Author: Bastariya

A sleepy yet picturesque riverside village, Tala or Talegaon is the site of the twin Devrani-Jethani temples. Not much remains of these ancient structures except for flashes of sculptural brilliance that make a trip here worthwhile. Of particular note is the inscrutable 2.7m-high statue called Rudrashiva. At first glance it to like a depiction of a somewhat grotesque man. But look closely and you will see that his corpulent form is an amalgamation of various animal carvings. Encaged to the bottom left of the Devrani temple entrance, Tala’s famous Rudrashiva statue is considered by many to be the aghori avatar…

In Sirpur, stones do the talking since almost everything we know about this dreamy archaeological site has been tentatively reconstructed from inscriptions and carvings. With many still shrouded in mystery, the atmospheric ruins here will test your imagination, the sculptures will steal your breath away and walking on the dusty streets will take you back in time GETTING THERE & AROUND Sirpur is 85km from Raipur and a mere 17km off the super-busy NH6. Local buses are unreliable so it is best to hire a cab; hold on to it while you’re here as dependable local transportation is nigh impossible…

The leafy village of Champaran (aka Champaranya) marks the place of birth of Vallabhacharya, one of five recognised Acharyas in the Hindu tradition. It is also home to the Champeshwar Mahadev Temple where Shiva-bhakts supplicate in droves during Mahashivratri. A day visit is sufficient to cover the two main attractions here. Popular belief has it that Vallabhacharya was born while his parents were attempting to escape Central Asian invaders in Kashi. Their return to Andhra Pradesh found them breaking their journey at Champaranya where his mother had a stillbirth. After they placed the lifeless baby under a tree, Krishna appeared…

One of many esoteric sects that grew to prominence in Chhattisgarh was the Kabir Panth. It owes its presence in the state to Dharamdas. a contemporary disciple of Kabir, a strong proponent of the Bhakti Movement of the 15th century.The math in Damakheda. however, was established in the 20th century by one Ugranaam. a descendant of Dharamdas; earlier seats were primarily centred in Kawardha. Presently the clean and leafy math hosts marbled cenotaphs (recent in vintage) of members of Ugranaam’s family beyond a lotus pond surrounded by hidey-holes painted with scenes from Kabir’s life. Also, within the pink- and maroon-walled…

Rajim, also known as the ‘Prayag of Chhattisgarh’, is located at the confluence (triveni sangam) of the Mahanadi, Pairi and Sondur rivers. Rajim is famous for a group of temples dedicated to Vishnu, most important being the Rajiv Lochan (lotus-eyed) and the other, Kuleshwar that stands on an island on the Mahanadi. Forty-nine Kilometers from Raipur, Rajim in Gariaband district is famous for its rich culture and ancient temples . The temple town holds the Rajim Kumbh every February when thousands of holy men and pilgrims congregate on the triveni sangam for the snaan (royal bath). The festival ends with…

Though little is known of its origins, epigraphic interpretations tell us the this Jain temple in red sandstone harks back to the 9th century and houses three tirthankara idols in black granite. Set on a high platform within a neat enclosure hemmed in by cheek-by-jowl homes. its facade is completely shorn of design elements and possibly missing an attached congregation hall. The remaining sides are covered in intricate sculptures depicting scenes of dance and music, animals, yaksha-yakshis and amorous couples, amongst others. These architectural features suggest it may have been commissioned by rulers of the Haihaya dynasty. Bang midst of…

The story goes that one Balbhadra Das, a devout follower, used to worship a stone as Hanuman’s idol. He was joined in this supplication by a cow who rinsed the stone with her milk each day. Eventually Balbhadra is supposed to have given up imbibing everything but this milk. Hence the name, a derivative of ‘dudh-ahari’ – one who only drinks milk. Today. the math is a large leafy enclosure and home to a number of structures of varying vintage within its chessboard-floored girth. The oldest is an unassuming Narsingh shrine, followed by one to Hanuman, which is enclosed within…

Situated at a height of approximately  1,000 m in the green and forested Maikal Hills in northwestern Chhattisgarh, Amarkantak is considered to be teerthraj or the king of pilgrimages. The small town is crowded with temples, shrines, pilgrims, ash-smeared sadhus as well as tourists. The Narmada and the Sone, two of the most venerated rivers of India, arise in the holy town of Amarkantak. The Narmada flows westwards while the Sone flows to the east. An endearing legend recounts how once Sone and Narmada were to be wed, but Sone repulsed Narmada and married another. The distraught Narmada changed course…

Surguja district, with its capital in Ambikapur is north of Bilaspur. According to legend, Lord Ram, spent a part of his 14 years of exile in this area, and many places in the district are associated with the divine couple, Ram and Sita, and brother Lakshman. The ancient temple of Maa Mahamaya located here, was built by king Ratansen of the Kalachuri Dynasty in 1050 AD. The presiding deity, Mahamaya, is an incarnation of goddess Durga or Ambika, and is also the kuldevi (clan deity) of the erstwhile royal family, after whom the town is named. Samleshwari Devi Temple is…

Located on the Bilaspur-Ambikapur highway (NH 111) is the village of Pali. On the  northestern side of the village is a large and beautiful lake, on the bank of which are remains of several ancient temples. The most famous among these is a Shiva temple, which is now a raised platform, a feature seen in majority of the temples in chhattisgarh. The outer window of the temple are carved in the  style of the Khajuraho temples. Intricate carvings can be seen at the entrance of the mahamandapa. A stone inscription that refers to the Kalachuri King, Jajalladeva suggests that the constructions of this…

Popularly called the Land of Vishnu, Seorinarayan is located in Janjgir-Champa district. Situated at the holy confluence  (Triveni) of three rivers, Mahanadi, Seonath and Jonk, Seorinarayan is immersed in history, myth and It is said that this was the home of Shabari, a disciple of Lord Ram. One of Swaminarayan’s most celebrated temples is Nar Narayan, an extant brick structure, believed to have been built by Shabari. To the left of the main entrance is an ancient sculpture of Laxmi-Narayan, surrounded by beautiful sculptures of all the avatars of Vishnu. The garbhagriha of the temple has a beautiful image of…

According to the Puranas, the town of Ratanpur is so old that it has existed across all the four yugas or ages. It is also a major shaktipeeth(a place of worship consecrated by the ashes of the goddess Shakti or Sati). Legend has it that Ratandeva I, the Kalchuri King went on a hunting expedition to the forests near the village of Manipur. Unable to return to his palace before nightfall, he decided to spend the night on a machan. he was woken up by a supernatural glow at the base of the tree and was astounded to discover the Goddess Mahamaya…