Chitrakoot - The City of Faith

For all those planning a pilgrimage tour, here is a place renowned for the number pf temples and sites referred in Hindu mythology. Chitrakuta or Chitrakoot is a town in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Replete with religious, cultural, historical and archaeological importance, Chitrakoot Dham (Karwi) is a great tourist draw throughout the year, especially on special occasions like Amavasya. Somwati Amavasyas, Deepawali, Sharad-Poornima, Makar Sankranti and Ramanavami.

Besides pilgrim spots, Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh is also famous for the Free Eye Hospital Camps. World known 'Ayurvedic' and 'Yoga' centers like 'Arogyadham' are also located here. Chitrakuta, meaning 'Hill of many wonders', falls in the northern Vindhya Range of mountains. It belongs to both the District Chitrakuta of Uttar Pradesh and the District Satna of Madhya Pradesh.

Chitrakoot Pilgrimage attracts local travelers as well as visitors from abroad. The Pilgrim tourists come here to visit the Chitrakoot Parvat Mala that includes Hanumaan Dhara, Kamad Giri, Janki Kund, Lakshman pahari, and Devangana Mountains.

Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh India has an interesting historical significance. In the ancient age, lord Rama, Sita and his brother Lakshmana spent eleven and half years of their fourteen years of exile in the forests of the Chitrakoot Mountains. It was here that great sages like Atri, Sarbhanga, Anusuya, Dattatreya, Sutikshna and Sati Maharshi Markandeya meditated. The principal trinity of the Hindu pantheon-Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh took their incarnations here.

All the gods and goddesses are said to hail from Chitrakoot when Rama performed the Shraddha ceremony. Not only do we find the mention of Chitrakoot in Valmiki�s great epic Ramayana, but the saint-poet of Hindi, Tulsidas, has also spoken of this place in all his major works like Ramcharit Manas, Kavitawali, Dohawali and Vinaya Patrika.

Getting to Chitrakoot

• Chitrakoot is well connected by air, rail and road. The nearest airport is at Khajuraho, situated 195 km away. Tourists coming from Delhi, Agra and Varanasi can easily board a plane till here.
• Those coming by train can reach the nearest railhead, Chitrakoot Dham Karvi (10 km) on the Jhansi-Manikpur main line.
• Regular buses ply from Chitrakoot to Jhansi, Satna, Mahoba, Chitrakoot Dham (Karwi), Harpalpur and Chhatarpur.