BHARAT DARSHAN: EXPLORING THE UNEXPLORED:RAMAYANA: A MYTH OR REALITY? (Episode-3)

In this show of our documentary travelogue on Steemit, "Bharat Darshan: exploring the unexplored", Sukhnidhey Films (www.sukhnidhey.com) brings to light some facts to compel you to seriously question whether the great Indian epic, Ramayana deserves the "Mythology" tag. We take you to some forgotten lands which find mentions in the Ramayana, and in whose culture the events of the epic are so deeply embedded. We take our viewers to witness two ancient forgotten lands, "Kamadgiri" and "Sita Samahit Sthal",situated in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh respectively. They are associated with numerous events in the great Indian epic, and one of the most ancient literary account in the world- the Ramayana. Kamadgiri mountains are a part of central India's Vindyachal mountain ranges, where Lord Ram, His consort, Goddess Sita and His brother, Laksman spent a considerable period of their exile.

An ancient temple of Kamadnathji marks the spot where Lord Rama Himself used to pray for success in His quest to wipe out the clan of the evil Rakshasas, or the demons who had conquered even death.

We also see the place where Lord Ram met His brother, Bharat,during the exile, when the latter requested Him to return back. Lord Ram refused however, and Bharat took away his sandals ("Charan Padukayen") along. According to locals, those sandals can still be seen in a temple, "Bharat milap temple", which marks the spot.

Next, we take you to Sitamarhi, the place which was once the site of the Valmiki Ashram (hermitage of Saint Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana). It was here that the Saint Valmiki wrote the great epic. The Ramayana describes how later Lord Rama abandoned Goddess Sita when His subjects questioned her chastity. She then took refuge at this very place in the Valmiki ashram, where she later also gave birth to Lord Ram's two sons, Luv and Kush. They were brought up in the same hermitage, and later caught hold of Lord Ram's Ashvamedha Yajna horse, the Yagna being a sacrificial ritual in ancient India to establish a King's rule over all regions where a horse, let loose, freely runs into.

Later in the story, Goddess Sita took her final refuge in Mother Earth, after being asked to prove her chastity. It is said that on hearing her prayers, Sitamarhi's earth erupted, and took Her within. The place was then famously called, "Sita Samahit Sthal" ("The Place where Sita took refuge into the Earth). The exact spot can still be seen here.

So, hold your breath, tighten your seat belts and come along with us as we take you to this divine place, gather and document historical evidences on this enchanting journey, studying the architectural features and critically examining the events as described in the ancient Indian texts, and as we see them first hand. "BHARAT DARSHAN: exploring the unexplored", every Thursday at 12 pm EST on Steemit.