Ayodhya: A Sri Lankan delegation led by the country's High Commissioner Milind Mora Goda visited Ayodhya and presented a Shila (stones) of Ashok Vatika to Ram Mandir Trust here.
This Shila is a reminder of the age-old relationship between Ayodhya and Sri Lanka.
As per mythological epic Ramayana, Ravana held captive Sita at Ashok Vatika in Sri Lanka. Lord Hanuman also met Sita in this Ashok Vatika.
The Sri Lankan delegation was welcomed by the Tirth Kshetra Trust in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, along with Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, Jagatguru Ramanandacharya Swami Ramdineshacharya, Mahant of Udasi Rishi Ashram, Mahant Gauri Shankar Das, Acharya Mithilesh Nandini Sharan, Mahant of Ram Kachari temple, Shashikant Das, Mahant Harsiddhi Sharan, Kripalu Ram Bhushan Das, Ram Kumar Das, Mahant Chhavi Ramdas and Hanumangarhi priest Ramesh Das were prominent.
These saints described the arrival of shila of Ashok Vatika as heart touching and a proud moment for the devotees of Shri Ram and Mother Sita. They also said this Shila would be preserved in the Ram temple.
Champat Rai said that full respect would be paid to this shila.
However, it has not yet been decided in what form the shila from Ashok Vatika will be used in the Ram temple.
After presenting the stone, the Sri Lankan delegation interacted with the journalists at the Prasada Raj Sadan of the Ayodhya Rajya Parivar.
Sri Lanka's Deputy High Commissioner Niluka Kadargama said that everyone in Sri Lanka knows about Ramayana, Ram Katha and Ayodhya.
"A project called Ramayana Yatra is running in Sri Lanka since 20 years ago. Many Indians also participate in the Ramayana tour of Sri Lanka and they visit the relics of the Ramayana era in Sri Lanka," he said.
On this occasion, Dr. Anil Mishra, a member of Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and head of Ayodhya Raj Parivar, another member of Vimalendra Mohan Mishra Teerth Kshetra, and VHP's spokesperson Sharad Sharma were present. (UNI)
