Raipur India

Madhya Pradesh Cities :- Bandhavgarh || Bhopal || Chitrakoot || Indore || Panna || Gwalior || Jabalpur || Kanha || Khajuraho || Orchha || Raipur || Sanchi

Description
Raipur is the capital of the newly formed State Madhya Pradesh.

The District is surrounded by District Bilaspur in North, District Bastar and part of Orissa state in South, District Raigarh and part of Orissa state in East and district Durg in West. The district occupies the south eastern part of the upper Mahanadi valley and the bordering hills in the south and the east. Thus, the district is divided into two major physical divisions, Viz., the Chattisgarh plain and the Hilly Areas.

Mahanadi is the principal river of this district. Its tributaries being Sendur, Pairy, Sondur, Joan, Kharun and Shivnath. The fertility of lands of Raipur district can be attributed to the presence of these rivers. Mahanadi originating in the hills of Sihava flows in the direction of East into the Bay of Bengal. Mahanadi crosses the district diagonally from its south western corner to Northern boundaries. The area to the west of the river comprising the North Eastern part of Dhamtari (now separated from the Raipur District), the whole of Raipur, Rajim Tehsil and the western part of Baloda Bazar Tehsil is a part of the open Chhattisgarh plain, gently sloping, thickly populated and closely cultivated and almost devoid of forests. The plain also extends in a belt of about 13 to 15 kilometers east of Mahanadi, except between Sirpur and Kasdol where the hills are very closed. The Southern part of Mahanadi plain is about 305 metres above the M.S.L. , whereas the northern part is about 244 metres above the M.S.L.

Raipur district is administratively divided into 13 Tehisils and 15 revenue blocks. It comprises of two Lok Sabha Constituencies (Raipur and Mahasamund) and 13 Vidhansabha constituencies. The chief crop of this region is Paddy. Raipur district is fast emerging an industrial centre too. There are 58 large and middle scale industries established so far in this district which have offered employment to nearly 12351 persons. Industrial development in this district is mainly because of availability of wide spread Minerals, Coal, Electricity and cheap labour cost.

Location
Raipur District is situated in the fertile plains of Chhattisgarh Region. This District is situated between 22o 33' N to 21o14'N Latitude and 82o 6' to 81o38'E Longtitude.

How To Get There
All the important Towns of the Region like Bhilai (25 km), Durg(41 km), Jagadalpur (297 Km), {Flight / Train facilities} Raipur India

Rajnandgaon(70 km), Bilaspur (115 km) Jabalpur (369 km) and Bhopal(712 km) are connected with Raipur by Road. Visitors can also go to Hirakud Dam near Sambalpur and Puri (Orissa) by Road for which Bus Service is available. Raipur offers an attractive altenate Road route to Kanha National Park and enroute the traveller may also visit Bhoramdeo too. The route is Raipur-Kawardha- Bhoramdeo-Bodla- Chilpi- Supkhar-Muddi (178Km)
Raipur is connected by Air with Delhi-Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal,and Jabalpur. It is an important station of S.E. Railway on Mumbai, Nagpur-Calcutta Route. The National Highway 6 passes through the city and National Highway No.43 links it with Vijaya Nagaram.

Attractions
Champaran (Champajhar)
The village is identified with Champaranya, the birth place of the Saint Vallabhacharya, the reformer and founder of the Vallabh Sect for whom this place has religious sanctity. A temple was constructed in honour of Guru Swamy Vallabhacharya. Near to this Temple, there is the temple of Champakeshwara Mahadeva.

Fair
An annual fair is held every year in the month of Magh (January - February). Birth Anniversary of Mahapprabhu Vallabhacharya is celebrated every year on Eleventh bright day of Baisakh (April-May) and a large number of followers of the Sect assemble here to pay homage.

How to reach
The village Champajhar now known as Champaran is approachable from Raipur both via Arang (60 Km) and via Nawapara Rajim (68Km). There is a junction on Arang-Rajim Road at village Jonda and a tar road leads the visitor to Champaran. Buses are available from Raipur and Arang (25 km)

Sirpur or Shripur
Sirpur or Shripur the city of wealth has been mentioned in ancient epigraphic records and dates back to a periods ranging from between the Fifth and the Eighth century A.D. It was then the capital of the Sarbhapur Raipur India iya and Somvanshi Kings of Dakshin Kosala or Chhattigarh. It was an important centre of Buddhist from the 6th the 10th century A.D. and was visited by Hieun Tsang, the 7th Century Chinese Pilgrimist and Scholar. Excavations in and around the village have yielded scores of temple sites constructed of bricks, stone pillars and sculptures such as the Shiva Temple of Panchayatan style and the beautiful sculpture of Mahishasuramardini.Two Buddhist monasteries have also been found.

The Lakshmana Temple found here is a brick temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is the only brick temple of its size still standing in this State. The door frame is of stone and a figure of the reclining Vishnu on the Sheshnag may be found on the Lintel. This temple was built by Vasata, the widow queen of Harsh Gupta of the Somvansh. Another temple is the GANDHESHESHWARA TEMPLE (formerly Gandharveshvara) and is interesting because of the Epigraphic records and Genealogy of the Kings of the Somvansh. Some extremely good Vaishnav sculptures are to be found in the Mandapa and several Jain, Buddhist and Hindu Sculptures have been collected in the precincts of the temple .

The most interesting feature of the Sirpur site is that archeological pieces connected with the Shaiv,Vaishnav, Jain and Buddhist religions (of approximately the same age) have been found side by side. The ruins are seen on the banks of numerous tanks existing within a radius of about 6 kilometers around Sirpur.

Fair
A large religious fair is annually held here for three days beginning on Shivaratri (January / February) near the Candheshvara Temple. Public Works Department has constructed rest house at Sirpur.

How to reach
Sirpur is 78 Kms. away from Raipur on National Highway No. 6 on way to Sambalpur. From the 61st Kilometre on Raipur- Sambalpur Road, there is a bifurcation at Junction point of village KOHARI and a 17 Km Tar Road leads the visitor to Sirpur. One can also reach Sirpur from Mahasamund. A rail head (on Raipur-Waltair S.E. Railway) by bus. The distance is just 29 Kms.