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Amid the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka, Ashok Vatika of the Ramayana fame located in Nuwara Eliya of the island nation, which is also known as Sita Amman Temple, is facing the financial crunch.
The temple management is facing a lot of difficulty amid the economic meltdown. Temple chairman and Nuwara Eliya Member of Parliament, V Radhakrishnan expressed very serious concern that the temple and its staff are facing a tough time to run the Sita Mata Temple, in an exclusive interview with ANI. "Ashok Vatika played an important role in Ramayana, and many devotees from India especially from North India come here but no one is coming now. It's tough to run the temple while its development is dependent on devotees and tourists. Staff is also facing problems," V Radhakrishnan, Chairman of Sita temple told ANI. "Tourists are afraid to visit Sri Lanka right now," he further added. It is mentioned in Ramayana how Ravana brought Sita and kept her in Ashoka Vatika. The economic condition is deteriorating in Sri Lanka with shortages of basic necessities, including medicines, cooking gas, fuel and food, because of a shortage of hard currency to pay for imports. Pramod, a tour guide, having experience of more than 10 years said that he has had no income for so long. "I have never seen Sita temple empty before. People used to offer prayers here every time but now no devotees come here. People are afraid to come because Sri Lanka is suffering from huge power cuts, there is no diesel-petrol and gas," he told ANI. According to reports, business in Sri Lankan has come to a standstill as hotels, restaurants. A local told ANI, "Sri Lanka has many places to explore, including the sea, beaches and the history of Ramayana, but people are not coming now because of the crisis." Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the 26th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka after former Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, stepped down on Monday, following violent incidents between groups. (ANI)
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