Religious City Ratanpur will be Developed as a Tourist Site

• 20 Sep 2021

Why in News

• Recently, the Union Ministry of Tourism has directed to prepare a state government action plan to bring Ratanpur, the religious and mythological city of Chhattisgarh in front of the tourists of the country and the world, and to develop it as a tourist destination/site.

Key Points

• On the instructions of the Union Ministry of Tourism, the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board and the State Government took stock of Ratanpur and its surrounding tourist places in the past.
• After developing as a tourist destination, tourists from all over the world will now be able to see this city of King Mordhwaj and Ratnadev.
• From the point of view of tourists, the specialty and art will be raised here, palaces and forts of historical and archaeological importance will be decorated.
• The biggest feature of Ratanpur, popularly known as the city of ponds, is that there is such a series of 200 ponds that are several hundred years old, due to which there has not been a famine here. The ponds have been constructed in such a way that during the rainy season, when one pond is full, the water reaches the other.
• It is noteworthy that this city located in Bilaspur district is famous for the temple of Adishakti Maa Mahamaya Devi. This holy mythological city has an ancient and glorious history. It is also called 'Chaturyuga city', which means that its existence has been present in all the four ages.
• The Kalchuri king Ratnadev I of Tripuri first made Ratanpur his capital and later Kalchuri kings ruled Chhattisgarh for a long period from this capital.
• The Mahamaya Temple was built by King Ratnadev I in the 11^th century. The idols of goddesses Mahakali, Mahasaraswati and Mahalakshmi are seated inside the temple.
• It is believed that the right skanda of Goddess Sati had fallen in Ratanpur. Lord Shiva himself appeared and gave it the name of Kaumari Shakti Peeth, due to which unmarried girls get good fortune from the sight of the mother. Thousands of wishing Jyoti Kalash are lit here by the devotees during Navratri.