The main sites in Panchavati
Today Panchavati is the most alive part of Nashik. Spread along the north bank of the Godavari, this area is packed with a web of lanes, old wadas (traditional mansions) and temples. Here is an introduction to its main sites.
Ramtirth. This stone tank built in the bed of the Godavari is the heart of Panchavati. According to tradition, Rama and Sita bathed here during their time of exile in the forest. Some local stories say that Rama performed the funeral rites for his father Dasharatha here, although the Valmiki Ramayana does not mention this directly. The tank is also called the "Asthivilay Kund" (tank where ashes dissolve), because people believe that bones and ashes immersed here dissolve quickly in the water. Many families immerse the ashes of their departed loved ones here. Around the tank are ghats (bathing steps), small temples and the seats of priests. During the Simhastha the Vaishnava akhadas (orders of sadhus) take their amrit snan (holy bath) here.
Sita Gufa. Near the five banyan trees in Panchavati there is a small cave called Sita Gufa. You have to go down narrow steps to reach it, and inside are idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Tradition says that Sita worshipped Shiva here, and a Shivalinga is worshipped in one part of the cave. Local people say it was from near this cave that Ravana carried Sita away. The cave is entered through a doorway about two and a half feet wide, so it is hard to get in when crowds are heavy. That is why the administration has to plan specially for this place.
Kalaram Temple. The most famous temple in Panchavati is the Kalaram Temple. It houses an idol of Shri Rama carved in black stone, hence the name Kalaram (Black Rama). Idols of Sita and Lakshmana are also in the sanctum. It is said that the temple was built by Sardar Rangrao Odhekar around 1788 and that it took about twelve years. Tradition says that Odhekar had a dream that an idol of a black Rama lay in the bed of the Godavari. He searched, found the idol in the Godavari and installed it in the temple. Another story says that during the old invasions, Brahmins had thrown the idol into the river to protect it. The temple is said to have eighty-four pillars and fourteen steps leading up to the sanctum, which are said to symbolise Rama's fourteen years of exile. Ram Navami, Dussehra and Chaitra Shuddha Padwa (the Marathi new year, Gudi Padwa) are the main festivals here.
The social history of this temple is also important. In 1930 a satyagraha was held under the leadership of Dr. Ambedkar for the entry into this temple of brothers and sisters who were called untouchable. The agitation began on 2 March 1930, and on 9 April 1930 a clash broke out during the Ram Navami chariot procession. This satyagraha went on until 1935. Because of this history, the Kalaram Temple has become a symbol not only of religion but also of the struggle for social equality.
Gora Ram Temple and others. Close to the Kalaram Temple is the Gora Ram Temple, which has a white idol of Rama. That is how the pairing of "Kala Ram" and "Gora Ram" (Black Rama and White Rama) came into common use. Nearby is also the Kapaleshwar Mahadev Temple, regarded as one of the oldest Shiva temples in Nashik. There is a well-known popular belief about this temple: other Shiva temples have a Nandi (Shiva's bull) in front of them, but this one does not. The story goes that Shiva stayed here to rid himself of the sin of killing a Brahmin, and that he took Nandi as his guru, so Nandi sat near Ramtirth. There are different versions of this story, and some local sources also mention a Nandi idol in front of the temple, so the reader should see it for themselves on a visit.
Tapovan and the Lakshmana Temple. To the north of Panchavati is the Tapovan forest, where Lakshmana is said to have cut off Shurpanakha's nose. In Tapovan there is a Lakshmana temple, the confluence of the Kapila and Godavari rivers and many small temples. There are plans to set up the Sadhugram (sadhus' township) for the Simhastha in the Tapovan area, and it is reported that the commissioner has told the sadhus that the old trees there will not be touched.
Sundarnarayan and Naroshankar. The Sundarnarayan Temple is dedicated to Vishnu and was built in 1756. It is said to be designed so that every year around 21 March the sun's rays fall directly on the idol. Its legend refers to the demon Jalandhar and his wife Vrinda. The Naroshankar Temple was built in 1747, and its bell is said to have been hung there in memory of the victory at Vasai.
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