The light led to a temple where a priest, taking pity on the lone and weary Sita, offered her a kind gesture. He asked her to rest in the temple while he volunteered to get the food to her children. Upon reaching, the priest found the two little children patiently waiting for their mother beneath a large tree. He fed Luv and Kush and brought them to the temple where their mother was resting.
It is said that the tree beneath which the two children were found still stands in Karapura village. Every year, children from the village dress up as Luv and Kush, and religious ceremonies are performed at this shrine to mark the connection to the Ramayana. At midnight, the villagers embark on a procession from the temple to the tree, symbolically marking the children’s reunion with their mother.
Interestingly, neither is this story mentioned in the Ramayana, nor is there any connotation of Sita travelling to the south during her exile. It is just by virtue of annual rituals that the legend of Karapura has been passed on from one generation to another. The story could be an example of how legends are adopted into different cultures, and how they reinforce the minds of the listeners. On your next visit to Kabini, stop by this charming village, the tree shrine and the temple that was reconstructed for the ease of the local community. Stay at The Serai Kabini which is located around 8 km from the village.
