THEN
- Divurumpola means a ‘place of oath’. This is the place where Sita underwent
the “Agni pareeksha”. She came unscathed and proved her innocence and purity.
The
message of Rama’s victory over Ravana was sent to Sita. After a bath and adorned
with jewels, she was taken on a palanquin before Rama. Meeting her husband
after such a long time she was overcome with emotion, but Rama seemed lost in
thought.
Sita
turned to Lakshmana, “prepare for me a fire. Sita reverently went round her
husband and approached the blazing fire. Joining her palms in salutation, she
said, “if I am pure, O fire, protect me” and jumped into the flames. Then arose
from out of the flames, Agni, the fire-god, whom she had invoked. He lifted
Sita from the flames unharmed, and presented her to Rama. “Don’t I know that
she is spotless and pure at heart?” cried Rama.
It’s for the sake of the world that I made her go through this ordeal of
fire, so that the truth may be known to all.”
NOW
- The spot was initially fenced and walled to protect it from surrounding
wilderness. Then a sapling of the Anuradhapura bodhi tree (one of the 30
original saplings) was planted as a mark of respect of the place. A small
dagoba was built subsequently under the Bodhi tree. The temple depicts paintings
of the Ramayana epic.
Today
the temple is revered for the oath taken by Sitadevi and even the legal system
permits and accepts the swearing done at this temple.
