Was Ravana's Lanka present day Sumatra island?

1)    Sage Valmiki describes Ravana's Lanka to be situated at a distance of 100 Yojanas from Mahendragiri, a mountain situated at the Southern tip of the then India.

इतो द्वीपे समुद्रस्य संपूर्णे शत योजने |

तस्मिन् लंका पुरी रम्या निर्मिता विश्वकर्मणा || ४-५८-२०

"There is a lavish city in the oceanic island afar a hundred yojana-s all in all from here, which Vishvakarma, the Divine-Architect, has built, and it is called Lanka. "

2)    The Sage also describes that it was Vishvakarma, the Divine-architect, who built the Lanka, using Gold to great extent.

जांबूनदमयैः द्वारैः चित्रैः कांचन वेदिकैः |

प्रासादैः हेम वर्णैः च महद्भिः सुसमाकृता || ४-५८-२१

प्राकारेण अर्क वर्णेन महता च समन्विता |

"Its multi-storied buildings are built very symmetrically and they will be in golden tinge with completely golden doors. The golden podia of verandas are amazing. That city is securely enclosed in a gigantic rampart that will be dazzling in the colour of sun.."

3    After reaching Lanka, Sri Hanuma saw  various glorious pleasure-groves filled by various trees that give fruits and flowers in all seasons and beautiful gardens, indicating that Lanka might have existed at equatorial zone on the Earth.

4)  The Himalayan mountain range and Tibetan plateau have formed as a result of the collision between the Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate which began 50 million years ago and continues today. 225 million years ago (Ma) India was a large island situated off the Australian coast and separated from Asia by the Tethys Ocean.

The Geological Society

 

5)  Sage Valmiki mentions about Himalayas in Yuddha Kanda, when Sri Hanuma was asked to bring Sanjeevani Hill, containing wonderful herbs.

गत्वा परममध्वानमुपर्युपरि सागरम् |

हिमवन्तं नगश्रेष्ठं हनूमन्गन्तुमर्हसि || ६-७४-२९

"O Hanuma! You ought to go to Himalaya, the foremost of mountains, by traveling higher and higher over the large ocean."

-------------

So Ramayana might have occurred after the continental drift took place.

Apart from this issue, we have to consider another issue,i.e, placement of Ravana's Lanka at equatorial zone.

a)   Sri Hanuma flew towards Ravana's Lanka in Southern direction.  Present day Sri Lanka at South-eastern Direction.  Hence, it is not Ravana's Lanka.  Further, it is no where near the equatorial zone.

b)   Vishvakarma, the Divine-architect,  built the Lanka, using Gold to great extent.  He could not have brought so much quantity of Gold from outside area.

c)   Sumatra island was known in ancient times by the Sanskrit names of Swarnadwīpa ("Island of Gold") and Swarnabhūmi ("Land of Gold"), because of the gold deposits of the island's highland.

Sumatra

 

d)   The equator is passing through present day Sumatra island. 

e)     The Sumatra island might have drifted along with India,  and during Ramayana period it might have situated in the Southern Direction and at equatorial zone.

f) Sage Valmiki describes Ravana's fort to be situated on the top of the mountain.

स तस्मिन्नचले तिष्ठन्वनान्युपवनानि च |
स नगाग्रे च तां लङ्कां ददर्श पवनात्मजः || ५-२-८

"That son of God Vayu stood on a mountain and saw forests and gardens and also the city of Lanka situated on the top of a mountain."

g) Vishvakarma, the Divine-architect, might have built the Lanka, using Gold reserves available in the  highland of Sumatra island.

h) Hence, present day Sumatra island might be Ravana's Lanka.