The 'Ramayana' and Sita Amman Kovil

by Derrick Schokman

The main highway between N'Eliya and the Uva Valley runs past the Sita Amman Kovil in the vicinity of the Hakgala Gardens. This Hindu Temple is dedicated to Sita, wife of Rama who is believed to be one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Until recently the kovil was a small unpretentious shrine. Whenever a party of us happened to pass that way we would stop at the shrine, put some coins in the donation box at the entrance, and take a breather within the premises to reflect on the story of Rama and Sita in the 'Ramayana'.

One of the oldest of the Indian epics, the 'Ramayana' tells of the adventures of Rama when his noble wife was abducted by the demon Ravana and held captive in the Asoka Vanam of his mountain capital in Lanka. Rama called on the monkey king Sugriva, the monkey general Hanuman and Jambana the bear king for help. These three belong to the Golden Age of Hindu mythology, when deities walked upon the earth and all creatures - human and animal - shared the same speech.

With the natural energies of all life symbolised by these animal heroes, Rama conquered the demon king and saw that order was returned to the universe.

Characters from the centuries old 'Ramayana' are still revered today in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Bali.

In a dance form called Yak Sagana, dances in South India keep alive the character of Sugriva, king of the monkeys and the terrestrial realm, and Jambala the bear king who could vanquish marauding demons. This style of dancing differs from other Indian traditions as it relies on speech rather than elaborate gestures.

Hanuman, child of the monkey queen and wind god, possessed the power of flight, ability to change size, to disappear and to uplift mountains. All these acts performed in the purity of service, elevated him to the realm of the divine. In Bali these attributes are exhibited in dance, Hanuman used these powers to find Sita by the stream that flows behind the Sita Amman kovil. There, he gave her the Ring of Rama, and assured her that she would soon be rescued.

The centuries old kovil that marked that spot, has now been replaced by an ornate new building containing beautifully carved images of Lord Vishnu and the chief players in this epic: Rama, Sita, Lakshman (Rama's brother) Hanuman and Ravana. It is a memorial worthy of the immortal Sita of the "Ramayana".

As a bonus, a second kovil has been constructed alongside, dedicated to the daring Hanuman who located the captive Sita at this spot.

There are many temples dedicated to Rama and Hanuman, especially in North India, but the Sita Amman Kovil in Sri Lanka is unique in that it is the only one in the world dedicated to Sita alone.