Sita Gufaa
Nashik, Maharashtra
Sita Gufaa is a small cave in Panchavati, a two-minute walk from Kalaram Mandir. A narrow passage leads to the cave, and visitors bend low or crawl in, one at a time.
What to see and do
- Go through the narrow entrance into the cave and offer a short prayer
- See the very old banyan trees nearby, said to have grown from the five banyans that gave Panchavati its name
- Visit together with Kalaram Mandir and Ramkund
Good to know
- The entrance is low and tight, so it can be hard for elders or anyone with knee or back trouble
- Visiting hours differ by season, so check locally
Spiritual significance
Panchavati means 'the place of five banyan trees', and the Ramayana places the forest home of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana here.
Why it matters
- Tradition says Sita took refuge in this cave during the exile
- The abduction of Sita by Ravana is also placed in this area
- Together with Kalaram Mandir, Tapovan and Ramkund, it forms the Ramayana trail of Nashik