Sri Lankan Airlines’ latest advertisement has captured the attention of Indian audiences, with many praising the national carrier’s creative approach in showcasing Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage through the lens of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana.
The five-minute video takes viewers on a “Ramayana Trail,” highlighting renowned locations in Sri Lanka believed to be associated with the ancient myth, and has received significant appreciation, particularly from Indian viewers. The advertisement, aimed at promoting Sri Lanka as a travel destination, features key sites such as Ravana’s Cave near Ella, where it is believed that the demon king Ravana held Sita captive, and the Seetha Amman Temple—also known as the Ashok Vatika Sita Temple—maintained by the Indian Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
The video also references Ram Setu, the mythological bridge said to have been built by Lord Ram’s monkey army, which is believed to have connected Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka’s coast. One scene shows a child asking if the bridge still exists, to which his grandmother replies, “Yes, you can still see it today,” adding, “All the places in the Ramayana are real. Today, we know Lanka as Sri Lanka.”
Aimed at attracting Indian tourists and devotees of Lord Ram, the campaign has gained considerable traction on social media. On platform X, user Anshul Kumar commented, “I was planning a trip to Tokyo with friends next year. But this advertisement made me change my plans to Sri Lanka now.” Another user, Manjeet Das, expressed his gratitude: “Thanks, Sri Lanka, for keeping the spirit of Ramayana alive.” A third viewer lauded the ad, stating, “Such a spectacular ad. Got goosebumps watching it. Our tourism sector needs to learn from this.”
The advertisement forms part of a larger initiative by Sri Lanka’s tourism board to boost religious tourism from India. Last year, India and Sri Lanka agreed to collaborate on the Ramayana Trail Project to foster cultural connections and promote heritage tourism. The partnership, announced after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Delhi in July 2023, is part of a Vision Document focused on religious tourism across significant Hindu and Buddhist sites in the region.
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