|
प्रमुख आकर्षण
कामदगिरी
इस पवित्र पर्वत का काफी धार्मिक महत्व है। श्रद्धालु कामदगिरी पर्वत की 5 किमी. की परिक्रमा कर अपनी मनोकामनाएं पूर्ण होने की कामना करते हैं। जंगलों से घिरे इस पर्वत के तल पर अनेक मंदिर बने हुए हैं। चित्रकूट के लोकप्रिय कामतानाथ और भरत मिलाप मंदिर भी यहीं स्थित है।
चित्रकूट में रामघाट
रामघाट मंदाकिनी नदी के तट पर बने रामघाट में अनेक धार्मिक क्रियाकलाप चलते रहते हैं। घाट में गेरूआ वस्त्र धारण किए साधु-सन्तों को भजन और कीर्तन करते देख बहुत अच्छा महसूस होता है। शाम को होने वाली यहां की आरती मन को काफी सुकून पहुंचाती है।
जानकी कुण्ड
रामघाट से 2 किमी. की दूरी पर मंदाकिनी नदी के किनार जानकी कुण्ड स्थित है। जनक पुत्री होने के कारण सीता को जानकी कहा जाता था। माना जाता है कि जानकी यहां स्नान करती थीं। जानकी कुण्ड के समीप ही राम जानकी रघुवीर मंदिर और संकट मोचन मंदिर है।
स्फटिक शिला
जानकी कुण्ड से कुछ दूरी पर मंदाकिनी नदी के किनार ही यह शिला स्थित है। माना जाता है कि इस शिला पर सीता के पैरों के निशान मुद्रित हैं। कहा जाता है कि जब वह इस शिला पर खड़ी थीं तो जयंत ने काक रूप धारण कर उन्हें चोंच मारी थी। इस शिला पर राम और सीता बैठकर चित्रकूट की सुन्दरता निहारते थे।
अनसुइया अत्री आश्रम - मंदाकिनी तीरे अनुसूया आश्रम
स्फटिक शिला से लगभग 4 किमी. की दूरी पर घने वनों से घिरा यह एकान्त आश्रम स्थित है। इस आश्रम में अत्री मुनी, अनुसुइया, दत्तात्रेयय और दुर्वाशा मुनी की प्रतिमा स्थापित हैं।
गुप्त गोदावरी
नगर से 18 किमी. की दूरी पर गुप्त गोदावरी स्थित हैं। यहां दो गुफाएं हैं। एक गुफा चौड़ी और ऊंची है। प्रवेश द्वार संकरा होने के कारण इसमें आसानी से नहीं घुसा जा सकता। गुफा के अंत में एक छोटा तालाब है जिसे गोदावरी नदी कहा जाता है। दूसरी गुफा लंबी और संकरी है जिससे हमेशा पानी बहता रहता है। कहा जाता है कि इस गुफा के अंत में राम और लक्ष्मण ने दरबार लगाया था।
हनुमान धारा
पहाड़ी के शिखर पर स्थित हनुमान धारा में हनुमान की एक विशाल मूर्ति है। मूर्ति के सामने तालाब में झरने से पानी गिरता है। कहा जाता है कि यह धारा श्रीराम ने लंका दहन से आए हनुमान के आराम के लिए बनवाई थी। पहाड़ी के शिखर पर ही सीता रसोई है। यहां से चित्रकूट का सुन्दर नजारा देखा जा सकता है।
भरतकूप
कहा जाता है कि भगवान राम के राज्याभिषेक के लिए भरत ने भारत की सभी नदियों से जल एकत्रित कर यहां रखा था। अत्री मुनि के परामर्श पर भरत ने जल एक कूप में रख दिया था। इसी कूप को भरत कूप के नाम से जाना जाता है। भगवान राम को समर्पित यहां एक मंदिर भी है।
आवागमन
वायु मार्ग
चित्रकूट का नजदीकी एयरपोर्ट खजुराहो है। खजुराहो चित्रकूट से 185 किमी. दूर है।
रेल मार्ग
चित्रकूट से 8 किमी. की दूरी कर्वी निकटतम रेलवे स्टेशन है। इलाहाबाद, जबलपुर, दिल्ली, झांसी, हावड़ा, आगरा, मथुरा आदि शहरों से यहां के लिए रेलगाड़ियां चलती हैं।
सड़क मार्ग
चित्रकूट के लिए इलाहाबाद, बांदा, झांसी, महोबा, कानपुर, छतरपुर, सतना, फैजाबाद, लखनऊ, मैहर आदि शहरों से नियमित बस सेवाएं हैं।
Chitrakoot,"the hills of many wonders" is indeed a gift of nature and the gods.
¤ Chitrakoot Considered As Sacred Place of Hindus
One of the most important centres of Hindu faith and culture, Chitrakoot is known for its scenic beauty and its holiness.
The Ganges Valley, considered to be the seat of Hinduism, one of the most ancient religions of the world, is only 50km away from this small, yet important pilgrim centre.
Chitrakoot was considered to be a very sacred place in the Tretayuga, or the third epoch of the Hindu cosmogony. It is said that Rama and Sita visited Chitrakoot during their 14-year long exile. Lord Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu (the Preserver in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer), is the hero of the great Indian epic Ramayana, written by Sage Valmiki.
¤ The Legendary Tale of Ramayana
According to the Ramayana, Rama was the eldest son of Dashratha, ruler of the kingdom of Ayodhya, the region around the present Gangetic Plains in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Rama was married to Sita, the princess of Videha in northern Bihar. However, Rama was exiled for 14 years at the behest of his stepmother Keikeyi, who wanted her son Bharata to be the ruler instead of Rama.
Therefore, Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, left Ayodhya to live in forests for 14 long years. But this was just the beginning of Rama’s woes.
After spending 13 years in hiding, tragedy struck the unfortunate trio in their final year of exile when Ravana, the 10-headed king of Lanka (Ceylon), abducted Sita.
The epic culminated in the battle of Good and Evil (symbolised by Rama and Ravana respectively) in which Good eventually triumphed over Evil. Ravana was vanquished and Sita returned to her husband. After his return to Ayodhya, Rama became a judicious ruler. Bharata, who had administered the kingdom during Rama’s exile, welcomed his elder half-brother. But that is another story in itself (see Ramayana under Know India: Ancient Scriptures & Folklore for more details).
¤ Attractions of The City
11 out of the 14 years of Rama’s exile were spent in the jungles of Chitrakoot. This is reason enough for pilgrims to flock to the place. Chitrakoot seems to sum up the religious ambience of the northern plains. It lies in the Vindhya escarpement, and is dissected by torrential rivers. Situated amidst nature’s bounty on the banks of the Payaswini River, Chitrakoot forms the tip of the district of Satna in Madhya Pradesh, the heart- state of India.
The Payaswini River flows around the base of the Vindhya Hills describing a circumference of 5km.
In the year 1775, the Bundela chief, Chhattarsal constructed a terrace here on which the pilgrims perform a ceremonial circumambulation. Be it the banks of the Payaswini, or the surrounding hills, the entire terrain of Chitrakoot is dotted with temples and shrines dedicated to various deities. Situated on the banks of the Mandakini, yet another important river flowing through this place, are Ramghat and Janaki Kund where devotees come to pray.
¤ Centre of Meditation and Peace
Chitrakoot’s atmosphere replicates the essence of the Hindu faith. 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.
¤ Temple Attractions
Centuries later, pilgrims find themselves inspired by the divine environs of Chitrakoot. One of the shrines even houses the idol of Tulsidas, Rama’s great devotee. Pilgrims visit the temples of 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.
Kamadgiri
A forested hill of prime religious significance, this is believed to be the original Chitrakoot. The Bharat Milap Temple is located here. Pilgrims perform a ritual circumambulation of the hill to seek blessings.
Sphatik Shila
This picturesque spot is marked by two immense rocks. It is believed to be the place where Lord Rama and Sita feasted their eyes on the beauty of Chitrakoot.
Hanuman Dhara
Located on a steep hillside, it is approachable by a flight of 360 steps. Here, the waters of a natural spring cascade over an image of Lord Hanuman.
Ram Ghat
On the banks of the River Mandakini, and center of ritual activity, this Ghat is the most frequented in Chitrakoot. The "Aarti" performed in the evening is particularly beautiful.
Janki Kund
An unusual cave over the Mandakini. Said to be the place where Sita bathed.
Gupt Godavari
19 km. This is a tiny rivulet which flows into tanks at the end of an underground cave. The source of this rivulet remains unfathomable. Two natural throne-line rocks in the cave have led to the belief that Lord Rama and his brother Laxman held court here.
Bharat Koop
To attain Salvation, the pilgrimage to Chitrakoot is incomplete without a visit to this hallowed place of worship. It is said that , to crown Lord Rama as the king of Ayodhya, his brother Bharat, collected the waters of all sacred rivers to anoint him with. On the advice of Sage Atri, the waters were later poured into a deep well popularly known as Bharat Koop. A temple dedicated to Lord Rama is also found here.
Sati Anasuya
13 km. It was here that Atri Muni, his wife Anasuya and their three sons meditated. An ashram in Anasuya's name is located here. It is believed that the Mandakini river emerged as a result of Anasuya's meditation.
Rajapur
38 km. The birthplace of Goswami Tulsidas, who wrote the world famous Shri Ram Charita Manas.
Ganeshbagh
11km. On the Karvi-Devangana road near Bankey Siddhapur village, is located Ganeshbagh, where a richly carved temple, a seven storeyed baoli and ruins of a residential palace still exist. The complex was built by Peshwa Vinayak Rao as a summer retreat and is often referred to as a mini-Khajuraho.
Kalinjar
88 km. From Chitrakoot lies the invincible Fort of Kalinjar. Once desired by kings & dynasties, it houses within itself the Nilkanth temple, Swarga Rohan Kund, Vakhandeshwar Mahadev Temple, Shivasari Ganga & Koti Tirth. Other interesting spots within the fort area are Sita Sej, Patal Ganga, Pandu Kund, Budhi-Tall, Bhairon Ki Jharia and Mrigdhara.
Sitapur
Lying on the left bank of Payaswani about 8 km. From Karvi, it is intimately connected with the sacred hills of Kamtanath, which is 2 km to its south – west. Pilgrims first bathe in payaswani at Sitapur and then move on to do the Parikrama of Kamtanath hill. Originally known as Jaisinghpur, it was given to Mahant Charandas by Aman Singh Raja of Panna, who gave it the new name Sitapur in honour of maa Sita. There are twenty four Ghats and several temples along the river, which add to the glory of the town.
Rajapur
42 km from Chitrakoot, this place is believed to be the birth place of Goswami Tulsidas. A Tulsi Mandir is situated here.
Marpha
4 km from Gupt Godavari is Marpha, famous for its natural beauty alongwith waterfalls, Jal Mochan Sarovar, Shri Balaji mandir, 5 faced statue of Lord Shankar and ruins of a fort, believed to be built by Chandel Rajas.
¤ About Chitrakoot
Area: 38.2 sq. km.
Population: 37494 (1991 census)
Altitude: 207 mtrs. Above sea level.
Season: July-March
Clothing (Summer): Light Cottons (Winter) :Woolens
Language: Hindi, Bundeli, English
Local Transport : Cycle Rickshaw during fairs and festivals, taxis also ply between Chitrakoot, Rajapur and Karvi.
STD Code : 0519 (Half of Chitrakoot lies in U.P. and the other half in M.P. To dial for U.P. Chitrakoot 765 has to be added to the Banda Code 0519. To dial for M.P. Chitrakoot 865 has to be added instead.
Air
From Chitrakoot the nearest airport is Khajuraho : 185 km.
Rail
The nearest railway station for Chitrakoot is Karvi : 8 km. Some of the major trains are 1181.1182 and 1159/1160 Agra Howrah Exp); 1107/1108 Bundelkhand Exp; 1449/1450 Mahakaushal Exp (Kutub Exp_; 5009/5010 Chitrakoot Exp (Lucknow-Jabalpur); 1069/1070 Tulsi Exp (Allahabad-Mumbai), Bundelkhand Exp (Gwalior-Allahabad).
Road
Chitrakoot is well connected by road. There are regular bus services to Banda, Allahabad, Jhansi, Varanasi, Chhatarpur, Satna, Kanpur, Faizabad, Lucknow, Agra, Maihar, etc. Some Road distances are : Allahabad - 125 km. Satna - 75 km. Lucknow - 285 km, Mahoba - 127 km, Kalinjar 88 km, Jhansi 274 km.
Hotels:
Pramod Van (Anand Ram Jaipuria Smriti Bhawan
Kamad Giri Bhawan (MP)
MP State Tourism Bungalow. (MP).
UP Tourism Accommodation
Tourist Bungalow (UPSTDC)
Yatri Niwas 'Chitrakoot' (UPSTDC)
Chitrakoot:
Distance: 175km from Khajuraho, 115km from Allahabad, 110km from Satna
Contact us:
Raghu : 91-9350254293
Dhirendra : 91-9958089544
Email : info@chitrakoot.info
|
