Spiritual Leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Attends Historic Sita Mata Temple Pran Pratishtha in Sri Lanka

Colombo: Spiritual leader and founder of ‘The Art of Living’ foundation Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Sunday, May 19, attended the historic ‘Pran Prathistha’ ceremony and ‘Kumbhabhishekam’ of the Sita Mata Temple at Sri Lanka’s Ashok Vatika, the purported location where Goddess Sita was held captive by Ravana, according to ancient lore. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was on a 3-day tour to Sri Lanka on the invitation of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunewardene.

Gurudev took part in the consecration ceremony of the temple on Sunday at Ashok Vatika on the request of the Government of Sri Lanka. To attend the sacred ceremony, Gurudev took with him gifts and blessings from Sita Mata’s birthplace in Nepal’s Janakpur and Kishkinda, the birthplace of Lord Hanuman situated in India’s southern state Karnataka.

May this place kindle the hope in women folk of a life free from suffering: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

After the conclusion of the Pran Pratistha ceremony in Sri Lanka, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar stated, "It is here that Hanuman ji first had darshan of Sita Mata and kindled the hope in her of reuniting with Sri Rama (Lord Ram).”

“May this place kindle the hope in women folk across the world of a life free from suffering and of a just and prosperous society," Gurudev said.

Earlier, Sri Lanka’s State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon on May 18, received the Spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the global peace ambassador at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Sri Lanka.

During his visit, Gurudev who inspired a wave of volunteerism and service to moot one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world with ‘The Art of Living’ foundation, visited the various projects under the aegis of the Foundation and launched twelve vocational and technical centers around the island. Sri Sri was accompanied by thousands of followers from Sri Lanka and around the world.

The Art of Living which has more than 30,000 teachers and over one million volunteers across 180 countries has touched in excess of five hundred million people around the world.

Sita Mata Temple also known as Seetha Amman Temple

The serene ambiance of the Sita Mata Temple also known as Seetha Amman Temple nestled in the tranquil village of Seetha Eliya in Sri Lanka’s in Nuwara Eliya, was aglow with spiritual fervor on Sunday as the auspicious Kumbhabhishekam ceremony unfolded. Notably, the Kumbhabhishekam ceremony symbolises the renewal of divine energies within its hallowed confines.

To enhance the sanctity of the ceremony, as many as 5 revered ‘Kalash’ filled with ‘Saryu water’ from the holy city of Ayodhya was ceremoniously brought in at the temple to infuse the proceedings with spiritual resonance and symbolic purity.

During the event, the atmosphere was charged with a sense of divine presence and transcendence, as prayers echoed through the temple precincts, seeking blessings and divine grace.