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the 9th century and houses three Tirthankara idols in ... tea/coffee, mini-bar and LCD. TV. The food is tasty too. ... A
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C TY RAIPUR

Located roughly in the middle of Chhattisgarh, Raipur is primarily a nodal city for travellers. While the city itself has few attractions, its surrounds are bursting with spiritual and archaeological riches. It is a great base for making day trips.

TRANSPORT GETTING THERE • Air: The nearest airport is 15km from Raipur with a number of connections to Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai. There are regular flights from Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Vishakapatnam and Ranchi, too. • Train: Raipur is on the Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line, with connections to key cities in the north, east and central India. local transport Cycle- and auto-rickshaws are easily available within city precincts and to cover short distances. It is also easy to hire a taxi for travel within the city, day trips, and long excursions. It costs about INR1450 to hire a cab for 8hrs or 80km.

Quick Facts STD Code: 0771 Helpful Websites www.chhattisgarhtourism.net LOO CHECK | Don’t expect restrooms in places away from the city. Look out for gas stations to relieve yourself.

I Raipur is a great base for day trips; © Punnetinder Kaur Sidhu

Safety Tips Raipur is as safe as any other city in India. But, when you are going on day trips and excursions, don’t insist on entering places that your local contacts or guides ask you to avoid. Avoid driving off the National Highway into villages and smaller towns after dark. What to Pack A visit to Raipur is incomplete without a dekko at the nearby temple towns and wildlife sanctuaries. Therefore, you must carry – sunscreen, insect repellent, thick-soled shoes, first-aid kit and a day pack with bottled water and munchies. Money Matters • ATMs: Every major bank in India has ATMs in Raipur. • Credit & debit cards: Major credit cards are accepted at the big hotels and fast-food joints. Connectivity The big hotels offer free wi-fi but connection is usually slow.

TOP EXPERIENCES Bhand Deul Temple, Arang Though little is known of its origins, epigraphic interpretations tell us this phallic-shaped Jain temple in red sandstone harks back to the 9th century and houses three Tirthankara idols in black granite. It is 40km from Raipur. Sirpur Surrounded by neat, verdurous grounds, Sirpur’s Laxman Temple is an exceptional 7th-century brick temple. Also in Sirpur, Teevardev Complex is a huge 6th-century monastic complex with two striking viharas and the remains of a nunnery. One of the two neatly preserved monasteries, Anand Prabhu Kuti Vihara has a large statue of the Buddha, his hand touching the earth in what is known as the bhumisparsha

mudra. Sirpur is 85km away from Raipur.

couples adorn its exterior. It is 140km from Raipur.

Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary Roughly 40 km from Sirpur, the sanctuary is a mere 245 sq km but manages to encompass flatlands and plateaus punctuated by rivers, reservoirs and hummocks. Elephants have recently been spotted here. The thick forested cover is also home to leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, wild boars, a number of antelope and deer species, flying squirrels, pythons and cobras. Tmings are 6am–7pm.

Champaran The leafy village of Champaran marks the place of birth of Vallabhacharya, one of five recognised Acharyas in the Hindu tradition. It is also home to the Champeshwar Mahadev Temple. It’s 56km away and a day visit is enough to cover the main attractions.

Bhoramdeo Temple This is known as Chhattisgarh’s Khajuraho. Ornately carved, Bhoramdeo is set in a verdant patch across a large lotusladen water body edged by Maikal Hills. Voluptuous women, deities and amorous

I the iconic laxman temple in sirpur; ©chhattisgarh tourism board

Picnic by the dam | An enjoyable way to spend a day off Raipur is to pack a hamper full of treats and do a circuit of the dams around the city, feasting your eyes on lush countryside along the paddy-flanked roads. Gangrel Dam over the Mahanadi is the most popular. Rudri, Murrum Silli and Tandula are the other dams worth a dekko.

ACCOMMODATION The Gateway %6661000; thegatewayhotels.com; GE Road; rooms from `6000 A spanking new business hotel, which is also worth the leisure traveller’s consideration. Plus points include proximity to the airport–which incidentally is 14km from the city–efficient staff, comfy rooms, good food and speedy internet. VW Canyon %4277777; www. vwcanyon.com; VIP Road 2, Phundahar, near Agrasen Dham; rooms from `6000 A popular choice for exhibitions, conferences I good indian food is available at most hotels in raipur; © shweta andrews

and visiting cricket teams, it exudes a busy, crowded air most times. Thankfully, it is left behind as you ascend to the spacious lobby on the first floor. Well-appointed rooms are tucked along brightly lit corridors. Perks include reasonably well-trained staff, a pool and several restaurants. Hyatt Raipur %4241234; raipur. hyatthotels.hyatt.com; Magneto The Mall, NH6, Labhandi; rooms from `4500 No surprises here: the service, food, and attention to detail provide the typical Hyatt flourish. The plush rooms are snug and come with a see-all, bare-all bathroom; a sliding half-door thoughtfully muffles those splashes for the bashful.

Hotel Babylon Inn %4299999; www. hotelbabylon.com; Jail Road, Sai Vihar Col; rooms from `6000 Somewhat overpriced for what it offers. Being welllocated (albeit on a busy artery) close to the city centre it finds many takers, especially those arriving in Raipur by rail. They also do a free pick-up/ drop-off to the airport. Staff is helpful, rooms decently sized and food palatable (room service could take a while). Hotel Mayura %4200500; www. themayurahotels.com; near Raj Talkies, GE Road; rooms from `4700 This hotel is centrally located yet set at a safe distance from the high-decibel noise of the busy market. The rooms are surprisingly well-furnished, linen and loos (nearly) spotless. It is the food that really clinches it though. Try the buffets at Ocellus; order a la carte at Cinnamon. Hotel Shamrock %4299111; www. hotelshamrock.com; Pandri; rooms from `3700 Conveniently located, albeit in a crowded area, the hotel offers fairly plush rooms, clean loos and mod cons such as tea/coffee, mini-bar and LCD TV. The food is tasty too.

EATING Cinnamon %2536001; Hotel Mayura, GE Road A favourite with Raipur residents for its Indian and tandoori fare (both veg and non-veg). Expect chilled beer, pleasant staff and a nice ambience. Only Parathas %4042466; City Plaza A tad overpriced for only paranthas, but both variety and taste are gobsmacking – this is a fine-dining kind of place despite its focus on a relatively casual staple. The vegetarian-only menu also lists a large array of quite delicious dals, sabzis and biryanis. Veggiies %4035101; www.veggiies. com; Shastri Chowk, GE Road A standing-only eatery dishing out vegetarian fast food in hygienic surrounds. Popular with locals for its burgers, pizzas and grilled sandwiches. Sundaes, chaats and Chinese items also fly. Madrasi Hotels %9770088088; www. madrasihotels.com; Multiple Locations Biryani and kebab/tikka specialists, they have a

number of outlets – Madrasi Grill, Madrasi Darbar, Madrasi Restaurant, Madrasi Bites, Madrasi Fried Chicken – dotting the city. You might be better off getting a takeaway. The menu includes a limited number of vegetarian and Chinese dishes. Indian Coffee House New Circuit House, Civil Lines This workers’ co-operative is conveniently located within the leafy premises of the New Circuit House. Best for South Indian fare and unblended filter coffee.

SHOPPING Shabari Emporium %2229947; Chhattisgarh Haat, Pandri Market A one-stop shop for the state’s celebrated tribal and

FAST FOOD FINDER | Raipur malls have nearly all popular food chains – Domino’s, Subway, KFC, Barista, CCD, Yellow Chilli, Rajdhani and the like. Outside, look for Goli Vada Pav No. 1. A cheery red counter will generally front a hygienic space where vada-pavs are briskly doled out.

rural crafts in bell metal, iron, wood, clay and silk. There’s a well-stocked branch inside the departures hall at the airport. Jhitku Mitki Van Hastkala Samiti %2420123; www. jhitkumitki.co.in; opposite Police HQ, GE Road Step in for an interesting array in bell-metal, wrought iron, terracotta and bamboo. I bell metal work is popular in chhattisgarh; © supriya sehgal