Tourist Places To Visit In Jagdalpur

Jagdalpur, a naturally beautiful city in Bastar District of Chhattisgarh has a rich culture along with a history of kingdoms from previous eras invading the region. There are several monuments in Jagdalpur that have been constructed by kings and they are absolutely worth visiting. Apart from that the region has an array of lovely temples that people go to every year from all over the country. Tourist places to visit in Jagdalpur include some of the most beautiful monuments, temples, palaces along with natural beauty like renowned lakes, waterfalls and national parks. Below is a list of attractions that you must visit on your trip to Jagdalpur.

One of the most visited monuments in Jagdalpur is the Bastar Palace and has a special ranking amongst tourists in Chhattisgarh. Jagdalpur used to be the economic capital of the state and history says that this palace used to be the administrative building back in the day. The palace was constructed by the several kings of Bastar and the palace holds some of the most exquisite paintings and mosaics on the wall of the structure; it feels as though you have been taken back to the past eras. The corridors are wide with a beautiful garden in front of the palace where you can sit and stare at this marvelous structure. At the present moment, this palace exhibits artifacts, paintings, weapons, ornaments, clothes and many other things from the bygone era and acts as a museum.

Established in the year 1972, the Zonal Anthropological Museum is a famous attraction amongst tourists and provides more information on the lifestyle and culture of the indigenous tribe of Bastar. The museum comprises of ethnographic artifacts that shed light and define the times and life of various Bastar tribes. You are able to see various artwork, weapons, headgear, footwear, clothes, and utensils, hand woven cloth and a lot of objects from tribal settlements. This is the best way to learn about the Aadivasi Tribe of the region and take a glance at their life.

The Venkateshwara Swamy Temple in Jagdalpur is a famous temple and is also locally known as Balaji Temple. This temple is established and maintained by members of the Andhra Association and has beautiful architecture. Dedicated to the lord of the universe, Lord Balaji, this temple was created by devotees who wanted a Balaji Temple close by to their home where they could pray and meditate. The style of architecture is typically South Indian and is pleasing to the eyes. Initially, this temple used to be a pilgrimage spot for the locals only, but now many tourists have also been coming in to see the temple.

Dedicated to Maa Danteshwari, the Danteshwari Temple is located close to Jagdalpur. The main shrine here is that of Goddess Danteshwari who is an incarnation of Shakti. It is said that this temple has a lot of powers that are divine and plays a very important role in Bastar Dussehra. Located in the south of Jagdalpur, this temple is visited by thousands of locals and tourists as well. It is one of the oldest temples in the vicinity and is said to be 600 years old. The Danteshwari Temple is not only significant religiously, but also historically, depicting the life of the tribal people in the area.

Deriving its name from the Kanger Valley is the Kanger Valley National Park that was established in the year 1982. The reserve is has a wide range of animals and huge expanse of trees covering the area. This national park that is 35 km long is one of the main attractions around the vicinity. The Kanger Valley National Park comprises of some of the most endangered species of the region and houses animals like black buck, wolf, hyena, langur, barking deer, tiger along with a variety of reptiles as well. The national park also consists of several waterfalls and caves that are absolutely beautiful to experience in the monsoon months.

The Jagganath Temple in Jagdalpur is dedicated to Lord Jagganath, Subhadra and Balbhadra. The temple is beautiful and has a unique structure and an entrance that is the shape of a lion and is locally know as ‘singha dwar’. The temple plays melodious tunes in honour of Lord Jagganath and offerings are given to the lord as well; these include germinated sprout beans or a ripe jackfruit. This temple is highly decorated during the famous Goncha festival and the proceeding of the festival starts from this temple. Also during the rath festival, lord Jagganath is carried on small carriages called raths and strewn around by children and adults as a tradition.

Located in the Kanger Valley National parks is one of the most iconic waterfalls in the area, the Tirathgarh Waterfalls. Standing at a height of 300 ft, this beautiful waterfall is one of the most visited places. This waterfall also has a different name and goes by ‘The Milky Falls’ due to its appearance when water falls from that height; below, the water collects in a pool that is used for swimming and recreational purposes by people who visit. The pool has a Shiva Temple, which is so quaint and peaceful. Surrounded by dense forests, this waterfall is the perfect place to visit on a sunny afternoon for some respite from the heat.

The Hinglajin Temple is a famous place of worship that is situated right in front of the Danteshwari Temple; it is said that Hinglajin is the sister of Goddess Danteshwari and hence the temple is right next to the Danteshwari Temple. It is said that this goddess resides in the eastern parts of Bastar and is highly revered as well. The festival of Navratri is celebrated with much enthusiasm in this temple and a lot of people visit it at this time to be a part of the celebrations as well. The main goddess of the temple is decorated during festivals with ornaments and beautiful cloth.

One of the most interesting things to see in Jagdalpur is the Kailash and Kutumsar cave located near Tirathgarh Falls. These are caves that have appeared underground and are 35 m below the ground level and a total length of 2 km. This cave is supposed to be the world’s second longest natural cave with formation of minerals like stalagmites and stalactites. Towards the end of the cave, you can see a Shiva Ling that has formed naturally, consisting of stalagmites. The cave has five chambers but one can only go to a certain point beyond which it becomes claustrophobic and difficult to breathe.

Located at a distance of 22.4 km from Jagdalpur is the magnificent Indravati National Park that gets its name from Indravati River that passes by through it. Home to a rare endangered species of bull, the Indravati National Park is one of the most famous wildlife parks in the region. This park stretches to a total area of 2799.08 sq km and was established as a national park in the year 1981. It is now a restricted area where people can go and see animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them.