Will go ahead with plan to construct Sita temple in Sri Lanka: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

GWALIOR: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said that necessary approvals are secured from the Government of Sri Lanka and Centre for the construction of goddess Sita's temple in the island nation at Divurumpola, a place believed to be associated with Ramayana.

"We have received the permission from the Sri Lankan government in this regard and the Centre has also given its approval," Chouhan said.

He was addressing the meeting of the coordinators of polling booths ahead of the state Assembly elections which are due by year end.

"The temple will be constructed through Swami Dayanand Trust", Chouhan said.

The chief minister had mooted the project in September 2012 when Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Sanchi to inaugurate the University of Buddhist-Indic Studies. Chouhan had offered to fund the project, sanctioning Rs 1 crore.

The temple is proposed to come up at Divurumpola, near Nuwara-Eliya, a place where goddess Sita underwent 'Agni Pariksha' (test by fire), according to mythological epic Ramayana.