Rock from Sri Lanka's Ashok Vatika for Ram temple in Ayodhya

Ayodhya, Oct 29: A delegation from Sri Lanka has presented a rock from the epical 'Ashok Vatika' for the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. Ashok Vatika was a sprawling garden of the 'Treta Yug' in the kingdom of Ravana, where Sita was held captive. The garden's present location is believed to be the Hakgala Botanical Garden in Seetha Eliya, an upcountry town in central province of Sri Lanka close to the resort city of Nuwara Eliya.

High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Milinda Moragoda, his wife Jennifer Moragoda, deputy high commissioner Niluka Kadrugamuva, ministers in Sri Lankan federal government H.G.U. Pushpa Kumar and G.K.G. Sarath Godakanda visited Ayodhya on Thursday and offered the Ashok Vatika stone to the chief priest of Ram temple Acharya Satyendra Das.

There is a temple in Sita Eliya dedicated to Goddess Sita and is said to mark the place where she was held captive and where she regularly prayed to Lord Ram to rescue her.