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INDIA
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Bilaspur is a place where the echoes of the past mingle
with the tomorrow. The new town, on the bank of the
Gobindsagar Lake of the Bhakra Dam is 64-km from
Kiratpur on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway
No-21.
In the dim past, many centuries ago, Rishi Vyas came
to the bank of the Satluj river to do penance in the
verdant and fertile district abounding in low hills,
forests, grazing lands, rivulets and streams. In the
Vyas Gufa, which draws a continuous host of tourists and
pilgrims, the Rishi who penned the Mahabharata, lived as
he prepared himself for the arduous task, which he was
about to perform latter in another Gufa in the
Uttrakhand way up in the celestial heights of the mighty
Himalayas.
The ancient Lakshmi Narayan and Radheyshyam temples,
along with the Vyas Gufa, escaped being submerged by the
swirling water of the dam as modern man's monument to
nature clashed with the old. The Satluj, which rises in
the snows of the Tibet, after crossing the Dhauladhar in
the lower regions of the Himalayas above Rampur, create
wide terraces, in the highly developed and populated
town of Bilaspur. The 225m high Bhakra dam is the
highest in the world. A link with the past is still
provided by Nalwari, the most important fair of Bilaspur,
which is held every year in the third week of March.
Bilaspur, formerly the seat of the ruler of the State
is now submerged in the Gabind Sagar, it was situated on
the south east side of the Satluj. Bilaspur Township is
situated just above the old town of Bilaspur at a height
of 6,70m above in sea level. The new Bilaspur Township
can be truely described as the first planned hill town
of the country. The pleasure of a visit will be enhanced
manifold when a motor launch is preferred as the means
of travel, gliding through cool and enchanting waters of
the lake. |
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The New Town: The ultimate effects of the
colossal construction were to generate many thousands KW
of electric energy, which combined with a canalization
of the waters has extended irrigation over ten million
acres, to help in feeding the teeming millions. The
Gobindsagar reservoir behind the dam is 80-km long on
whose banks has sprung the new township of Bilaspur. Two
big generating stations have been built just below the
Bhakra Dam, each with a capacity of 600 millions watts.
Deoli: Asia's biggest mirror carp
hatchery is situated here, at a distance of 13-km from
the town. Kandror Bridge: While the town is situated on
the lake created by the highest bridge in India, Kindror
Bridge is the second highest bridge in the world and is
22-km from Bilaspur.
Markand: Himachal has always been the
favourite stamping grounds of the ancient Rishis or
Sage. Here they performed penances and sought cures for
mankind in their orisons or prayers. Markand is 25-km
from Bilaspur, is where Maharishi Markand performed the
strictest austerities on his body to delve into the
secrets unknown to man. A dip in the sacred waters over
here is a sure cure, it is believed, for infant diseases
and sterility. There is also a famous shrine about 20-km
from Bilaspur, in tehsil Sadar named after renowned
Rishi Markandeya, who lived and worshiped there.
According to a legend, a tunnel connected Markand and
Vyas cave and the two rishis, Vyas and Markand used to
visit each other through this sub-terrain path. In
addition to a shrine there is also a water spring of
ancient fame where a night fair is held annually on
Baisakhi day.
Bahadurpur Fort: On the top of a hill
known as Bahadurpur the highest point (1,980m) in the
district near Tepra Village in Paragana Bahadurpur,
after covering a distance of about 40-km from Bilaspur.
The beautiful woods of deodar and ban trees embellish
this range. It is just 6-km above Namhol, from this high
place the Ratanpur Fort, Swarghat, the Fatehpur Fort,
the Naina Devi hill, plains near Ropar and the mountains
of Shimla can be seen. This Fort was built prior to
1835, but now is in its ruins.
Shri Naina Devi Ji: A notable place
of worship in the district is the temple of Shri Naina
Devi Ji, situated on the hill top which rises some 9,15m
above the sacred town of Anandpur Sahib in Ropar. The
temple stands on the very summit of the hill above a
small bazar and is reached by a long flight of stone
steps or by a cable car. Sariun Fort: To the eastern
side of the Tiun range, on the lifty range and peak of
Sariun like this stronghold at an elevation of about
1,500m above M.S.L and is about 58-km.from Bilaspur.
Tradition holds that the fort was originally built by
the same Raja of the erstwhile Suket State and was
subsequently wrested by the ruler of Bilaspur, the local
people entertain a superstition according to which, the
stones once forming part of the Fort are not used in any
residential building.
Tiun Fort: Relics of this fort is
situated on the top of a hill known as the Tiun range,
at distance of about 55-Km.from Bilaspur, on the Ali
Khad crossing Ghumarwin-Ladraur motorable road and about
10-km from Ghumarwin. Vyas Cave: The name of sage Vyas
is well known in this part. Situated at the foot of the
new township, the belief is that Vyas Rishi meditated in
this cave. The origin of the town, Vyaspur is believed
to have been derived from this cave. Lying on the left
bank of river Satluj, this place is famous as a
pilgrimage too.
Swarghat: Swarghat is ideally
situated about 40-km.off Bilaspur on the
Bilaspur-Chandigarh road. Perched at an elevation of
about 1,220m from sea level, Naina Devi temple and
Bhakra Dam, are also approachable from here. There is
also a temple dedicated to Lakshmi Narayan.
Bhakra Dam: Situated at Bhakra
village of Bilaspur, about 13-km upstream from Nangal
township, it is one of the highest straight gravity dams
in the world. The lake is about 90-km long, covering an
area of about 168-sq-km of which 90% is in Bilaspur and
10% in Una district. The dam was dedicated to nation by
late Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru on November 20th, 1963. The
view of vast dam and green jungles around is fascinating
indeed. |
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Air:
Chandigarh and Bhuntar are the nearest airports,
located at 135-km and 131-km from Bilaspur.
Rail: The nearest broad gauge railway
station is at Kiratpur Sahib and nearest narrow gauge
railway station is at Shimla, which are connected by
regular bus services.
Road: Bilaspur is approachable by
road from Shimla and Chandigarh.
WHERE TO STAY
Accommodation options in and around Bilaspur vary from
luxurious hotels such as HTPDC's Hotel at Swarghat to
reasonable budget hotels.
CLIMATE
Situated in the hot temperature zone the climate of
Bilaspur ranges from high temperature to sub tropical
and snow rarely falls over here.
FAIRS & FESTIVALS
The Nalwari or Annual cattle fair is held at Bilaspur
for four or five days in March / April months, the
occasion is marked by wrestling and other amusements.
Cattle are brought from Nalagarh and neighboring parts
of Punjab to sell over here.
NEARBY CITIES
Deoli: 13-km
Markand: 25-km
Bahadurpur: 40-km
Sarium: 58-km
Tiun: 55-km
Swarghat: 40-km
Nangal: 13-km
Chandigarh: 135-km
Bhuntar: 131-km |
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