This ancient city with historical, national and anthropological eminence, is yet to be discovered as a travel destination. A trip to Raipur is mesmerizing with the glorious past, fortifications that stands as guard over the city. The lakes and temples in Raipur are an integral part in the life of the people there. After becoming the capital of Chattisgarh, there has been progress in the basic infrastructure and rampant development in various sectors in Raipur. However, the tribal traditions that are so unique to Raipur are well  preserved in their true forms in the rural areas in Raipur.  .

History:

On the basis of ruins of a fort and other structures located in the southern part of the city, some historians believe that the city of Raipur was in existence even during the 9th century. However, most historians agree that King Rama Chandra Rai founded the city in the last quarter of the 14th century. Raipur is an ancient city and its existence can be traced back as early as the 9th century when the ruins were excavated. For the 2nd and 3rd Century A.D it was ruled by the Satvahana dynasty, then by the Somvanshi kings whose capital was at Sirpur, a few hours away from Raipur. King Ramachandra, who founded the city of Raipur, subsequently the capital city of his kingdom had named ‘Raipur’ after his son Brahmdeo Rai. By the year 1854, the Britisher took over Raipur and after making Chattisgarh a separate administrative area, Raipur was made its district headquarters.

The climate of Raipur is hot.  Summer lasts from March to June. The temperature soars upto 45 degree Celsius during the summer. Winter is pleasant with the minimum temperature dropping to 10 degree Celsius. So the best time to visit Raipur is from October to March during the winter.

The best option is to exchange currency at Banks or at the airport.  Some of the big hotels exchange currency/travellers cheques though one can get a better rate at bigger bank branches. At Raipur very few shops and establishments would accept Visa and Mastercard.

MPSTDC

Hotel Chattisgarh, Teli Bandha, Raipur

Raipur is accessible by road, rail or air. As the capital of Chattisgarh it is well connected to most of the parts of the country. While it’s location the NH 6 and NH 43 makes it easily by the road there are direct flights to Raipur from major cities too.

By Air: The capital city of Chattisgarh has a domestic airport which is connected to most of the important cities of the country like Mumbai, Kolkatta, New Delhi, Bhopal, Nagpur, Bhubhaneshwar. There are regular flights to reach Raipur.

 By Road: Raipur is situated on the NH 6 and NH43 connects it to Vijaya Nagaram. Some of the distances by road to reach Raipur are Bhilai (25 km), Durg(41 km), Jagadalpur (297 km), Rajnandgaon(70 km), Bilaspur (115 km) Jabalpur (369 km) and Bhopal (712 km). There are buses which ply to and from other states like Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.

 By Rail: Raipur is one of the two main junctions in Madhya Pradesh. It is located enroute on most of the express trains that are connected to most of the cities in India.

Champaran
Champaran is the birthplace of the founder of the Vallabh Sect, Saint Vallabhacharya and thus has a religious significance. Tourist can look forward to visiting the temple which is built in his honour. His birth anniversary is celebrated here on the eleventh day after Baisakhi that is in the month of April or May. Another celebration marked with much fanfare is during the months of January/February when there is an Annual fair every year.

Turturiya
Turturiya is a scenic village which is surrounded with the green forests and is located by the Sursuiri Ganga, the Turturiya spring. With a historical significance, Turturiya is an important tourist destination as it houses many Buddhist ruins from the 8th century AD, as well as Brahmanical ruins of a later period. There are ruins of Stupas, pillars, bathing ghats that can be seen here which echo the history.

Rajim
Situated on the banks of River Mahanadi, Rajim is a quiet town that is a half hours drive from Raipur. A lot of Lord Vishnu devotees visit the Rajivalochana Temple which is located here.

Barnawapara, Sita Nadi and Udanti Sanctuaries

There are three Wild life Sanctuaries in Raipur which are open through out the year. The Barnawapara Sanctuary is located at a distance of 110 kms from Raipur, Sita Nadi Sanctuary is located 170 kms and Udanti Sanctuary is also around 170 kms from Raipur. Raipur is thus the gateway to reach these sanctuaries. The best time to visit these sanctuaries is starting from November to June. The sanctuaries are abundant with teak forests, sal forests and other resourceful timber. The topography provides a close to natural home for the animals here. Ensure carrying binoculars to make the most of your trip to the sanctuaries.

Nearby Places:

Sirpur

Once upon a time the erstwhile capital of Chattisgarh,  today Sirpur lies in ruins. The pristine glory of its past is seen in the Palaces, ruined temples, and monasteries. One of the tourist spots here is the The Lakshmana Temple which is the only monument from the era that still stands.

Bhilai , Durg, Jagadalpur , Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur , Jabalpur, Bhopal, Bastar, Puri are few places work visiting.

Shopping:

Shopping is something that is on the top of every tourist’s list. At Raipur most of the tourists take home the colourful handicrafts and textiles made by the local craftsmen. There are artifacts made of bone, stone, feathers, paper, metals like gold silver. Most popular souvenirs at Raipur are the Hand woven fabric, Pithora paintings, Dokra metal animals and figurines, carved woodwork, coloured beads and chunky jewellery.

Where To Eat:

.With the status of a capital city, there has been a lot of improvement in the menus of the hotels in Raipur. Most of the restaurants serve traditional North Indian food along with Tandoori, Mughlai Punjabi, South Indian and Chinese food cuisine.

Where To Stay:

There are various options to choose from for accommodation. Most of the hotels are in the economy range and the most luxurious hotel would be a three star hotel. However, most of the hotels promise hospitality and the basic facilities. There are some Government run tourist hotels, small hotels, holiday homes, tourist bungalows etc,  which one can choose from. Another option is to stay at Dharamshalas at Raipur.

Sirpur

Once upon a time the erstwhile capital of Chattisgarh,  today Sirpur lies in ruins. The pristine glory of its past is seen in the Palaces, ruined temples, and monasteries. One of the tourist spots here is the The Lakshmana Temple which is the only monument from the era that still stands.

Bhilai , Durg, Jagadalpur , Rajnandgaon, Bilaspur , Jabalpur, Bhopal, Bastar, Puri are few places work visiting.

Raipur is yet to be explored as a tourist destination, nevertheless the rich heritage and history if Raipur is sure to attract a lot tourists in time to come.