Sri Lanka's King Ravana

Sri Lanka has cultural links with India, somewhat like the rest of South Asia. Among other things, Buddhism and the story of Ramayana bring the two countries together on several platforms.








Now that the Sri Lankan government has released formal information about geological finds dating to the era when Ram and Ravan had come face to face here, in the war talked about in the Lankakand chapter of Tulsidas's Ramayana, Sri Lanka will certainly see a spate of Indian travellers visiting the country for an update.



Ramayana has become the link to Sri Lanka's past and present. Sites associated with the Ramayana are being promoted by the Sri Lankan Tourism Board.



The board has even identified the site where Ravana parked his flying machine in a cave.

On a more recent note, Sri Lanka came to my notice as I came across the announcement for a ballet performance to be directed by Pabalu Wijegoonewardane at John de Silva Theatre, Columbo on May 30th, 2008. The ballet titled 'Maha Ravana' is an exploration of the virtues of Sri Lanka's most famous ruler, Ravana.

Wijegoonewardane contends that Ravana was the only king who managed to wipe out all forms of divisions in Sri Lanka thereby uniting it.



"Every nation, strives to keep true to an icon; a national figure. The manner in which the icon is portrayed can take many forms. This is the story behind the ballet Maha Ravana," the Sunday Times reported.

Wijegoonewardane insists that:

Vimanika Shastra by Maha Rishi Bharadvaja has documented evidence of such inventions. The Vimanika Shastra (science of aeronautics) is an early 20th century Sanskrit text obtained by chanelling on aeronautics. It includes discussions of construction of vimanas, the ‘chariots of the gods’ and the mythical self-moving aerial cars contained in the Sanskrit epics.

While India idolizes Ram, the king of Awadh, it is only natural that Sri Lanka takes pride in the erudite kingship of Ravana :-)