Monsoon Holidays: Chitrakoot - The Place where Gods Roamed

At Chitrakoot, practically each and every ghat, streams, rivers are more or less associated with the lives of Lord Rama, Devi Sita and brother Lakshman. The peaceful Ramghat located on the banks of the Mandakini River reverberates every morning with the chanting of hymns and the sweet fragrance of incense as devotes make their way to take a purifying dip in the waters and invoke the blessings of the gods; Janki Kund - 2 km from Ramghat is the place where the Sita is said to have bathed and nearby is Sphatik Shila – a huge rock resembling a reddish-white crystal which bears the footprints of Lord Rama and Devi Sita. The rich forest covered Kamadgiri Hill with the Shree Kamatanath Temple & Bharat Milap Temple located nearby marks the place where Sri Rama met his brother Bharata. The scenic Hanuman Dhara where a spring is said to have been created by Rama to assuage Hanuman when the latter returned after setting Lanka afire.

Other places of interest include the Rama Janaki Raghuveer Temple and the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple near the Janaki Kund; the Sati Anusuya Ashram- a 16 km meandering scenic drive through densely wooded areas will lead you to Sati Anusuya Ashram where various streams from the hills converge and form the Mandakini River and where sati Anusuya explained to Sita the grandeur and importance of satitva; the natural wonder Gupt-Godavari - two caves one narrow and the other wide through which one can barely pass and where Rama and his brother Laxman held court.

For a thunderous roar of the waterfall visit the Chachai and Keoti Falls (46 km from Rewa) on the banks of the river Bihad where you will find a beautiful spectacle of water falling in torrents from a height of 130 mts; the Mara Caves (in Singhrauli) - second only to the caves of Ajanta and Ellora in terms of sheer beauty of its paintings is another exciting place to visit. Sohagpur is popular for its beautiful Hayahaya Temple of Shiva as Virateswara.

Since Chitrakoot has yet to see the onslaught of tourists, there are not many hotels in Chitrakoot. Chitrakoot offers accommodation in government tourist bungalows and a number of small hotels. One can also stay in Allahabad as it is the nearest city with proper tourism infrastructure in place. Since Chitrakoot is a holy place don’t expect non-vegetarian food in hotels. Check out hotels in Chitrakoot.

By Air: Khajuraho at 175 km is the nearest airport.

By Rail: The nearest railhead is at Chitrakoot Dham, Karwi (11 km) on the Jhansi-Manikpur main line.

By Road: Regular bus services connect Chitrakoot with Jhansi, Mahoba, Chitrakoot Dham, Harpalpur, Satna and Chhatarpur. The Main District Bus Stand is situated at Karwi which is 8 Km from Chitrakoot.

Location: Chitrakoot is located on the borders of UP & MP. It is 132 km from Allahabad and 175 km from Khajuraho.

When to Go: October to March is the best time to visit Chitrakoot. Monsoon has its own charm as the place wears a lush green look.

Transport: Buses are easily available for Allahabad, Panna, Kanpur & Lucknow.