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.
PRIME ATTRACTIONS
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.
HOW TO GET THERE
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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