Sri Lanka welcomes MP govt initiative to renovate 'Sita Mandir'

Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has welcomed the Madhya Pradesh government's initiative regarding renovation of a temple of Godesss 'Sita' there, according to an official statement issued on Thursday by the state government.

A delegation led by Madhya Pradesh Public Relations and Endowment Minister P C Sharma visited Sri Lanka from January 4 to 8.

The delegation had fruitful meetings with the Sri Lanka's president and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunavardhane in Colombo, the statement said.

"President Gotabaya expressed his willingness to renovate Sanchi Chaitya Vihara and to hold regular culture exchange programmes between Madhya Pradesh and Sri Lanka. He also welcomed the initiative of the state government regarding renovation of Sita Mandir situated at Ashok Vatika in Sri Lanka," it said.

Former MP chief Minister and senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan had mooted the Sita temple in September 2012 when then Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Sanchi in the state to inaugurate the University of Buddhist-Indic Studies.

The temple was proposed to come up at Divurumpola in the island nation where Sita is supposed to have undergone an ordeal by fire as per the epic Ramayana.

Giving details of the recent visit by the MP minister, the statement said Sharma and other members of the delegation visited Sita Mandir in Ashoka Vatika.

"They also interacted with the local Buddhist people," it said.

Sharma presented the invitation extended by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath to President Gotabaya to visit Sanchi which he accepted readily, the statement said.

During the visit, several important decisions were taken.

"It was decided to have direct air connectivity between Bhopal and Colombo which will immensely benefit the lakhs of Sri Lankan pilgrims who visit Sanchi," it said.

A detailed discussion was also held on setting up of World Buddhism Museum and Education Institution, Monk Training and Buddhist Chanting Centre at Sanchi by the Madhya Pradesh government.

The curriculum of the Buddhism Museum and Education Institution will comprise Buddhist philosophy, science, art and culture, traditions and festivals from all over the world, the statement said.

International president of Maha Bodhi Society Bhikkku Vangal Uptiss Nayak Thero, Additional Chief Secretary of the MP government Manoj Shrivastava and Advisor V K Amar were also part of the delegation.

Sri Lankan Finance Minister Gunavardhane pledged financial support to the project.