Chhattisgarh Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In Chhattisgarh

Bhoramdeo Temple is situated at a distance of 17 km from the district headquarter. Amidst bewitching surroundings, the temple carved out of stone looks splendid. It follows the Nagara style of architecture and Lord Shiva is worshipped here.

The Shivalinga in the temple is very artistic, which attracts tourists from all over the state. It was constructed in 1089 AD by the king of Fani Nagvansh, Gopal Dev. The temple looks similar to Khajuraho temples and therefore, is also known as Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh.

Other than its fascinating backdrop, the architecture is amazing. Two parts of the temple are made of ishtika and stone. A serene and calm lake is situated in front of the temple. It is five feet tall and the temple is divided into a mandap, an antarala and a garbhagriha.

It can be entered from all directions except from the west. The Shivalinga is situated at the garbhagriha. Sculptures of Lord Vishnu, Shiva and Ganesha can be seen on the outer walls of the temple. Idols of lions and elephants give the temple a royal touch.

Uma Maheswar, Natraj, Narsimha, Krishna, Nritya Ganesh, Kartikeya, Chamunda, Sapta Matrika, Laxmi Narayan and idols of some other gods are found in the temple. Traces of Ram Katha is found inscribed on the walls of the temple.

Carnal sculptures in various erotic poses are famous all over the world. They reflect the social lifestyle of people during that period. The walls with traces of turmeric reflect various holy rituals that take place in the temple.

Famous for its age old Shiva Temple, Deobaloda is a small town in Charoda, at a distance of about 3 km from Bhilai. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and its origin dates back to the 5th century. There is an interesting myth about a pond near this temple, which is believed to have an underground link leading to another town of Chhattisgarh, known as Arang.

This creatively-built temple has sculptures of various deities such as Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and so on, along with the carvings of dancing people, warriors, demi-gods and animals. In addition, this Shiva Temple of Deobaloda also has a Nandi Statue and a few erotic sculptures.

The Ganga Maiya Temple of Chhattisgarh is located at Jhalmala, which is at a distance of about 60 km from the famous township of Bhilai. There is an interesting legend about this temple, which says that the a local fisherman found an idol in the water, caught in his net, but he did not retrieve the idol from the water.

Later on, a villager who belonged to the same village, had a dream wherein the idol of the deity found in the water told him to collect it from the water and asked him to place it in a hut. After that, a temple dedicated to the idol was built there by Bhikam Chand Tawri. The Temple Trust involves itself in organising cultural activities and medical camps for the villagers.

Patan is a town which also serves as the Nagar Panchayat of the district of Durg in Chhattisgarh. The town of Patan has an elevation of about 280 m above the sea level and its panoramic beauty will be a visual treat to the visitors. This town has a population of 8698, as stated by the 2001 India census. With its distinctive combination of modern and tribal traditions, Patan is a town which will leave the visitors wanting for more.

Located on the banks of River Sheonath, Shri Uwassaggaharam Parshwa Tirth is a Jain shrine which was constructed in the year 1995. The main attraction of this shrine is the 30 ft tall gate, that bears an idol of Parshwanath. This idol is held up by four pillars that depict the four essentials of spiritual atonement which are wisdom, introspection, good conduct and penance.

One can notice that the idol is being worshipped by two elephants. This marble shrine houses temples, guest houses, a Naturopathy and Yoga centre, and a beautiful garden. Sacred water known as the Amiya flows from the idol found here. The Shri Uwassaggaharam Parshwa Tirth is thronged by visitors on full moon.

Built over the junction of Rivers Sukha Nala and Tandula, the Tandula Dam Reservoir is one of the famous attractions of the district of Durg. The construction was completed in the year 1912. Located at a distance of about 5 km from Balod, the Tandula Dam has an area of 827.2 sq km and a capacity of around 312.25 million cu m of water.

This beautiful natural waterfall in Koriya district on the Hasdo river is about 7 km from Hara Nagpur on the Manendragarh-Baikunthpur Road. About 80 to 90 ft high, it creates a beautiful misty ambience. There is a Shiva Temple here too. According to history, in 1936, Ramanuj Pratap Singh Judeo, the King of Koriya (then Sarguja) State, started a fair here on Mahashivratri, and the practice is followed till today.

The town of Sirpur is known for its Buddha Vihars, among which the most famous one is that of Anand Prabhu Kudi Vihar. This Buddha Vihar was built by Bhikshu Anand Prabhu who was a follower of Buddha.

The structure contains fourteen rooms and a main entrance. It also has several stone pillars which have beautiful carvings on them. Inside the building, there is a 6 ft tall statue of Lord Buddha that touches the earth. The other attractions that are near to Anand Prabhu Kudi Vihar are Lakshman Temple, Turturiya and Gandheshwar temple.

BadalKhole Abhyaran or sanctuary is situated 160 km away from Raipur in the Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh. This sanctuary is situated on the banks of rivers Eib and Dorki. The area is rich in flora and fauna and the majority of the area is covered with sal trees.

A large variety of animals like panther, monkeys, bear, wolf, hyena, tigers, jungle cat, jackals, etc. can be spotted in the sanctuary. Migratory birds can also be observed here. The pleasant climate of the place makes it a favourable hill station for tourists. The best time to visit is from January to June.

Bastar Palace is another historical remain that is seen in Jagdalpur. It was the headquarters of Bastar Kingdom. It was built by the rulers of Bastar state when the capital of Bastar Kingdom had been shifted from Barsur to Jagdalpur. At present the royal family of Bastar is residing there.

Chaithurgarh, also known as Lafagarh, is one of the strongest natural forts in India. It is situated 19 km away from Pali and is one of the 36 forts of Chhattisgarh. The fort has largely natural walls. Only a few walls have been built. The fort was constructed by Raja Prithvideva I. Menaka, Simhadwar and Humkara are the three main entrances of the fort.

Mahishasura Mardini Temple is situated inside the fort. The idol of Mahishasura Mardini, a form of Goddess Durga has twelve hands. There is a Shankar Cave which is situated 3 km away from the temple. The cave appears like a tunnel.

There are five ponds and is surrounded by green trees and a variety of birds and animals can be noticed here. The scenic beauty of the place is enticing.

Started as a shopping center consisting of two rows of shops and stores, this was the only hub for lot of social activities, entertainment and shopping for a long time. The Civic Center had a children's garden with a toy-train which used to be open on every 14 November on Children's Day.

The toy-train is no longer there, and the garden is decorated to teach traffic-sign and signals to children. To the east of the Civic Center, there is an open place with stage, which is known as Open-Air-Theatre and used for various cultural activities including musical nights.

Initially, it was a movie theatre known as Chitra Mandir. For a long time, this was the only air-conditioned movie theatre in the area for entertainment of the people of Bhilai.

Danteshwari Temple is a prominent attraction of Dantewada. It is dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari and is also one of the 52 Shakti Peethas (shrines of Shakti, the divine feminine) in India.

Goddess Danteshwari is traditionally the family goddess of the place.

Tales say that this is the place where the tooth of Devi Sati fell. Since this was a period when all the Shakti Peethas were constructed in the era of Satya Yuga , the deity here came to be called Danteshwari.

Dongargarh is renowned for Maa Bamleshwari Temple, which is not only a major tourist attraction as a religious site, but also for its picturesque beauty. It is situated 35 km from Rajnandgaon, 67 km from Durg and 107 km from Raipur. Mountains and ponds add to the beauty of Dongargarh.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple is perked on a hilltop, at a height of 1600 ft. The legends around the shrine of the temple have made it spiritually important. Chhoti Bamleshwari Temple is another shrine situated close by. Devotees are found thronging here during Navratri.

Shiva Temple and Hanuman Temple are also situated at close vicinity. Jyoti Kalash is the traditional lighting during Navratri. Other than the temples, the ropeway is another attraction of Dongargarh. It is the only passenger ropeway in Chhattisgarh. Chandragiri is a hill where a jain temple is being planned.

Teerthankara God Chandraprabhuji's ancient statue resides here. Raipur is the closest airport at a distance of 124 km. Dongargarh is the nearest railway station. Bus and private taxis run across Dongargarh making roadways the best means of communication. TheCalcutta-Mumbai National Highway or NH6 runs through stretches of greenery and mild forest. Tourists can visit this place around the year.

Gadiya Mountain is the highest mountain of Kanker. It is a natural fort and was once declared as the capital by King Dharma Dev of the Kandra dynasty. There is a water tank situated on the hilltop which never dries up. The Doodh river flows down the mountains.

There is a legend associated with this tank. The two parts of the tank are known as Sonai and Rupai respectively, which were also the names of the two daughters of the king. It is said that both the daughters fell in the lake and hence, it is named after them as the Sonai Rupai Talab. There is a gold and a silver fish deep under the water, which are said to be alive even today.

A cave called Churi Pagar is situated on the southern part of this tank. The cave can accommodate around 500 people, and it was used as defence from outer attacks. The Jogi caves are situated on the south-eastern part of the mountains. This narrow cave served as a shelter for the monks for meditation purpose. There is also a Sheetla temple located on this mountain.

The festival of Mahashivratri is celebrated on the Gadiya Mountain and thousands of devotees visit here.