A stone from Sita Eliya, the place in Sri Lanka where Goddess Sita is believed to have been held captive, will be used in the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and serve as a pillar of strength for India-Lanka ties, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said.

The stone is expected to be brought to India by Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda.

“A stone from Sita Eliya in #SriLanka for the Ram Temple in #Ayodhya will be a pillar of strength for #India-#SriLanka ties. This stone was received at Mayurapathi Amman Temple by HC-designate of Sri Lanka to India HE Mr Milinda Moragoda in presence of the High Commissioner,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted on Thursday.

 

A temple in Sita Eliya is dedicated to Goddess Sita and is said to mark the place where she was held captive by the Lankan king Ravana and where she regularly prayed to Lord Rama for her rescue.

En route to Hakgala Gardens, the vibrant and colourful temple is known as the Seetha Amman Temple. Found on the top of the rock across a brook are round markings believed to be the footprints of the elephant that belonged to Ravana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last year performed the ‘bhoomi pujan’ of the Supreme Court-mandated Ram temple in Ayodhya, bringing to fruition the BJP’s “mandir movement” that defined its politics for three decades and took it to the heights of power.