Vijayraghavgarh Fort, Katni

I got an opportunity to visit the Vijayraghavgarh / Bijeraghogarh Fort on 22nd October 2014. This fort is located in Vijayraghavgarh Town which is 35 kms from the distt headquarter of Katni. Katni district has a history of glorious past and this beautiful fort of katni is being protected by M. P. State Tourism.

 Fort of Vijayraghavgarh

This fort is made on a plain land unlike other forts which are generaly made on some hill tops. In front of the fort is the croweded town of Vijayraghavgarh and on other sides is the lush green jungle. In front of the fort there is a small temple having bright white marble Shivling behind which is located another beautiful Shiva temple. Close to the fort is made the governmant's “Vishram Grih”.

There is a board inside the fort which tells that King Sarju Prasad of Vijaraghavgarh was one of the most heroic figures of the Jabalpur region in 1857 war. He shot dead the tahsildar Subit Ali and captured the dak horses. He once defeated the British troops, but after a few setbacks British again invaded the fort of Vijayraghavgarh with full force making it a place of fiercest battle. It is said that Sardar Rambol's wife “Veer Naini” played a significant role in the defence of fort and gave up her life in the process. King Sarju Prasad escaped but the fort fell in the hands of British.

 

 Lush Green Jungle around the Fort

There is gaurd in the fort 24X7 who provides a register to enter the name and address of each visitor. I talked to the gaurd, Mr. Shivprakash Tamrakar to extract the information about the fort and he told that the building next to the fort is known as Rangmahal and behind it existed a huge tunnel in the past which connected to the town of Maihar.

The walls and ceiling of Rang Mahal are beautifully decorated with COLOURED PAINTINGS. And a 10th century INSCRIPTION, belonging to Kalchuri period, can be seen in the verandah of its Kachahari.

Beautiful Coloured Painting on Rangmahal Ceiling

The fort is dedicated to Lord Shri Ram (Vijayraghav), but the statue from its temple has been lost and only a photo of Lord Shri Ram has been put in its place. This Vijayraghavgarh fort is the top tourist attraction of katni distt and it was recently restored under ACC's patronage.

Other tourist places in Katni:

1. Katai Ghat, a picnic spot (3 kms)
2. Jhinjhri prehistoric rock paintings (3 kms)
3. Vishnu Varah Temple and Kamakandla Fort in Bilahri (12 kms)
4. Roopnath Dham and Kankali Devi Mandir in Bahoriband (35 kms)

There are several places of interest in Vijayraghavgarh town itself like Sharda Devi Mandir, Pachmatha and Mahanadi. A beautiful Kali Devi Mandir made on a green and clean hillock falls on the way to Vijayraghavgarh.

Chaturyug Dham, Badera

I visited Chaturyug Dham on 25th Oct. 2014, this Dham is located in Badera village of distt Katni. Badera is 15 kms away from Katni in Maihar Road (NH-7). Around 15 yrs old this temple is located 2 kms off the highway.

Caturyug Dham nicely explains the governing lords of the four yugs of hindu mythology. The first floor is dedicated to Satyug, the second floor to Treta Yug, the third one to the Dwapar Yug and the top floor to the Kaliyug.

Shivling, Badera Dham

Chaturyug Dham, Badera

Lord of Satyug

Lord of Treta Yug

Lord of Dwapar yug

Lord of Kaliyug

View from top floor of the temple

View from top floor of the temple

View from top floor of the temple

 

Yagyashala

Other tourist place near Badera Dham:

1. Maa Vaishnav Devi Dham is located in Sungarha village which is around 8 kms from the Badera Dham.

 Maa Vaishnav Devi Dham, Sungarha

Vaishnav Devi Dham, Sungarha

I got an opportunity to visit the Vaishnav Devi Dham in Sungarha (Sumarha) village on 25th Oct 2014. On the way to the Dham around 8 kms from Katni I noticed a board mentioning the begning of forrest area where wild animals are seen frequently.

When I reached Sungarha I stopped at Hardua Mod at a shop and asked for a tea. I threw many questions to the people gathered there to gain some knowledge about the temple and its history and got the information that the temple was constructed 15 yrs back but this place has been considered divine from generations. I got Chunni and Prasad from there and parked my bike next to the shop.

Mr. Kushwaha a villager told that he was going to the temple and he would accompany me. On the way he told me that a Pujari / Panda gaurds the place 24X7. Also he told that a fare / festival is organised every year on 1st January and people from all nearby villages come here making a huge crowed and they show their great faith in Maa Vaishnav.

From the main gate you will be walking through a nice pavement and climb around 200 steps to reach the temple. There is a Baba Bhairavnath Mandir too behind Maa Vaishnav Devi Mandir.

Along with Mr. Kushwaha

Maa Vaishnav Devi Dham

Jai Maa Vaishnav Devi

A small pond as viewed from the hill top

Baba Bhairavnath Mandir

Baba Bhairav Nath ji ki Jai

I think this area comes under Panna reserve and coincidently I spotted 2 nos. of amazingly beautiful dears crossing the road before me while I returing from Sungerha. It was near Madhur Warehouse which would be around 5 kms from Sungarha.

Maa Vaishnav Devi Dham is located in a complete green and clean hillock in Sungarha village in Panna road (SH-10) which is 15 kms away from maddening crowed of Katni town. This Dham is nicely fenced and no vehicles are allowed inside the gate. The forrest is natural but govt has also planted many trees in the campus to enhence its greenery making it a great picnic spot near Katni.

Nearby tourist places:

1. Chaturyug Badera Dham is around 8 kms from Maa Vaishnav Devi Dham.

 Chaturyug Badera Dham

Kankali Devi Mandir, Bahoriband

I got an opportunity to visit Kankali Devi Mandir on 24th Oct 2014 when I went to my home town Katni on the occasion of Deepavali. This is a 1500 yrs old flat ceiling temple. The deputed gaurd at that place told that the ceiling is made of a single piece stone. An amazing observation is the presence of a statue of lord Narsing and a Jain Treethankars Parshvanath statue on the outer wall of this temple.

Fencing and gate around the Kankali Devi Mandir

5th century Kankali Devi Mandir

Kankali Devi Pratima

Sculpture of Narsingh Bhagwan

Sculpture of Jain Teerthankar Parswanath

This Archaelogy site is nicely fenced for protection and maintained very clean. Lots of ruins of the temple mainly the rock sculptures and pillars are laid suitably for display to the pilgrims / tourists. There is also a beautiful Sharda Devi Temple in the same campus.

 Sharda Devi Temple

 Sharda Devi Pratima

Ruins of 5th century temple

This temple is of historical importance and it is protected by M. P. Tourism department and its website also tells that there were so many statues of Narayan Shaishayani and Lord Surya in the north of the village. And that near the reservoir a stone has been found in which 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu are painted. These things I could not locate in the village because of shortage of time.

As per the hindu mythology Aalha and Udal fought with king of Madhogarh in Tigavan. This is a great place for hindu pilgrims. Tigma / Tigawan village in Bahoriband town is 40 kms from its distt HQ Katni and its trip can be planned along with the Roopnath Dham which is 9 kms from Tigma (5 kms from Bahoriband).

Other tourist places in Bahoriband:

1. Roopnath Dham
2. Bahoriband Reservoir
3. Vishnu Varah Mandir, Bilhary
4. Kamakandla Fort, Bilhary

Tourists visiting Kankali Devi Mandir shall also see Roopnath Dham which is again an M. P. Tourism protected archaelogical site.

 Roopnath Dham, Bahoriband