Holy Destinations of India

Chitrakoot

Situated in Banda District of Uttar Pradesh, on the banks of river Paisuni (Mandakini), Chitrakoot Dham is one of the most ancient holy pilgrim places of India. Lying in Latitude 25 10'N and Longitude 80' 53' E on the road from Banda to Allahabad it is 285 km from Lucknow and 10km from Allahabad.

The fourteen years of exile of Lord Rama have impressed the human mind more vitally than other periods of his life. Wherever his August feet feet tread in the years that he roved the wilderness the land sprouted a pilgrimage center. Chitrakoot is one of them.

Legend has it that during his fourteen years exile Lord Rama alongwith his consort Sita and brother Lakshman came to Chitrakoot and in the solitude of its forests came in intimate contact with Sage Atri and Sati Anasuya.

Goswami Tulsidas the creator of the epic " Shri Ramcharitmanas" spent many years on the soil of Chitrakoot sacred with the touch of the Lord's feet. He composed many of his verses surrounded by Nature in its fullest splendour.

Wrapped in peace and tranquility, broken only by the flutter of birds and the murmur of gushing streams, Chitrakoot is a symbol of Faith - dotted with myriad temples and filled with the reverberating sound of bells - truly, an Abode of the Gods.

HISTORY
According to the Hindu belief, Prayagraj (modern name- Allahabad) is the king of all teerths; but Chitrakoot is rated as more elevated. When Chitrakoot did not go to him as all the other teearths did, Prayagraj was told that Chitrakoot enjoyed a higher status and it was Prayagraj who was expected to go to Chitrakoot and not vice versa. It is said that Prayagraj comes every year to wash off his sins by bathing in the Payaswini. It is also said that all the gods and goddesses came to Chitrakoot when Ram performed the Shraddha ceremony of his father to partake of the shuddhi (i.e. a feast given to all the relatives and friends on the thirteenth day of the a death in the family). They were captivated by the beauty of the place. Lord Ram's presence there added a spiritual dimension to it. So they were unwilling to depart. Vashishtha, the family priest sensing their desire to stay and in accordance with the wishes of Lord Ram, forgot to utter the visarjan (departure) mantra. Thus, all the gods and goddesses have made this place their permanent abode and are always present there. Today also, even when a mere tourist reaches this place strewn profusely with ancient rocks, caves, ashrams and temples with sages engaged in holy and spiritual sadhana, he loses himself unwittingly in the atmosphere charged with unceasing holy rites and enlightening sermons and partakes of the bliss of a world very different from our own. Thousands of pilgrims and seekers of the truth from all parts of the world resort to this place impelled by an irrepressible desire to improve and elevate their lives.


BEST TIME TO VISIT: October to March
 

WHERE TO STAY

Chitrakut
There are two tourist bungalows, one owned by the Uttar Pradesh Tourism and the other by Madhya Pradesh Tourism.

Kalinjara Fort
There is no accommodation available here. This place is fit for a day's excursion from Chitrakut.

We offer excellent accommodation facilities in and around Chitrakut.

PLACES TO VISIT

Chachai & Keoti Falls
Situated on the banks of the river Bihad, Chachai Falls are a beautiful spectacle of water falling in torrents from a height of 130 mts. The Keoti and Bahuti falls, nearby, are also worth a visit.

Hanuman Dhara
Located on a rock-face several hundred feet up a steep hill-side is a spring, said to have been created by Lord Rama to assuage Lord Hanuman when the latter returned after setting Lanka afire. A couple of temples commemorate this spot which offers a panoramic view of Chitrakoot.

Govindgarh
Situated amidst sylvan surroundings, Govindgarh the capital of the old Vindhya state is famous for it's scenic beauty, mangoes and the white tigers. The Govindgarh palace, situated on the banks of a huge lake, houses the personal museum of the maharaja of Rewa.

Janaki Kund
Upstream from Ramghat is a serenely beautiful stretch of the Mandakini, a symphony of nature in tones of earth-brown and leaf-green, the intense blue of the river waters finding a paler echo in the canopy of the sky. It is in this idyllic setting that Sita used to bathe during the years when she and Rama were exiled. Her footprints can still be seen here. Many people seem to follow her example and come to bathe in these especially blessed waters. The monkeys that live here perform acrobatic somersaults from the trees into the river. Easily accessible, you can get there by road or by boat from Ramghat.

Kamadgiri
Kamadgiri, the original Chitrakoot, is a place of prime religious significance. A forested hill, it is skirted all along it's base by a chain of temples and is venerated, as the holy embodiment of Lord Rama. The Bharat Milap temple is located here.

Mara Caves
The ancient Mara Caves stand in the middle of the jungle, about 22 km from Singhrauli. For sheer majestic beauty, they can be compared with the caves of Ajanta and Ellora.

National Chambal Sanctuary
The National Chambal Sanctuary is famous for the rare giangetic dolphin. The sanctuary was founded in the year 1979 and is part of a large area co-administered by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the gangetic dolphin, the other inhabitants of the sanctuary include magar (crocodile) and gharial (alligator), chinkara, sambar, nilgai, wolf and wild boar.

Ramghat
Ramghat line the banks of the river Mandakini and reveal a constantly moving and changing kaleidoscope of religious activity. The rippling blue green waters of the Mandakini can be traversed by boats, readily available for hire.

Sati Anusuya
Sati Anusuya is located amidst thick forests, about 16 km from the town. Atri Muni, his wife Anusuya and their three sons are said to have meditated here. The Mandakini is believed to have been created by Anusuya through her meditation.


Sphatik Shila
Sphatik Shila is a densely forested area on the banks of the Mandakini. One can climb up to the boulder which bears the impression of Lord Rama's footprints. There are large fishes in the river which are easily visible in the water. It also has a few temples.

HOW TO REACH

Air - Nearest airport is at Bamrauli (Allahabad) 135 km.

Rail - Chitrakoot is connected by rail with all major cities - Delhi, Calcutta, Jhansi, Gwalior, Lucknow, Jabalpur, Varanasi, Allahabad. Nearest Railway Stations are Karvi (8km) and Atarra (40 km). Some important trains joining Chitrakoot with other parts of the country are Chambal Express - 1181/1182. Maha Kosal Express - 1449/1450. Chitrakoot Express - 5010/5009.

Road - By road Chitrakoot is 8 km from Karvi & 72 km from Banda. For tourists, it is advisable to reach Karvi, Hq of the sub division, from where one can go to Sitapur, situated at the foot hills of Kamtanath hill. Buses of both M. P. and U. P. State Roadways ply on this route.

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