Chitrakoot is a city of many legends and stories. Closely associated with episodes from the Ramayana and the lives of Hindu deities Rama and Sita, many spots in the city are considered spiritually significant. Whether it is the bathing pond of Sita or the site where the monkey-god Hanuman was relived of his anger after burning Lanka, the city has many places that allow devotees and pilgrims to come closer to the lives of their revered gods. These beautiful places in Chitrakoot are a great starting for your adventure.
The Gupt Godavari caves are a pair of caves that are located 18 kilometres away from the city centre. Important episodes from the Ramayana are believed to have taken place here. The narrow mouth of the cave opens up into a large cavern. One cave has two stone thrones, both of which are considered to belong to Rama and Lakshmana. It is believed that the brothers held court here.
The second cave leads to the Sita Kund, a small pond where the deity would bathe and the peeping-tom Mayank would spy on her. An aggravated Lakshmana is believed to have stuck the monster to the roof. Today, that place is an outcrop of a black rock protruding from the roof. The two-cave system, which is always filled with knee-deep water, also boasts of intricately carved sculptures of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
The caves get their names from a legend that talks about how the Godavari river secretly flowed from its origin in Nashik to Chitrakoot only to catch a glimpse of Rama. A stream of water continuously keeps flowing from rocks deep inside the cave. This water then flows towards another cave before disappearing into the ground. Surprised pilgrims can be found walking the length of the stream and exiting through the mouth of the cave.
Considered to be the main ghat of Chitrakoot, the Rama Ghat has staircased edges leading up to River Mandakini. At this ghat, one can expect a serene environment coupled with the pleasant sound of the waves. Interestingly, it is considered the spot where Rama and Sita met with Acharya Goswami Tulsidas.
You will find many devotees flocking to the Ghat for the evening Aarti and lining up to hop on one of the many colourful and lit-up boats that take you for a ride around the river.
The Kamadgiri Hill is believed to fulfill all desires, makig it one of the most revered places in Chitrakoot Dham. A five kilometre-long pilgrimage path that envelopes the hill attracts devotees performing a parikrama or circumambulation to seek blessings from Kamtanath.
Different beliefs are attached to this holy site. Some believe that all the teerthas or holy places sit along the religious route. Others consider this as the spot where Brahma performed the first yagya (ceremony) before the creation of life on Earth.
Once you have completed the holy parikrama, which should take you anywhere between three to four hours, slow down to enjoy the serenity of the Kamadgiri Hill.
Situated atop a hill is Hanuman Dhara. A gentle stream flowing over the statue of Hanuman gives the place its name. As you walk up the flight of stairs and look away in the distance, you'll see a picturesque bird’s eye view of the city.
This holy spot in Chitrakoot has an interesting tale, too. It is believed that after setting Lanka alight, Hanuman was fuming with uncontrolled anger that prevented him from doing anything else. Rama helped him pacify his anger. The Monkey God bathed under the stream of water which flowed from above, helping him tame his anger and cooling him down. Don’t forget to splash the water from this stream on yourself as many consider it to possess stress-relieving values.
Along the way, one will come across many statues of Rama, Sita and Laxmana, too. Many small Hanuman temples dot the way leading up to the main mandir.
Located only two kilometres away from the Ram Ghat is the Janki Kund, a pond that is believed to be the bathing spot of Janki (another name for Sita). On most days, devotees are found taking a dip in the holy waters of the Kund.
There are two temples located just behind the kund, namely, Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple and Shree Raghuvir Temple; and across the Kund lies the lush green Pramod Van. Another temple located in close proximity to the sacred pond has footprints of Sita and holds spiritual significance for the pilgrims.
Only a three-minute walk away from the Kund is the Sphatik Shila. Another holy spot, the Shila or boulder is on the banks of the Mandakini river. It is considered to be the place where Sita did her shringaar (makeup). Believed to be bear the foot imprints of Rama, the spot is always brimming with visitors trying to spot the footprints.
