Anantapur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi would visit Lepakshi, the location in the epic Ramayana where the “divine bird” Jatayu fell while attempting to save Goddess Sita from the “demon king” Ravana, just six days before the Lord Sri Rama Temple in Ayodhya was dedicated. On January 16, the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Lepakshi in Satya Satyasai district and open the NACIN academy at Palasamudram in Gorantla mandal, according to officials.
While complaints are being made that neither ASI nor the state government have taken the initiative to submit the final dossier, despite the fact that UNESCO listed the Lepakshi a year ago in the tentative list for its world heritage status, the PM’s visit to the region garners national attention. Jatayu, a demi-god in the form of a vulture, holds a special place in epic Ramayana. It bravely engaged Ravana in combat in order to save Sita. Jatayu is portrayed in Valmiki’s Ramayana’s Aranya Kanda as the nephew of Garuda and the son of Aruna.
According to the story, Jatayu heard Sita’s cries for assistance and hurried to try and save her from Ravana. Thereafter, Jatayu and Ravana engaged in a bloody combat. Jatayu used his talons and razor-sharp beak to attack Ravana. Using Chandrahasa, a sword he had inherited from the gods, the demon king, in turn, severed Jatayu’s wings and fled to Lanka with Sita. The only person who has been shown to have seen Ravana kidnap Sita is Jatayu. Even today, legions of tourists flock to Lepakshi in large numbers, drawn by the sight of a massive footprint that is thought to have been left on a stone in the village.
Following his visit to Shree Kala Ram Mandir in Nashik, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now visiting Lepakshi. PM Modi visited Panchvati, which is located in Nashik on the banks of the Godavari River, a few days ago. At the Kala Ram Mandir, he offered prayers and listened to the Marathi verses about Bhagwan Ram’s Ayodhya aagman from Ramayan.
