Ramayana Part 1: The enchanting forest where Ram goes for vanvaas is traveller's paradise

Ramayana Part 1, featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi in the lead roles, has just hit the theatres. In the initial hours, many interesting reactions and reviews are coming up, from filmmakers being blown away by the theatrical experience and visual effects it offers, to some people terming its lengthy runtime a drawback.

Regardless, many on social media are talking about the grand scenes of Panchavati, the forest where Ram, Sita and Lakshman go for vanvaas, aka their 14-year exile in the forest. It was part of the Dandaka or Dandakaranya forest, according to the Ramayana. Do you know that the jungle, from where Sita was eventually abducted by Ravana, is located in modern day Nashik and its parts spread across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra? Here's what you need to know.

A trip to Panchavati
Though it was once a forest ruled by demons, as per legends, all the primary sites associated with Ram's epic today are clustered together in the Panchavati area of Maharashtra. It is considered a pilgrimage destination by many. The main sites of Panchavati to visit are Ramkund, a sacred tank where Ram is said to have taken baths and performed rituals; the Kalaram Temple, where their original exile cottage is believed to have existed; the Sita Gufaa, where she is believed to have prayed during her exile; and a handful of other temples.

Every evening, a grand maha aarti is held at the Godavari River here, from 7 pm to 8 pm with synchronised prayers and massive lamps. Some of the tourists also check out the forest area named Tapovan, where Lakshman is said to have had an encounter with Shurpanakha.

Many tourists prefer to visit these spots early in the morning so that it's easier to walk to the temples while the air is cool. Panchavati is most easily accessible from the Nashik Road Railway Station or the Nashik International Airport in Ozar. Both guided tours and self-planned trips are possible to Panchavati, and it doesn't require pre-booking either. The core circuit consists of the Kalaram Temple, Sita Gufaa, Kapaleshwar Temple and Ramkund, and they can be explored in an interconnected walk of less than 1.5 km.

Tourists are expected to dress modestly as most of these are places of worship. Many reports say tourists should look out for unofficial guides and aggressive local pandits who insist on performing prayers for tourists.

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