Chitrakoot - an unexplored destination in India, immortalized by the magical myth from epic Ramayana

StarBuzzOnline.com

By
Meena Chopra

The ancient town of Chitrakoot lies in the historical Chitrakoot region, which is divided between the present-day Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is known for a number of temples and sites mentioned in Hindu scriptures. Chitrakoot means the 'Hill of many wonders'. Situated in the northern spurs of the Vindhyas, Chitrakoot gives an enchanting feeling to travellers with its natural forests, gurgling streams and beautiful falls.
According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, Lord Rama spent the first 11 years of his exile along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman in Chitrakoot. As per Hindu mythology, Chitrakoot was also the home of the great sage Atri and Sati Anusuya. It was at Chitrakoot that the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh took birth as Soma (the Moon), Dattatreya and Durvasa as the children of Sage Atri and Sati Anusuya. 

Dr. Jyotsna Suri,
CMD Lalit Suri Hospitality Group

After exploring the legacy of Khajuraho's art, its manifestation of the essence of the philosophy of Indian aesthetics along with the history of Chandela dynasty with its unexplored dimensions,  Dr. Jyotsna Suri, CMD Lalit Suri Hospitality Group was eager to go beyond, explore and revive the magical mythological mystery and the ancient history surrounding the land of Chitrakoot. "An ancient township which is 144 kilometers away from Khajuraho yet remained undiscovered in spite of the fact that Lord Rama spent eleven and a half years of his 14 years of exile there," says Dr. Suri. 

Totally enamored by the rich cultural heritage of the area, a full campaign was initiated by the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group which was initiated and led by Dr, Jyotsna Suri. Chief Minister of U.P Mr. Akhilesh Yadav fully supported and welcomed the initiative of the group to develop this region in bringing it to the world's tourist map. Chief Minister Yadav believes that Chitrakoot has a huge tourist potential.

The distance of 144 kilometers Khajuraho to Chitrakoot was covered in 9 days by 100 cyclists in "Chalo Chitrakoot Abhiyan", who passed through 73 villages of that area which is rich with ancient history, culture and the mystical myths. "Lalit Ramayana Festival" was also started depicting many episodes of epic Ramayana.    

Dr. Jyotsna Suri has been committed in  promoting Indian tourism – both nationally and internationally. She has been the Chairperson of FICCI Tourism Committee for the last six years. Under her leadership, FICCI introduced ‘The Great India Travel Bazaar’ in 2008 and ‘The Great Domestic Tourism Bazaar’ in 2011 – two keenly awaited events in the tourism sector facilitating tourism business interactions. The group is committed in developing new destinations in India. 

Bharat Hotels Limited is the largest privately owned hospitality group in India, having more than 20 years of experience in offering limitless hospitality. After having successfully launched and operated 9 hotels in India, including the one launched in 2009, Bharat Hotels Limited has more than 9 hotels lined up for launch during next two years. The existing operational hotels combined with the upcoming hotels give Bharat Hotel Limited a total inventory of over 3600 rooms in India and abroad.