Wayanad district, Kerala: Seetha Lava Kusha Temple Dinesh King Rama had banished his pregnant wife Sita, and sent her away to live in the forest, where she her was brought by Lakshmana and Hanuman and left in the then forest village of Pulpalli in the hermitage of Valmiki. The Sita idol here is known as Jadayattakavu Amma or Chedathinkavu. It is believed that Lava and Kusha were born here in Valmiki Ashrama and grew up in this place under the tutelage of the sage Valmiki. The main shrine here is dedicated to Sita and flanked by shrines of her sons, Lava and Kusha (known locally as Murikannmar). retreat without demolishing the temple. Another interesting aspect around the temple environs is that there are no leaches here unlike the rest of the Wayanad forest area. According to the legend, Goddess Sita cursed the leeches that bit Lava and Kusha and banished them from Pulpally. The temple's annual festival is celebrated in the first week of January, also considered to be the regional festival, which is attended by a large number of people belonging to different castes and creed. This temple is 50 km away from Kalpetta, 25 km from Sultan Bathery, and 41 km from Mananthavadi in Kerala. A TO Z INDIA NOVEMBER 2022 PAGE 28