Introduction
Ramagiri or Chitrakoot Shakthi Peeth is the temple where Sati’s Right Breast had fallen. Devi Sati is worshipped as Shivani or Sharada and Lord Shiva as Chand Bhairav or as Chand.
Location
Chitrakoot shakthi peeth is located in Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh. Chitrakoot town is home of several ancient temples mentioned in Hindu Scriptures. Chitrakoot area borders Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The place has several temples which attracts tourists from all over the country.
Other places of tourist attraction
Janaki Kund– Sita Mata is said to have bathed in Mandakini River during the years of her exile, due to which the pond is known as Janaki Kund.
Ramghat refers to the ghats that line the Mandakini River. During their exile, Rama, Lakshmana and Sita bathed here and are believed to have appeared before the saint poet Tulsidas.
Sati Anusuya Ashram located in a forest 16 kms away from the town is the abode of Atri Muni, Anusuya, and their three sons (who were the three incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar) lived and meditated.
Bharat Koop a small Koop, where Bharata stored holy water collected from all the places of pilgrimage in India.
There are other important temples like the Hanuman Dhara, Kamad Giri, Lakshman Pahadi and Gupt Godavari.
History
Chitrakoot temple is considered as a very sacred place. Lord Rama, Sita Devi and Lakshmana are said to have spent their eleven and a half years in these forests out of their fourteen years of exile. Several sages, seers such as Atri, Sati Anusuya, Dattatreya, Maharishi Markandeya, Sarbhanga, Sutikshna have meditated here. Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswar also took their incarnations here.
It is also said when Lord Rama performed the Shradda ceremony of his father, all the gods and goddesses came to Chitrakuta to partake of the Shuddhi (i.e. a feast given to all the relatives and friends on the thirteenth day of the death in the family).
The first known mention of Chitrakoot is in Valmiki Ramayana.
Mahakavi Kalidasa describes Chitrakoot as Ramgiri due to his Bhakthi to Lord Rama.
Tulsidas, the saint poet of Hindi is said to have had darshan of Lord Ram at Chitrakoot.
Festivals
Amavasya, Somwati Amavasya, Deepavali, Sharad Poornima, Makar Sankranti and Ramanavi are some of the special occasions when people gather at Chitrakoot for festivities.
