Among
the most important and closest sites to Colombo, connected to Ramayana, is the
Kelani Raja Maha Viharaya or the Kelaniya Temple. Kelaniya is believed to be
the place where Vibheeshana was coronated as the king of Lanka by Lakshmana
after the death of Ravana. There are also some beautiful murals depicting the
crowning of Vibheeshana outside the Buddhist temple. Vibheeshana is venerated
by Sinhalese Buddhists as a god as they believe him to be one of the main
protectors of the island. The Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya is a sacred place of
worship for Buddhists in Sri Lanka and it is one of the three places in the
country where Buddha is supposed to have visited.
