Vikrant Pande and Neelesh Kulkarni’s In the footstep of Rama, which is retracing the route of Ram’s journey during his years in exile kept me on my feet this entire week. I was mesmerized by reading this book. A very unique travelogue, an armchair traveler like me wanted for a long time, someone to pen down and retrace the places following the entire Ramayana (original). Often while reading Ramayana, I always tried to relocate, the places on Google but failed miserable. This book is something I will treasure because all the facts, local folklore, and speaking with locals who lived in those areas, are well documented here by the authors.
The journey starts from Ayodhya (Ram lalla 's birthplace) – Chitrakoot –Kiskindha - Srilanka and many more.
The book is full of local folklore which is somehow connected to the Valmiki Ramayan
The language is easy for anyone to enjoy this travelogue and you will not get tired or bored anywhere. Each places the author went, consists of folklores which will make you believe more in this Epic, with that I will also say the local priest and the storytellers did earn well from the authors! :)
One thing I wish it had was pictures, I really craved pictures throughout the book. I wanted to see the crow-shaped rock in Chitrakoot, or the Ashram in Dandaka Forest where all the Rakshyas use to live, the magnetic temple near Lonar Crater where the Guru of all the Rakshyas use to perform his work, the original house of Tulsidas, the Spahatik Shila near the bank of Mandakini t many many more.
The journey was not easy, but the authors' hard work and the detailed experience shared here, deserve praise.
5 stars straight away!
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