Chandranath Hill

Chandranath is a hill of about three hundred and fifty metres above Sitakunda north of Chittagong, and it is one of the more important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Bangladesh, held to be a shakti peetha where part of Sati's body fell, with a temple on the summit and a series of shrines on the way up. The ascent is more than a thousand steps and a rough path, taking an hour or more, through forest with monkeys and views opening over the coastal plain and the bay. The Shiva Chaturdashi festival in February or March draws very large numbers who climb through the night. The Sitakunda eco-park on the same range has waterfalls and walking routes and is often combined with the climb.

Background

No peak of the Chittagong Western Hill Range rises higher, and it is also the top of Chittagong District; the range runs about 70 km from the Feni River to the city of Chittagong, and the Sitakunda Botanical Garden and Eco-Park lies at its foot. Nearby tops include Ambernama at 900 feet and Saijjydala at 801 feet. The Shahasradhara and Suptadhara waterfalls come off the hill, with many other streams running east to the Halda or west into the Bay of Bengal, and a rubber dam on the Mahamaya canal has made the largest man-made lake in Bangladesh after Kaptai. At the foot the trail splits: the left path, a dirt track through forest and Tipra villages, is gentler and usually taken up, and the right one, mostly steep concrete and stone stairs, is used for the way down.

Source: Wikipedia, "Chandranath Hill"

What to look for

• Over a thousand steps to the summit - the pilgrimage ascent.
• The hilltop temple - the shrine at the top of the climb.
• Views over the plain and bay - the coast from the upper slopes.
• The February pilgrimage - the Shiva Chaturdashi crowds climbing at night.

When to go

November to March; the February or March festival is the busiest and most striking. Half a day for the climb and descent. Start early to avoid the heat. The steps are steep and uneven.

Before you go

The climb is hard work with steep uneven steps and no shade in places. Monkeys are aggressive around food. During the festival the path is packed and the ascent is slow. There are no facilities on the way up.

Nearby

Sitakunda eco-park is on the same range; Chattogram lies south.