RAIPUR: With the foundation laying ceremony at Ayodhya been observed by some political parties as national pride, the Congress government in Chhattisgarh is aggressively illustrating ‘significant places’ associated with the 14-year exile route of Lord Ram in the state.
The move apparently is seen as an attempt to outdo playing the religious card or stand no less compared to the BJP.
Recently the Chhattisgarh government outlined a scheme on creating a magnificent temple of Mata Kaushalya at Chadrakhuri, the birthplace of Rama's mother, as a heritage site.
The state government has asserted that the way Lord Ram established ‘shivling’ in Rameshwaram before leaving for Lanka, he similarly also installed ‘shivling’ at Rampal in Bastar, ahead of moving towards southern India. Rampal is situated in south Chhattisgarh, where the ‘shivling’ established by Lord Ram is still present.
“Before entering the south India, Lord Ram had visited Rampal. And later he worshipped ‘Bhudevi’ in Ramaram area of Sukma district (south Bastar). Chhattisgarh government plans to develop and beautify the two places associated with Lord Rama and promote as the tourist destinations”, the chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said.
The Congress government further decided to include Sitamadi-Harchauki in north Chhattisgarh’s Koriya district and Ramgarh area in Sarguja as another location linked to Lord Ram’s visit to the state and develop them. Ramgarh is also known for one of the oldest ‘natyashala’ (Amphitheater) where poet Kalidas composed his literary masterpiece ‘Meghdootam’.
During his exile, he entered Chhattisgarh via Koriya district. Sitamadi-Harchauka in Janakpur area is believed to be his entry point in the state. Cave in Sitamadi-Harchauka near Mavai river has 17 rooms, which is also known as ‘Sita Ki Rasoi’. There is a stone in the cave, which is believed to have footprints of Lord Ram. From Harchauka Lord Ram came to ‘Sitamadi-Ghagra’ situated on the bank of Rapa River.
It is believed that during his exile period, Lord Ram had spent some days here with wife Sita and brother Lakshaman. The caves here therefore known by their names in folk tales, such as Jogimara, Sita Bengra and Lakshman Gufa.
The plan of action to develop and beautify these places by the Bhupesh Baghel government at the cost of Rs 137 crore 45 lakh has been prepared in the first phase.
With the key locations vouching for the Sita-Ram journey through Chhattisgarh, the Congress-ruled government gears-up to identify them along the route -- ‘Ram Van Gaman Path’, undertaken by Lord Ram during his exile, which is corroborated by Valmiki’s Ramayana and another research-based book—‘Dandakaranya Ramayan. All these would be developed as tourist destinations.