Sri Lanka re-creating Ramayana and Sita trails, may permit INR for transactions

Mumbai, March 30:  On the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milina Moragoda, said that the island nation is developing the legendary Ramayana and Sita trails, here on Thursday.

Moragoda, along with the Sri Lankan Consul-General in Mumbai Valsan Vethody, informed Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais on their country's plans.

It was in Sri Lanka that Lord Ram's wife Sita was kidnapped and held captive by Ravana for a year. Later, Lord Ram, along with his army led by Lord Hanuman, fought a war for seven days to finally vanquish and kill the 10-headed demon king.

The visiting envoy also revealed that Sri Lanka is considering the possibility of allowing the use of Indian rupee (INR) for economic transactions in the island nation to boost tourism from India.

"We are discussing the possibility of allowing the use of Indian rupee for economic transactions and hope that the move will help increase the flow of Indian tourists to Sri Lanka. The country is also considering developing the Ramayana trail and a separate Sita trail," Moragoda said on the planned tourist circuits.

According to Moragoda, Sri Lanka has at least 40 places associated with Ramayana spread across the country.

"There are five Shiva temples in Sri Lanka, and the one in Trincomalee is believed to have been established by Ravana," he said.

He told the Governor that there is also a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka where Vibhishana is worshipped, and many Sri Lankans believe that Lord Buddha had visited Sri Lanka.

The diplomats also said that they are working closely with India's Minister for External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, and Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and trying to get more investments from India to Sri Lanka - which was hit by a major economic crisis and political upheavals recently.