Nandigrama

In the Ramayana, the earlier of the two
great Hindu epics, Nandigrama is a village outside the city of Ayodhya, where
Prince Bharata sets up the royal court
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Nanddas
Statue of Nandi, the bull who is the god
Shiva’s vehicle.
during his brother Rama’s absence.
Bharata’s mother Kaikeyi uses her influence to banish Rama for fourteen years,
putting Bharata on the throne in his
place. At Rama’s command, Bharata
agrees to act as the temporary king, but
with two symbolic adjustments. The first
is that Bharata moves the royal court
from the capital city of Ayodhya to the
village of Nandigrama, as a symbol of
Rama’s exile; the second is that throughout his regency, Bharata sits at the foot
of the royal throne, upon which is
placed a pair of Rama’s sandals, symbolizing that Rama is the rightful ruler.
Thus, Nandigrama is a symbol of
Bharata’s righteousness.