Sita Kotuwa / Sita Matha’s Court – Gurulupotha
Sita Kotuwa or Sita Matha’s court is an archeological site which directly linked to the Ramayana Srilanka. Located at Gurulupotha, Hasalaka in Central province of Sri Lanka.
It is believed that, Sita Kotuwa in Gurupotha Hasalaka is one of the places where Princess Sita was kept by King Ravana. This is one of the very important Ramayana trail Sri Lanka sites. Sita Matha’s court is with beautiful remote spot, which is surrounded by many abundant flora and fauna, streams and waterfalls. And also there are limestone caves, where ruins of a typical forest monastery from the late Anuradhapura centuries which can be visited at present.
Legend of Sita Kotuwa
Ramayana facts Sri Lanka states that the city of Lankapura once stood in these jungles. The city had a beautiful palace for queen Mandothari surrounded by waterfalls, streams and varieties of flora. According to the Ramayana trails Srilanka , this was the place where Sita devi was first kept until she was moved to Ashok Vatika. The remains that are found are the remnants of later civilizations. The name Sita Kotuwa means “Sita’s fortress” connects it to the Ramayana the epic story and got its name because of Sita Devi’s stay here.
According to the Ramayana Sri Lanka facts it is also believed that there was an aircraft repair center in the capital city of King Ravana. In Valmiki’s depiction King Ravana’s Vimana resembled a huge peacock. The Vimana in Sinhala language means Dhandu Monara which is known as flying peacock, and hence the name Gurulupotha, which means parts of birds.
Location
Gurulupotha, Hasalaka, Central Province
History of Ravana Caves
According to Ramayana proofs of Sri Lanka, these tunnels served as a quick means of transport through the hills and as a secret passage. After careful analysis, it can easily understand that, these ttunnels are man-made and not natural formations. Existing tunnel mouths are situated in lsthripura at Welimada, Ravana cave at Bandarawela, Senapitiya at Halagala, Ramboda, Labookelle, Wariyapola / Matale and Sitakotuwa / Hasalaka. In addition, there are many more tunnel openings. This most prominent ramayana site can be accessed by turning off 3km from Ella on Wellawaya road. Then Go up 2km to Ravana Ella temple. Trek uphill about 2km.
Legend of Ravana Cave & Tunnel Network
The cave travelling from Ella on the Wellawaya road, a small sign board marks the turn off to the Sita Cave, considered to be the abode of the princess in the Ramayana. The legend of the epic battle between Rama and Ravana goes that the Lankan King took his royal captive and fled to the Uva region from his capital of Ravana Kotte believed to be somewhere near modern day Nuwara Eliya, when Rama invaded the island along with his army. Here, it is said that Princess Sita was kept captive in a cave. Therefore these Ravana Cave site is one of the very important Ramayana site in Srilanka
Today that cave could be visited after a short hike of around 500 meters. Other caves with similar colorful legends have revealed far more scientifically important information regarding early human habitation of the country, the Sita cave might be such a treasure trove given that it is geologically a medium sized structure which would have been easily capable of sheltering several dozen primitive humans, long before the arrival of Sita. There might be little sign of Sita inside its dark hollows, but the cave named for the Indian princess offers a wonderful hike through shrub forests with some great views of the Ella Gorge along one of its precipices.