In the Song of Miriam, information on Miriam’s suffering from leprosy is evident when she says, ‘And when at last I rose up with Aaron to demand that my youngest brother share the leadership with us, it was I alone who was stricken with leprosy’.
Stories on people of olden times show how some of the members of the royal houses were suffering from this leprosy. In the Mahabharata, it is found that Samba, son of Sri Krishna, suffered from this disease, and he had to come to Maitreya forest where he worshipped the God Sun and became cured. Pali literature speaks of King Rama of Benares, and Piya, the eldest daughter of King Okkaka, similarly came to this place after being stricken by leprosy. There was a particular tree in the Maitreya forest, the only place for worshipping the God of Sun in ancient times, which helped to get cured from this disease.
Story of Miriam similarly refers to this place alone where reference to Mt Aoronous or Mt Aruna, is noticed.
Stories of Samaba’s curing from leprosy by worshipping the God Sun is well connected to Indian tradition that finds the tenth solar day of Magha(bright-half of Jan-Feb), also known as ‘Samba Dasami’, is devoted for the worship of the Sun God every year. On this day, the mother of the house worships the Rising Sun, Sun at the mid-day, and the Setting Sun with offerings of different types of cakes at three different hours of this day. This day is celebrated in mindfulness of the sons keeping good health by the blessing of Sun God.