How to read the map
Established means a recognizable modern geographical feature or continuing place-name, not proof of the epic’s events or a precise ancient footprint.
Inferred marks a plausible correspondence supported by named sources, name variants, or geographic context. It is not an established identification or a newly discovered ancient city. Similar pronunciation is a search clue, never sufficient proof.
Traditional identifies a later religious or regional association. Disputed covers competing or approximate proposals. Unresolved means no defensible modern location is assigned.
The bundled Natural Earth basemap shows generalized modern countries and rivers, not ancient political boundaries or street-level detail. New proposals carry separate identification and coordinate sources, evidence summaries, limitations, and the research date. A modern town or shrine coordinate locates that candidate only. Coordinates inherited from the prototype are rounded modern reference points and have not been independently surveyed. Regions, rivers, and ranges are represented by sample points, never boundaries. Exact coordinates do not imply historical certainty.
Narrative and chronology
The slider follows the order of the narrative across all seven kāṇḍas, not a reconstructed historical calendar. Retrospective stories in Bāla and Uttara are marked as such. Concurrent searches are presented in textual order.
Dashed segments express succession between located narrative waypoints. Unknown or competing newly researched waypoints interrupt the path. A displayed candidate pin does not select it as the historical solution. No road, distance, travel time, or archaeological route is inferred.