Chitrakoot

Chitrakoot, one of the most important centres of Hindu faith and culture, is known for its scenic beauty and its holiness. The Ganges Valley, the seat of Hinduism, is only 50km away from here. In the Tretayuga, or the third epoch of the Hindu cosmogony, Chitrakoo was regarded as a very sacred place. Mythology has it that Rama and Sita visited Chitrakoot during their 14-year long exile. Around 11 out of the 14 years of Rama’s exile were spent in the jungles of Chitrakoot.

Situated amidst nature’s bounty on the banks of the Payaswini River, Chitrakoot is the tip of Satna district in Madhya Pradesh.The Payaswini River flows around the base of the Vindhya Hills, covering a circumference of 5km.  It lies in the Vindhya escarpment, and is dissected by torrential rivers. In the year 1775, the Bundela chief, Chhattarsal constructed a terrace here on which the pilgrims perform a ceremonial circumambulation.

The banks of the Payaswini as well as the surrounding hills are dotted with temples and shrines dedicated to various deities. Ramghat and Janaki Kund where devotees come to pray are located on the banks of the Mandakini.

Chitrakoot is a nice center of meditation and peace. Goswami Tuslidas, a contemporary of the Mughal Emperor Akbar (reigned a.d. 1556 to 1605), is said to have visited Chitrakoot to meditate and seek divine inspiration when he was about to begin Ramcharitamanas, his opus on the life of Rama.

Chitrakoot has many temples and shrines. One of the shrines even houses the idol of Tulsidas. Among the most visited temples in the town are Hanuman Dhara, Kamadgiri, Sati Anusuya. There are numerous other shrines around Janaki Kund, the tank in which Sita once bathed, and Sphatik Shila, the quartz rock.

Chitrakoot is175km from Khajuraho, 115km from Allahabad, 110km from Satna. The nearest airport is at Khajuraho connected with Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. Jhansi-Manikpur mainline is the nearest railhead from here. Regular bus services connect Chitrakoot with Jhansi, Mahoba, Chitrakootdham, Harpalpur, Satna and Chhatarpur. One can stay at Tourist Bunglow of MP Tourism department.

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