In the heart of the tropical island paradise of Sri Lanka lies a spectacular hill-country that is infamous for its high-quality tea, serene landscapes, and chilly temperatures, but has recently been garnering some attention for something a little more extraordinary. Quite recently, the Nuwara Eliya district became the resting place of the only temple in the world that is dedicated to Sita, the consort of the Hindhu god Rama, and the central female character of the epic story of the epic poem Ramayana. This temple is sure to be a staple for visitors looking for a tour in Sri Lanka. A wide variety of resorts offer packaged tours where one embark on a voyage across Sri Lanka, and major entities such as Jetwing Travels, whose tours involve the hill-countryn anyway will definitely feature the one-of-a-kind temple.
The temple was the brain-child of the Seetha Amman Temple Trust, who decided to build the temple upon the exact spot believed to have been where Sita was held captive by the Demon-King Ravana in the epic poem. According to the mythos, Sita, the wife of King Rama, was held prisoner in the Ashoka forests of the region. Most followers believe that there is no myth and Sita’s imprisonment is history. Upon realising the great potential the unique temple has to be a tourist attraction, the Sri Lankan ministry of tourism plan to further capitalize on the temple and her site to develop a sacred site and pilgrimage complex. Unfortunately for the ministry, strong objections from Buddhist organizations and environmental groups resulted in the project put on indefinite hold.
Some may argue that there is no real basis to assume that the site is as special as it is said to be, but the president of the Seetha Amman Temple Trust is unperturbed, citing the large amounts of Ashoka trees as testament to the truth, along with the discovery of three ancient idols, one being Sita. So take a visit to this site and see for yourself if the story is true or not.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
