OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST
Bandhavgarh Fort
Bandhavgarh is the name of
tehsil in Umaria District. Formerly it was the capital of the Bandhavgarh Kingdom of the
Magha dynasty, then the head-quarters of the tehsil. At present its headquarters is
Umaria.
The fort of Bandhavgarh is a place of
considerable archaeological and historical importance.
It is a natural impregnable fort and stands
on a hill, at an attitude of about 2430 metres above sea-level. The Bamnia hill is also a
part of the fort, because it is enclosed by a rampart. The fort is on the Rewa-Umaria
road, at a distance of about 41Km from Umaria Town. |
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Chandia Khas
Chandia is situated on the Umaria-Katni road, at a distance of
about 21 km. from Umaria. The railway station of Chandia Khas, known as Chandia railway
station.
The most important spot of
Chandia Khas is a small temple, enshrining Goddess Kalika. Her mouth is wide open, but her
out-stretched tongue is broken. There is also a old temple of god Rama and his consort
Janaki. It was the seat of Thakur of Chandia. A small fair meets at Suraswahi Chandia for
3 days in February/March, on the occasion of Shivaratri.
Pali Birsinghpur
Pali is situated on the Umaria-Shahdol road, at a distnace of about
36km. from Umaria. Another road goes from Pali to Mandla via
Dindori. Pali is also a railway station, and there is a rest house for the
tourists to stay. The Station is known as the Pali-Birsinghpur station. Near the
railway station there is a temple, enshrining Birasinidevi. By popular
belief she is Goddess Kali, represented here as skeleton Goddess, but with her
mouth closed. Many remains of old jain idols kept here in some Hindu temples. The annual
fairs are held both in October and March, on the occasion of Navaratri, Near
the temple of Goddess.
Umaria Town
The
headquarters town of the Umaria district and Bandhavgarh tehsil, formerly umaria was the
headquarters of the South Rewa District. It is situated at a distance
of about 69 km from Shahdol.
Near the railway station stands a Siva temple,
known as the Sagara temple. It was an old shrine, recently remodeled. Its main
gates are still intact with beautiful stone statues, carved in Khajuraho models.
Near about is Jwalamukhi temple. abut 6.5km away from the town, there is another
temple,. with similar carvings of the Khajuraho pattern. It is known as the Mariwal
temple.
Umaria is famous for its coal-mines,
which were opened in 1881 by the Government of India and transferred to the Rewa Darbar
in the same year, mainly to meet the requirement of railway at Katni |
