Sri Lanka to promote 'Ramayana' sites to attract tourists

COLOMBO: Tourists visiting Sri Lanka can now have a feel of the 'Ramayana' as the government has decided to develop the sites associated with the epic for which it has sought India's assistance.

Hindu devout and those interested in mythology would get an opportunity to visit the sites in the island nation which the epic suggests was ruled by the great demon-king Ravana.
   
A team of Sri Lankan tourism department is now in India to resurrect and sequence with impeccable accuracy the revered epic.
   
"Our team is currently in India to study the project. We have sent our experts to seek assistance in India for developing the sites in Sri Lanka which once witnessed (events of) the historic Ramayana," Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTD) chief S Kalaiselvam told.
   
The tourism authorities are planning sound and light show, proper logistic facilities and other amenities at the sites to attract Indians and other tourists from world over but, Kalaiselvam said, nothing has been finalised yet.
   
"We have not yet decided on the knitty-gritty of the Ramayana site package," he said.
   
According to the Ramayana, Ravana abducted Sita to Sri Lanka in a flying machine called "Pushpaka Vimanam" by the Hindus and "Dandu Monara Yanthraya" by the Sinhalese Buddhists.