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.
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.
Accessibility
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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