ASHOK VATIKA IN SRI LANKA -

ASHOK VATIKA IN SRILANKA-

During my visit to Sri Lanka last week, I visited the legendary "ASHOK VATIKA" and at this holy place,we decided to stay in Grand Hotel (www.grandhotelnuwaraeliya.com), which is centrally located in Nuwara Eliya, adjacent to the  Nuwara Eliya Golf Club. 

This is a very important religious place for Hindus.This is the place where Ravana,the king of Lanka kept Mata Sita after her abduction.Even now an old hindu temple exists here with the sacred idols of the Lord Rama, Sitaji, Lakshman and Hanumanji.It is believed that in the Ramayan era, Sugriva the then ruler of monkey kingdom, located in south west of India, was a great friend and devotee of Lord Rama and he ordered his armies to search Mata Sita in all four corners of the earth. Hanuman with his divine powers,while searching for Mata Sita ,crossed the ocean and ultimately reached this place.  The "foot prints" of Hanumanji are marked hear and can still be seen very near to the main temple.This temple is known as "Seetha Eliya Sri Seethai Amman Temple" .Temple opening times are from 8.00am to 1.00pm and from 2.00pm to 6.30pm. This temple is located on Wellimada road in the Nuwara Eliya area, which is the highest as well as the most beautiful hill station of Sri Lanka Central Province.This shrine is about 6 to 7 km from the main Nuwara Eliya town and presently located  in Hakagala natural reserve.There is a temple committee to manage this temple.

Following are some of the photographs of Ashok Vatika are as follows-

                    

FOOT PRINTS OF HANUMANJI