OTHER IMPROTANT SITES OF TOURIST PLACES

        Besides the places enumerated earlier, there are many other important sites which are beyond the reach of a tourist or a pilgrim despite his intentions because of difficulty of access, lack of transport facilities and dense forest. Even then, some of them, of a specially adventurous spirit, do reach there. These sites are also being developed for the purpose of tourism. The following are the main ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANKE-SIDDHA

       On a hill about 19Km. to the south-east of Ramghat, these is a nature- made cave. In ancient times, various sages and saints attained spiritual siddhies, here after arduous spiritual endeavours and obtained darshan of Lord Ram . There is a firm flight of stairs leading to the cave. Above the cave, there is a beautiful spring of clear water which is lost in the grove of trees below.

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KOTI TEERTH

  On this very mountain, there is a beautiful place, about  2 Km. to the south of Banke- Siddha. It is known as Koti- Teertha as tens of millions of Gods (" Koti" means ten millions) are believed to have stayed here to obtain a glimpse of Lord Ram when he came here. According to a different belief, it is the place of a sage named Kota who performed his tapascharya here. There is a stream of water here, as well. It transforms itself into a Kund below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEVANGANA

                This place is also in the Vindhyas, about 2Km. to the south of Koti-Teertha. The word "Devangana" means a divine damsel. Various goddesses and devanganas are believed to have come and stayed here to obtain a darshan of a Ram and Sita ji. According to one legend, when Lord Ram as a child was flying a kite , the kite was held up by Indras wife Shachi and other goddesses and was released only on assurance that they would be granted a darshan of Lord Ram during the latter’s exile.This assurance was fulfilled at this place . Some of the sacred books mention that an apsara named Menaka did her penance here. So, the place is also known as Menaka- Tapasthali.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 PAMPASUR

This place is situated on the mountain about 1 Km. to the south of Devangana towards Hanumaan Dhara.The place is endowed with considerable natural beauty. This place also has been the place of tapasya of various sages and saints. Presently, there is an ashram here with a small temple and a saint who has renounced the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AMRAWATI ASHRAM

After crossing the Mandakini, one can reach this place after a journey of 8 Km. through a dense forest and difficult terrain to the east of the Anasuya Ashram. Situated amidst beautiful scenery and arresting natural charm, this Ashram has also been an important ancient centre of meditation and tapasya by rishis of yore.

 

 

 

 

                       

 

 

 

 

VANDEVI

This is about 2Km. to the east of Chitrakoot on the way to Hanumandhara on the other side of the Mandakini. It is said that the Kuldevi (ancestral goddess) of the Ayodhya dynasty came to reside here as Vandevi to protect Ram, Lakshaman and Sita during their exile. The foot -mark of Sita are also seen here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PANCH – PRAYAG

About 2 Km. before the Anasuya Ashram and about 3 Km.away from the road on the right side in the deep forest, five rivulets from different directions converge here. Hence, the name Panch- Prayag.It is said that the place is charged with deep spirituality nad many rishies and holy men have attained enlightenment here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NAUA VIHAR

This waterfall is situated about 6 Km.to the east of Karwi in the southern Vindhyas near Khoh village. Flowing through rocks and covered by various kinds of trees and creepers, the stream breaks the monotony of the atmosphere by its still music .The tourist is charmed by the unique beauty of natural scenery here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAMADGNI ASHRAM

We reach Pramadagni Ashram after a climb of about100 fit from Hanuman Dhara . It is belived that Sita ji used to cook kandmools here. So the place is also known as Sita Rasoi. Shaded by the trees, the place is very beautiful and charming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KOLUHA KUND

In Koluha village, there are two water reservoirs as a unique gift of nature amdist mountain peaks. The water of one of these is cool, while that of the other is relatively warm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGHAMASHAN-KUND

This Kund is situated about 1 Km. to the north- east of Sutikshna Asharam. There is a vast natural water reservoir about 100 steps below. This is reputed to be the place where during the Mahabharat age, all the Pandavas except Yudhisthir had died because they tried to the quench their thirst before answering the questions put to them by the Yaksha. Then Yudhisthir, answering all of them, got his brothers revived.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BHANWARA-DAHAR FALL

There is a small village Bhanwaradahar in the dense forest on the bank of Mandakini to the south of the Anasuya Ashram and this beautiful waterfall is just near by this village. It is being planned to develop this village as a tourist village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANSACHOOA FALL

This fall originates from a hill situated in the deep forest area between Ohan and Barah Mafi Railway Stations near Manikpur. Water falling from the hill on the rocks below presents a charming sight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE RANIPUR SANCTUARY

This begins from Gidurha and Ranipur villages, about 42 Km. to the east of the District Headquaters. Hundreds of hectaires of the land has been set apart as a safe resort for the wild animals. The Sanctuary abounds in bears, chitals, deer, rabbits and many other wild species of animals It is rarely visited by tourists because of difficult access.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PAYASWINI-NABHI KUND

This is an attractive site about 3 Km. aboue the origin of the Payaswini . Just below the second spring of the Shabari Fall, there is a huge and deep Kund in the river.The water bears a bluish hue become of its cleanliness and depth. The body of water flowing down from the various springs presents a very attractive scenery.It is also known as Mandakini Kund.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANANDINI CAVE

The region on the bank of the Payaswini to the west of Karwi town has a number of places associated with the Sadhana of the Aghora sect. A cave named Anandini Gufa is situated here and is visited by persons for meditation,yoga and spiritual sadhanas.

                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KARKA ASHRAM

This is a about 12 Km. to the south from the Lalta road cross roads. There are ruins of a vast temple of the Chandel era intertwined with and suspended in the trees-a sight which has only to be seen to be believed. There is a reservoir of water known as Sita-kund. Other archaeological remains are stream over miles in the area. The Ashram is built and inhalited by a sage known as Mauni Baba, a disciple of the Paramhans Parmanandji.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JAYANT HILL

Just near the Sphatik-Shila on the other side of the Mandakini, there is a small hill named Jayant Pahadi. It is believed that it was from this hill that Jayant, the son of Indra saw the divine couple and had the audacity to the peck at Sitaji after assuming the form of a crow .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SURAJ KUND

This is a vast reservoir of water on the left bank of the Payaswini,-about 12 Km. to the north of Chitrakoot. Ancient Rishis are supposed to have worshipped the sungod here. Hence, the name. A vast fair gathers here on the Makar- Sankranti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE MANAS MANDIR

The Rajapur town, about 31 Km. away from the district Headquaters is believed to have been the birth place of Sant Tulsidas. There is a temple of Lord Ram and His consort Janaki ji whom Tulsidas is believed to have worshipped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TULSI SMARAK

In the Rajapur town itself, a memorial named Tulsi-Smarak has been constructed with a view to preserving the relics related to Tulsidas. It has one Kand (part) of Tulsidas's Ram Charit Manas preserved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BHARAT GHAT

This is beside the Raghav Prayag Ghat and to the north of the Ram Ghat on the Payaswini. When Bharat came to Chitrakoot, he bathed here and so the ghat came to be known as Bharat Ghat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MADHU NIKETAN

It is a beautiful and well constructed ghat near the Payaswini Bridge in Karwi and has temples of various Hindu gods and goddesses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE HANUMAN OF BARHA

This is a celebrated place of Hanuman ji near the Pili Kothi Ashram in the Parikrama and has an idol of Hanuman in a reclining posture. There is a huge fair the on the Budhawa Mangal day here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PARN KUTI

This is a very ancient place. The sages of Chitrakoot are believed to have built this kuti with creepers and leaves as a residence of Sri Ram during his exile. After crossing the Payaswini, Sri Ram made this his abode.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIRSAVAN

Also known as SringarVan, this is about 1 Km. to the south of Janaki Kund on the Satna-Road. Sitaji is supposed to have adorned herself here with creepers and flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

SHAYAN SHAYI HANUMAN

This is in the village Bariyari Kala on the bank of the Yamuna about 8 Km. to the north of Mau. A huge statue of Hanuman in reclining posture lies here. It remains submerged in water during the rainy season. This become partly visible around Makarsankranti when a huge fair is celebrated here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LAINA BABA MANDIR

                 This is a celebrated spot consecrated to Hanuman ji. There is a small but beautiful temple of Hanuman ji on a raised platform around a huge banyan tree. A large number of devotees visit this place every Tuesday and Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PARANOO BABA

This is the seat of a local god and is about 3 Km. from the Bargarh cross roads on the Allahabad road. There was a fortress of the Baghel Kings here and ran Nath (different from Mahamati Premnath) or Paranoo Baba was therir priest. Offended by some grievous act of the king, he committed sucide and become a "PRET" destroying the entire family of the king there. Later on, his activities became beneficial to humanity at large and there is a gathering of people there on every Monday and Friday.All these places are to be interconnected by conducted tours.Many dedicated voluntary organizations have been attracted by the glorious heritage of Chitrakoot and have tried to develop this area.They have created institutions and sites like Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalaya, Deen Dayal Shodh Sansthan, the Arogya Dham, Goenka Ghat, Ramayan Mela Parisar. These institution also attract people and tourists by their beauty and repute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE SANKAT MOCHAN MANDIR

This temple is situated in the Nandin–Taura village, about 28 Km. from Chitrakoot on the Karwi-Rajapur Road. It is a popular belief that Tulsidas used to come here from Rajapur daily to recite the Ramayan before Hanuman Ji 'Sankat-Mochan' is another name for Hanuman Ji.