Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c6.3

c6.3

Almost the earliest Indian tradition of Ceylon is found in the Rāmāyaṇa, that beautiful and romantic love-story, which has for so long been to India all and more than was the tale of Troy to Greece, or Volsunga to the Scandinavians. It relates the capture of Sītā, a queen of Northern India, by Rāvaṇa the Lord of Laṅkā (Ceylon); and the invasion of Ceylon by Rāma, aided by his brother Lakshman and by Hanuman and his monkey army; the defeat and death of Rāvaṇa, and recovery of Sītā. Laṅkā is also mentioned in the Mahābhārata.