In all versions of the tale, after marrying Gautama, Ahalya settles into his ashram (hermitage), which generally becomes the site of her epic curse. The "Ramayana" records that Gautama's ashram is in a forest ("Mithila-upavana") near Mithila, where the couple practices asceticism together for several years. In other scriptures, the ashram is usually near the river bank. The "Brahma Purana" says that it is near the river Godavari and the "Skanda Purana" (701–1200 CE) places it near the river Narmada. The "Padma Purana" and the "Brahma Vaivarta Purana" (801–1100 CE) describe the ashram as near the holy city of Pushkar.