TO CHITRAKOOT IN DECEMBER 2009. I had been planning to go to Chitrakoot for the last few months. Viral fever undid me in August and so I had to postpone my trip till December. It would be below 10 degrees I was warned, but I had to go and so from Bombay on 1st of December I started my journey by Tulsi Express. Of course from Calicut I had to come to Bombay, but that was I may say party of the journey. Tulsi I thought would be the ideal train as it is at Chitrkoot Dham- Karvi station early morning and that I thought to be the best time to get down there. So on the 1st of Dec. early morning I got into the train at Thane. As I had been told that this train will be overcrowded and ordinary sleeper compartments will be almost like an ordinary compartment I had reserved my tickets by AC. It proved to be a wise decision. The journey was OK but as the lady opposite to me had to get down at 2 am I was also woken up by her movements; not her fault in the least. I had to get down at Chitrakoot around 5.30 and this also not being a big station I could not sleep well after that. But the train was late and was at Chitrakoot by 6.30; a really convenient time. When I got down in the chilly morning I was a little disturbed without knowing where to go. First of all I had to get a place to stay. Crowded Jeeps were taking people to Rajapur-the place of birth of Sant Tulsidas. Any way that was not my immediate destination and so I waited and heard one auto driver calling Ramghat and I asked him whether lodges will be available there- I knew that this was Chitrakoot after all. So auto which is supposed to carry 5 or 6 goes off carrying more than 10- don’t get upset and don’t think of an accident. So within 15 minutes I was down at Ramghat by the road side- looking around the dirty street. Was this the hills of many wonders or was I on a hill of many blunders? I walked along and started my inquiry for rooms-Kamadgiri and other hotels and the reply- no room. So no room in any of the good places and I at last got a big cave of a room without bathroom of any sort and a common toilet, for how many rooms I did not know. But the toilet was neat, a happy thing to see. Rent Rs.200 daily. I had no choice and I had to sleep somewhere and keep my things. Dharmshalas were there crowded somewhat and staying in one for 5 days was not that pleasant. So to the room and I got out and decided to explore the place. I had lost the notes I had down loaded from the net reg. places of interest. Walking alone, I saw a bridge along the river Mandakini and I walked along to see how it was and there I met my Ram. His name, ATMARAM. I wanted to know about the places around and how I could get there. He asked me whether I was on a pilgrimage or just sight seeing. When I asked what was the connection between that, he told that if I am on a pilgrimage the first thing was to do a parikrama (walk around-circumambulate?) of the Kamadgiri Hill and it was a walk of 5 kms and also he did a ‘parikrama’ daily and he was going for that. So I told him that I will accompany him and we walked towards the Kamadgiri. I had a light breakfast and the ‘parikrama’ was not difficult as the path was well laid with tiles in 2 colours- each for UP and MP states. I had expected the hill to be covered by forest but there were some trees scattered around, probably planted. Monkeys are a permanent presence and how many I could not count. There are many temples and idols around the hill for almost all Indian deities. So for a believer it will be very satisfying. On our return he promised to come back in the evening to hunt for a better room. So I remained in the room and slept for some time being a little tired. Chnitrakoot is a small typical Indian town which has grown in a haphazard way, somewhat disorganized I should say and dirty. I went out in the afternoon to Ramghat on the shore of the river Mandakini. There also many old temples are there and in the evening there would be the ‘Arthi’ I was told. TO BE CONTINUED..... 1.RAILWAY STATION 2. THE STREET DOCTOR 3. MOORTHIS MANY 4. KAMADGIRI 5.MONKEYS-MANY ATMARAM FINDS ANOTHER FRIEND
I think that it is better to continue this thread as a "Photologue" posting the pics from the places I visited at and near Chitrakoot i.e. Ramghat, Jnaki Kund, Hanuman Dhara, Sati Anasuya Ashram, Ganesh Baugh and Rajapur. But before doing that I have to write about 2 great institutions at Citrakoot. One is Janaki Kund Hospital founded by a great Sage Sri.Ranchod Dasji Mharaj and the other is Tulsi Vidya Peed and the University for the Handicapped, only one of its kind in this world ,founded by Sri.Swami Ramabhadranandji. This great man is totally blind, but a great scholar with a few doctorates. He is the Chancellor of this deemed University and there are also rehabilitation centre for the deaf and blind. I was fortunate to meet this great man who will overpower one with his humility. SRI. SWAMI RAMBHADRANANDAJI TO THE HOSPITAL The Janaki Kund hospital was founded as an eye hospital but now it is becoming a general hospital with all facilities and the number of people who come there for treatment from UP and MP and other places is astounding and it is really overflowing with patients especially with eye diseases. On my return journey I was fortunate to meet Dr.Yogita L.RajGandhi from Bombay, a dedicated ophthalmologist with many specializations -not connected with this hospital-who was returning after a free medical camp at a remote village in MP. The meeting of such dedicated persons made me so happy as though I had a journey to the Himalayas.
This is incredible sir! Thanks for sharing, I have some fond memories from this place. This is one of the places that I have been to on my first ever tour in 8th std.
Dear Sir, you have just refreshed my memoirs of visit to chitrakoot in year 1999.From your pics i can derive that the place has developed alot. I sincerly hope that one marwari dharamshala is still operation (forgetting the name) Thanks for sharing ,enjoyed your narration too.
Dear friends, Thanks for the compliments though I had been told by a person in the train that there was nothing to see in Chitrakoot to spend 5 days I found out that there were places around and one had to spend more than 5 days. I went to Hanuman Dhara, Sphatika Shila, Sati Anasuya Ashram, Ganesh Bhag, and Gupta Godaveri Caves and Rakjapur and I was happy to see there were so many interesting places. Certainly if one hire a vehicle and go to these places a lot of time can be saved. But it is more interesting when you go to places like this at a slow pace than running all around fast. The overloaded autos and jeeps surely will cause some tension. But it is cheap and one can see and interact a lot with the local people. Among these Gupta Godavari caves and the temple-palace complex at Ganesh Bhag are very interesting. Though there are many pics with me I am posting only selected few. 1. HANUMANDHARA 2. GUPTAGODAVARI 3.GANESH BHAG 4.SATI ANSUYA ASHRAM 6. RAJAPUR-Birth Place of Tulsi Das Hope all of you will enjoy watching these pictures. I am afraid that there is an error in the pix- the last one is the Tulsi das Idol and the two before that from Sphatikashia.
