Vaidehi Haranam Jatayu Maranam Sukreeva sambashanam Vali Nigrahanam
Samudtra dharanam Lankapuri Dhaganam Pacchat Ravana Kumbakarna Madanam
Yethat he Ramayanam ||
'Sita devi is an incarnation of Devi Parvathi.
Ramagiri also known as Chitrakoot is a sacred devi sthal as mentioned in
Sri Devi Maha Bagavatham. Devi's consort Siva is here as 'Ramachandra-Moorthi'.
According to the legend the ashes (jaghan-asthi) of the dismembered burnt body of Dakshayani fell at this place and so it became one of the 51 sacred Devi-Sthals. Another legend says Devi Gatyayini's breast fell here. (refer to 'Yoga-agni' in 'Abodes of devi' for background story) It is note-worthy that Sita and Rama spent the best and eventful years of their lives in this forest. Sage Valmigi the composer of Ramayana beautifully discribes about the peaks of the mountains in Chitrakoot (chitra means colourful picture and koot is mountain) just as Rama tells about the sights to Sita People visit this place from all over India and abroad even those who are afraid of the forests.
Usually people visit only 'Kamdhanath' and its surrounding shrines. There are good roads and steps leading to the peak where there is a temple with idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Any one who goes round this hillock attains happiness in this birth and salvation here-after.
But to know more about the importance of Chitrakoot and to visit places of importance one has to go on a 'Panchakosi yathra' which covers about 70 - 80 kilo-meters extending over 5 days.
First Day: The tour starts from Sitapur. The holy book of legends says that Brahma established this place. Hence it is also caled Brahamapuri.Later this place was gifted to a vedic scholar pandit Sarandass by Haman singh the ruler of this place.From then this place was named as Sitapur.
Near this place there is a river called 'Bayaswani'. This has twenty-four steps and close to this are Ragav-prayag, Kailasa-Ghat. On the top of the steps of Ram-ghat there is a 'Yagna-vedi' temple. There are 30 'homa-gundams' (sacrificial-fire-pitsin in the shape of a bow. It is said a 'darshan' of these is equal to seeing and worshipping Ganga. Great sages of the ancient times have performed 'yagna' in this place.
There is a small hut here in which it said Sita and Rama lived.
With this go round Kamat-giri and back to sitapur on the same day. Day one ends.
second day: From Sitapur proceed to Ragav-Prayag. In this place the three rivers Mandagini, Bayasvani, and River Gayatri mingle together.
This place got the name Raghav-prayag because Rama did the obsequies to his father here. There is a waterfall here like a 'bow' on River Bayaswani. If any one performs ceremonies to their ancestors here it is of great merit.
Further one can see the place Devangana where Menaka did penance to Brahma and 'Kruth-asramam' where Jatayu prayed to Rama.
The mythical River saraswathi here is the water-fall called 'Bambasarover'. Yamatheertham,Siddasramam are also important. At Maruthi Thara there is a Maruthi idol. The pathala-ganga river falling as a water-fall from a creek between two mountains on to the right shoulder of the Maruthi idol is a wonderful sight. The river again goes under-ground.
The top of Maruthi Thara there is a place called 'Sita Rasoyi' ( Sita's Kitchen). Siddha Asramam and Mani Karnika Teertham are places to be seen.
There are five abodes for Chandra,Surya,Vayu,Agni, and varuna and so this place is called 'Pancha Threertham'.
This is the second stage. Then return to Sitapur.
Third day: First visit 'Ramdam'. Then to 'Pramodvana' where Rama and sita spent their 'vanawas' happily. There is a place called 'Janaki-kund' where sita was supposed to have taken her bath. Then go to 'spatika-shila' which is a white marble platform. It said that Rama and Sita sat on this platform and enjoyed beauty of the nature in the evenings. This was the place where Jayanthan (son of Indra) magically took the shape of a black bird (rook) and he picked on devi. This platform is round in shape and about 3 or 4 meters in height. There is an impression of a feet on the platform. At last to Anusuya Asram which is now called 'Thabo-vanam'. There are idols of Anusuya, Atri Maharishi, Datatreya and Chandrama in this ashram. Spend the night in the village called Baboopur. The third stage of 'Parikrama' is over.
Fourth-day: Visit Badra and Muratwaj peaks and then Ram-ganga water-fall. After this go to Gupta-Godhavari. It is a big cave surrounded by water which wells up from inside the cave perennially. This cave is very dark inside. The fourth day' Parikrama'is over.One can spend the night in a village near this place called Sowbepur.
Fifth day:Though there is nothing more of importance to see just to make the tour last five-days -'panchakosi Yatra' one may visit the place where Sita was supposed to have been sleeping. With this the 'Panchakosi-yathra' is completed.
Besides these there are some more important places to visit in Chitrakoot. In Mattha-Gajendram a Siva linga has been installed. Mandhakini ghat where devotees tonsure their head is also important.
There is a legend that Sri Tulasi-Das brought a Thulasi plant and planted it in this place. It grew up to became a huge tree. It is called 'Tulasi-pebal'. The marvel of this tree is that it withered completely the nineteenth century. But after 5-6 years it slowly sprouted again and became alive. Now it is very healthy and ever green.
There are many places associated with Rama and sita here. The hut built by Lakshmana for Rama and Sita, 'Sarana paduka' where Bharatha requested Rama to give his Paduka to be kept on the throne of ayodhya symbolizing Rama's presence there, Lakshman-Padi Bharat-koop well, Hamsa-Threetham, Attri-Threetham, Dhandaga-Teertham and Pushkarani are some of the interesting holy places that recall Ramayana fleeting in our minds.
According to the legend the ashes (jaghan-asthi) of the dismembered burnt body of Dakshayani fell at this place and so it became one of the 51 sacred Devi-Sthals. Another legend says Devi Gatyayini's breast fell here. (refer to 'Yoga-agni' in 'Abodes of devi' for background story) It is note-worthy that Sita and Rama spent the best and eventful years of their lives in this forest. Sage Valmigi the composer of Ramayana beautifully discribes about the peaks of the mountains in Chitrakoot (chitra means colourful picture and koot is mountain) just as Rama tells about the sights to Sita People visit this place from all over India and abroad even those who are afraid of the forests.
Usually people visit only 'Kamdhanath' and its surrounding shrines. There are good roads and steps leading to the peak where there is a temple with idols of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Any one who goes round this hillock attains happiness in this birth and salvation here-after.
But to know more about the importance of Chitrakoot and to visit places of importance one has to go on a 'Panchakosi yathra' which covers about 70 - 80 kilo-meters extending over 5 days.
First Day: The tour starts from Sitapur. The holy book of legends says that Brahma established this place. Hence it is also caled Brahamapuri.Later this place was gifted to a vedic scholar pandit Sarandass by Haman singh the ruler of this place.From then this place was named as Sitapur.
Near this place there is a river called 'Bayaswani'. This has twenty-four steps and close to this are Ragav-prayag, Kailasa-Ghat. On the top of the steps of Ram-ghat there is a 'Yagna-vedi' temple. There are 30 'homa-gundams' (sacrificial-fire-pitsin in the shape of a bow. It is said a 'darshan' of these is equal to seeing and worshipping Ganga. Great sages of the ancient times have performed 'yagna' in this place.
There is a small hut here in which it said Sita and Rama lived.
With this go round Kamat-giri and back to sitapur on the same day. Day one ends.
second day: From Sitapur proceed to Ragav-Prayag. In this place the three rivers Mandagini, Bayasvani, and River Gayatri mingle together.
This place got the name Raghav-prayag because Rama did the obsequies to his father here. There is a waterfall here like a 'bow' on River Bayaswani. If any one performs ceremonies to their ancestors here it is of great merit.
Further one can see the place Devangana where Menaka did penance to Brahma and 'Kruth-asramam' where Jatayu prayed to Rama.
The mythical River saraswathi here is the water-fall called 'Bambasarover'. Yamatheertham,Siddasramam are also important. At Maruthi Thara there is a Maruthi idol. The pathala-ganga river falling as a water-fall from a creek between two mountains on to the right shoulder of the Maruthi idol is a wonderful sight. The river again goes under-ground.
The top of Maruthi Thara there is a place called 'Sita Rasoyi' ( Sita's Kitchen). Siddha Asramam and Mani Karnika Teertham are places to be seen.
There are five abodes for Chandra,Surya,Vayu,Agni, and varuna and so this place is called 'Pancha Threertham'.
This is the second stage. Then return to Sitapur.
Third day: First visit 'Ramdam'. Then to 'Pramodvana' where Rama and sita spent their 'vanawas' happily. There is a place called 'Janaki-kund' where sita was supposed to have taken her bath. Then go to 'spatika-shila' which is a white marble platform. It said that Rama and Sita sat on this platform and enjoyed beauty of the nature in the evenings. This was the place where Jayanthan (son of Indra) magically took the shape of a black bird (rook) and he picked on devi. This platform is round in shape and about 3 or 4 meters in height. There is an impression of a feet on the platform. At last to Anusuya Asram which is now called 'Thabo-vanam'. There are idols of Anusuya, Atri Maharishi, Datatreya and Chandrama in this ashram. Spend the night in the village called Baboopur. The third stage of 'Parikrama' is over.
Fourth-day: Visit Badra and Muratwaj peaks and then Ram-ganga water-fall. After this go to Gupta-Godhavari. It is a big cave surrounded by water which wells up from inside the cave perennially. This cave is very dark inside. The fourth day' Parikrama'is over.One can spend the night in a village near this place called Sowbepur.
Fifth day:Though there is nothing more of importance to see just to make the tour last five-days -'panchakosi Yatra' one may visit the place where Sita was supposed to have been sleeping. With this the 'Panchakosi-yathra' is completed.
Besides these there are some more important places to visit in Chitrakoot. In Mattha-Gajendram a Siva linga has been installed. Mandhakini ghat where devotees tonsure their head is also important.
There is a legend that Sri Tulasi-Das brought a Thulasi plant and planted it in this place. It grew up to became a huge tree. It is called 'Tulasi-pebal'. The marvel of this tree is that it withered completely the nineteenth century. But after 5-6 years it slowly sprouted again and became alive. Now it is very healthy and ever green.
There are many places associated with Rama and sita here. The hut built by Lakshmana for Rama and Sita, 'Sarana paduka' where Bharatha requested Rama to give his Paduka to be kept on the throne of ayodhya symbolizing Rama's presence there, Lakshman-Padi Bharat-koop well, Hamsa-Threetham, Attri-Threetham, Dhandaga-Teertham and Pushkarani are some of the interesting holy places that recall Ramayana fleeting in our minds.
Om Sakthi
location
There are Train facilites
There are Train facilites
from
Jansi to Garvi and
from there about 9 kms
from there about 9 kms
by Bus
to reach Chitra-koot.
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