Academics band to discuss 'Ramayana Trail'

Academics in Sri Lanka are holding a symposium to discuss the country’s efforts to promote Sri Lanka as part of the ‘Ramayana Trail‘.

‘Ramayana Trail’ in focus again
Asian Tribune, 13 July 2010

The Royal Asiatic Society is inviting the public to participate in a symposium at the Mahaweli Centre, Colombo 07 on July 17 on the negative impact on Sri Lanka by promoting the Ramayana legend for tourism purposes.

Leading academics, scholars and intellectuals will be among the speakers. They include Professor Tissa Kariyawasam (Ramayana in Sinhalese literature), Prof, Oliver Abeynaike (Indian Tourist Authorities’ “Buddhist Circuit” but no Indian “Ramayana Circuit”), Dr. Hema Goonatilake (Marketing Thailand for a mythical Ramayana instead of historical Buddhist sites), Dr. Nihal Perera (The factual pre-history of Sri Lanka), Dr. Malini Dias (Distortions of archaeological evidence) former Ambassador Bandu de Silva (Foreign policy implications of the “Ramayana Trail”) and the Venerable Hegoda Vipassi (My travails in refuting the Ramayana Trail).