Chitrakoot is famous for its mythological importance from the time of Ramayana. It is associated with historic Ramayana epic as this was the place where Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshman spent their 11 years of exile. It is known both for its scenic beauty and spiritual altitude. It is an important pilgrimage and tourist hub

Pilgrims are overwhelmed by taking a dip in the Payaswani or Mandakini River and by immersing oneself in the dust of the Kamat giri. Chitrakoot district, coming under Bundelkhand region of the state of Uttar Pradesh , is one of the most backward districts of the state and in the country. Chitrakoot is a division of Uttar Pradesh.

District Chitrakoot lies between DMS Lat. 25° 10' 32.7972'' N and DMS Lang. 80° 52' 5.9664'' E. Distance covered by district from east to west is 62 Km and North to South is 57.5Km. It is bounded in the north by Kaushambi, in the south by Satna (MP) & Rewa (MP), in the east by Allahabad and in west by Banda. The district is linked with Roadways to all adjoining district of Banda, Allahabad, Satna, Rewa and Kaushambi .

► Road: Chitrakoot Dham sits on National Highway 76 (NH 76). The city has road links to all adjoining districts of Banda, Prayagraj, Satna, Rewa and Kaushambi.
► Railways: Chitrakoot Dham has a railway station (Indian Railways Station code: CKTD) on the Manikpur - Jhansi/Kanpur main line, served by the North-Central division of Indian Railways. It is connected by train to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhopal, Raipur, Jabalpur, Kanpur, Khajuraho, Lucknow, Durg and Varanasi.
► Air Transport: Closest Airport to Chitrakoot Dham is in Prayagraj which is 106 kilometres (65.8 miles) away and has flights to major destinations such as Delhi, Bangaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata etc. An airstrip is under construction at Dewangana.

Chitrakoot district serves as district headquarters. The district comprises of four Tehsil and 5 development blocks. Development in the state of Uttar Pradesh has been the outcome of the interplay of a variety of factors including physical, political, economic, demographic and geographic. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has emerged as a highly vibrant and dynamic sector and does not only play crucial role in providing large employment opportunities at comparatively lower capital cost than large industries but also help in industrialization of rural & backward areas, thereby, reducing regional imbalances, assuring more equitable distribution of national income and wealth. MSMEs are complementary to large industries as ancillary units and this sector contributes enormously to the socioeconomic development of the state.

Chitrakoot district has a population of 991,730, roughly equal to the nation of Fiji or the US state of Montana. This gives it a ranking of 448th in India (out of a total of 640). Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 29.29%. Chitrakoot has a sex ratio of 879 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 65.05%.

Wheat, paddy, maize, sorghum, chickpea, pigeon pea and green gram are major crops in the district.

Tourism is one of the most integral part of Chitrakoot economy. Chitrakoot means the 'Hill of many wonders'. Chitrakoot falls in the northern Vindhya Range of mountains spread over the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Chitrakoot Mountain range includes famous Religious Mountains like Kamad Giri, Hanumaan Dhara, Janki Kund, Lakshmanpahari, and Devangana. A large part of the district is a rocky and denuded forested upland called the Patha, which is inhabited by Kol tribals. Ram Ghat and Sandhya Arti is the big attraction .

The most prominent MSME sectors in the district are: Agro-based, wooden toys & crafts, metal-based steel fabrication, repairing & servicing.

The following are the prominent type of industries in the district :

Chitrakoot district is endowed with variety of natural resources like minerals, agriculture, livestock, etc. which offer very good potential for setting up of a variety of industries in the MSME Sector. An illustrative list of items enjoying good prospects is given below: 11
► Agro based - Rice Mill, Floor mil, Herbal and Medicinal plants processing units
► Wood/wooden based furniture- Wooden toys, novelty and utility items
► Metal based (Steel Fab.) - Stone Crusher for Granite Tiles Cutting & Polishing
► Repairing and servicing- Induction furnace for metal casting, Soap & Detergent for Dhoop-batti, Agarbatti & Candles

The following table depicts the value of export of major products from Chitrakoot10:

Chitrakoot is known for its wooden lacquer-ware craft, toys in particular. Making of wooden lacquer-ware is an age-old tradition in this small town, located in the border of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, about 280 km from Allahabad and 92 km from Satna. The basic raw material, Koraiya Dudhi and Sudari wood are available in the jungles of Chitrakoot, with which the wooden craft items are made. Because of the tourist attraction, market for this product is locally available. With the patronage of tourists, the craft survive on hereditary basis. At some point of time the craft was flourishing and more than 80 units comprising more than 1050 artisans ware earning their livelihood with this craft. Mostly the units were household units in which entire family members contributed for production of the craft. With the passage of time the demand for this craft has fallen gradually, due to tough competition from the modern toys. Moreover, artisans could not keep pace with the changing taste of the market. With the result industry has shrunk tremendously. Presently only 45 units covering 400 artisans are engaged in the craft. Apart from this, many artisans are working in this craft on part time basis. They are making these products based on the demand in the market. The demand rises during the period from October to February. The products are being marketed by the artisans in the various Melas conducted at national/state level.

Basically, two types of product are being made at Chitrakoot :- 1. Traditional toys and utility items like spinning tops (Lattu), sound making toy (Jhunjuna), finger tops, Damru rattles, kitchen sets, athletic skipping ropes, doll sets, round boxes (Sindurdani), key chains etc. 2. Decorative items like wooden Idols, bangle stands, flower vases, wooden bangle, hair clips etc. Few units have also introduced new product range in which betel nuts 21 are used in place of wood. They are making idols, key rings and other products with same techniques. However, lacquering is not done on such products.

► Artisans
► Raw material suppliers
► Machinery suppliers
► Entrepreneurs
► Manufactures
► Exporters
► Banks and Financial Institutions
► DIEPC
► MSME DI
► District Industry Centre, Karvi, Dist. Chitrakoot
► Marketing & Service Extension Centre, O/o Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Varanasi
► Labor Department, Karvi
► U P Khadi & Village Industries Boad, CIC Road, Karvi, Chitrakoot

Export Scenario

The following table lists the HS codes under which the wooden toys are exported: ;

The export scenario of India and Uttar Pradesh have been analysed basis the export statistics of HS code 950300 mentioned above under which Wooden Toys products are exported. Alongside are the key facts pertaining to the analysed product codes;

As various products are manufactured and sold under the Wooden toys products category of Chitrakoot , in order to gauge our under standing of where India stands relative to the world on the trade of these products, each product has been delved into as a separate unit defined by its exports and imports in comparison to its competition and potential markets to target in the future.;

India's exports represent 0.20% of world exports for this product. The value of India’s exports has gradually decreased by 2% between 2016 and 2020. ;

The top importers for this product in the world are given below, alongside the value of the product imported in 2020.;

Countries to whom UP exports this product in HSN code -950300 are USA, UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Australia, UAE, France, Nepal, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, South Africa. ;

India possesses a rich and diverse range of unique tangible and intangible cultural, natural, and manmade tourism resources, many of which are world class in quality and most of which are in rural areas.

India possesses a rich and diverse range of unique tangible and intangible cultural, natural, and manmade tourism resources, many of which are world class in quality and most of which are in rural areas. India is a large market for travel and tourism. It offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products - cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MICE, eco-tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. India has been recognized as a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic and international tourists. The Tourism Industry plays a major role in the economic development of the country. During 2019, the contribution of travel & tourism to GDP was 6.8% of the total economy, ~ Rs. 13, 68,100 crores (US$ 194.30 billion). The segmentation of Domestic Tourism and International tourist is as under;

Uttar Pradesh is the fourth largest state in India, with an approximate area of 2,40,928 Sq. Km. It is also the most populous state in the country, with a population of 199.5 million. Uttar Pradesh is one of the most favoured states for tourists in India, with a consistent ranking amongst the top states in terms of tourist arrivals. Uttar Pradesh is a land of cultural and geographical diversity. It is blessed by tranquil expanses of meadows, perennial rivers, dense forests, and fertile soil. It is the heartland of India and plays a crucial role in the culture, politics, agriculture, education, industry, and tourism of India. Uttar Pradesh is the largest tourist destination in India and abounds with beautiful spots and pilgrimage centres. Situated in the northern part of India, it shares boundary with Uttaranchal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, and an international border with Nepal Uttar Pradesh has a glorious history. It is the land of Lord Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Mahavir. The epics Ramayana and the Mahabharata were written in Uttar Pradesh. It was here that the Buddha lived and preached to his disciples. The Mughals established their empire here. It is also home to India's most visited site, the Taj Mahal, the oldest living, and holiest city Varanasi. The First War of Indian Independence against British rule in 1857 had its roots in this state. Agra, Varanasi, Fatehpur Sikri, Ayodhya, Prayagaj, Chitrakoot, Jhansi, Shravasti, Kaushambi, Mathura and Lucknow etc. are prominent center of tourism in this state. In, 2019, Uttar Pradesh was ranked the 1st state in in terms of the domestic tourist arrivals and 3rd in terms of foreign tourist arrivals. The Tourism industry in Uttar Pradesh has a significant contribution to the states’ economic growth. The contribution of tourism to the employment generation, both direct and indirect, is of immense importance to the state. The detail of foreign tourists and domestic tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh is mentioned below – To establish Uttar Pradesh a preferred tourism destination in India and achieve countries highest tourist arrival and earn tourist receipts, driving employment generation, the Uttar Pradesh Govt has announced its tourism policy, 2018 with following objectives-
► To become the most preferred tourist destination in the country by 2023.
► To achieve an annual increase of 15% domestic tourist arrival and 10% foreign tourist over the next five years.
► To attract employment of approximately 500000 per year.
► To attract investments with a target of INR 5000 per year.
► To impart training to 10000 tourism service providers over the next five years.
► To convert 10 heritage buildings (Buildings with heritage value) to heritage hotels per year.
► To improve regional connectivity of all religious and cultural attractions within the state through road, rail, and air
► To promote the state as leading MCE destination in the country
► To elevate the standards of public service facilities across the state and provide high quality visitor experience

Greatly revered by the ancient sages, Chitrakoot has a richly significant mythological history. According to the great sage Valmiki in his epic Ramayan, it was the abode for Ram, Laxman and Sita during a part of their exile. Chitrakoot was the place of Bharat-Milap, where Bharat met Lord Ram and requested him to return and take the throne in Ayodhya. Following Ram's gentle refusal of the same, he left Chitrakoot with Sita and Laxman. Bharata Mandir now enshrines that moment and carries stone etchings of footprints of Lord Ram and all his brothers. Chitrakoot is where Lord Ram performed a shuddhi (purification) ceremony in memory of Dashrath, his father. Both the ancient poets Kalidas and Tulsidas speak glowingly of Chitrakoot in their writings, and Tulsidas spent a considerable time here in meditation and worship of Lord Ram. Ramghat is a significant ghat where Lord Ram appeared in front of Tulsidas and gave him his blessings. Not very far is the Sita's kitchen where Lady Sita extended hospitality to various sages and saints. Chitrakoot is also believed to be the place where the Holy Trinity - Lords Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva, took their incarnations on earth. Lord Brahma also chose this site to light 108 fires before creating the universe. Now only pit remains to mark the once-grand fire, known as Yagya Vedi. Chitrakoot is ranked 5st rank in Domestic Tourist Visit and 21th in Foreign Tourist Visit (FTV) in year 2019. The five years trends of foreign and domestic tourist arrival in Chitrakoot are mentioned in below figure.

Forested hill of prime religious significance, this is believed to be the original Chitrakoot. The Bharat Milap Temple is located here. Pilgrims perform a ritual circumambulation of the hill to seek blessings.;

Stepped edges leading into the river Mandakini and a serene environment is what one will find here. This riverside is known to be the place where Lord Rama, Goddess Sita and Lord Laxman interacted with Saint Goswami Tulsidas. Ram Ghat is a place with much activity and a seething crowd as it is one of the main Ghats of Chitrakoot.One can see the signs of it early morning onwards. Also adding to the view are the colourful boats lining near the steps leading into the river. One should not miss the evening Aarti on the Ram Ghat.;

Bharat Koop is a huge well near Bharatpur village, located around 20 KMs west of Chitrakoot. It is believed that Lord Rama’s brother Bharat brought water from all the holy places to honour Lord Ram as the King of Ayodhya. Bharat was unsuccessful in persuading Lord Ram to return to his kingdom and take his place as the king. Bharat then, as per the instructions of Maharishi Atri, poured the holy water in this well. It is said that taking a bath from the water of this well means bathing in all teerths (pilgrimage destination). There is also a temple here dedicated to Lord Rama and his family.;

Bharat Milap temple is believed to be the marking the spot where Bharat met Lord Rama during his period of exile to persuade him to return to the throne of Ayodhya. It is said that the meeting of four brothers was so overwhelming that even the rocks and mountains of Chitrakoot melted. Footprints of Lord Rama and his brothers imprinted on these rocks can still be seen.;

Ganesh Bagh is located on the Karvi – Devangana road. It was built in the 19th century by Vinayak Raj Peshwa. This place consists of a temple which has carvings on its interiors, resembling the art and style of Khajuraho. This place is also known as mini Khajuraho, owing to its architectural similarity with original Khajuraho.;

This Hanuman temple is situated on top of a huge rock. A steep climb of several carved steps lead to the temple. While climbing these steps one can see splendid views of Chitrakoot underneath. All along the way small idols of Lord Hanuman are placed to offer prayers. Legend says that inside this temple Lord Rama stayed with Lord Hanuman, after Lord Hanuman set Lanka on fire and returned back. Here Lord Rama helped him pacify his anger. Further up from this point are a few more shrines dedicated to Lord Rama, Mother Sita and Laxman.;

Gupt Godavari is located 18 Kms from Chitrakoot. Legend has it that Lord Rama and Lakshman stayed here for some part of their exile. Gupt Godavari is a two-cave system inside a mountain with knee high water level. The bigger cave has two stone carved thrones believed to be belonging to Rama and Laxman. The outside of these caves are covered with shops for purchasing memorabilia.;

This ashram is known to be the resting place of the sage Atri. Atri meditated here with his devout wife Anusuya. Legend says that during the exile Lord Rama and Mother Sita visited Sati Anusuya at this ashram. Sati Anusuya used to teach Mother Sita during this time. There is large statue of Lord Krishna riding a chariot with Arjun sitting behind him which depicts a Mahabharata scene. Inside it are more sculptures with interesting artwork, kept for sacred darshan.;

Ram Darshan temple is one unique temple where puja (worship) and offerings are prohibited. This temple helps people enter integral Humanism by imparting them the valuable moral lessons. The temple is an amalgamation of cultural and human aspects and leaves a mark on anyone’s heart who ever visits this temple. The temple gives an insight to Lord Rama’s life and his inter- personal relations. One needs an entry ticket to enter the premises.;

The sphatik shila is a small boulder situated on the banks of River Mandakini, upstream from the Rama Ghat. This place is believed to be the spot where Mother Sita did her Shringaar (makeup). Also, legend has it that this is where Jayant, Lord Indra’s son, disguised as a crow pecked Sita on her foot. It is said that this boulder still bears the imprint of Rama’s feet.;