love to visit Sri Lanka - the Ramayana Trail

The ithihasam -  Ramayana,  is the undiluted reallife story of Sri Rama - Lanka (island) was the abode of Ravana.    Valmiki Ramayana  describesa Lanka and its surroundings in great detail.   

In Sundara Kanda – Sage Valmiki describes the abode of Ravana where Sita Mata is incarcerated in the following verses :

 

हृष्टप्रमुदिता लङ्का  मत्तद्विपसमाकुला ।

महती रथसम्पूर्णा  रक्षोगणनिषेविता ।

वाजिभिश्च सुसम्पूर्णा  सा पुरी दुर्गमा परैः ॥

 

Laṅkā is huge,  joyful and happy. With elephants in rut everywhere, filled with chariots and horses and protected by hordes of Rākshasas, that city is impregnable to the enemy.

 

स्थिता पारे समुद्रस्य      दूरपारस्य राघव ।

नौपथोऽपि च नास्त्यत्र     निरादेशश्च सर्वतः ॥

With it situated on the farther shore of the wide ocean, O Rāghava, there are no tracks for the ships to sail, and there is no means of communication from any other part of the world.  

Sri Lankan Airlines is the flag carrier of Sri Lanka and a member airline of the Oneworld airline alliance. It was launched in 1979 as Air Lanka following the termination of operations of the original Sri Lankan flag carrier Air Ceylon. As of April 2024, it is Sri Lanka's main airline by number of aircraft and destinations. Its hub is Bandaranaike International Airport. Following its partial acquisition in 1998 by Emirates, it was re-branded and the current livery was introduced. In 2008, the government of Sri Lanka acquired all the shares of the airline from Emirates. After ending the Emirates partnership, it retained its re-branded name and logo. SriLankan Airlines operates over 560 flights per week across Asia.  

Promoting tourism and showcasing Sri lanka as a great place for people – they have launched ‘Relive the epic of The Ramayana Trail’.  Their campaign  reads :   Embark on a journey through Sri Lanka’s legendary landscapes with SriLankan Holidays, offering a fully customized experience tailored just for you. Every step of your adventure is designed to bring out the grandeur and glory in the ancient tales when you explore the real-life locations of the mythical sites. Ready to dive into these enchanting stories? Begin your unforgettable journey today and enjoy exclusive flight fares when you book your flight with us” the Airlines wrote on X. [@flysrilankan]  

The five-minute-long video begins with a grandmother narrating the Ramayana to her grandson from depictions in a children’s book. As the video progresses, the inquisitive child asks where Ravana kept Sita after abducting her. The grandmother explains that all the locations in the book are real. “Today, we know Lanka as Sri Lanka,” she says.  

It is really a very well made narrative which is truly appreciable – it is not simply an advertisement but a factual place itinerary that intertwines epic Ramayana with real-life locations across the island Nation.  This advt aims to position Lanka as a leading tourist destination, specifically for Indians and devotees of Lord Rama.   

“Ready to dive into these enchanting stories? Begin your unforgettable journey today…," the caption further reads. The advertisement opens to show a grandmother and her grandson exploring the ‘Ramayana Trail’ together. When the boy asks if the locations in the Hindu epic are real, she confirms it. It then leads to an animated depiction of Ravana flying with Sita to Sri Lanka in his Pushpaka Vimana, followed by visuals of actual sites in Sri Lanka, including Ravana’s Cave, where Sita was held. The grandmother explains how Hanuman found Sita in Lanka, praying for rescue, and describes his capture, burning tail, and revenge on Ravana’s palace.  

When asked if Rama flew to Lanka to save Sita, she narrates the story of the Ram Setu bridge built by Lord Rama’s army. She then recounts Hanuman’s journey to lift the entire Sanjeevani mountain to save Laxmana. The ad also showcases the place where Rama used the Brahmastra to defeat Ravana and depicts Vibhishana’s crowning as Lanka’s king before Rama’s return to Ayodhya.  

The video, since being shared on November 8, has since sparked numerous reactions globally receiving rave reviews and appreciations.  It is a great initiative and worth of exploring.  Let SriLankan Holidays guide you through this unforgettable adventure. Discover the wonders of the Ramayana Trail and create memories that last a lifetime.  More details at - : https://ramayanabysrilankan.com/  

Before concluding the livery of the Airline earlier was   red stripes on a white fuselage. The tail was solid red and sported the corporate logo, a stylised vimana locally known as "Dandu Monara" (Flying Peacock Aircraft) of King Ravana of ancient "Lanka", Ravana.  The five "tail feathers" represented the "Five Precepts" (Pancha Seela) of Buddhism and the three "crown feathers" represented the "Triple Gem" (Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha) of Buddhism. Red reflects the predominant colour in the Sri Lankan national flag, which represents the majority race in the country, the Sinhalese. This was the sole livery of the airline for nearly two decades, from 1979 to Oct 1998. After Air Lanka began a decade-long partnership with Emirates, the name was changed to SriLankan Airlines; the livery was changed into a much simpler one, with an all-white fuselage, covered by blue 'SriLankan' titles, and the tail adorned with the new corporate logo.  

Interesting !

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
14.11.2024. 

Pics credit : Srilankan air twitter video and their website brochure