Chitrakoot, 'the hill of many wonders', nestles peacefully in the northern spurs of the Vindhyas. This loveliest of nature's gifts is also hallowed ground, blessed by the gods and sanctified by the faith of pilgrims. A city with more than legendary significance, it was the abode of Lord Ram and Sita for eleven year when in exile, the place where Sage Atri and Sati Anusuya meditated, the divine spot saw the incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. This holy city is dotted with innumerable temples and shrines today.

Sufferers and seekers, poets and visionaries, princes and noblemen have, through the ages, sought and found solace in Chitrakoot.

SIGHTSEEING
 

A RAMGHAT
The ghats that line the banks of the river Mandakini reveal a constantly moving and changing kaleidoscope of religious activity. Here, amidst the chanting of hymns and the sweet fragrance of incense, holy men in saffron robes sit in silent meditation or offer the solace of their wisdom to the countless pilgrims who converge here. With the very first rays of dawn that gleam upon the river, Ramghat stirs into life as the devout of all ages take the ritual, purifying dip in the waters and invoke the blessings of the gods. The activity builds up in a crescendo of colour and spontaneous expressions of faith through the day, past high noon, gently diminishing as the setting sun picks out the bright colours of flower petals floating down the river, while the evening 'arti' lends its melodious cadences to the deepening dusk. At all times, Ramghat witnesses a deep and abiding faith which finds expression in the rituals which honour the sanctity of Chitrakoot.

The rippling blue-green waters of the Mandakini can be traversed by boats, readily available for hire.

KAMADGIRI
Kamadgiri, the original Chitrakoot, is a place of prime religious significance. A forested hill, it is skirted all along its base by a chain of temples and is venerated today, as the holy embodiment of Rama. 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 are the faithful who perform the ritual circuit (parikrama), of the sacred hill, to ask for a boon or a blessing.

SATI ANUSUYA
Sati Anusuya is located further upstream, set amidst thick forests that resound to the melody of birdsong all day. It was here that Atri Muni, his wife Anusuya, and their three sons (who were the three incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh), are said to have meditated. The Mandakini is believed to have been created by Anusuya lies about 16 km from the town and can be reached by road - an undulating, curving drive through densely wooded areas.

BHARAT KOOP
Bharat Koop is where Bharat stored holy water collected from all the places of pilgrimage in India. It is a small, isolated spot a few kilometers from town.

HANUMAN DHARA
Located on a rock-face several hundred feet up a steep hillside is a spring, said to have been created by Rama to assuage Hanuman when the latter returned after setting Lanka on fire. A couple of temples commemorate this spot which offers a panoramic view of Chitrakoot. There is an open, paved area here in the shade of a massive peepul tree, a lovely halting place after the long climb up.

SPTAHIK SHILA
A few kilometers beyond 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 Sita was pecked at, by Jayant in the form of a crow. There are large fish in the river here, easily visible in the pellucid water; and a few temples.

JANKI KUND
Upstream from Ramghat is a beautiful stretch of the Mandakine, 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 said that in this idyllic pastoral setting, Sita would bathe in the crystal clear waters, during the years of her exile with Rama. Certainly, this quiet spot seems to have been specially blessed, for an aura of total harmony and quietitude haloes it, setting it apart from the bustle of the everyday world.

There are two approaches to Janaki Kund: 2 km up from Ramghat by boat, or by road along a foliage-lined drive.

GUPT GODAVARI
18 km from the town by road is a natural wonder located some distance up the side of a hill. The wonder here is a pair of caves, one high and wide with an entrance through which one can barely pass, and the other, long and narrow with a stream of water running along its base. It is believed that Rama and his brother Lakshman held court in the latter cave, which has two, natural, throne-like rocks.