Chitrakoot Dham - The Site Of Bharat Milap

 

The first time I heard about Chitrakoot was from my grandmother, who often narrated snippets from the Ramayana to me. What caught my attention during those narrations was its unique name.

“Where is Chitrakoot?” I often asked.

“In the Bundelkhand region, somewhere between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh…,” was her standard reply, not satisfying enough to end my inquisitiveness.

Over time I learnt that the word Chitrakoot means ‘the hill of many wonders’, and is the site of ‘Bharat Milap’ where Bharat informed Lord Rama of Dashratha's demise and persuaded Rama to return to Ayodhya and claim his rightful throne. When Rama refused, Bharat took his padukas (slippers) with him to Ayodhya to place on the throne until Rama’s return to the kingdom. According to popular belief this site was also blessed by the gods while Lord Rama was performing the Shraddha ceremony (last rites) of his father here.

Inspired enough to visit Chitrakoot? Read on to find out what you can do there.

Places To Visit In Chitrakoot

Ram Ghat: Soaked in tranquility and reverberating with Hindu chants, a holy dip in Ram Ghat is a must-do when in Chitrakoot. You can even opt for a boat ride here.

Gupt Godavari Caves: A short drive from Chitrakoot, this pair of caves has beautiful intricate carvings. Housing two natural thrones dedicated to Rama and Lakshman, a stream of water from a tank (referred as Sitakund) flows through one of the caves.

Bharat Milap Mandir: As the name suggests, this is where Bharat met Lord Rama and requested him to return to Ayodhya. This is located on the Kamdagiri Hills, which when circumambulated (parikrama) is believed to liberate people from their sins.

Read More: Tracing Hindu Mythology: 7 Places You Need to Visit in India

Getting There

Situated in the northern mountain range of the Vindhyas, Chitrakoot Dham is located on the banks of the river Mandakini.

Air: The nearest airport to Chitrakoot Dham is 175 kilometres away at Khajuraho, a city which is well-connected to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi.

Rail: Chitarkoot Dham is the closest railhead from the city and is well-linked to many Indian cities. Some of the popular trains that run here are Bundelkhand Express, Mahakoshal Express and Chitrakoot Express.

Road: Many regular bus services operate from cities like Allahabad, Jhansi, Lucknow, Varanasi and Kanpur.

Hotel: Try MPT Tourist Bungalow, 120 kilometres from Varanasi and 200 kilometres from Lucknow. The average cost per night is Rs. 600.

Did You Know? The famous saint and poet Tulsidas spent a large part of his life here.

Explore Chitrakoot Holiday Now!