The 85th chapter from my upcoming book "Ramayana 5114 BCE" is reproduced here:
85. Route to Citrakūta deciphered
from the Rāghava-Yātrā inscription
A significant archaeological
discovery was made on December 18, 2024, at Garwah Fort in Prayagraj
District, Uttar Pradesh. A stone slab bearing an 11th-century inscription,
issued during the reign of Chaṇḍela king Kīrtivarman (1060-1100
CE), was unearthed. The 16-line inscription, written in Sanskrit and composed
by the king’s minister Vatsarāja, provides a eulogy (Praśasti) of
Bhagavān Rāma.
Rāghava-yātrā
inscription (Image courtesy: Avatans Kumar)
Dated to 1095 CE (1152 Vikram
Saṃvat), the inscription was erected on the eleventh day of the waxing half of
the Caitra month (Caitra śukla ekādaśī), following a ceremonial procession (Rāghava-yātrā) in honour of Rāma. The inscription
recounts the departure of Bhagavān Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā, and mentions the
presence of an āśrama at the site, where a maṭha was later constructed.[1] The
discovery of this inscription at Garwah Fort reveals the route taken by Rāma
towards Citrakūta, providing valuable insights.
From Ayodhyā, Rāma journeyed to the
Tamasā River, where he spent the first night of his exile on its banks. The
following day, he arrived at Guha’s abode in Śṛṅgaberapura where he matted his
hair. He rested under an Ingudi tree on the second night. The next morning, he
crossed the Gaṅgā by boat and landed on the southern bank. From there, he began
walking eastward towards the confluence of the Yamunā with the Gaṅgā. Along the
way, he spent the third night under a tree near the Gaṅgā River. By the next
evening, he reached Bharadvāja’s Āśrama, situated
near the confluence of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā. He spent the night (his fourth
night in exile) at the āśrama.
The route up to this point is
illustrated below.
Rāma’s travel from Śṛṅgaberapura to
Bharadvāja-Āśrama
Sage Bharadvāja described to Rāma
the path to Citrakūta, which was ten krośa[2]
from his āśrama (VR: 2-54-28). He instructed Rāma to reach the confluence
of the Gaṅgā and Yamunā, then proceed along the Yamunā (Kālindī) River.
This indicates that the confluence was at a short distance from his āśrama.
From the confluence, the Yamunā River flowed westward. The sage advised Rāma to
follow the Yamunā until he reached an ancient, sacred spot (tasyāstīrtham
pracaritam purāṇam) frequented by many, and to cross the river at that spot
(VR: 2-55-5).
After crossing the river by raft, an
ancient Banyan tree named Śyāma, visited by the Siddha-s, could be
spotted on the southern bank of the Yamunā. Rāma followed the path as
instructed by Bharadvāja and reached the Banyan tree, where Sītā offered her
prayers for a safe journey and return from exile (VR: 2-55-25). After
walking a krośa from the tree, they arrived at a forest, where they collected twigs
and flowers. Then they reached a level ground and spent the night. The
Rāghava-Yātrā inscription appears to have been found at this location, as their
next stop was Citrakūta only.
The Yamunā riverbank is now dotted
with numerous bathing ghats, but identifying the exact location where Rāma,
Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā crossed the river requires careful consideration. According
to Bharadvāja’s description, they had to walk a short distance along the Yamunā’s
western bank to find an ancient tīrtha, a bustling bathing ghat (VR: 2-55-5).
The Yamunā’s rapid flow, driven by its descent towards the Gangā, suggests that
this crossing point was likely closer to their confluence.
A notable landmark on the opposite
bank was a banyan tree. In search of the probable crossing site, an ancient and
sacred ghat on the Yamuna’s northern bank, known as Akshayavata Ghat,
draws attention. This ghat is named after a banyan tree (Akshayavata). Interestingly,
in olden days, pilgrims thronged the banyan tree on the northern shore, which
became the Akshayavata shrine. When the Allahabad Fort was built, this banyan
tree was encompassed within the fort complex, prompting pilgrims to demand
entry into the fort to worship the tree. “The underground shrine to the Akshayavata
- an ‘immortal’ banyan tree - was and is a fundamental part of the Prayāga
pilgrimage process.”[3]
Alexander Cunningham hypothesized
that the Akshayavata tree was the same tree mentioned by Xuanzang in the
seventh century, where Hindu pilgrims would “throw away their lives.” The
sacredness and antiquity associated with this banyan tree are connected to the
banyan tree of the Rāmāyaṇa period, although its location was mistakenly noted
on the northern bank. It is believed that the tree was maintained over time by
replanting branches from the original tree. Taking these details into account,
it can be inferred that the Akṣayavaṭa Ghāṭ, located a little west of the
confluence, was likely the site where Rāma crossed the river on a raft.
The probable crossing location in
the Yamunā river
The probable location of the river
crossing is indicated by an arrow mark on the Google satellite map. Upon
crossing the river, the trio arrived at the ancient banyan tree. The satellite
image reveals a lush landscape, corroborating the Rāmāyana’s account of Sītā
and Lakṣmaṇa gathering flowers and twigs in this very stretch. This scenic
route ultimately led them to a level ground, which likely served as their
resting place.
Interestingly, this site is now
occupied by Garhwa Fort, where several inscriptions, including the Rāghava-Yātrā
inscription, have been discovered. The banyan tree, known as Syāma in the
Vālmīki Rāmāyana, and the resting place of the three on a level land must have
been retained in memory. It is likely that the branches of the original banyan
tree were preserved, specifically at the northern ghaṭ where Rāma crossed the
river. The resting place must have been preserved for ages, as evidenced by the
numerous inscriptions found in the region, which was dotted with many temples. The
entire route from Śṛṅgaberapura to Citrakūta via Garhwa Fort is meticulously
mapped on Google Maps, providing a precise visual representation of the journey
undertaken by Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa.
Google map showing the route to
Garhwa Fort and Citrakūta
From the resting ground in Garhwa
Fort, a straight westward route had taken them to Citrakūta.
The date given in the inscription
can be simulated:
It was Yuva Varsha, Caitra Shuka Ekādaśī.
The corresponding Gregorian date was March 25, 1095. Magha nakshatra started by
that morning which was a Monday. The date shows that Sri Rāma Navamī was
celebrated a day before on 23rd March when Śukla Navamī coincided
with Puṣya nakshatra.
Date of the Rāghava-Yātrā inscription
The procession of Śrī Rāma must have commenced on the Navamī day and culminated on Ekādaśī. It is impossible to confirm whether this combination was identical to the one during Rāma’s return to Ayodhyā from exile. Sage Vālmīki provides only two hints: Caitra Śukla Pañcamī, when Rāma arrived at Bharadvāja’s āśrama, and Puṣya nakṣatra, when he landed in Ayodhyā. The tithi of that day can only be ascertained using a simulator, after establishing Rāma’s birth date and other planetary and pañcāṅga features mentioned by Vālmīki.
However, it can be stated with
certainty that the coronation could not have occurred the next day, considering
verse 6-128-50, which states that the Paṭṭābhiṣeka water was brought at
dawn (pratyūṣasamaye), as the next day was Āśleṣā, an inauspicious day for
coronation. Since Bharata had already requested Rāma to perform the Paṭṭābhiṣeka
on the same day (VR: 6-128-9), it is concluded that the Paṭṭābhiṣeka was
performed on the day Rāma landed in Ayodhyā.
Moreover, his sandals, which had
been ruling the country in his absence, were ceremoniously returned to him the
moment he landed in Nandigrāma. The Puṣya day was preferred by Daśaratha;
hence, Rāma chose that day for his coronation. The water pots arriving at dawn
could have actually been on the day of his arrival, as Sugrīva had sufficient
time to procure them since Rāma’s landing at Bharadvāja’s āśrama.
The systematic decipherment of the
dates indicates that the day had Puṣya and Navamī together. Those raising
objections about Navamī must understand that the tithi-s associated with the
deities were chosen for their consecration. Moreover, the stigma against Navamī
and Aṣṭamī arose after the birth of these avatāra-s, for the purpose of
assigning those tithi-s for spiritual progress, not for material works.
Date of coronation of Sri Rāma
[1] Avatans Kumar. (2025). “A
Thousand-Year-Old “Prashasti” Inscription Sheds Light On The Ramayana”. https://indiacurrents.com/a-thousand-year-old-prashasti-inscription-sheds-light-on-the-ramayana/
[2] Krośā means “the range of
the voice in calling or hallooing”, a measure of distance, given as Kos= 1000
daṇḍa-s. It means a calling distance.
[3] Kama Maclean. (2008). “Pilgrimage
and Power: The Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, 1765-1954” OUP USA. P. 65.
