RAMAYANA TRAIL OF SRI LANKA

OVERVIEWS

CHILAW – TRINCOLMALLE – KANDY – NUWARA ELIYA – KATARAGAMA – COLOMBO Hotels: Trincomalle: Chaya Blue by Cinnamon/ similar Kandy: Earls Regency Hotel/ similar Nuwara Eliya: Black Pool Hotel/ similar Kataragama: Grand Tamarind Lake/ similar Colombo: Cinnamon lakeside hotel/ similar

ITINERARY

Day 01: AIRPORT – TRINCOMALLE

Arrival and welcome at the airport. Meet your guide on arrival and transfer to a hotel in Chilaw for overnight stay. Travel to visit Munishwaram Temple & Manavari Temple in Chilaw. Munishwaram Temple, It is believed that Munishwaram predates the Ramayana and a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was located here. Munishwaram means the first temple for Shiva (Munnu + Easwaran). Manavari Temple. Manavari is the first lingam installed and prayed by Rama and till date this lingam is called as Ramalinga Shivan. Rameshwaram is the only other lingam in world named after Lord Rama. Transfer to Trincomalee Hotel. Dinner & Overnight at Hotel.

Day 02: TRINCOMALLE

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Koneshwaram temple and Shankari Devi temple in Trincomalee. Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee (also historically known as the Thirukonamamalai Konesar Kovil, the Temple of the Thousand Pillars and Thiru-Konamamalai Maccakeswaram Kovil) is an Hindu temple in Trincomalee, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka venerated by Saivites throughout the continent. It is built atop Swami Rock, a rocky promontory cape overlooking Trincomalee, a classical period harbour port town. Shankari Devi Temple , the famed SHANKARI Temple, in Sri Lanka, is one of the 18 Devi Temples (Ashta Dasha Shakti Peethas). Many have heard the Ashtadasha Shakti Peetha Shloka starting with LANKAAYAAM SHAANKARI DEVI.composed by Sri Adi Shankara which means Shankari in Lanka. This Shloka enumerates the list of places of Devi temples which are considered to be part of the 18 Devi Peethas. Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel.

Day 03: TRINCOMALEE – LAKEGALA – DUNUWILA – KANDY

Breakfast at the hotel. En route visit the cartels behind the Dunuvila lake are called Laggala which when translated into English gives us the meaning target rock. Laggala served as a sentry point to the King Ravana’s army and it was from this rock the first Glimpse of Lord Rama’s army was sighted and informed to King Ravana. This hill is geographically the highest part of the northern region of King Ravana’s city and on a clear day the north east side that is Thiru Koneshwaran and north west side that is Talai mannar could be seen even today. King Ravana is believed to have done meditation on this rock and prayed Lord shiva at Thiru Koneshwaran from this point. Then visit Dunivila. It is the place from where Lord Rama fired the brahmaastharam at King Ravana, which eventually killed him. Dhunu means arrow and Vila Means Lake. This place got its name because Lord Rama fired his arrow from this lake. Proceed to Kandy. Visit the Temple of the Tooth and view a cultural dance in evening. Dinner & overnight stay.

Day 04: KANDY – NUWARA ELIYA

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, travel Nuwara Eliya, last seat of the Sinhala Kings, is a very popular destination for visitors from home and abroad. Then travel to Nuwara eliya. Visit a tea factory en-route to see how the world’s favorite drink is prepared and visit Hanuman temple. Nuwara Eliya resembles an old English town, complete with a lake, race track, well- kept lawns with hedges, an Anglican Church and an 18 hole golf course. Sri Bhakta Hanuman TempleIn the hills of Ramboda where Hanuman was searching for Sita, the Chinmaya Mission of Sri Lanka built the Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple which is visited by thousands of devotees every year. Sita Amman Temple. The prominent temple architecture will not fail Sita can be seen on one side of the temple. The temple today is a modern building with its paintings, statues and pillars decorated with sculptures

Day 05: NUWARA ELIYA – KATARAGAMA

all depicting the tale of Rama and Sita. Hakgala Botanical Gardens, this is the exotic pleasure garden where King Ravana kept the depressed Sita, insisting that she marries him. It was here where the heartwarming meeting took place between her and Hanuman, who brought her Rama’s ring with the news that Rama was looking for her. He offered to carry her back but she refused saying it would be an insult to Rama’s honor if she did so. Part of this majestic garden still exists. It is also said that Hanuman nearly destroyed it in order to prove to Ravana of the forces against him. Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel.

Day 06: KATARAGAMA – COLOMBO

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Ravana Waterfall & Cave en route. It is said that Ravana had kidnapped princess Sita, and had hidden her in the caves behind this waterfall, now simply known as the Ravana Ella Cave. At the time, the cave was surrounded with thick forests in the midst of wilderness. It is also believed that Rama’s queen bathed in a pool that accumulated the water falling from this waterfall. Thereafter proceed to Kataragama. Evening visit Kataragama Temple, Kataragamam temple. Sri Lanka, is a Hindu and Buddhist temple complex dedicated to Skanda-Murukan also known as Kataragama deviyo. Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel.

Day 07: COLOMBO – AIRPORT

After breakfast, Viist Colombo Anjaneyar Temple. This is the first Anjaneyar Temple in Sri Lanka and also the only Panchamuga (five faced) Anjaneyar Temple in Sri Lanka. Its the only temple in the world to have a chariot for Ajanyear. And then Kelaniya Temple if the time permit, after King Ravana’s death, Vibeeshana was coroneted as King of Lanka by Lakshmana at Kelaniya. There are murals enshrined outside the Buddhist temple depicting the crowning of Vibeeshana. The Kelani River is mentioned in the Valmiki Ramayana and Vibeeshana palace was said to be on the banks of this river. Overnight stay.