Celebrated in ballads and the scriptures for its natural beauty and closely associated with the epic Ramayan, Chitrakoot or "the hill of many wonders" is a hallowed centre of pilgrimage. It is believed to be the place where Lord Rama and Sita spent their 14 years of exile and where the Sage Atri and Sati Anasuya meditated. The holy town is set in sylvan surroundings on the banks of the River Mandakini,also known as the Payaswaini river. The riverside is lined with ghats and the town dotted with temples dedicated to several deities of the Hindu pantheon.