Dandaka Forest (దండకారణ్యం)
Today: Traditionally the forests of central India, spanning the Deccan
The Dandakaranya was an enormous, wild forest covering much of central and southern Bharatavarsha - so big it would take years to walk across. Peaceful rishis lived here in little ashrams, but fierce rakshasas haunted the deep woods and troubled them. As Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana traveled south from ashram to ashram, Rama promised the sages he would protect them - a promise that would change everything.
What happened here
- The Golden Deer: Rama travels south through the demon-haunted forest