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Chitrakoot, a small town situated in the north Vindhyan range, is located over the districts of Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh and Satna in Madhya Pradesh. It holds great importance according to Hindu mythology and the epic Ramayana. Legends have it that Chitrakoot was the place where Lord Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana stayed for eleven and half of their fourteen years of exile making it a reverred site among pilgrims.
According to Ramayana, Chitrakoot was the place where Bharata, brother of Ram came to visit Ram and ask him to come back to Ayodhya and rule the kingdom. It is also believed that the principal gods of Hindus, (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) took incarnations here. This divine city is also known as the ‘Hill of many wonders’ and it totally justifies the name. Chitrakoot mountain range has numerous places of great religious importance like Bharat Milap Temple, Hanuman Dhara, Janki Kund and much more. It is indeed the gift of nature and the gods.
Hanuman Dhara is one such place. Located about 3 km from Ramghat (considered to be the center of the main town in this place), it attracts devotees in large numbers. This place is called Hanuman Dhara because of a gentle stream which flows over the statue of Lord Hanuman. To the devotees, this is perhaps the most beautiful sight to come across. The statue of Bajrang Bali (another name for Lord Hanuman) has been built of red stone marble. It overlooks the devotees and visitors entering the temple, lending a divine presence atmosphere.
This is the place where Lord Bharat is believed to have met Lord Rama and persuaded him to return to Ayodhya and occupy the throne, which was rightfully his. The emotions generated by this divine meeting were so great that the rocks and other objects nearby are said to have melted with the heat. Not just that, even the rocks and mountains shed tears on this occasion.
Today, upon visiting the Bharat Milap Temple, you come across footprints of all the two brothers on the rocks inside the temple. It is a deeply moving sight, and if you stay there long enough, find yourself lost in an array of emotions. Located in close proximity to this temple is another temple built in honor of Mandavi, the wife of Lord Bharata. Every year, on a full moon day in the month of Kartik (October to November), a play is held at the temple which reenacts the meeting of the two brothers.
Gupt Godavari is counted amongst the most interesting places to visit in Uttar Pradesh. It is both a natural wonder and a place of immense spiritual significance. Like all the other famous tourist attractions in Chitrakoot, there is a fascinating mythological tale behind it.
Located at a distance of about 18 km from the district of Chitrakoot, this place is held in the highest respect by devotees. According to the Hindu mythological epic, Ramayana, it was here that Lord Rama and Lord Laxmana stayed for some time during their exile for 14 years. There are two cave systems inside the mountain, while the water inside them is filled up to the knees.
It is believed to be the bathing place of Sita Mata the consort of Lord Sri Rama during the period of their exile. There are foot prints of Sita Mata on the rocks in the nearby boulder house.Seetha Matha was known by several names including as Janaki because she was the daughter of Raja Janaka of Mithila.
At Janki Kund we can see Ram Janaki Raghuvir mandir and Sankat mochan mandir. The water in Janaki Kund is crystal clear wherein you can see the small stones turning and rotating moving under waters of Mandakini. The water is apparently transparent as the nature is immaculate and most excellent here. It is lovely to enjoy and remember forever.
Kamadgiri Hill is one of the most revered places in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Pilgrims to this religious site often perform a circumambulation to receive blessings. Situated in the southern part of the state, it is the holiest place in Chitrakoot Dham. Like most of the religious places in India, it is associated with several mythological legends. It is a Sanskrit word which means “one that fulfills all desires”. There is a pilgrimage path enveloping this hill, whose distance is about 5 km approx. Devotees believe that all the teerthas, or, holy places, lie along the religious route. The principal deity of Chitrakoot is Lord Kamtanath. There are many temples dedicated to Lord Kamtanath apart from the main temple.
Ram Ghat located on the banks of Mandakini River, is among the most visited religious destinations in Uttar Pradesh. Just like many other places in this district, it is believed to have played host to an episode in epic, Ramayana. Ram Ghat, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Uttar Pradesh, is believed to be the place where Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Lord Laxman held an elaborate conversation with Saint Goswami Tulsidas. This is a major reason why it occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of the people.
Sita rasoi is situated just above the Chitrakoot hanuman dhara temple and it is a place where she cooked food for the brahman. You can see the utensils of the Mata Sita which she used to cook food. There are many temples in this place but Sita rasoi is the main. The view of the surroundings from this place is very beautiful. You may even click photographs and enjoy playing some games. When you are traveling through the stairs you will see the statues of Lord Rama, Mata Sita, and Lord Lakshman.
People can visit Hanuman dhara by using the ropeway facility. It is very much useful for the old age people for visiting this place. This facility is provided to the people at affordable rates. It is very much interesting to visit through a ropeway. This ropeway would be stopped just near the temple of hanuman. If you are interested in visiting the Sita rasoi then you may visit it by visiting hanuman dhara.
It is located about 18 km from Ramghat, a famous tourist attraction in Chitrakoot. It is one of the holiest places in the region and is considered a part of the “chitrakoot char dham”. This place gets its name from the fact that it served as the ashram of Maharishi Atri along with his wife Mahasati Anasuya. She is also regarded as one of the mahasatis in holy scriptures of Hinduism because of her devout, pure and chaste character.
