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a natural fissure in the mountain called Hatiphor tunnel (cave), through which a small rivulet has worn out a passage. The tunnel is 450 feet long with a diameter ranging from 55 to 16 feet, and height 108 feet. The cave is said to have been noticed in the Ramayana and in the Raghuvamiz (Archaeological Survey Reports, Vol. XIII, p. 41; Lists of Ancient Monuments in the Chhota Nagpur Division). But the identification of Ramagiri with Ramgaḍ does not appear to be correct. There can be no doubt therefore that the Sita Baigira Cave at Ramgaḍ in the Sirguja State is the Riksha-vila of the Ramayana (Kishk. k., chs. 51, 52), but there is another Bindhyachala: see Bindhyachala (2). Ramagrama-Rampur Deoriya in the district of Basti in Oudh, which once contained a stupa over a portion of the remains of Buddha's body, now washed away by the river (Arch. S. Report, Vol. XVIII, p. 4; XXII, pp. 2, 111; Upham's Mahavambi, ch. 31). It was visited by Fa Hian and Hiuen Tsiang.
Ramahrada-A sacred tank or lake situated on the northern side of Thaneswar; it is 3546 feet in length from east to west and 1900 feet in breadth from north to south. It was called Dvaipayanahrada on account of an island in the middle of it, which contained a well called" Chandra-kapa. It was also called Saryanavant or Saryanâvata in the Rig- Veda (I, 84, 14), a small tank situated on the north-eastern side of this tank is still called Sunetear which is evidently a corruption of Saryanavata the two tanks being formerly one. It was also called Brahmasara on account of Brahma having performed austerities on the bank of this tank. It was likewise called Ramahrada as Parasurama gave oblations with the water of this tank to the manes of his ancestors after destroying the Kshattriyas. It was also called Chakra-tirtha as on the bank of this tank Krishna attempted to kill Bhisma with his discus (chakra) in violation of his promise not to use any arms in the Kurukshetra war. It was on the bank of this tank that Kuru performed austerities on account of which the surrounding country was called Kurukshetra (but see Oghavati). On the bank of this tank Purfrava recovered Urvasi, and Indra killed Vritraeura by a thunderbolt made of the bone of Dadhichi Muni (Mahabharata, Vana, chs. 83, 100, 101; Cunningham's Anc. Geo., pp. 331-335).
Ramakeli-A village about 18 miles to the south-east of Malda in the district of Rajshahi in Bengal. It contains two tanks called Rûpasagara and Sanatanasagara, said to have been excavated by the two brothers Rúpa and Sanatana, the celebrated followers of Chaitanya who were formerly ministers of Hossain Shah, king of Gauda. It was visited by Chaitanya (Chaitanya-Bhagavata, Antya Kh., ch. IV). A fair is held here every year in the month of Jyaishtha to commemorate the conversion of the two brothers into Vaishnavism.
Ramaniyaka-A pleonastic form of Ramaniya, that is Armenia (Mahabharata, Adi, ch. 26: see my Rasátala or the Under-world).
Ramanya-Pegu and the delta of the Irawadi. It was also called Aramana (Phayre's Hist. of Burma, p. 30).
Rama-tirtha-Three miles north of Hangal in Dharwar district, Bombay Presidency (Padma P., Swarga (Ådi), ch. 19; Antiquarian Remains in the Bombay Presidency, VIII, p. 137). Ramesvaram-Same as Setubandha (Ramayana, Lanka k., ch. 25). The island of Ramesvara is separated from the mainland of India by the Pumben Passage. It contains the celebrated temple of Ramesvara said to have been established by Ramachandra himself. Ramajharaka, containing the impression of Ramachandra's feet, is one mile and a half from the Râmeśvara temple, from this place Ramachandra is said to have supervised the construction of the Adam's Bridge.
