Best time to visit : October and November (pleasant weather)
Baikunthpur is a small town in Chhattisgarh (Koriya District). Not only famous for Durga Pooja and the National Level Football tournament, it is also known for its coal mine located in Churcha. The lush green fields and flowing streams and rivers, renders this place with scenic beauty. Baikunthpur has also attained the significance of being a special industrial area in Chhattisgarh due to its rich deposits of coal, red oxide, fire clay and limestone. Most of the tourist attractions in Baikunthpur comprise of big and small waterfalls where you can enjoy family picnics and spend a relaxing day. Surrounded by thick forests and wildlife, this tribal belt once belonged to the princely state of King Sheomangal Singh Deo.
Facts
Baikunthpur, located at a distance of about 310 km. from the state capital, Raipur. This place derives its name from Lord Vishnu also called Lord Baikunth Nath (literal meaning Lord of Heaven). It is mainly famous for its excellent coal reserves. Apart from numerous falls, the place is famous for joviality in its festival celebrations like Navakhai, Charta and Ganga Dusshera. Baikunthpur is located in proximity to Mainpat, a hill station in Chhattisgarh.
Since Baikunthpur is a small town, the food available here consists of famous delicacies of Chhattisgarh. For people with sweet tooth, it is a must to try the jalebis and petha. Almost in every house, jalebi is served as a sweet dish after the meals. Do try the sweet recipe called bafauri which is made of chana dal. It will easily be available at any restaurant or a sweet shop.
Baikunthpur is a very small city and there is nothing much special which you can buy from here. To get some gifts and souvenirs for your friend and relatives, you can buy stuff from Raipur which is the major prominent city near Baikunthpur. Tourists can also visit the villages nearby to get some handicrafts stuff made by the tribal people living there.
Raipur is famous for its handloom and decorative items made of bamboo. Terracotta products and stone sculptures are also very famous here and can be bought at very reasonable prices. One more famous thing of Raipur is its cotton fabric with work of kinari and zari, which is a must buy for every tourist.
Nearby Places:
- Mainpat, which is a beautiful hillstation, is blessed with natural waterfalls and sal forests. Large numbers of Tibetans are inhabitants of this hill station. When in Mainpat, do not miss to visit the famous Buddhist temple which is one of its kinds in Chhattisgarh. You can also visit various waterfalls around this beautiful place