About the Raipur in Madhya Pradesh :

Raipur, capital of the newly formed 26th state of Indian democracy, Chhattisgarh. The state was cut out of Madhya Pradesh on 1st November 2000. The city is believed to be founded in the last quarter of the 14th century, by the Kalchuri King Ram Chandra, this city is centrally located in Chattisgarh and maybe that is why was chossen as the states capital. Raipur is the biggest city in the region and is one of the fastest growing industrial centre not only in the state but India as well. The establishment of Chili Steel Plant in the region has boosted the pace of development of the city. City of Raipur acts as a stop on the way to Kanha national park and also to Hirakud Dam near Sambalpur and Puri in Orissa. This stopover can be very entertaining as the visitors can enjoy various Buddhist monasteries and temples of this city.

Raipur Location:

The city of Raipur is lies in the centre of the state of Chattisgarh, with the Mahanadi River to its east and thick forests to the south.

Climate of Raipur:

Summer:   45 °C - 29 °C
Winter:       27 °C - 10 °C

Best Time to Visit: October to March

Tourist Attractions in Raipur :    

Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum :

Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum is situated near the D K Hospital in Raipur, capital city of Chhattisgarh. It was established in 1875 by Raja Mahant Ghasidas of Rajnandgaon.The museum has many sections including archaeology, anthropology and natural history. In addition, it exhibits crafts, jewellery, paintings and terracotta relating to tribal culture. The museum has two floors with five galleries. The first floor houses a choice of objects related to nature and its history, which contains various mammals, snakes and birds.

Mahakoshal Art Gallery :

The octagon shaped Mahakoshal Art gallery is located near D.K.Hospital. This gallery displays art work of the locals.

Doodhadhari Monastery and temple :

The monastery and the temple is located in the southern part of Raipur city on the banks of an ancient river called Maharajbandh. This ancient temple dedicate to Lord Rama, was built in the mid of 17th century by King Jaitsingh. The temple has beautiful murals. The monastery was named after Swami Balbhadra Das who only had 'Doodh' (milk) as his food. Burials of the former Mahants can also be seen here.

Mahamaya Temple :

Mahamaya temple is located in Raipur's old fort area near Maharajbandh temple. This temple originally belonging to the Kalchuri era has been renovated later. Nearby is the Samleswari temple dedicated to Goddess Samlai.

Hatkeswar Mahadev temple and Mahadev Ghat :

The Mahadev ghat is located 5 kms from Raipur on the banks of river Kharun. The temple was built in 1402, by Hajiraj Naik during the rule of  Bramhdeo Rai, son of the Kalchuri king Ramachandra. Brahmdeo Rai's monumental script in Sanskrit is still preserved at the Mahant Ghasidas memorial museum.

Mathpurena :

In Mathpurena situated at one end of Raipur, a four handed sculpture of Lord Bramha belonging to the 8th century believed to be of Som dynasty has been found.

Budhapara lake :

There are many lakes in Raipur. The biggest of them is the spectacular lake Budhapara, built around 1402, by Kalchuri emperor King Bramhdeo. Another lake of prominence is the Kho-kho lake. There are many beautiful parks also in Raipur city.

Champaran (Champajhar) :

The village Champajhar now known as Champaran situated  60 Km from Raipur is famous as the birth place of Saint Vallabhacharya, the reformer and founder of the Vallabh Sect. There is a temple constructed in honour of  Swamy Vallabhacharya and a temple of Champakeshwara Mahadeva. Two well furnished Dharmasalas are available  for stay at Champaran. The birth anniversary of the saint is celebrated during April - May when large number of his followers assemble to pay homage. An annual fair is also held during January- February.

Education in Raipur :

Raipur is served by three main universities namely, Pundit Ravi Shankar Shukla University, Indira Gandhi Agriculture University, and Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University. There are several colleges offering under graduate and post graduate courses. Raipur also has some professional educational institutes (Raipur Institute of Technolgy and University Institute of Technology), a Govt. medical college, a Govt. engineering college and a music academy.

How To Reach Raipur:

By Air: Raipur is connected by Air with Delhi-Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal,and Jabalpur.

By Rail: It is an important station of S.E. Railway on Mumbai, Nagpur-Calcutta Route.

By Road: The National Highway 6 passes through the city and National Highway No.43 links it with Vijaya Nagaram.