All Industries Blog: Glimpses of Chhattisgarh --- Part 1

I travelled by train to Raipur, but you can also reach by flight. It takes 20 hours and 40 minutes journey, to reach Raipur Junction from New Delhi Railway Station. Feeling quite tired I headed to rest in my booked hotel --- Shivam Palace. This hotel was booked as it was modestly priced. For an executive AC room that has 24-hour room service, I felt the discounted price from INR 999 to INR 779 was good enough. Above all this hotel offers smoking rooms, and doesn’t allow only male guests, unmarried couples or pets to stay, this highlighted the hotel management's ethical practices and I was greatly impressed by these. Offered also are double beds in rooms with power backup, lift or elevator, a dining area and coffee shop. Within the room, there were charging points and this only nine-minute walking distance hotel from the Raipur Junction Railway Station could be booked without any charge and such a booking could be cancelled at any time till the actual check-in moment. The hotel provides First Aid Services & CCTV & Fire Extinguishers from a safety and Security point of view. Also, I checked that the hotel got a good rating and the reviews I read built the trust for Shivam Hotel.

After resting, we went for lunch at the Moti Mahal Hotel in Telibandha. We had Plain Dosa, Masala Dosa, Rawa Masala Dosa, Raj Kachori and Gupchups, and then we left for Dongargarh. At 2:30 PM we reached Dongargarh. In the next ten minutes, we reached the entrance of Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple

Maa Bamleshwari Devi temple in Dongargarh, a town and municipality within the Rajnandgaon district of the state of Chhattisgarh is a famous pilgrimage and tourist destination. Dongargarh is located about 35 km west of Rajnandgaon, about 67 km west of Durg and about 132 km east of Bhandara.

The temple is surrounded by hills and water bodies. Dongar means mountains and garh means fort, so the name Dongargarh is justified. This name suggests that the Devi is protected by the hill and fort in all possible ways.

There are two temples of Bamleshwari Devi one on the hill top called the Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple is built on the peak of a mountain about 1,600 feet high and another on the ground is called the Chhoti Bamleshwari Mata Temple. Many legends are there about this temple. This temple is considered to have attached great spiritual importance, more so, in the mindsets of the local people.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Ropeway View Of Lake (View 1)

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Ropeway View Of Lake (View 2)

Near this Temple are Chhoti Bamleshwari Temple, Shivji Temple and Lord Hanuman Temple. During Navratri public in great numbers worship at Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple and also in Chhoti Bamleshwari Devi Temple.

There are two temples of Hanuman ji, one on the ground near Chhoti Bamleshwari Devi Temple and another on the top of the hill near Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple.

Once you have crossed 75% of your journey from the ground you will face a well-decorated Lord Shiva Temple where devotees offer their prayers.

The main deity in the temple at the hilltop is an idol of Goddess Bamleshwari Devi which is coated with vermilion and looks quite attractive. Goddess Bamleshwari Devi is known to be another form of the Maa Baglamukhi of Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Bamleshwari Devi is known to bless people to become victorious in war.

To reach the top of the Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple first you have to climb about 50 stairs, to get into a ropeway, which drops you at a great height, from here you have to climb about 150 more stairs, to reach the temple. In total, there are 1100 stairs to be climbed from the ground, to reach the temple. The ramp road can be used. Also, devotees use the ropeway facility for a certain price.

While the ropeway facility attracts a lot of craze and interest from people, one needs great care to use such a facility. In 2016 a severe accident happened with the ropeway as the ropeway broke and several people travelling through it fell and were killed.

Dongargarh has harmoniously celebrated various kinds of its populace with diverse religious interests, which range from the Hindus, the Buddhists, the Sikhs, the Jains, and the Christians.

Legends Related to Maa Bamleshwari Devi & Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple

Once upon a time, there was a place called Kamawati. It was ruled by King Kamsen who was a pious devotee of God and goddesses of all forms. He was keenly interested in arts and music. In his court, there was a great musician Madhawanal and a great dancer Kamkandala. Once for liking their performances, King Kamsen gave away one of his necklaces to Madhawanal. Both the performers fell in love and Madhawanal gave away the received necklace to Kamkandala. On learning about this King Kamsen became angry and sentenced Madhawanal to exile. So, Madhawanal after reaching Ujjain explained his case to King Vikramaditya. Impressed by Madhawanal’s art King Vikramaditya decided to help Madhawanal. King Vikramaditya requested King Kamsen to release Kamkandala but King Kamsen refused to do so and soon the two Kings had to fight each other on the battlefield.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Ropeway View Of Lake (View 3)

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Ropeway View Of Lake (View 4)

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Ropeway View Of Lake (View 5)

Both the Kings were pious and religious having enormous faith in Mahakal and Maa Bimla. On noticing the adverse effects of the battle Mahakal requested Maa Bimla to forgive Vikramaditya for his violent deeds. Getting the blessings of Mahakal and Maa Bimla both Kamkandala and Madhawanal married each other. Since then, Maa Bimla has become one of the main deities of the residents of Chhattisgarh.

Another legend goes like this. About 2200 years ago, the local King Veersen was quite disturbed as he was childless. His royal priest suggested that he worship the gods. After the pooja was done and within one year itself a boy was born to him and his name was kept Madansen. The King felt that his son was born due to the blessings of Lord Shiva and Parvati. So, the King built a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati. Sometime later, King Vikramaditya visited the temple in Dongargarh to commit suicide, but suddenly Bamleshwari Devi appeared, stopped him and saved the King’s life.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Ropeway View Of the Ground (View 6)

Crowd on Special Occasions

During Navratri in summers and winters and during Dussehra large number of people come here to do pooja and light Akhand Jyotikalash. Also, certain fairs are organized, at such times. Dongargarh is also considered a key pilgrimage site by the Jains.

Hawan is arranged every Sunday, from 10 AM to 12 noon, in which red chillies are used to worship the Fire god.

View Of Dongargarh City From Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple (View 7)

The temple trust offers Dharamshala facilities for accommodation. Dongargarh is a town, so here only low or medium-budget hotels are available. If you want to stay in a better facility hotel, then you may have to book better hotels in Rajnandgaon which is the nearest place to this temple, being about 35 km away.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Staircase (View 1)

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Staircase (View 2)

How You Can Reach Here

The nearest airport to this temple is Swami Vivekananda International Airport, Raipur, about 125 KM away. From there you can book a private taxi to reach the temple.

There are regular trains from other major cities (like New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Raipur, etc.) of the country to the Rajnandgaon Railway Station and the Dongargarh Railway Station which is just about 3 KM away from the temple. From these Railway Stations, you can book a private taxi to reach the temple.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Maa Bamleshwari Devi Idol (View 1)

Dongargarh is well connected by good roads. The distance from Dongargarh Bus Stand to the temple is just about 1 km, and that from Rajnandgaon, Durg and Raipur is about 35 KM, 67 KM, and 105 KM, respectively.

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Maa Bamleshwari Devi Idol (View 2)

Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple Maa Bamleshwari Devi Idol (View 3)

Telibandha Talab

It was evening by now. At 6 PM we left for Telibandha Talab. Raipur has always remained a rich heritage, cultural centre, fascinating cuisines, street food and commercial hub, that offers a great list of unending tourist attractions one must surely visit.

When lighting was arranged for around the Telibandha Talab, gradually, youths and other people of all ages and castes started to gather there in the evenings and nights.

Then several hawkers started standing and offering street food and this place started giving a feel of something like what Marine Drive gives in Mumbai. So, publicly people called it the Marine Drive of Raipur. This became a beautiful place for a walk or get-together in the evenings and the nights and for jogging in the mornings, and the evenings. Gradually, some good restaurants and hotels opened opposing the Telibandha Talab. So much for a cool breeze around the Telibandha Talab. It also holds religious importance amongst Hindus.

During the evenings, it was a great site to see so many people at the Talab enjoying the togetherness in their style, celebrating privacy, and so many hawkers serving them, though for a price. On the bank of Telibandha Talab exists a name board in a designed manner. Turn wise, people were taking selfies and group photos in front of this board name. At 7:30 PM we decided to enjoy street food at Telibandha and had Momos, Litti Chokha, Aloo Tikki Chaat and Vada Pav.

How You Can Reach Here

Reach Raipur Airport or Railway Station or Bus Stand and from their book a taxi to Telibandha Talab.

Concluding Remark

I have not yet visited all the Raipur City Tourist Places or all Chhattisgarh Tourist Places Near Raipur, still I am a lot mesmerized by Raipur and Chhattisgarh.