Chitrakoot

Excursion

[ Ramghat | Kamadgiri | Sati Anusuya | Janaki Kund | Sphatik Shila | Hanuman Dhara | Bharat Koop | Gupt-Godavari | Chachai and Keoti Falls | Maihar | Govindgarh | Mara Caves ]

Ramghat
The ghats that line up the banks of the river Mandakini communicate a constantly moving and changing multicolored religious activity. Here, in silent meditation people offer the solace of their wisdom to the countless pilgrims who gather here. With the very first rays of the sun, Ramghat stirs into life as all the pious people take purifying dips in the waters and invoke the blessings of the gods.

Ramghat is the most beautiful bathing ghat of the Payaswini River believed to be capable of absolving a person from all his sins. It is believed that Lord Ram bathed here with Laxman and Sita on their arrival in Chitrakoot.The famous saint-poet Tulsidas is also believed to have lived here for quite some time. It is the place where he is believed to have darshan of Ram and Laxman.Tulsidas was preparing sandal-paste for himself, when Ram and Laxman appeared before him as two children. Ram asked him to mark a tilak on his forehead. Tulsidas did this even without recognizing him as God whom he so devotedly worshipped and for whose darshan he was craving.

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Kamadgiri
Kamadgiri is known as the original Chitrakoot and is a place of prime religious significance. It is the main holy place of Chitrakoot. This place is a hill with forest all around it and the base is surrounded by a chain of temples and is considered as an antique, today, as the holy embodiment of Rama.The Sanskrit word 'Kamadgiri' means the mountain, which fulfills all the desires. The place is believed to have been the abode of Lord Ram, Sita and Laxman during their exile. Lord Kamtanath, another of His names, is the principal deity not only of Kamadgiri but also of the whole of Chitrakoot.

The Bharat Milap temple is located here, marking the spot where Bharat is said to have met Rama to persuade him to return to the throne of Ayodhya. Many people perform the ritual circuit (Parikrama), of the sacred hill, to ask for a boon or a blessing.

The religious-minded believe that all the holy places (i.e. teerthas) are in the Parikrama or its pilgrimage-path. The pilgrimage path around this hill is about 5 Km. long and was built by Pratap Kunwari, the Queen of the Bundela King Maharaja Chhatrasal in 1725. There are a large number of temples in the Parikrama Path. Except during the summers, the hill remains green throughout the year and appears like a bow seen from any place in Chitrakoot.

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Sati Anusuya
This Ashram is situated about 15 Km. to the south of Ramghat in a dense forest area and can be reached by road. It is an ever so pleasant, curving drive through the densely wooded areas.

It is dedicated to Maharsi Atri and his wife Sati Anasuya. Sati Anasuya transformed the three supreme gods - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to small babies by her miraculous powers earned by penance. It was here that Atri Muni and their three sons are said to have meditated. She is also believed to have brought down the Mandakini, which is believed to be a streamlet of the river Ganges. The Ashram has an idol of Anasuya, her husband Maharshi Atri, their sons Duttatreya, Durwasa, Chandrama and various other gods and sages.

The famous Paramhans Ashram is nearby. The Ashram gets its name from the late Paramhans Parmanand Ji who was believed to have attained the highest spiritual status and was the founder of this Ashram. The disciples of Paramanand Ji have established a chain of Ashrams mainly in North India.

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Janaki Kund
This beautiful Kund is situated on the left bank of the Payaswini. 'Janaki' means the daughter of Raja Janak and is another name of Sita, who used to bathe here during the period of her exile. The rocks nearby bear the footprints of Janaki. Upstream from Ramghat is a serenely beautiful stretch of the Mandakini River. There are two ways to reach the Janaki Kund, either 2-km up from Ramghat by boat, or by road along a foliage-lined drive.

There are a number of charitable institutions in the area, including the Janaki Kund Eye Hospital, the Raghuvir Temple, and the Blind School.

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Sphatik Shila
'Sphatik' is a Sanskrit word meaning a crystal. There is a huge rock resembling a reddish-white crystal, about 1-Km away from the Janaki-kund on the left bank of the Mandakini. Sri Ram and Janaki used to rest here while going and coming from the Atri Ashram. A few kilometers beyond the Janaki Kund is again a densely forested area on the banks of the Mandakini. One can climb up to the boulder which bears the impression of Rama's footprint and where Jayant pecked at Sita in the form of a crow. Large fishes in the river here are easily visible in the pellucid water, and in a few temples.

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Hanuman Dhara
This is about 4 Km. to the east of Ramghat at the beginning of the Vindhyas. A stream of cool and clear water originating inside the mountain falls on the idol of Hanuman and loses itself in a kund below. It is said that Rama created it, to relieve Hanuman when the latter returned after setting Lanka afire. A couple of temples commemorate this spot which offers a panoramic view of Chitrakoot. There is also a place to halt after the long climp-up. This is an open, paved area in the shade of a massive peepul tree.

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Bharat Koop
About 20 Km. to the west of Chitrakoot, there is a huge well near Bharatpur village which is known as Bharatkoop. Today, the residential area surrounding it is also known as Bharatkoop. Bharat brought from Ayodhya water from all the holy places to appoint Ram as the King during his exile. When Ram did not agree to this, Bharat, at the behest of Maharshi Atri, poured all this holy water into this well.

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Gupt-Godavari
This place is situated at the base of a hill 12 Km. to the south west of Chitrakoot. Actually, it is an incessant stream flowing between two rocks which is known by the appellation of Gupta-Godavari. Beautiful and natural carvings in varied designs enhance the attraction of the caves many a time. There is a pair of caves, one high and wide with an entrance through which one can barely pass, and the other is a long and narrow one, with a stream of water running along its base.

A number of local legends are associated with this place. One of the legends says that Rama and his brother Laxman held court in the latter cave, which has two, natural throne-like rocks.

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Chachai and Keoti Falls
Situated 46 km from Rewa on the banks of the river Bihad, Chachai Falls is a beautiful exhibition of water falling in torrents from a height of 130 meters. Nearby, the Keoti and Bahuti Falls are also worth a visit.

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Maihar
Maihar is located 40 km from Satna. This place is famous for its Sharda Devi Temple built on a hilltop. It is an important centre for Indian classical music.

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Govindgarh
Situated amongst the sylvan surroundings, Govindgarh is 19 km from Rewa, the capital of the old Vindhya State. It is famous for its scenic beauty, mangoes and the white tigers. The Govindgarh Palace on the banks of a huge lake encompasses the personal museum of the Maharajah of Rewa. The first white tiger, Mohan, captured in 1951 in the nearby jungles, was kept in this palace till his death.

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Mara Caves
These caves are situated in the Singhrauli tehsil of Sidhi district. The ancient caves stand in the middle of the jungle about 22 km from Singhrauli. Its majestic beauty can also be compared with the caves of Ajanta and Ellora.

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