Sri Lankan Perspective of Legends Pertaining to King Ravana

This book provides a critical analysis of the popularity of King Ravanäs folklore in Sri Lanka. In addition, it focuses on the origin of the Sinhala nation and its interrelation with the legends of King Ravana. King Ravana has been established in Sri Lankans¿ minds as a legendary hero. This research has adopted a qualitative approach, and both primary and secondary sources have been utilized. Primary data has been collected through the interview method, and qualitative data, from secondary sources, in order to gain clear and broader knowledge about this cultural phenomenon. Written literature has also played a vital role in this study. Apart from such methods, researchers have conducted in-depth interviews with key informants like scholars and university lecturers who are interested in this topic. Culture is the most important element for building up a person from his childhood. As human beings, we all should possess a considerable knowledge about our culture. Folklore is a rich source that provides this practical knowledge through oral tradition. Accordingly, as one of the major parts of folklore, it is very important to study about legends.