Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, One of the Well Developed Towns in India

Bilaspur is a beautiful town in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, which is located at a distance of about 111 km from Raipur
, the capital city of the state. Placed at a height of about 860 ft above sea level along the banks of Arpa River, the town is regarded as the second best developed town in India.  The place is globally renowned for its different varieties of saris, aromatic doobraj rice, mangoes, handloom woven Kosa silk and also for its rich and diverse cultural heritage. Besides these, Bilaspur is also filled with several striking places, which attracts both domestic and foreign tourists in large numbers. 

 

Attractions

Ratnapur- Ratnapur is a town located at a distance of about 25 km from the main town in Bilaspur. It was the former capital of Kalchuri dynasty in 1,000 AD and was founded by King Ratnadev after whom the place has been named. One of the major attractions of this place is the Mahamaya temple, which was built by King Ratnadev. It is one of the most revered shrines in the state, as it is considered as a Sidh Peeth and it holds the dual idols of Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Laxmi. The temple celebrates the festival of Navratri with great zeal and devotion.

Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary- One of the top tourist attractions of the region, the sanctuary is located at a distance of about 40 km from the main town of Bilaspur. Spreading over an area of about 555 sq. km, the sanctuary was established in 1975. The place is a home to the wide range of wild inhabitants like bear, tiger, sambar, leopard, chital and much more. There have been several watch towers erected at different spots within the sanctuary, which enables the visitors to observe the wild animals in the natural habitat, from a safe distance. 

Khuntaghat Dam- The dam is another major attraction of the region, located at a distance of about 33 km from the Bilaspur town. Khuntaghat dam has been structured on the Kharung River and is one of the most favored picnic spots of the region. The site also has a stunning garden and provides boating facilities, which attracts a lot of tourists.  

Best Time to Visit

Though the place can be visited throughout the year, the best time to visit the town is during the months of October to mid April.

Accommodation

The place is dotted with several numbers of budget and mid budget hotels that offer standard staying services. These hotels are well equipped with almost all the modern day amenities and are priced according to the facilities offered by them. 

How to Reach

By Air: The nearest airport to the place is Chandigarh Airport, located at a distance of about 135 km. The airport is well connected with various major cities in India like Goa, Amritsar, Delhi, Ahmadabad, Jaipur etc. Tourists will get taxi services from the airport to get to the place.

By Train: The closest train station to this place is Kiratpur Sahib Railway Station, located at a distance of about 65 km. The station is well connected with various major cities in the country like Chandigarh, Kullu, Manali, Delhi, Shimla and few others. Hired and local taxis area available outside the station to reach the main town.

By Road: The place has a very good network of roads that connects it with different parts in the state as well as in the country. Bilaspur receives regular taxi and bus services from places like Mandi (67 km), Shimla (88 km), Solan (103 km), Raipur (111 km), Kullu (134 km), Chandigarh (135 km), Manali (174 km), Delhi (372 km) etc.