LANKAPURA RAMAYANA YATHRA 4 Nights / 5 Days

It is believed that Munneswaram predates the Ramayana and a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was located here. Munneswaram means the first temple for Shiva (Munnu + Easwaran). A Shiva Lingam was already here when Lord Rama visited this place. Lord Rama after his victorious battle left for Ayodhya with Sita in one of King Ravana’s Vimanas.

The first lingam was installed at Manavari near the banks of the Deduru Oya (river). The Manavari Temple in Chilaw, is the place where first lingam installed and prayed by Rama, hence to date this lingam is called as Ramalinga Shivan. Rameshwaram is the only other lingam in the world named after Lord Rama

Dolukanda is a table mountain rock 20 kms north of the district capital Kurunegala, close to Hiripitiya village. When both Lord Rama and Lakshmana were seriously wounded by powerful arrows and fell unconscious during the war with Ravana's army of demons, Lord Hanuman was instructed to fetch life saving herbs which only grew in the Himalayas. Hanuman carried a whole mountain range to Lanka, as he was not able to identify the life saving herbs himself. Parts from that piece of the Himalayas fell on five places in Lanka. Dolukanda in Hiripitiya, north of Kurunegala, is believed to be one of them. This legend explains the abundance of Ayurvedic herbs in this area, which was one reason to build the nearby ancient forest monastery called Arankale which during the Anuradhapura period served as a healing centre too.

Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress refers to a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 meters (660 Ft.) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colorful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure “Sīhāgiri”, the Lion Rock. The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. It is the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka.

Dunuvila in the outskirts of Wasgamuwa National Park is sometimes spelled Dunuwila, Dunuvila, or Dunuwilla. It is said to have been the place from where Lord Rama fired the deadly Brahmasthram weapon at King Ravana. The reason for this identification is: "Dunu" which means arrow and "Vila" which means Lake. So it is explained that this place got its name because Lord Rama fired his arrow from this lake.

Yahangala Gala means bedrock. The Ramayana Trail legend interprets this name in the following way: King Ravana's dead body was kept upon this rock for his fellow countrymen to allow them to pay their last respects to their departed highly respected king. There is another local legend giving an alternative version of the meaning of Yahangala telling Ravana did not really die but only became unconscious. His body remains hidden in the rock, laid on his left side. In 2012 he was supposed to turn to right side. And one day he will wake up again

Gurulupotha is believed to have served as an aircraft repair center in the capital city of King Ravana, because the Sinhalese name Gurulupotha means "parts of birds". In Valmiki's depiction of King Ravana's Pushpaka Vimana, the "flowery vehicle", resembled a cloud. But is also believed to have had the shape of a huge peacock, and was therefore called Dandu Monara, "flying peacock". But sometimes the Pushpaka Vimana and the Dandu Monara are said to have been different kinds of prehistoric aircrafts used by Ravana

Sita Kotuwa is situated close to Gurulupotha, Hasalaka. It is a beautiful remote spot, surrounded by streams and waterfalls and limestone caves and abundant flora and fauna, where ruins of a typical forest monastery from the late Anuradhapura centuries (7th to 10th century) can be visited. But the name Sita Kotuwa meaning "Sita's fortress" connects it to the Ramayana Trail. The area is said to have been the beautiful palace of queen Mandothari. Sitadevi was held captive in this palace until she was moved to Asoka Vatika

Weragantota means "place of aircraft landing" in Sinhala language (in King Ravana's Pushpaka Vimana). It is believed to be the airport where Dandu Monara carrying Sita Devi landed after she was abducted from the land of Rama to Lanka. In the surrounding area, now covered by jungle, once was the location of Ravana's city Lankapura. According to the Ramayana the city had a beautiful palace for queen Mandothar.

Sita Amman Temple, located halfway between the highland village of Sita-eliya and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, has become the most venerated of all Ramayana Trail sites in Sri Lanka, because it is believed to be the place where Sita lived most of the time of her captivity on the island of Lanka. After she refused to stay in Ravana's magnificent palace, she was transferred to Ashok Vatika or Ashokavanam where she lived under Ashoka trees. It was here that Ravana's wife Mandodari visited her and that Hanuman met her for the first time, identifying himself with the ring (finger) of Rama. Sita is said to have bathed in the nearby stream. There are remarkable holes in the rocks at the river bank believed to be footprints of Lord Hanuman

Gayathri Pitam, also spelled as Gayaththri Peedam, is within the Nuwara-eliya town, the first and most significant temple built for Gayathri Amman in Sri Lanka. Gayathri being an aspect of Saraswati and the Universal Mother. The temple was founded by the Gayathri Siddhar Swami Murusegu. The Shiva Lingam for this Tamil temple was brought from the Holy River Narmada. Gayathri Pitam is said to be the place from where King Ravana's son Meghanath propitiated Lord Shiva with penance and worship and in turn was granted super natural powers by the mighty god.

The Sri Lankan branch of the Chinmaya mission, committed to promoting the Ramayana philosophy as well as Ramayana Trail pilgrimages, has built a temple with Hanuman as a presiding deity in Ramboda between Kandy and Nuwara-eliya main road. There is a 5 meters tall granite statue of Rama's devote supporter Hanuman. He is believed to have started his search for Sita in the Baroda hills. Hanuman traditionally was not as popular among Sri Lankan Tamil devotees as he indeed in India, because he devastated parts of the island with his burning tail. But in recent times Hindu missionaries and local Tamil spiritual leaders began building shrines for worshipping Hanuman in Sri Lanka, too. The Tamil word for Ramboda, Rampadai, means "Rama's force", this is why Ramboda is believed to be the area where Rama collected his troops.

Hanuman is often called Anjaneyar by Tamils, as his mother's name is Anjan. This Kovil is the first Anjaneyar temple in Sri Lanka and dedicated to Lord Hanuman in his Panchamuga form. Annually at the end of December or in the beginning of January the feast is celebrated. It is one of the most popular processions in Colombo. Visitors are advised to wash hands and feet before entering the temple and not to cross hands inside the temple

Kelaniya in western province is a Buddhist sanctuary because it was believed to have been visited by Buddha himself. Within the temple premises there is a Hindu shrine too. It is dedicated to Lord Vibhishana who was the younger brother of Ravana but during the legendary war of Rama-Rawana a supporter of Lord Rama, because he disapproved of Ravana's abduction of Sita. After Ravana's death Rama appointed Vibhishana as the new King of Lanka. Vibhishana is venerated by Sinhalese Buddhists as a God. They believe him to be one of the main protectors of the island, especially in its western territories