Where is the Panchvati mentioned in Ramayana located in present day India?

Question

Is Panchvati in present day Nasik or in Parnashala? Where was Sita mata abducted by Ravana?

Answer 1

From Ayodhya, God Rama, Sita and Lakshmana crossed River Tamsa and then River Gomti. They reached the banks of River Ganga at Shringverapura, a region ruled by their friend Nishada King Guha. From there, they crossed River Ganga in a sturdy boat having a rudder [Ref: Valmiki Ramayana 2.45-49, 50-52]. This is present-day Shringverpur in Uttar Pradesh state.

They reach Rishi Bharadwaja’s ashrama at the confluence of River Ganga and Yamuna, present-day Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh state. Bharadwaja advises them to go westwards and stay at an idyllic place called Chitrakoot which is on the border of present-day states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh [Valmiki Ramayana 2.54-56]. There is a Rishi Sharbhanga ashrama near present-day Chitrakoot, visited by them [Ref: holydham.com].

From Rishi Sharabhanga's ashrama, travelling a long way in the Dandaka forest crossing many rivers they reach Rishi Suteekshna's ashrama. Then, they pass many mountain peaks, forests, streams and rivers and live near various ascetics for 10 years and return back to Rishi Suteekshna's ashrama. From here they visit Rishi Agastya nearby [Ref: Valmiki Ramayana 3.9-11].

Many evidences of their presence are found in present-day Ramtek in Maharashtra, and Parnasala on the banks of River Godavari in Telangana state near the temple town of Bhadrachalam which is also called Dakshina Ayodhya. There is an Agastya ashrama in Parnasala.

But, there is also an Agastya ashrama on the banks of River Pravara at Aroli village in Akole taluka, south of Nashik. Another Agastya Rishi temple is on Ankai hill, east of Nashik [Ref: ramyatra.com; Tripadvisor.in; Google Map Reviews].

Agastya guides them to the nearby Panchavati [Ref: Valmiki Ramayana 3.13]. This is believed to be present-day Nashik in Maharashtra state having locations like Panchvati, Tapovan, Rama-kunda, Sita-gufa and Lakshmana-kunda. God Rama, Sita and Lakshmana also worship Goddess Durga at the nearby Saptashrungi temple as per local folklore.

[Source: 'Essence of the Fifth Veda' by Gaurang Damani pages 9-12].