Sunday, 5 October 2014

Ratanpur, a Religious Destination in Chhattisgarh

Ratanpur is a beautiful town in Chhattisgarh, located at a distance of about 25 km from Bilaspur. The town lies on the National Highway from Bilaspur to Ambikapur. The place was previously known as Ratnapur, named after its founder, King Ratnadev. The place also acted as a capital of Kalchuri dynasty during the 1,000 AD and remained a significant place for many centuries.


 At present, Ratanpur has become a chief religious destination of Chhattisgarh, as devotees from different parts of the state come here to visit the Mahamaya temple and the temples located close to it. Another special attraction of this place is the Ratanpur Fort, which has been recently renovated by the Archaeological Survey of India and its findings has been put on the National Archaeological Map. The rich and glorious past of this place attracts a lot of historians and archeologists apart from the tourists.

Attractions
Mahamaya Temple- One of the main attractions of the place is the Mahamaya temple, which was structured by King Ratnadev. The temple holds idols of two goddesses, namely Laxmi and Saraswati. It is also regarded as one of the Sidh Peeth in the country. The Mahamaya temple is visited by Hindu devotees all round the year.  They visit this place to offer their prayers and receive blessings from the Goddesses.

 Close to this temple, several temples dedicated to Hindu Gods and Goddesses have been structured. Other temples that you can find at this place are Bhuddeshwar Shiva temple, Baba Bairavnath temple, Ratneswar Mahadev temple and Ekbira temple. Mahamaya temple receives a large number of crowds during the festival of Navaratri. During this time of the year, Ratanpur holds many fairs.

Ratanpur Fort- It is one of the oldest historic monuments of the region, whose exact date of construction has not been found yet. This historic fort was in a state of ruins for several years and its renovation has been recently completed by the Archaeological Survey of India. One of the main attractions of the site is the Ganesh Gate, over which you will find a stunning stone sculpture. You will also find a fine sculpture of Lord Shiva depicted in his tandav dance, at the entrance.

Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the place is during the months of October to May.
Accommodation
There are no accommodation facilities at this place. So, the best option for accommodation for tourists visiting this place is Bilaspur, located at a distance of about 25 km. Bilaspur is dotted with several budget and mid budget hotels that offer standard accommodation services.

How to Reach
By Road: The place is easily accessible through road from Bilaspur, located at a distance of about 25 km. Regular bus and taxi services are available to this place from Bilaspur and few other places in Chhattisgarh.

By Air: The nearest airport to this place is Chandigarh Airport, which is located at a distance of about 135 km from Bilaspur. The airport is well connected with places like Delhi, Amritsar, Goa, Jaipur, Ahmadabad etc. Bus and taxi services are available from the airport to get to the place.


By Train: The nearest railway station to this place is Kiratpur Sahib Railway Station, located at a distance of about 65 km from Bilaspur. The station is well connected with places like Delhi, Manali, Shimla, Kullu and Chandigarh. Taxi services are available from the station to get to the place.

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