There is another legend that offers a reason for the amount of gold found in this region, which goes back to the time of Lord Rama or the Tretha Yuga. According to the legend, it is said that Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and brother Lakshmana wandered through the thick and dense forests of the present-day Avani village which is about 20 km away from KGF, during their ‘Fourteen years Banishment' to the forests.
They set up a hut in this jungle and lived there for some time. One day, Surpanka, the sister of Ravana the Demon, happened to see Lord Rama in the forest and was so enamored by him, that she begged him to marry her. Lord Rama refused to listen to her entreaties as he was already married to Sita. She then approached his brother Lakshmana to plead on her behalf. Lakshmana got so irritated with her pleading that he took his sword and cut off her nose in disgust.
When Ravana the Demon King heard about what had happened to his sister he got very angry and decided to take revenge on Lord Rama. He sent Maricha, his close aide in the guise of a golden deer to the hut where Rama and Sita were living. The golden deer cavorted and played near their hut and attracted the attention of Sita.
Sita was so attracted to the golden deer that she asked her husband Lord Rama to catch it for her. However, the deer was cunning and always moved away before Rama could catch it. It then started moving away from the area and Rama followed the deer for quite a long distance hoping to his catch it for Sita. However, the deer eluded Rama, despite his best efforts to catch it.
Lakshmana, in the meanwhile, was worried about his brother's absence and went in search of Lord Rama, leaving Sita alone in the hut. Ravana then capitalized on the situation and in the guise of a Sage abducted Sita and took her away to Lanka.
When Rama came to know about Sita's abduction, he immediately realized that the golden deer was no ordinary deer but Maricha in the guise of a deer and that it was a ploy to divert his attention. He chased and followed it till they came to a place where the present-day Kolar Gold Fields is located, and finally managed to kill it.
According to the legend, the way Rama shot it with his arrow, the deer got fragmented into many pieces, and its remains scattered over a vast area which is the present-day KGF. The remains turned into rocks and are therefore the reason for the presence of the yellow metal in this area!
Needless to say, Rama rushed to Lanka surmounting many difficulties, and ultimately rescued Sita from the clutches of Ravana and came back victorious with Sita.
Another legend that emanates from around the same period in history, states that the area was once the Dandakarana forest mentioned in the Ramayana.
Legend has it, that Valmiki's ashram was located on the steep hillock above the present village of Avani, and this is where Lava & Kusha, the twin sons of Rama and Sita were born and raised. Devotees firmly believed that Sita was a living Goddess and that wherever Sita's feet touched the earth, it turned to gold!!! Hence the reason for the vast gold deposits in the area!!!
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