Sri Lanka, Nov. 10 -- In recent years, Sri Lanka's Ramayana Trail has witnessed an extraordinary surge in popularity, drawing thousands of Indian pilgrims and travellers eager to explore the island's mythical connection to the ancient Hindu epic. Once modest shrines and quiet hilltop temples such as Seetha Eliya, Divurumpola, and Munneswaram have transformed into major spiritual landmarks.

Tour buses now wind through once-silent countryside roads, and new guesthouses and eateries have sprung up around sites long overlooked by mainstream tourism.

This sudden boom could have been a golden opportunity - a chance to promote cultural understanding, to celebrate shared South Asian heritage, and to tell Sri Lanka's layered story through its m...