Route Covered by Ramayana Express Train
The Ramayana Express will cover the following places:
- Ayodhya
- Nandigram
- Janakpur (Nepal)
- Varanasi
- Prayag (Allahabad)
- Shringverpur
- Chitrakoot
- Nasik
- Hampi
- Rameshwaram
The Ramayana Express Train Tour from Delhi will be very exciting for tourists interested in religious attractions. There are various packages which will also take you to Madurai as Shri Ramayana Yatra Madurai Train journey has started from November 16 and it will be a 12 nights 13 days tour. Many more train services like Shri Ramayana Yatra Express- Sri Ganganagar train will also start from November 25 for 16 nights/ 17 days.
Ayodhya
Ayodhya, the ancient city, is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram and setting of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Lord Rama was born in this city and many temples were built in the city to worship Lord Ram, who was known as a man of honor. The ancient city was the capital of the Kosala Kingdom and is one of the seven most important Hindu pilgrimage destinations in India.
It is believed that the birthplace of Lord Ram was marked by a temple and was known as Ram Janambhoomi which was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur. He erupted in a mosque on the site. The city is located just 8km from the city of Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh and is situated on the banks of the river Saryu.
Nandigram
Just 14km away from the holy city of Ayodhya lies the town Nandigram where Bharat, Lord Ram’s brother, lived while Lord Ram was in exile. Bharat wasn’t present in the kingdom when Lord Rama was exiled and when Bharat returned, he was informed that he is the new king of Kosala kingdom. Greatly hurt by the news, Bharat travelled to Chitrakut to convince Lord Ram to return to the kingdom and rule.
Despite Bharat’s multiple requests, Lord Ram refused to return to the kingdom. Then Bharat asked Lord Ram to give him his wooden sandals and told that he would worship Lord Ram’s sandals and rule the kingdom on his behalf but he wouldn’t live the luxury of the king. It was in Nandigram that the Bharat lived for the next 14 years and worshipped the sandals of Lord Ram. Upon Lord Ram’s return from exile, Bharat welcomed him to the kingdom where Lord Ram was crowned as king. There is a temple in Nandigram which reflects the devotion of Bharat and his love for Lord Ram.
Janakpur
A beautiful city in Nepal, close to the Indian border, Janakpur is believed to be the birthplace of Sita and the place where Sita got married to Lord Ram. Janakpur was the capital city of King Janak’s kingdom. The city is famous for the Janaki temple which is believed to be more than 500 years old and is a major Hindu pilgrimage destination. The city is a perfect example of the blend of Indian and Nepalese culture. The city was the capital of the Mithila Kingdom. The city exhibits ancient artistic traditions associated with Mother Sita and Lord Ram and plenty such spots can be observed throughout the city.
Nepal is a Hindu country and their devotion to Sita can be easily observed in numerous paintings and wall murals depicting the grand marriage of Sita with Lord Ram. Every street in the city has one or two temples dedicated to Hindu gods and the ancient land of gods now serves as a museum for Hindu devotion. Janaki temple is the largest temple dedicated to Sita and one of the most important Hindu temples after Ayodhya. There are also various important Hindu temples like Mahadev temple and Dulha temple which serve as major tourist attraction spots in the city.
Varanasi
One of the oldest cities in India and an important Hindu pilgrimage destination in the country, Varanasi is also one of the major tourist attractions in India. Also known as Kashi, the city is sacred to Jains and Hindus. The oldest settlement, Kashi can be traced back to the 11th century. In Hindu religion, it is believed that the city of Varanasi is the road to salvation and many people take refuge in the city in their dying days to seek salvation once they die.
An abode of Hindu God Shiva, Varanasi’s beauty and divinity is further amplified by the presence of River Ganges. A sacred river, Ganges is believed to have the power to wash off all human sins. The famous temple of Kashi Vishwanath, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the major tourist attractions in Varanasi. The temple is made of gold and is one of the holiest temples in India. Other major attractions are Sankat Mochan temple which is dedicated to Lord Hanuman, Tulsi Manas temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman.
Prayagraj (Allahabad)
One of the most sacred and ancient cities in India, Prayagraj is the city of steeped mythology, culture, history and religion. Prayagraj is famous for its confluence of three holy rivers – Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. In the epic Ramayana, the city of Prayagraj is mentioned as the town where Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman spent some days before proceeding to Chitrakoot.
In the epic, the town is mentioned to have just a few huts for rishi huts at the confluence of the rivers. The town is one of the four sites of the famous Kumbh Mela. Organized once every 12 years, Kumbh Mela is the record holder of the largest religious gathering. The confluence of rivers also known as Sangam is believed to be a sacred site and dipping into the Sangam can wash off all human sins. Lord Rama stayed in Prayag on the request of Sage Bharadwaj.
Shringverpur
A picturesque tourist destination in Uttar Pradesh, Shringverpur is believed to be the town where Lord along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman crossed the River Ganga while on his way to exile. A relatively quaint village has gained popularity as the time passes with its mention in details in the epic Ramayana.
The town is mentioned as the Kingdom of Nishadraj and the excavation of the town unearthed the remains of a temple dedicated to Shringi Rishi. It is believed that Lord Rama took shelter in the city for a night after the request of King Nishadraj before leaving for jungles. The famous tourist spots in Shringverpur are the Ram Chaura, Shanta Devi temple and Shringi Rishi Samadhi.
Chitrakoot
A village of religious importance, Chitrakoot is situated on the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, sharing the area with both the states. It is the same town where Bharat, the brother of Lord Ram, followed Lord Ram and tried persuading Lord Ram into returning back to the kingdom. Lord Ram also got to know about his father’s death in the same town and he performed King Dashrath’s last rites in presence of all the goddesses and gods.
Nasik
During his exile, Lord Ram moved to Panchvati in Dandaka Forests from Chitrakoot. Today the Panchvati is identified as a region in Nasik. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nasik is a pilgrimage destination with numerous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Ram.
Nasik is also home to the world’s only Lakshman temple and a cave named after Sita, where Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita are believed to have prayed to Lord Shiva. Near the cave lies the Lakshman Rekha, where Ravana abducted Sita. The name Panchvati traces its origin from the presence of 5 banyan trees when Lord Ram arrived. Even the name of the town Nashik is derived from the site where Lakshman cut the nose of Surpanakha.
Hampi
Hampi is a major tourist attraction in South India. A UNESCO World Heritage site, Hampi exhibits numerous Hindu temples. The capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, Hampi was a town of glory in its prime. The city of Hampi holds special mention in the epic Ramayana. Believed to be the town where Lord Ram and Lakshman met Lord Hanuman while in his search for his wife Sita. Many of the places mentioned in the epics can be found here in Hampi. Hampi is known for its grand style of architecture dating back to the Vijayanagar Empire.
Hampi is believed to be the mythical kingdom of monkeys. The Anjaneya Hills across the river is believed to be the holy site where Anjana gave birth to Lord Hanuman. The place where Hanuman first met Lord Ram is known as Rishimukh Island and is considered to be a holy place in Hindu religion. Sugreeva’s cave can be spotted on the banks of the river while approaching Vittala temple. Hampi is home to many such tales of mythology.
Rameshwaram
A town in the state of Tamil Nadu, Rameshwaram is located on the Pamban Island, separated by the Pamban Channel from mainland India. It is 50 km from Mannar Island, Sri Lanka. Rameshwaram is the terminus of the Shri Ramayan Express Tour, the Sri Lanka tour starts by taking a flight from Chennai to Sri Lanka. Together with Kashi, Rameshwaram is considered to be the holiest place in Hindu religion and it is also part of the holy Char Dham Yatra. In Ramayana, it is said that Lord Ram and his army arrived at the shores of Rameshwaram seeing a route across the sea to reach the kingdom of Ravana, Lanka. Hanuman was the first to discover this place and it is believed that he, being the son of the wind god, had taken a giant leap across the sea to Lanka.
Rameshwaram is the place where Lord Ram decided to build a sea bridge across the sea. It is also the place where Ravan’s brother Vibhishan abandoned his brother to join Lord Ram’s army. The Shiva Lingam in the temple Ramanathaswamy is believed to be one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas.
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Ramayana Express in Madurai Train Route
In Madurai, the train will cover:
- Madurai
- Dindigul
- Tiruchchirappalli
- Thanjavur
- Kumbakonam
- Mayiladuthurai Jn
- Chidambaram
- Cuddalore Port
- Villupuram Jn
- Chennai Egmore
- Katpadi Jn
- Jolarpettai Jn
- Yesvantpur
- Arsikere Jn
- Davangere
- Hubballi Jn
- Gadag
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