Raipur Sightseeing, Quick Facts, History, Packages, Tours & Excursions

The major attractions in the Raipur area are as follows:

Burha Talab: Burha Talab is the largest lake out of several in the city. Its beauty is enhanced because of an island, laced with green trees and gardens, situated in the middle of the lake.

Dudhadari Temple: Situated near the Burha Talab stands the 500 years old Dudhadari Temple, with elaborate carvings. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Ram.

Mahant Ghasi Das Memorial Museum: Located near D.K.Hospital a large collection of inscriptions, images, coins, sculptures is displayed in this museum.

Vivekananda Ashram: This Ashram in Raipur was established by Swami Vivekananda in 1897. It attracts many followers and admirers of the great 19^th century philosopher.

Shaheed Smarak Complex is a memorial for the freedom fighters enveloping a huge auditorium, library, museum and an art gallery.

Champaran: This village has religious significance as the birthplace of Saint Vallabhacharya, the reformer and the founder of the Vallabh Sect. It has a temple constructed in his honour. The temple of Champakeshwara Mahadeva is located nearby.

Laxman Temple and Gandheswar Temple, Sirpur: Sirpur is an interesting tourist centre. The Laxman Temple here, believed to have been built in the 7th century, is one of the finest brick temples in India. It is characterized by the exquisite carvings on it and precise construction. Situated on the banks of the Mahanadi River is the Gandheshwar Temple. This Shiva temple was built using the architectural remains of ancient temples. There is a statue of Buddha touching the earth inside the temple, as well as statues of Natraj, Shiva, Varah, Garud Narayan, and Mahisasur Mardini.

The Rajeev Smriti Van is a unique conservation site that is located about 12 km from Raipur city. The site aims to educate visitors about the dynamics of trees, nature and environment. Building public awareness towards the conservation of nature is one of the major objectives of the site.

Other Activities

With over 44% of its total area under forests, Chhattisgarh is also amongst the greenest states of India. With a great repository of biological diversity, the concept of eco-tourism is booming in Chhattisgarh. A visit to the wildlife sanctuaries in the region should be on your cards as it is a unique opportunity to catch some of the best flora and fauna the region has to offer. Although the sanctuaries are open throughout the year it is advisable that visits are made during the period of November to June. The important wildlife sanctuaries in the region are: Barnawapara Sanctuary, Udanti Sanctuary, Bhoramdeo Sanctuary.

Barnawapara Sanctuary: One of the important wildlife sanctuaries in the region, it is located in the northern part of Mahasamund district of Chattisgarh, at a distance of 85 km from the Raipur airport. The flora of Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary chiefly comprises of Teak, Sal, and Bamboo; while among fauna you can see tigers, sloth bear, flying squirrels, jackals, four-horned antelopes, leopards, chinkara, black buck, jungle cat, barking deer, porcupine, monkey, bison, striped hyena, wild dogs, to name a few. The sanctuary also has a sizable bird population.

Udanti Sanctuary: Located in Raipur, this is a small but significant wildlife sanctuary.  Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary is famous for its population of the endangered wild buffalos. The other animals found here are the same as listed above for Barnawapara.

Bhoramdeo Sanctuary & Temples: This sanctuary is located in the Kabirdham district at about a distance of 140 km from Raipur and is named after the famous Bhoramdeo temples. These 7th to 11th century A.D. rock temples are situated deep in the forests of the Maikal hills, and are often called the Khajuraho of Chattisgarh. The Shiva temple is the most significant of them all, while there are several smaller shrines with intricate carvings, many of them erotic.