Overview
Ashoka Vatika (Sanskrit: अशोकवाटिका, romanised: Aśokavāṭikā) is a grove situated in Lanka, the kingdom ruled by the rakshasa king Ravana. The grove takes its name from the ashoka tree and features in several texts of the Hindu tradition, where it is depicted as a place of considerable beauty within Ravana's domain.
According to tradition, the Vatika is surrounded by garden houses said to have been built by Vishvakarma, the divine architect. This association with Vishvakarma reflects the grove's depiction as a setting of remarkable craftsmanship and splendour befitting the seat of Ravana's kingdom.
Ashoka Vatika is mentioned in the Vishnu Purana and in Valmiki's Ramayana, as well as in subsequent retellings of the epic. In Tulsidas's Ramacharitamanas, the grove finds mention in the Sundara Kanda. Within the narrative tradition of the Ramayana, the Vatika is the place where Sita is held during her stay in Lanka.
References
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Ashoka Vatika.