Ram Camps beside the Tamasa with Ayodhya behind Him
Ayodhya Kanda, Doha 84
Doha 84 · Movement 2 of 2
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Young and old who cannot make the journey remain behind, while the rest of Ayodhya pours after Ram.
On the first day, Raghunath makes camp beside the Tamasa River. Water, night, chariot, and exhausted citizens gather at the first threshold beyond home.
The distance travelled may be small, but the world has changed. Palace beds are gone, the city lies behind, and the riverbank becomes the first forest dwelling. Darkness gathers above the water. Around Ram, love has carried an entire people farther than their bodies know how to go.
At Tamasa's bank, the first forest night finds Ram surrounded by a city unwilling to remain behind.
Read the passage from the Manas
बालक बृद्ध बिहाइ गृँह लगे लोग सब साथ। तमसा तीर निवासु किय प्रथम दिवस रघुनाथ।।84।।
Leaving behind the young and the old, all the people set out to follow Rama. On that first day, Raghunath made camp on the bank of the Tamasa river.