The Adi Jagannatha temple in Tiruppullani near Rameswaram is believed to be the place where Dasaratha conducted the putrakameshti yaga. Even today, payasam is distributed as prasada in the morning and childless couples visit the temple to seek blessings.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Bisrakh in Noida, just a few kilometers outside Delhi is considered the birthplace of Ravana in India. Villagers of Bisrakh celebrate both Dussehrah and Diwali in a muted manner.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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UP Tourism

Ayomukhi is an ogress who coveted Lakshmana as she saw him wandering with Rama. She transformed herself into a beautiful woman and implored Lakshmana to stay with her. When Lakshmana refused, she turned into her true form and grabbed him. Lakshmana cut off her nose, ears and breast. The ogress ran into her cave seeking safety. Nowadays, villagers have blocked off the cave with two foot thick concrete because ten villagers who ventured into the cave are believed to have died. There is a temple nearby in which only a female priest officiates since Ayomukhi does not kill women.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Bharata ruled from Nandigram. When Rama was returning to Ajodhya, Hanuman came in advance and met Bharata here. Rama wanted to confirm that Bharata desired the return of Rama to Ayodhya to take up the throne. Therefore Hanuman came in disguise as a Brahmin and prompted Bharata to reveal his mind. The temple here shows Bharata and Hanuman in embrace after Hanuman revealed to Bharata his true form. The Jata Kund here is believed to be the place where Lord Rama and Lakshman cut their matted hair at the end of their exile.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.
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A sculpture of Sugreeva is shown bowing to Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Hanumaji in this temple. Sugreeva is supposed to have built this temple in gratitude to Rama. He then also installed his own sculpture marking his paying of respect.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Pampa Sarovar is the place where Parvati prayed and bathed to get Lord Shiva as her husband. When Sabri met Rama and Lakshmana, she led them to Pampa Sarovar and indicated that they would meet Sugreeva there and that he will help them in the search for Ravana.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Hanumanji resides in the Hanuman Garhi temple of Ayodhya as a protector of Lord Ram. This is believed to be a responsibility given by Lord Ram himself before he left earth. Befitting this role, the Hanumanji deity, though small in size, is atop a throne in Hanuman Garhi. The temple is a fortified structure with bastions in each corner. It is quite close to the Ram Janambhoomi site and is on the hilly contours of Ramkot.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.
Ayodhya UP Tourism

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Rama’s battle with Ravana raged on. As Ravana perpetually thought of Sita in his heart, it is believed that Rama could not shoot an arrow at his heart. It was predicted that Ravana will get frustrated and think of revenge on Rama and forget Sita. At that time Rama would be able to kill Ravana as Sita was no longer in his heart. At Dunuwila, Rama is believed to have drawn the brahmastra that killed Ravana.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Banganga is a tank in the southern Mumbai near Malabar Hill. Rama and Lakshmana had come here in search of Ravana. They wanted to drink water and therefore Rama shot an arrow into the ground. The tank and the surrounding area now host a number of small temples. The tank preserves the look of yesteryears and is a sharp contrast to the surrounding high rises of Mumbai city.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Ramanujam

Kala Ram temple in Nashik is a famous temple which was constructed in the 18th century by the Peshwas. It is so called because of the pitch black stone from which the deities are made. The temple probably existed from earlier times. It was reclaimed from invaders and the present grand structure was constructed by the Peshwas. There are puranic references that indicate a temple existed in this spot about 800 years ago.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Ramanujam

Guptar Ghat is the location on the Sarayu river from where Rama left this world. It is called Gupt to represent the vanishing of Rama.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.
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Rambodha hill marks the spot where Hanuman ji first landed in Sri Lanka. It is also the place where Rama’s troops or “bodhas” camped. A hill to the southern side of the Rambodha hill is called Ravanbodha and is believed to be where Ravana’s army camped. The Chinmaya Mission maintains a temple at Rambodha which has a twenty foot granite deity of Hanumanji.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Prayagraj houses an Ashokan pillar edict. The significance of the pillar is the continuity of the importance it had in later years. Samudragupta and later on Jehangir also marked their inscriptions on the same pillar recognizing its historical value and legacy. Nashik does not have any Ashokan edict. Kalsi and Dhauli have rock edicts but these are not connected to Lord Rama’s journey.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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The Lonar lake and crater were created when a meteorite crashed into earth 5.70,000 years ago. During their journey through Dhandakaranya forest, Lord Rama is deemed to have visited Lonar lake and is believed to have done the Shraddha of Dasharath. Later, Shatrughan kills Lavanasura and sets up his capital here. The name Lonar is a modification of the name Lavanar.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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Muneeswara temple is supposed to have been one of the ancient Shiva temples. The name Mun Eswaran in Tamil implies early Shiva or before Shiva. This temple is believed to have been consecrated by Ravana himself or as the place where Ravana prayed to Shiva. As Rama had killed Ravana, a brahmin and a Shiv Bhakt, he is supposed to have come here to absolve himself of the sin. He was turned away and then created a small Shiva Lingam at a nearby spot called Manavari. Muneeswaran temple is one of the largest temples in Sri Lanka.

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Footsteps of Rama, Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni.

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munneswaram.com