It can be a fascinating exercise to plot Bharatvarsha as depicted in our grand epics. There are innumerable places in the Indian subcontinent where we can place events that took place millennia ago. One such place – one that finds mention repeatedly in the scriptures, epics, Puranas and Mahakavyas – is Chitrakoot. Today, known as Chitrakoot Dham, a small pilgrimage town on the edge of the Madhya Pradesh–Uttar Pradesh border.
‘Chitra’, literally translating to picture, which is to say as beautiful as a painting, and ‘koot’ meaning mountain. This beautiful mountainous region is described by the sage Valmiki as a holy place inhabited by sages, abounding in monkeys, bears and a multitude of fauna and flora. Great sages Atri, Sati Anusuya, Dattatreya, Maharshi Markandeya, Valmiki and many seers and holy men are supposed to have visited and meditated here. Many accounts describe its throbbing spiritually and bewitching natural beauty.
Shila
Of course, Chitrakoot features prominently in the Ramayana. After being exiled, it was in these deep forests that Ram, Sita and Lakshmana spent close to 11½ years of their 14 years of banishment.
Chitrakuta (as it was called) forms the backdrop for many stirring events. This is where Bharat meets Rama, pleading with him to return to Ayodhya. This is where Rama learns of his father’s demise, and it is on the banks of the Mandakini here that he performs final rites for King Dasharatha. The saint poet Tulsidas was born in Rajapur, just 50km from here, and he is said to have written his famed Ram Charit Manas here. He speaks of it as a work blessed by Sri Ram himself:
Chitrakoot ke ghaat par, bhayi santan ki bheer
Tulsidas chandan ghise, tilak det Raghubeer
On the ghats of Chitrakoot, among gatherings of seers
Tulsidas grinds the sandalpaste, anointed by Raghubeer
Even the great poet Kalidas highlights Chitrakoot, in his works Raghuvamsha as well as Meghadootam, where his protagonist Yaksha is exiled to Chitrakuta or which he calls Ramgiri.
Kund
Even today, Chitrakoot is thronged by thousands of devotees. There are temples, places of religious and spiritual significance and many places that mark important events in Rama’s story. When Rama, with Sita and Laskhmana moved south from Ayodhya, they first visited Sage Atri and his wife, Sati Anasuya, who recommended that they spend a few years at Chitrakoot. Sati Anasuya was a towering spiritual presence herself, and the Sati Anasuya temple is located 16 kms from the town: here she is supposed to have taught Sita the concept of Pati Dharma. The temple is a large complex with a museum containing many mythological depictions, and a number of small shrines. The market leading up to the temple is a bustling one, with everything from eateries to stoneware, metalware and stationery.
The most prominent shrine in the town is Kamadgiri, the hill that fulfills desires. The shrine is dedicated to Lord Kamta Nath, the patron deity of the Chitrakoot region. There is a 5km long parikrama, or circumambulation, around the temple and many devotees do the circuit, which takes a couple of hours. Also along the parikrama is the Bharat Milaap temple, where Bharat met Ram, urging him to return to Ayodhya. Apart from this, there is Hanuman Dhara, Janki Kund (where Sita is said to have bathed), Sphatik Shila, Gupt Godavari… all spots that add to the story of Rama’s stay here.
You must also spend considerable time at the Ram Ghat, the cultural centre of Chitrakoot. These ghats on either bank of the Mandakini are lined with steps, changing rooms for those taking a dip, inns, temples and shops. Come evening, there are colourfully decked boats along the water, which will take you between the two sides, or for a small cruise along the river. Here you will find locals, tourists, many cows, and even the occasional couple out on a date! Along the Ram Ghat, don’t miss the old and very charming Ratneshwar Bhavan, Vanvasi temple, Matsya Gajendranath shrine and a temple to Bharata, the man who administered the kingdom of Ayodhya in his brother’s name. Also making it to the ‘do-not-miss’ list is the beautiful evening aarti to River Mandakini. At dusk, the pundits make offerings of incense and light to the river. People join in on the ghats, taking turns to offer aarti, and those who sit in the boats, watching the aarti from the water also have the opportunity to float lamps as their own personal offerings. Local children, who want to earn a little extra, cluster around trying to sell you diyas made of flour – the idea is that the flour disintegrates into the water, and is not only biodegradable but also feeds the fish. These have a little ghee and a wick already attached, and you even get a matchbox! The atmosphere is both festive and devout.
poet Tulsidas
In the morning, do not miss the opportunity to take a dip in the holy Mandakini – a dunking that makes you altogether more receptive to the magic of Chitrakoot.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Getting there
Chitrakoot is fairly well connected by rail and road. Karvi Dham (8km away) is the nearest railhead.
By road, the town is only 78km/2 hours from Satna and 142km/3.5 hours from Prayagraj.
Khajuraho (170 km/4 hours) is the nearest airport.
Where to Stay
MPT Mandakini Resort
Behind MP Bus Stand, Chitrakoot, 485226; Tel: 07670265325; Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mpstdc.com/properties/mpt-mandakini-resort-chitrakoot/
Tariff: Starts from Rs 1,840
MPT Tourist Bungalow
Near Ram Ghat Main Road, Chitrakoot, 485334; Tel: 07670265326; Email: [email protected]
http://www.mpstdc.com/properties/mpt-tourist-bungalow-chitrakoot/
Rates: Starts from Rs 1,390
Where to Eat
Both the MP Tourism hotels have restaurants that boast an interesting menu.
Annapurna restaurant (Ratanawali Marg, Ramghat; 05198-224415) and Kamadgiri Bhawan
(Ramghat, Chitrakoot, 210205) are popular choices with tourists. There are also many small dhabas
and shacks that offer some excellent food around Ram Ghat. Do try some moong pakoras from the
mobile stands around here.
Near the Kamadgiri temple as well, there are shacks that offer namkeens, jalebis and parathas.