doubt that it will be a game changer,” Jha told at the official launch of the “Ramayana Trail – The Sacred Mission” project organized by the Supreme Global Holdings group.

“It will, of course, bring many benefits to communities along the alignment of this connectivity but more specifically, it will make Ramayana and Buddhism tourism easier and more alluring to people on both sides.”

Historians say, according to Hindu mythology, Sri Lanka was the kingdom of Ravana, the ten-headed demon king who abducted Sita, the wife of Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, a smriti text from ancient India, one of the two important epics of Hinduism known as the Itihasas, the other being the Mahabharata.

“It is bound to increase the flow of Indian tourists and pilgrims to these destinations,” Jha said.

“Unlike others, Indian tourists also visit both Buddhist and Hindu places of worship. They are also attracted to historical sites existing across Sri Lanka. In that sense, they are more diversified in their choice of sites and places they visit in Sri Lanka.”

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