Nashik
“I hereby banish you to exile, for fourteen years and deny you from becoming king,” wept King Dasharatha.
Rama was the king’s favorite son. They did many things together and the king enjoyed teaching Rama about how to be a great king, husband and man. However, a horrible day came when the king was reminded of a promise he made in a desperate time. The king was wounded in battle and Kaikeyi saved him. After he was healed, he promised Kaikeyi two wishes, which she wished to cash in after Rama’s wedding.
Kaikeyi demanded from Dasharatha that her son, Bharata, crowned king and Rama exiled to satisfy her wishes. And so, the king had no choice, and Rama being the good son he was raised to be left without question.
Everyone of the kingdom, except Rama, was outraged at what was happening because they loved Rama as if he were a part of their family. Amongst the most outraged was Rama’s own family, Sita and Lakshmana( his wife and brother), who vowed to follow him wherever the exile would lead him. And so, in the dawn before the sun rose, the three brave souls left Ayodhya and headed into the forest.
Rama was worried that the people of the kingdom would follow him and the other two deep into the forest. They headed in all different directions and slept in strange villages.
“When will we be done running? When will we settle and make a new home?” asked Sita.
“We will stop when no one knows our faces or names. Then we will be safe,” explained Rama.
So, the journey continued for days and weeks. Until one day the three of them passed a group of merchants traveling and selling goods. Rama asked if they knew who he was or recognized him. They apologized for not knowing him and they continued to walk on. Rama then knew that this was the place they could stop and recreate their lives.
Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana built a house and found resources to survive off of for their new home on the banks of the Godavari river . They lived deep in the forest where no one passed by except animals like deer and rabbit. The three of them would often sit outside and reminisce about their old lives and the friends and family they missed. However, they were all happy about their decisions and that they all had each other. The loved living in isolation with each other. Each day was a little different but still had a routine. They all left free, with no responsibilities and no obligations.
Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana grew very close and lived in their house in the woods for ten years, until another horrible day fell upon them. A demon had discovered where the three of them lived and stole Sita.
To find out about the fate of Sita and Rama read the next story!
To read the original story click HERE.
Now that you have traveled to Ayodhya you are ready to travel southwest and live where Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana once lived in the forest. You will be traveling from Lucknow (LKO) to Mumbai. To search for those tickets, click HERE. I recommend getting back to the Lucknow airport the same way you got to Ayodhya. This is because you will be more familiar with this mode of transport.
Once you have arrived in Mumbai you will need to travel to Nashik, once known as Panchvati. This is a little longer of a drive, 3 hours, but it will be worth it. Once you have arrived in Nashik, check into your hotel, unpack, rest, shower, and grab some dinner (just as you did in Ayodhya). Click HERE for a hotel recommendation. Then click HERE for a restaurant recommendation, it is right up the street of the hotel.
The following morning will be your first full day in Nashik. Do things at your own pace and don’t do anything in a hurry! To get the full experience make sure you visit: the Kapaleshwar Mandir and the Sita Gufa (The Cave of Sita). You will probably be running into many people from all over the country since Nashik is an important Hindu pilgrimage destination. Enjoy the people, sites, and the beautiful colors of the city!
Author's note: I used two different stories to write this entry. The first was Rama Goes into Exile by Donald A. Mackenzie and the other was Crossing the River by Sister Nivedita. I did not change any of the background for this story, I only summarized it. Everything leading up to Rama leaving for exile was a summary of the original story. I also did not change the story of where the three of them lived. I only added to the story. Not a lot is said about their time living in the forest so I added my own opinion to it. I decided to make it a happy experience since the three of them lived there for so long. I wanted it to be a place with a lot of memories.