The Ramayana Route

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel & Proceed to Trincomalee. Visit Shakthi Peedam / Thirukonneshwaram Temple. Thirukonneshwaram: is a wonderful temple located on a rock promontory of Trincomalee. It was built by Rishi Agastya on the instructions of Lord Shiva who was impressed by the devotion of King Ravana. This place is unique in this respect because the Lord built a temple for his devotees as a reward for his devotion. Sri Shankari Devi Shakthi Peedam: Adjacent to Trincomalee's famous Koneswaram temple there is another shrine; it is small in size but of some significance for Hindu pilgrims. This Shankari Devi temple is a reconstruction at a new place. The original Shankari Devi temple said to have been built by Ravana, was the first in the list of Ashta Dasha (18) Shakti Pitas written down by Adi Shankara. Kanniyai: The hot wells of Kanniyai or Kanniya are close to the main road to Anuradhapura only about 10 km from Trincomalee town. Pilgrims believe in their healing power. There are many different versions of the myth of how these curative hot water wells came into existence; most of them are connected to Ravana. One legend about Kanniya's origin has it, that this is the place where King Ravana carried out the last rites for his mother. When he was unable to find water to duly perform the rites, he in anger pierced his Trishula into the ground seven times.

Today morning we checked out and transferred to Kandy. On arrival we visit “The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic” Ever since the 4th Century A.D when the Buddha's Tooth was brought to Sri Lanka hidden from sacrilegious hands in an Orissan princess' hair, the Relic has grown in repute and holiness in Sri Lanka and throughout the Buddhist world. It is considered Sri Lanka's most prized possession. Next, we visit Gems Gallery: The world’s best gems are available in Sri Lanka such as Blue and Yellow Sapphire, Star Ruby and Star Sapphire, Chrysoberyl Cat’s Eye, Alexandrite, Topaz, Amethyst, Quartz, Garnet, Aquamarine, Moonstone, Tourmaline When comparing with other countries you will be lucky to buy pure and valuable gems in Sri Lanka for a competitive price. Evening witnesses the colorful Kandy Cultural Show.

Proceed to Nuwara Eliya after breakfast. Nuwara Eliya - The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls, and Tea Plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coolest places on the Island, but it is just like an English spring day, although the temperature does drop at night. All around Nuwara Eliya, you will see evidence of the British influence, houses like country cottages or Queen Ann-style mansions. We set out to see Ramboda Falls & Ramboda Anjaneyar Temple. 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 on the Kandy to Nuwara Eliya main road. There is a new five-meter-tall granite statue of Rama's devoted supporter. Hanuman 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 is 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.  

Breakfast at the Hotel. Visit Seetha Amman Temple / Ashoka Vatika. The Sita Amman Temple, located halfway between the highland village 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 during 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. Proceed to Ella & Visit Ravana Falls / Divurumpola. The Ravana Ella Falls and the Ravana Ella Cave are located close to the Wellawaya main road in the famous valley called Ella Gap, only about 6 km away from the town of Ella well known for its splendid views of the Ella Gap. The cascading waterfall measures about 25 meters. It is believed that Sita bathed in a pool that accumulated the water falling from this waterfall. The nearby Rawana Ella cave is quite small, only 50 meters long. As in the case of Ishthripura Cave in Welimada, legend has it that it was used by King Rawana to hide Princess Sita. Divurumpola: Divurumpola is said to be the location where Sita underwent the famous fire ordeal Agni Pariksha, to prove her chastity. From the flames arose the fire god Agni who was invoked by Sita. He lifted her from the flames unharmed and presented her to Lord Rama who explained this test was only necessary to prove the truth of her purity and innocence to everybody.

Proceed to Colombo. En-route Witness St Clairs Falls & Devon Falls. Colombo - a drive through the city taking you to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens. Visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street - the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah. In this Bazaar area, there is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings, and the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. Also, visit the BMICH, and see the replica of Avukana Buddha & the Independence Square.  

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight back to India.