Nine sites in Chhattisgarh will be developed as tourist destinations under the state government’s ambitious ‘Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit’ project which will be inaugurated at Chandkhuri near Raipur on Thursday, an official said. As per mythology, the ‘van gaman path’ is the route taken by Lord Ram on his way to the 14-year exile, and it is believed he spent most of his time in exile in Chhattisgarh.
Chandkhuri, a village located 27 km from the state capital Raipur, is considered as the birthplace of Mata Kaushalya, the mother of Lord Ram. Under the ‘Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit’, all significant places which Lord Ram had visited during his exile will be connected via road network and ultramodern facilities, the official said. In the first phase of the tourism project, nine sites will be developed, including two in Surguja division.
“Of the two sites, one is ‘Sitamadi-Harchauka’ in Korea district, while another is in Ramgarh area of Surguja district,” a public relations department official said. The inauguration of the ‘Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit’ on Thursday from Chandkhuri is going to establish these two important places on the country’s tourism map, he said.
Grand preparations are being made to organise a three-day celebration on the occasion of Navratri (beginning from Thursday) for the launch of the project at Chandkhuri, he said. The official also said the first phase of development and beautification of the ancient Mata Kaushalya temple at Chandkhuri has been completed under the project. This temple is an important part of the ‘Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit’, he said.
During the exile period, Lord Ram had entered Chhattisgarh from Korea district and Sitamadi-Harchauka in Janakpur of Bharatpur Tehsil is believed to be his first stop in Chhattisgarh, the official said in a statement. There are 17 chambers in the caves of Sitamadi-Harchauka near the bank of the Mawai river. The place is also known as ‘Sita Ki Rasoi’ and a ‘shilakhand’ there is believed to be the footprint of Lord Ram, the official said.
According to research scholars, Lord Ram had passed through nearly 75 places in the state during his exile.
In the first phase, some of the selected places falling on the forest route taken by Lord Ram will be developed as tourist destinations at a cost of Rs 137.45 crore, an official earlier said, adding that the project will also create employment opportunities