Raipur (Chhattisgarh): The Chhattisgarh government is all set to examine the true age of a gigantic bow at a temple in Surajpur district, which locals believe belonged to Lord Ram.
A small temple situated on top of the Amjhar hill, near Rameshwar Nagar village in the district, houses a gigantic bow and an arrow. The bow is 12 feet long and weighs 90 kilograms.
However, what makes the gigantic bow truly special, is the fact that locals believe it belonged to Lord Ram.
Villagers say that the bow was first found on the hill, following which they built a temple and placed the bow inside it.
According to local belief, Lord Parshuram had given the bow to Lord Ram. The locals hold immense reverence for Lord Ram and the bow at their temple.
Now, the government is all set to examine and determine the real age of the bow.
Jagdeo Ram Bhagat, the Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Archaeology, said that the department had received a letter mentioning about the bow and arrow and the belief that they belonged to Lord Ram.
Read: Ramayana sarees - new rage among women in Chhattisgarh
Based on the letter, the department will soon form a team which will be sent to Surajpur, Bhagat said.
The official said that the team will gather detailed information about the bow and determine its age through carbon dating.
Bhagat added that it is also believed that the bow surfaced during digging work when a dam was being constructed in the area around 100 years ago. However, the truth will be known only after the team's findings, Bhagat said.
Apart from the temple, Amjhar hill also has several rock caves. Locals believe another big revelation might be on the cards if a comprehensive study of the entire area is undertaken.
Pertinently, many places in Chhattisgarh have been linked with Lord Ram, as it is believed he spent a chunk of his time in exile in the region which constitutes modern-day Chhattisgarh.
Further, the Chhattisgarh government has announced the development of 'Ram Van Gaman Path' as a tourist destination.
Some believe that Lord Ram traversed through 75 places in Chhattisgarh during his exile from Ayodhya, and may have stayed at 51 locations for some time. Eight spots on this forested route mentioned in mythology will be developed into tourist destinations in the first phase.
