Develop Bithoor as sister city of Ayodhya, say ecstatic locals

Kanpur: Being the ‘nanihaal’ of warrior queen Rani Laxmibai and the place where goddess Sita gave birth to her sons Luv and Kush, Bithoor receives its fair share of tourists every year. Until this year, the Covid-19 outbreak put a stop to the stream of tourists which usually pours in.
On Wednesday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, cheers rang through the silence of the town as the residents celebrated.
Many believe that given the mythological relevance of Bithoor, it should be developed as a sister city to Ayodhya.
Durganand, a local priest, said, “Bithoor Dham is the centre of the world. Sita lived here with her sons as ‘van devi’ (goddess of forests).”
According to Hindu mythology, Sita came here after being turned away by her husband Lord Rama. She gave birth to her sons Luv and Kush here, who were taught by Valmiki at his ashram in Bithoor. The remains of the ashram can still be found in the city.
Sita Rasoi, a place along the banks of river Ganga and near Valmiki’s ashram, is considered to be the site where she cooked food.
“Places like Sita rasoi, the utensils found in it, the prayer room and the ‘swarg naseni’ (ladder to heaven) still attract many tourists. All these attractions are closely related to Lord Ram. If this city is developed on the lines of Ayodhya, it would attract more tourists,” he added.
It is believed that as Valmiki’s ashram was located at a great height, a circular staircase of 49 steps was constructed to help visitors reach the ashram. It was believed that the staircase connects heaven and earth. One can even see the whole Bithoor from atop the staircase.
Local resident Pradeep Shukla said, “Bithoor is a mythological city and should be connected to Ayodhya so that devotees could visit other places related to Lord Ram and Sita.”
Another local resident, Ram Kumar, said, “Bithoor’s significance has now grown as it is related to Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. The government should make arrangements for easy transport so that more and more people are able to discover this relevance of this ancient town.”
Baba Rameshwar, another local, said that given its connect with Sita and Valmiki, it is about time that Bithoor received its fair share of attention. “The state government should pay attention to this city as it has a rich mythological heritage.”