About 35 km south of Bhadrachalam, through tribal villages and paddy fields with the Godavari glinting in the background, Parnasala is the site traditionally identified with the forest hermitage where Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita lived during their exile — and where Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, abducted Sita. The name means "leaf hut" in Sanskrit, referring to the simple shelter where they lived.
A small temple at the site depicts the abduction scene, and nearby is Sita Vaagu, a pool said to be where Sita bathed. Flat rocks along the riverbank are pointed out as bearing the imprint of her sari, and further along as showing the tracks of Ravana's chariot. The village of Parnasala itself is pleasant — lush paddy fields, border trees, and the Godavari flowing in the background. The setting amid forest and river makes the visit worthwhile even for those not drawn primarily by religious significance. Best reached by bus or shared jeep from Bhadrachalam.