Jagdalpur
| Jagdalpur Tourism capital | |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan | |
| Nickname(s): city of streets | |
  Jagdalpur | |
| Coordinates: 19°04′N 82°02′E / 19.07°N 82.03°ECoordinates: 19°04′N 82°02′E / 19.07°N 82.03°E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Chhattisgarh |
| Division | Bastar Division |
| District | Bastar District |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| • Body | Jagdalpur Municipal Corporation |
| • Mayor | Jatin Jaiswal |
| • Collector | Mr. Amit Katariya (IAS) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 250 km2 (100 sq mi) |
| Area rank | 3rd |
| Elevation | 552 m (1,811 ft) |
| Population (2016) | |
| • Total | 2,90,478 |
| • Rank | 3rd in state |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,000/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Bastaria |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Halbi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| PIN | 494001/ Dharampura -494005 |
| Telephone code | 07782 |
| Vehicle registration | CG-17 |
| Website |
www |
Jagdalpur is a city in Bastar district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Jagdalpur is the administrative headquarters of Bastar District and Bastar Division. It was earlier the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Bastar.
Jagdalpur is the tourism capital of Chhattisgarh and is the 3rd largest city of state. It is well known for many nearby tourist attractions, greenery, dense forests, streams, waterfalls, caves, natural parks, natural resources, herbs, exuberant festivity and peaceful solitude. Famous tourist attractions near Jagdalpur include Chitrakote Falls, Teerathgarh Falls, Kanger Ghati National Park, Kotumsar Cave, Kailash Caves. These attractions are close to the city (30-40 km) and also feature in the tripadvisor listed 'Places to Visit in Chhattisgarh' and 'Places to Visit in Jagdalpur'.[1]
Currently, several steel plants have been proposed near Jagdalpur with 3 MTPA Nagarnar Steel Plant of NMDC scheduled to commence commercial operation in Mid 2017.
Demographics
As of the [2016], Jagdalpur Municipal Corporation had a population of 2,90,478.[2] The Municipal Corporation have a sex ratio of 985 females per 1,000 males and 19.0% of the population were under six years old.[2] Effective literacy was 90.44%; male literacy was 92.51% and female literacy was 88.37%.[2]
Transport
Road transport
Road network in and around Jagdalpur can be seen from the road network map of the area.
Bus Services(Both Luxury and Ordinary) are available from Jagdalpur Bus Terminus provided by local Service Providers to major cities like Raipur, Bilaspur, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Amravati, Vizianagaram, Vijayawada etc. Busses for Raipur and Bilaspur are available in every 15 minutes interval. In view of the poor rail and practically non-existent air connectivity, road based transport has emerged as the sole mode of transport for almost all the goods as well as people originating from or destined to Jagdalpur.
Jagdalpur is well connected by road with the Chhattisgarh state capital Raipur, Hyderabad Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and other nearby National Highways providing onward connectivity to other major towns and cities of India.
The National Highways passing through Jagdalpur are NH 30 (connecting Raipur to Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh), NH 221 (connecting Jagdalpur to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh) and NH 16 (connecting Jagdalpur to Nizamabad in Telangana) while passing through Maharashtra.
NH 30 at Raipur connects Jagdalpur to NH 6 leading to Nagpur and Kolkata.
NH 43 connects Natavalasa in Andhra Pradesh and Raipur in Chhattisgarh and passes through Jagdalpur.
NH 221 near Vijayawada connects Jagdalpur to NH 9 leading to Hyderabad and Pune.
NH 16 at Bhopalpatnam connects with NH 202, which once completed, would connect Jagdalpur to Warangal and Hyderabad.
Even though the NH 16 purports to connect Jagdalpur to Nizamabad in Telangana while passing through Maharashtra, the connectivity has not been established till date due to two missing bridges en route.Road Development Authority of Chhattisgarh has started tendering for the Bridge near timed in Bhopalpattnam.
One of the missing bridge is on river Indravati near Bhopalpatnam in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh as is evident from the road network map of the area. One has to cross the river through boat ferry to go to Sironcha taluq of Maharashtra.
As one goes further towards Maharashtra on the NH 16, there is another bridge missing on river Pranahita near Sironcha as is evident from the road network map of the area.
Refer this article for an update as of 27 March 2012.
Refer this article for an update as of 22 June 2015.
Even though the NH 202 purports to connect Bhopalpatnam to Warangal and Hyderabad, the connectivity has been established through bridge en route on the river Godavari near Jampanna Vaagu, Warangal district in Telangana.
Rail transport
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Jagdalpur is now well connected by trains to other cities. Rail network in and around Jagdalpur can be seen from the map of the area. There have been series of efforts in the past three decades to have meaningful rail connectivity between Jagdalpur and Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh and succeeded so far.
A line from Bailadila to Visakhapatnam via Jagdalpur is in place mainly for the purposes of evacuation of iron ore by National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) from Kirandul with limited passenger trains. Plans are underway for doubling the railway line from Bailadila to Jagdalpur.The cost of this is projected to be about INR 870 crore which is proposed to be initially borne by NMDC and NMDC will in turn get a rebate in the freight from Indian Railways towards the initial cost incurred by NMDC.[4]
It would be evident from a cursory glance at the railway map of India[5] that, east-central India, i.e., Jagdalpur and its surrounding areas have no rail lines and certainly no usable rail connectivity with Raipur.
Jagdalpur railway station got grade B in station category by rail budget 2012. Therefore, all basic amenities are being set-up at the station. Currently, construction of platform number 2 and 3 and one Foot Over Bridge are in progress and expected to be completed by May 2014.
Existing Rail Connectivity
There are daily trains connecting Jagdalpur to Visakhapatnam (passenger train 58501/58502), Bhubaneswar (Hirakhand Express 18447/18448) and Kirandul (passenger train 58501/58502). According to the new Railway Budget of 2012-13, Jagdalpur has got one new train i.e. (Durg–Jagdalpur Tri-weekly express 18211/18212 which runs between Durg Jagdalpur via Raipur Mahasamund Titilagarh Jagdalpur and the(18005/18006) Howrah - Koraput express has been extended to Jagdalpur.
Jagdalpur - Raipur Rail Connectivity[6]
Jagdalpur has got one new train i.e. Jagdalpur - Durg express (via Titlagarh)and passing from Raipur. One can go to Raipur from Jagdalpur by train for which one has to take the Jagdalpur–Bhubaneswar train and get down at Rayagada and there board the Visakhapatnam-Korba train which will go to Mahasamund, Raipur, Bilaspur and beyond.
The above however is a roundabout way to reach Raipur from Jagdalpur as it is a much longer route (622 km compared to 300 km by road) and takes much longer time (about 16 Hrs as compared to 5-6 Hrs by road).
Proposed Rail Connectivity
Proposed Dalli Rajhara-Jagdalpur Rail Line
Dalli Rajhara-Jagdalpur Rail Line has been proposed with a view to support the transport needs of people, trade and industries of the region. Construction of the section from Dalli Rajhara to Rowghat and Jagdalpur of the Dalli Rajhara-Jagdalpur Rail Line is currently underway with full pace.The work for final location survey and preparation of detailed project report (DPR) in connection with construction of new broad-gauge railway line from Jagdalpur to Rowghat measuring an estimated 124 km is likely to commence soon. The initial stretch of the first phase of the ambitious 235-km-long Dallirajhara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur railway line project in Bastar division of Chhattisgarh has been completed, officials stated.In all, 17 km rail track has been completed in the first phase and Chief Minister Raman Singh has expressed happiness over the achievement, they stated.A successful trial run of a railway diesel engine was also carried out between Dallirajhara till Gudum village at the speed of 20 km per hour.The Chief Minister congratulated railway engineers, officers and workers associated with the project. Indian Railway has already extended train Raipur- Dalli Rajhara DMU up to Gudum station with effect from 1 February 2016 in newly built stretch of 17 km Dalli Rajhara- rowghat section. It is biggest boom for socio & economic aspects for that region.
In his message, Singh said this rail project would help in economic development of tribal dominated Bastar region and Balod district as well. “Upon completion of the project, Narayanpur and Kondagaon of Bastar region will be directly connected through Raipur, Bilaspur Durg and other parts of the country via rail network. This project will open new doors of economic development for people of Bastar,” said the Chief Minister, adding that the project would also supply iron ore to Bhilai Steel Plant from Rowghat.The 235-km-long railway line will be constructed in two phases. Work on the first phase of 95 km long track from Dallirajhara to Rowghat is in progress, while for the construction of 140 km long second phase from Rowghat to Jagdalpur, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Chhattisgarh Government and IRCON International Limited which is a company of Union Railway Ministry. The MoU was inked in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Dantewada visit on May 9 this year.
The second phase of the project will cost about Rs 2,000 crore. For this project, the State Government and Central Government have formed a joint venture (JV) in which NMDC, SAIL and IRCON are also party.The Chhattisgarh Government will have 10 per cent equity, NMDC 43 per cent equity, SAIL 21 per cent and IRCON will have 26 per cent equity in the JV. Notably, the development of two key rail corridors in mineral-rich Chhattisgarh is now set to expand the Railway line network by 45 per cent in the State, officials stated.The completion of 235-km Dallirajhara-Rowghat-Jagdalpur, East and East-West Rail corridor (300 km) projects will comprise a total of 535 kilometers Railway-line during the next two to four years, they stated.
List of new line surveys in the region to be taken up during 2012-13 as per Railway budget
1. Rail link between Raipur-Dhamtari BG line up to Jagdalpur via Banskot, Amravati, Kondagaon.
2. Linking Bhanupratappur with Dalli Rajhara-Rawghat under construction rail line and connecting it with Jagdalpur.
Doubling of Kirandul - Jagdalpur Rail Line
The Ministry of Railways have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NMDC Limited, a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Steel for doubling the Jagdalpur-Kirandul section.The Jagdalpur-Kirandul doubling project will be implemented by Indian Railways at a cost Rs.826 crores and it will be funded by NMDC with provisions for suitable returns through freight rebate. The Railways will additionally make the necessary investment in wagons, locomotives, other maintenance facilities and deployment of staff. The new line is likely to create an additional traffic of up to 12 million tonne per annum (MTPA) in a phased manner.
Construction of line between Silakjhori and Jagdalpur section is already nearly completed and expected the completion of Doubling of rail line between Kirandul and Jagdalpur will be done by the end of 2017.
Air transport
There is an airport at Jagdalpur but no scheduled services are currently run to or from here. The airport is predominantly used by political leaders and insurgency operation related activities by the army and the police. The nearest airport is Raipur Airport in capital city of Raipur and Visakhapatnam Airport, Andhra Pradesh.[7]
History
The history of Jagdalpur takes us as deep into the past as Valmiki's Ramayana. It was the famous Dandakaranya through which Lord Rama is supposed to have passed. Scholars have also identified Valmiki's ashram here.
The Bastar rulers trace their ancestry not just to the moon, but also to Prithviraj Chauhan, the last Hindu king to rule from Delhi in the 12th century. Bastar has seen the rule of a number of kingdoms like the Nals, Chalukyas and the Kakatiyas. The great Kakatiya king Pratap Rudra's brother, Annama Deva, left Warangal, Telangana and established his kingdom at Bastar, around AD 1424.
Bastar has seen several hundred years of royal rule, wars of succession, conquering of kingdoms, battles, conspiracies etc. After Annam Deo, it witnessed the rule of Hamir Deo, Pratap Raj Deo, Rajpal Deo, Dalpat Deo and others. It was during the reign of Dalpat Deo that the capital of their kingdom was shifted to Jagdalpur.
Festivals
Bastar Dassehra[8]
History.
15th century A.D led to an event which is responsible for the origin of Bastar Dussehra. The Kaktiya ruler (descendants of great Chalukya Dynasty ) King Purushottam Deo went to Jagannath Puri temple for worship and came back as ‘Rath-pati’ with a divine permission to mount on Chariot. From there, this trend continued up till yet. Now, it is a 500-year-old festival of Bastar. Earlier it was a Hindu festival, but later incorporated and assimilated many customs of local tribes.[9]
For 10 days, the king (as the high-priest of Devi Danteshwari) would temporarily abdicate office to worship Danteshwari full-time. He would seek, in confidence and through a siraha (a medium "possessed" by the devi ), a report on the state.
Uniqueness of Bastar Dussehra
Dassehra in Bastar is different from other places where it is linked with Lord Rama or the Ramayana. Bastar is in Dandakarnya, where Lord Rama is believed to have spent the 14 years of his exile. Yet Bastar Dussehra has nothing to do with Lord Rama or the Ramayana.
Here, instead of rejoicing over the killing of Ravana, the tribals celebrate Dussehra as a congregation of Devi Mavli ( Bastar's native deity, revered as the "elder sister" of Devi Danteshwari, the family goddess of the ruling Kakatiya family), and all her sisters. Hundreds of priests bring flower-bedecked local deities to the Danteshwari temple in Jagdalpur, arriving with all pomp and show.[8]
Timing and Period
Beginning with amavasya (dark moon) in the month of Shravan, Bastar Dussehra spans over 75 days, ending on the thirteenth day of the bright moon in the month of Ashwin.
Who does what
Bastar Dussehra involves the participation of diverse tribes and castes, each of whom is assigned a specific task, which they continue to carry out 5 decades after monarchies were abolished in India. For example, to build the two-tiered chariot, carpenters come from Beda Umargaon village; the special, massive ropes are twined by the tribals of Karanji, Kesarpal and Sonabal villages; the smaller chariot is pulled by the youth of Kachorapati and Agarwara parganas; the larger chariot is pulled by the bison-horn marias of Killepal. Singing hymns at all rituals is the prerogative of mundas from Potanar village. The construction of the rath (chariot) is always exclusively done by the Saoras every year. The iron nails used in the construction of the wooden rath are always made by Lohars, blacksmiths. The ropes for dragging the rath are prepared and supplied by the member of the Parja tribe. The construction of the rath is supervised by the Dhakada. Before using the rath for the ceremony, it is always worshipped by the members of the Khaki caste.The chariot undoubtedly looks very primitive to an outsider. The swaying juggernaut, when it is pulled by 400+ strong mariyas, impresses upon an onlooker the strength of aboriginal faith.
The festival involves rituals of extraordinary rigor like a girl swinging on a bed of thorns; a youth (jogi) sitting in vigil, buried shoulder-deep, for nine days; mediums, reputedly possessed by the local deities, dancing eerily on the roads.
The festival provides a forum for elected representatives, administrators and old-time tribal chieftains to confer on the state of Bastar at the Muria Durbar.
One of the most awaited events is the rath yatra. The massive rath (chariot) might look primitive to an outsider, but it is symbolic of the king's desire to patronize locals instead of bringing a fancy chariot from elsewhere and tribal taboos on using sophisticated tools to make the chariot. It is hewn afresh each year and the sight of 400 marias pulling it leaves a potent impression of tribal faith.
The Goncha Festival
The Goncha Festival is rath yatra(Chariot) festival of lord Jagannath, similar to puri rath(Chariot)yatra. The word ghoncha is derived from word gundicha jatra in puri. This annual festival is celebrated on Ashad Shukla Dwitiya (second day in bright fortnight of Ashad month).
Three different Chariots are made for Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra. These chariots are second largest chariots of lord Jagannath in the world after puri. Chariots are made by a different tribal community.
It also showcases the inimitable tribal culture. The vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment that marks the Goncha Festival is remarkable. The zest and hearty spirit of the tribals from different parts of Bastar who participate in this festival is incredible. People play with tupki (small pistol) in honor of lord Jagannath. This pistol made of bamboo and fruit of pengu, is used as a bullet. A bamboo stick is cut in the shape of a pistol and a fruit to strike each other. The intention is not to hurt each other but to just be a part of a mock encounter.
As part of Ratha yatra, the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out in a procession to Gundicha Temple (sirhasar) and remain there for nine days. Then the deities or Ratha yatra return to Jagannath temple. The return journey is known as Bahuda goncha. The fervor and gusto of the people of Bastar at the time of celebrating this festival is admirable. If you visit Jagdalpur at the time of the Goncha Festival, you can be a part of the festivities.
Haryali Aamavasya
Haryali amavasya popularly known as AMUS TIHAR in Bastar, is celebrated in a dark night of July (Shrawn mas). It is an agricultural festival, people start sowing the seeds from this day. This ritual is called beej forni. People worship their family god and goddess that day and seek blessing for good agricultural production. This festival is of great significance because from this day making of the chariot is started for Dashara festival. For this purpose special offering and worship is done including the sacrifice of he-goat and Mangur fish.
Aama tihar
This unique Mango festival is celebrated in all parts of Bastar. People of Bastar first offer mango to their deity, then they eat. Before offering no one is allowed to eat mango, even small children are not allowed to pluck mango from a tree. Generally this festival is celebrated on the month of April–May in shukla paksha but the date is not fixed. It varies from village to village and family to family. If one family has not offered mango to their god then the whole family will not eat mango that year.
Climate
Jagdalpur has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw) with three main seasons: summer, monsoon, and winter. Summers last from March to May and are hot, with the average maximum for May reaching 38.1 °C (100.6 °F). The weather cools off somewhat for the monsoon season from June to September, which features very heavy rainfall. Winters are warm and dry.
| Climate data for Jagdalpur | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.9 (91.2) |
35.9 (96.6) |
39.6 (103.3) |
45.5 (113.9) |
50.8 (123.4) |
46.6 (115.9) |
35.9 (96.6) |
33.4 (92.1) |
34.0 (93.2) |
33.9 (93) |
33.0 (91.4) |
31.5 (88.7) |
50.8 (123.4) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 28.3 (82.9) |
31.2 (88.2) |
35.1 (95.2) |
37.6 (99.7) |
38.1 (100.6) |
33.4 (92.1) |
28.9 (84) |
28.4 (83.1) |
29.8 (85.6) |
30.0 (86) |
28.5 (83.3) |
27.6 (81.7) |
31.41 (88.53) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.9 (67.8) |
23.0 (73.4) |
26.9 (80.4) |
30.0 (86) |
31.2 (88.2) |
28.5 (83.3) |
25.7 (78.3) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.9 (78.6) |
24.7 (76.5) |
21.7 (71.1) |
19.5 (67.1) |
25.2 (77.37) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 11.5 (52.7) |
14.7 (58.5) |
18.6 (65.5) |
22.3 (72.1) |
24.3 (75.7) |
23.6 (74.5) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.3 (72.1) |
21.9 (71.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
11.3 (52.3) |
18.93 (66.05) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 2.8 (37) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.3 (46.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
14.3 (57.7) |
18.3 (64.9) |
19.3 (66.7) |
17.4 (63.3) |
11.0 (51.8) |
5.9 (42.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
2.8 (37) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 7 (0.28) |
11 (0.43) |
12 (0.47) |
44 (1.73) |
90 (3.54) |
295 (11.61) |
352 (13.86) |
367 (14.45) |
200 (7.87) |
87 (3.43) |
26 (1.02) |
4 (0.16) |
1,495 (58.85) |
| Average rainy days | 0.8 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 6.8 | 13.8 | 20.5 | 21.1 | 15.4 | 6.8 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 95.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 59 | 51 | 42 | 43 | 47 | 69 | 84 | 86 | 82 | 74 | 68 | 65 | 64.2 |
| Source: NOAA (1971-1990)[10] | |||||||||||||
Industries
Nagarnar Steel Plant
National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is setting up a 3 MTPA capacity greenfield Integrated Steel Plant in Nagarnar, located 16 km from Jagdalpur, with an estimated outlay of Rs 21,000 crore.
The plant is expected to be ready by December 2016 and trial run of same is scheduled to start by December 2016 itself. The plant is scheduled to commence commercial operations by the middle of 2017.[11]
Tata Steel Plant
Tata Steel had inked the deal with the Chhattisgarh Government in June 2005 to set up a green field integrated steel plant at Lohandiguda, about 20 km from Jagdalpur. The proposed 5.5-million-tonne per annum plant has an estimated outlay of Rs 19,500 crore.[12] An environment ministry panel has recommended the diversion of forest land for the steel plant in a decision that was taken in the meeting of a Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India[13] ****HSCC (INDIA) LTD. (Govt. Of india enterprise)ministry of helth and family welfare department ---** Regional Drug ware house project under construction in niyanar jagdalpur (bastar region)****
Points of interest
Temples
Danteshwari Temple[14]
It is located around 84 km (52 mi) from Jagdalpur city is the famous and sacred temple of Ma (Hindi for mother) Danteshwari, a local goddess, worshipped as an incarnation of Shakti. This temple is believed to possess several divine powers. Every year during Dushera thousands of tribals from surrounding villages and jungles gather here to pay homage to the goddess.
Situated in Dantewada, south-west of Jagdalpur, at the confluence of the holy rivers Shankini & Dhankini, this six-hundred-year-old temple is one of the ancient heritage sites of India and is a representation of the religio-socio-cultural history of the Bastar region. Little is known about this shrine to much of India. The vast temple complex today is truly a standing monument to centuries of history and tradition. With its rich architectural and sculptural wealth and its vibrant festival traditions, Danteshwari Mai temple serves as the most important spiritual center for the people of this region.
It is believed that a tooth of Sati had fallen here and Danteshwari Shakti Pith was established. According to the ancient legend, Goddess Sati committed self-immolation in the fire pit of yagna kund, due to an insult committed by her father Daksha towards her consort Lord Shiva during the Yaga. Raged by the death of Sati, Lord Shiva destroyed the Yaga of Daksha and with the body of Sati in his hands started to do 'Taandav'.Lord Vishnu cut the dead body of Goddess Sati with his Sudarshan to free Lord Shiva from the grief caused by her death. Parts of the dead body of Goddess Sati were scattered to fifty-two different places, which were consecrated as Shakti Pithas.
The Danteshwari temple was built in the 14th Century by the Chalukya kings in South Indian style of temple architecture. The idol of Danteshwari Mai is chiseled out of black stone. The temple is divided into four parts such as Garbh Griha, Maha Mandap, Mukhya Mandap and Sabha Mandap. Garbha Griha and Maha Mandap were constructed with stone pieces. There is a Garud Pillar in front of the entrance of the temple. The temple itself is located in a spacious courtyard surrounded by massive walls. The shikhara is adorned with sculptural finery.
Temples in Barsoor[15]
Located on the banks of the Indrawati river, about 75 km (a one and a half to two-hour drive) to the south-west of Jagdalpur, Barsoor was once an epicentre of Hindu civilization. It is believed that there were once 147 temples and an equal number of ponds here. The ruins of these temples, dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries (i.e. over 1,000 years) can still be seen today; they contain some notable images of Lord Vishnu. One Shiva temple, with 12 carved stone pillars, has nude figures on the outside. Another Shiva temple has 32 carved stone pillars, a black granite Nandi (Shiva's carrier) bull, and two sanctum sanctorum, with a common court. The ruins of this temple have been recently restored. A 50-foot high temple, known locally as Mama-bhanja-ka-mandir (temple of the maternal uncle and nephew), is in good condition, but lacks an idol. It is not clear to which deity the temple was consecrated, or even if it was ever consecrated. The biggest attraction is the Ganesha Temple. While the temple itself is in ruins, two sandstone images of Ganesh, both in the aspect of Maha-Ganapati, are still intact. The larger of these is about 8 feet high and over 17 feet wide.
Danteshwari Temple at Jagdalpur
It is an ancient temple built by the kings of Bastar for inhabiting their family Goddess, Devi Danteshwari. Devi Danteshwari is the Goddess of entire Bastar division, worshipped by tribals and other community. This temple is located inside the Bastar Palace. A special offering is done on Saturday and Tuesday, In bastar all goddess temple are closed on Monday, Wednesday.
It is popular to visit the temple during the famous Bastar Dussehra festival season when it is decorated with colored lights. The temple is where the main traditional functions of the festivals are carried on.
Mavli temple
Devi mavali is considered as the elder sister of goddess danteswari, presiding deity of narayanpur, the temple is situated in front of danteswari temple. This temple has a series of Temple of other gods and goddess like goddess kali, shiva(bhairava) has great significance because in dashara festival all most all rituals and offerings are done in mavli temple.
Jagannath temple
Temple is dedicated to lord Jagannath, Subhadra and Balbhadra. This temple is nearby to Mavli temple having unique singha dwar (lion gate) The famous festival Goncha (Rath yatra) is started from this temple. The festival is celebrated on ashad shukla dwitiya, second largest festival of Jagdalpur. folk from nearby and distance places participate in festival and seek the blessing of lord jagannath. They play tupki in honor of lord jagannath. The sound of this tupki is heard in every corner across Jagdalpur. The ripe jack-fruit and germinated mungbean is the main offering to lord.
Hinglajin temple
There are many temples in Jagdalpur dedicated to the goddess Hinglajin. As per the folk belief she is the younger sister of goddess Danteswari, her abode is in the eastern part of Bastar like Girhola, Bakavand, Jaithgiri. In Jagdalpur, the oldest Hinglajin temple is in Hatkachora. Girhola temple of goddess has very religious importance, people gathered in Girhola during Navratri festival from Bastar and Odisha. the idol of goddess is very beautiful and divine. Other temples are in Bastar village, nayamunda.
Laxmi-Narayan temple
This temple is near Danteswari temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The architecture of the temple is the same as that of Danteswari temple. Shri Ram temple and Radha- Krishna temple is very near to Laxmi- Narayan temple which has similar architecture.
The Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple
The Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple in Jagdalpur is a result of the dedicated efforts of members of Andhra Association. The temple reaches out to serve spiritual, cultural and social dimensions of the society. The construction of the Balaji temple in Jagdalpur has been beneficial to many of the devotees, who now have an accessible darshan of the Lord nearer their homes. Every day devotees throng this sacred shrine of Lord Balaji, also known as Sri Venkateswara Swamy, the all-pervading Lord of the Universe.
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 was shifted from Barsur to Jagdalpur. At present, the royal family of Bastar state is residing there.
Anthropological Museum[16]
The Zonal Anthropological Museum in Jagdalpur was established in the year 1972 to provide insight into the culture and lifestyles of Bastar tribes. The museum is 4 km from the Jagdalpur city center in the office of the Anthropological Survey of India. It houses a fine collection of numerous objects of ethnographic interest. The rare items on display at the museum throw light on the rituals and customs followed by the tribes of Bastar and highlight their religious practices and style of living. All the collections have been documented, classified, and are displayed in various sections of the museum.
The Zonal Anthropological Museum of Jagdalpur is one of the prominent museums in central India which is entirely dedicated to the acquisition, study, protection, exhibition, and educational understanding of various objects that have historical, scientific, or artistic value. Some of the rare collections found at the museum include headgears, footwear, ornaments, musical instruments, dresses, paintings, wood carvings, weapons, masks, art work, sculptures and a wide variety of objects that were used in daily life. It is one of the top tourist attractions in Chhattisgarh that serves as a window to the lifestyles and ethnic cultures of various tribes in Bastar. The rare collections on display at the museum cover four fields of anthropology namely ethnology, linguistics, archaeology, and physical anthropology.
Lakes in Jagdalpur
Earlier days many lakes were in Jagdalpur like Ganga Munda, Dalpat Sagar, Kevara Munda, Naya Munda, Ran Munda and so on but at present time only three Ganga Munda, Dalpat Sagar and Ran Munda are in good condition, others have dried up. Munda is a Halbi word means ponds or lake. Ganga Munda and Dalpat Sagar are a great attraction for those residing in the town as well as for tourists coming to Jagdalpur.
Dalpat Sagar Lake
Dalpat Sagar Lake is located within Jagdalpur. It is one of the biggest artificial lakes in Chhattisgarh. It was built by Raja Dalpat Deo Kakatiya over 400 years ago to harvest rain water. This lake is full of lotus and water lily.
Temple. There is an old temple located at the center island of the Dalpat Sagar. The temple is dedicated to lord shiva. As it is located on an island, one will have to take paddle boat or fishing boat to reach there. The island offers impressive views of the scenic surroundings.
Fishing. Dalpat Sagar is one of the major sources of fishing and provides means of livelihood to many local people. Group fishing activity takes place early in the morning or in the evening. One group of people spreads the net in the water while the other group drives the fishes into the net by beating the water. Because of fishing one might not be able to explore every part of Dalpat sagar, as paddle boats are prohibited in the region where nets are spread.
Boating. To help visitors enjoy Dalpat Sagar, the Government of Chhattisgarh has provided facilities for paddle boats and motor boats. The paddle boat has two variations, 2-seater and 4-seater, so that groups of family and friends can travel together. A shed has also been provided in each boat to protect passengers from sun.
Island. The Government has built an island on Dalpat Sagar so that people can sit, relax and enjoy the beauty of the lake. The island has coconut trees, show plants, a light tower, and a musical fountain. The light tower can be seen from anywhere in Jagdalpur. Visitors can sit on the island enjoying the view and the sunset. The musical fountain show is usually at 7 o’clock in the evening.
Nearby Places of Interest
Famous tourist attractions near Jagdalpur include Chitrakote Falls, Teerathgarh Falls, Kanger Ghati National Park, Kotumsar Cave, Kailash Caves. These attractions are close to the city (30-40 km) and also feature in the tripadvisor listed 'Places to Visit in Chhattisgarh' and 'Places to Visit in Jagdalpur'.[1]
Media and communications
State-owned All India Radio has a local station in Jagdalpur, which transmits various programs of mass interest.
Web portals
| Website name | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bastar - Government Website | http://www.bastar.gov.in/ | Official government website for the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. Land records and other e-governance projects are available from here. |
| District Court | http://bastar.gov.in/DistrictCourtBastar/home.html | Official website of the district court of Bastar |
Education
Shri Guru Nanak Public School, an English medium Higher Secondary School founded in June 1995 is one of the oldest schools in Jagdalpur.
References
- 1 2 https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attractions-g297594-Activities-Chhattisgarh.html
- 1 2 3 "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011; Cities having population 1 lakh and above" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
- ↑ Life at the end of the road - Hindustan Times
- ↑ NMDC mining target of 50 million tonne facing infra hurdles
- ↑ [IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Route Map
- ↑ "Extra coach on Vizag-Korba". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 2012-02-07.
- ↑ Maps, Google. "Distance". Retrieved 18 October 2012.
- 1 2 Bastar Dassera
- ↑ Dushera Festival, Chhattisgarh, Tourism, Culture
- ↑ "Jagdalpur Climate Normals 1971-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
- ↑ http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/crcl-to-come-up-at-nagarnar.html
- ↑ Tata group | Tata Steel | Media reports | Tata Steel's Rs19,500-crore Bastar project gets villagers support
- ↑ "MoEF panel recommends land diversion for Tata Steel's plant". The Times Of India. 2012-03-11.
- ↑ Chhattisgarh Temple Guide - Danteshwari Temple - Ancient Temple, Dussehra Festival
- ↑ Dantewada District
- ↑ Chhattisgarh Museums Guide - Anthropological Museum in Jagdalpur - Rare Collections, Tribal Art & Artifacts
External links
 |
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Jagdalpur. |
- Chitrakoot Waterfalls - Heaven on Chhattisgarh
- The Business Line - Best of Bastar
- Chitrakote Waterfall at pbase.com
- Bastar District Website
- Bastar Photos Blog
- Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Website
- Official Website Govt. of Chhattisgarh
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