The Ramayana Trail: Places of Ram's Journey Across India

A journey you can follow on a map

The Ramayana is unusual among the world's great epics in that its hero's route is still walked. From the Saryu in the north to the sea in the far south, towns and hills are remembered as the places where its episodes happened. These identifications come from centuries of tradition and devotion rather than from excavation, and more than one town sometimes claims the same episode. Pilgrims visit them in that spirit. The places below follow the order of the story; each links to the episode in our Ramayana katha.

Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh: birth and coronation

The beginning and the end of the story. Ram's birth is remembered at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir, Bharata's fourteen-year wait at Nandigram, and Ram's final departure at Guptar Ghat. See all the places of Ayodhya.

Janakpur, Nepal: the wedding

Janakpur, in the Mithila region across the border, is revered as the capital of King Janaka, where Ram broke the bow of Shiva and married Sita. Its Janaki Mandir is the centre of the celebrations on Vivah Panchami. Story: the breaking of Shiva's bow. Sitamarhi in Bihar is honoured as Sita's birthplace.

Shringverpur and Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh: crossing the Ganga

Shringverpur on the Ganga is remembered as the home of the Nishad chief Guha, where Ram spent a night and crossed the river. At Prayagraj stood the ashram of Bharadwaja. Story: Guha and Kevat.

Chitrakoot, on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh: the first home in exile

Here, beside the Mandakini, Ram, Sita and Lakshmana built their first hut, and here Bharata came to beg Ram to return. Pilgrims walk around Kamadgiri hill. Story: Bharat Milap.

Nashik, Maharashtra: Panchavati

Panchavati on the Godavari at Nashik is remembered as the place where the exiles lived longest, where Shurpanakha came and from where Sita was carried off. Stories: Panchavati and Shurpanakha and the golden deer.

Hampi, Karnataka: Kishkindha

The boulder-strewn country around Hampi on the Tungabhadra is identified with Kishkindha, the kingdom of the vanaras. Anjanadri hill nearby is honoured as the birthplace of Hanuman, and Pampa Sarovar and Rishyamuka are shown close at hand. Story: Hanuman meets Ram.

Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu: the bridge

On an island at the tip of the peninsula, Rameshwaram is where tradition says Ram worshipped Shiva before crossing to Lanka; its temple is one of the four great dhams of Hindu pilgrimage. Dhanushkodi, at the land's end, is linked with the bridge. Story: the bridge across the sea.

Sri Lanka

Across the strait, several sites in Sri Lanka are associated in local tradition with Lanka, the Ashoka grove and the war. Story: Sita in the Ashoka grove.

Planning it

No one sees all of this in a single trip. Most pilgrims take it in parts: Ayodhya with Prayagraj and Chitrakoot from the north; Nashik from Mumbai; Hampi from Bengaluru or Hyderabad; Rameshwaram from Madurai. Special tourist trains on a Ramayana theme are run from time to time by Indian Railways; check its tourism arm for current departures.

Begin with the nearest leg: Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj in five days. And read the story first; the places mean far more when you know what each one remembers.