Prachin Valmiki Luv Kush Sitabani Ashram

Yesterday’s trip to Nainital was so very sumptuous in itself. It was a long and tiring day but every moment of it was worth it. Today is a new day with new aspirations. Today we are going to Sitabani Temple situated in the heart of Sitabani Forest Reserve. On the way we came across Tilmath Mahadev Temple. It is in Terha Village on Sitavani Road after crossing Falcon Nest Resort road crossing.

The way to the temple traverses through Sitavani Forest. Sitavani buffer zone is very famous tourist spot of Corbett National Park. This buffer zone is not under the Corbett Tiger Reserve (CTR) So Corbett Park’s rule regulation not applied in this zone. Wildlife safari of this zone is also very famous. When people don’t get permit of Corbett Tiger Reserve zone they choose Sitabani for safari. We heard Sambar call and our guide stopped the jeep. The calling gradually fainted suggesting that a tiger may have passed by. We got down from our vehicle to inspect around. At a grassland which ends in a water hole we spotted tiger pug marks. That was the most exhilarating experience of my life.

After crossing Bhandarpani Forest Checkpost the terrain changed. There were termite hills on both sides and the forest was dense. The concrete paved road was replaced by mud trail with tire marks. Moving further ahead we arrived at an open area and a sub-distributary of Kosi River flowing through it. We learned from our guide that Bollywood movie Kaal (2005) was shot in and around this location. But that was OK for me as I am not that movie buff.

Valmiki Ashram

Here used to be the hermitage of sage Maharishi Balmiki. When Shri Ram exiled Mata Sita from Ayodhya,  Lakshmanji, Lord Rama’s brother escorted Goddess Sita to Laxmanpura which is located nearby to this place. Then Goddess Sita arrived here and lived in the ashram of the sage, hence this place was known as Sitabani.

Sitabani Temple

Sitabani temple is dedicated to Sita, the female protagonist of the Hindu mythological epic Ramayana from Treta Yuga (Second era of mankind as per Hinduism). Its association with the Ramayana, is corroborated by legends that state that Sita, the protagonist of Ramayana, spent her days stranded in exile during the agnipariksha (trial by fie) episode.

According to the legend of Ramayana, when Sita was exiled she was pregnant. She gave birth and raised his twin sons in the ashram of sage Balmiki. In memory of this incident, Sitabani depicts the statue of Goddess Sita along with her two sons. Sitabani is mentioned in many religious texts. Apart from Ramayana this shrine also find mention in Skandapuran and Mahabharata. Sitabani is mentioned from verse 49 to 60 verses mentioned in the 83rd chapter of Mahabharata.

Siteshwar Mahadev Temple

The glory of Siteshwar Mahadev described in the Skandpuran is here. Lord Rama had done Mahadev’s worship with Lord Sita at this place in Vaishakh month. This is the reason why this temple is called the temple of Siteshwar Mahadev. According to Skandpuran, the Kaushiki River, presently called Kosi River, has the remaining Giri mountain on its left. This is the wandering place of Siddha spirits and Gandharvas. Rampur near Kaladhungi is supposed to be the place where Luv-Kush caught the horse of the Ashwamedha yagna left by Lord Rama.

Sita Kund

It is portrayed in the Ramayana that Goddess Sita appeared from the earth and finally dissolved in the earth. According to a belief, the place where Goddess Sita was engulfed in the earth is in Nainital. This place has great importance in Ramayana because it was here that Goddess Sita gave birth to her twin sons Luv and Kush.

According to the priest of the temple situated here the gorge between the two hills and the bower situated in the trench is the place from where Mother Sita entered the earth. The priest says that on the call of Goddess Sita, Mother Earth had ripped the hill in two parts and placed Goddess Sita in her lap.

Sita-Rama and Lakshmana Dhara

Three streams of water are located in Sita Bani. These are called Sita-Rama and Lakshmana Dhara. The specialty of these streams is that their water remains cool in summer and warm in winter.

Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple

There is also a Panchamukhi (Five Faced) Hanuman Temple in the premises. ALthough the temple does not belong to the era and is a modern day structure, but the Hanuman idol is considered ancient.

Sita’s second exile during her pregnancy was because of a curse during her childhood. According to Padma-puran, Sita had caught a pair of divine parrots which were from Valmiki’s ashram when she was young. The birds were talking about story of Sri Ram heard in Valmiki ashram which intrigued Sita. She had the ability to talk with animals. The female bird was pregnant at that time. She requested Sita to let them go and return from Valmiki’s Ashram as they knew only up to their marriage.

Sita only allowed her male companion to fly away but female parrot died because of separation from her companion. As a result, the male bird cursed Sita that she would suffer a similar fate of being separated from her husband during pregnancy. The male bird was reborn as the washerman who eventually raised doubts about Sita’s character after return from Ravana’s captivity in Lanka.

After reliving the era from the temple’s priest’s and our guide’s mouth we sat outside the temple in a courtyard having a small tea and snack point. We had maggi and tea and looked around the site once again from distance to feel its archaeological and historical importance. Then left for our hotel

Although there are many ambiguities associated with the exact location of existence of Maharishi Valmiki’s hermitage, it still feels captivating to peek into the Indian mythology, no matter how many times you may have read or overheard them. Such is the power of these Mystical Scriptures. They blur the difference between sane & insane, logical & absurd, myth & truth.

There are four supposed locations of Maharishi Valmiki’s Hermitage which are considered to be birth place of Sita’s refuge and Luv-Kush’s birth place.

1. Bithoor or Bithur – A town in Kanpur District of Uttar Pradesh, around 24 km from City Center. Bithoor is situated on the right bank of the Ganga, and is a centre of Hindu pilgrimage.

2. Turturiya – 84 km from Raipur district and 29 km from Balodabazar district, 12 km away from Kasdol Tehsil, 5 km from Boroi , and 23 km from Sirpur in Chattisgarh. It is also known as Surasuri Ganga. Baranvapara Wild Life Santuary is located around the site.

3. Sita Mata Wildlife Sanctuary – A wildlife sanctuary situated in Pratapgarh and Chittaurgarh districts of Rajasthan. It houses ancient Valmiki Ashram considered the birthplace of Luv and Kush, the Hanuman and Sitamata temples, and other places of historical and mythological importance. Another place of interest in the sanctuary, 5 km from Tikhi Magri, is Lakhiya Bhata, where drawings of prehistoric animals are engraved on rocks.

4. Prachin Valmiki Luv Kush Sitabani Ashram – Sitabani Temple situated in the heart of Sitabani Forest Reserve. This temple is dedicated to Devi Sita.

It is upto our perception what we take as truth and what we take as myth. After all mythology is a collection of myths that are related to each other.