Chitrakoot Dham

Karwi was the one of the seats of Peshwa who acquired large tracts in Bundelkhand after Bajirao helped Chatrasal defeat Bangash Khan. Maharaja Amrut Rao was the first ruler of Karwi and the town started to gain importance. Maharaja Amrit Rao Peshwa used to reside mostly in Benaras, was involved in charity and led a life of penance.

His son Peshwa Vinayak Rao made Karwi his home and Ganesh Fort palace was built in 1818, the same year in which Shaniwar Wada was destroyed, which is now called as Purani Kotwali.

A temple dedicated to Lord Ganpati was built in Sonepur in 1832, known as Ganesh Bag.

Vinayak Rao is credited with building 20 or more Temples in Karwi. His son Narayan Rao joined the revolt of 1857 and was jailed in Rewa. He died of poisioning at HazariBagh, while on a trip to Gaya.

His Daughter Savitri Bai was restored 8 villages of Naikhai in Rewa State by British offices which was confiscated during 1857 on a guarantee to leave Peshwa title forever. After the fall of Northern Branch of Peshwas, The town of Karwi lost its old glory and splendor.

On 6 May 1997 in Uttar Pradesh, a new district, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj Nagar, was created, by cutting it out of the Banda district. A year later on 4 September 1998, the name of the district was changed to Chitrakoot. It is situated in the northern Vindhya range spread across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh states. The word "Chitrakoot" signifies the rich and diverse cultural, religious, historical and archaeological heritage of the various sites of the region. Every new moon, lakhs of devotees from different areas gather here. Somvati Amavasya, Diwali, Sharad-Purnima, Makar-Sankranti, and Ram Navami are celebrated in the city.

The city is bounded by Kaushambi in the north, Satna (M.P.) and Rewa (M.P.) in the south, Prayagraj and Banda in the east and west respectively. Chitrakoot Dham is situated on the bank of the Mandakini (Payaswini) river, with mountainous terrain.

As of the 2011 census, Chitrakoot Dham had a population of 66,426, with 54% being male, and 46% female. The city has an average literacy rate of 67%, with male literacy at 75% and female literacy of 58%.[3]

• Baijnath Bharadwaj Saraswati Vidya Mandir
• Chitrakoot Inter College (CIC)
• Gyan Bharti School
• Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University, Sitapur
• Sanskrit College, Taronha[4]
• Goshwami Tulshidas Government College, Bedi Pulia[4]
• Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya University
• Seth Moolchand Vidya Mandir
• St Thomas Sr. Sec. school

• District Hospital Chitrakoot[5]

• Ramghat–This is a major ghat. 100–150 rs buy a one-hour personal shikara (Big Boat). Many boats host pet rabbits. Tulsidas statue is there on the ghat. Bharat Milap temple is on this ghat. Arati happens each evening. This is a central place in Chitrakoot.
• Kamtanath Temple–This trail covers around 5 km. Monkeys are common and ill-behaved.
• Hanuman Dhara–This hill has three main points of interest: Trimukhi Hanuman mandir, Panchmukhi hanuman mandir and Seeta Rasoi. A continuous stream of waterfalls on Hanuman idol. Buy grams of "Chana" and feed langurs here. Langurs are present. Sita Rasoi is an old room where Sitaji cooked food during ram vanvas.
• Gupt Godavari Caves–Water streams flow through these three caves.
• Sphatic Shila–This is a stone where Lord Ram used to rest.
• Sati Anusuiya Ashram–This is an ashram on the river bank.
• Ganesh Bagh- The last Durbar of Northern Branch of Peshwas of India, It is also called as mini khajuraho
• Sanhok Lake View

• 2009 Chitrakoot shootout

• Chitrakoot, Karwi tehsil, The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 10, p. 300