Bilaspur, also known as “The City of Festivals”, is a city located in Bilaspur District in the Indian State of Chhattisgarh. It is the Administrative headquarters of the Bilaspur District and Bilaspur Division. The Chhattisgarh High Court, located at Bodri, District Bilaspur has privileged it with the title Nyayadhani (Law Capital) of the State. This city is the commercial center and business hub of North East Chhattisgarh region. It is also an important city for the Indian Railways, as it is the headquarters for South East Central Railways zone (SECR) and the Bilaspur Railway Division. It is also the headquarters of South Eastern Coalfields Limited. Chhattisgarh biggest power plant operated by NTPC is in Sipat. Power Grid in Sipat pools electricity from other power plants in region and transmits electricity to Delhi via one of longest HVDC line.
It is one of the 100 Indian cities to be developed as a Smart City under the Smart Cities Mission. Bilaspur District is surrounded by Koria District in the north, Anuppur District of Madhya Pradesh, Mungeli and, Baloda Bazar-Bhata Para District in the south and Korba and Janjgir- Champa District in the east. Major cities around are: Raipur and Durg-Bhilai in South-West, Nagpur in West, Bhopal and Jabalpur in North-West, Varanasi and Prayagraj in North, Ranchi and Patna in North-East, Korba, and Raigarh in East
History
Historically, It was part of Dakshila Kosala and was near capital of Malhar, Chhattisgarh (ancient Mallar), Sirpur (ancient Shripura), Tuman (ancient Tummana), and Ratanpur (ancient Ratnapura). It was controlled by the Kalachuri dynasty of Ratanpur. The city, however, came into prominence around 1741, the year of the Maratha Empire rule. This city is approximately 400 years old and the name “Bilaspur” has been originated from the Fisher-woman named “Bilasa”.
It was constituted in year 1861 and followed by Bilaspur municipality in year 1867. Bilaspur district is not only famous in Chhattisgarh state but also in India due to its unique characteristics like rice quality, Kosa industry and its cultural background. It district has a major contribution in the naming “Dhan Ka Katora” for the entire Chhattisgarh region.
Culture
It is rich in its cultural heritage. It has its own dance styles, cuisine, music and traditional folk songs. In rural areas, women wear garlands made of one rupee coins. This has gone out of fashion in recent times. The city celebrates all the major festivals of India. There are some local festivals such as the colorful Rout Dance (November), harley, and pola. The Rawat Nach Mahotsav is the folk dance festival celebrated by Rawat tribes. The town has been the home of several literary, theatre, arts personalities including Makhan Lal Chaturvedi, Satyadev Dubey, Bimal Mitra, Shrikant Verma.
Economy
It is the center of electric power generation in India. This surrounding area generate 10,000 MW of electricity, and an additional 50,000 MW are planned in the next few years. As many as 22 companies are interested to tap an estimated power generation potential of 50,000 megawatts in the region. The railways have gotten a major boost with big energy sector players set to invest Rs.5, 000 crore in three proposed railways corridors around it.
Power plants – It has India’s second largest power plant of NTPC at Sipat which generates power of 2980 MW with 3 units of 660 MW each and 1 unit of 1000 MW. Many thermal power plants are coming up in the surrounding area.
Industries: Around it, there are many industrial areas, including Tifra, Sirgitti and Silpahri Industrial Growth Centres. Sirgitti, Silpahri and Tifra around Bilapur are major industrial areas near Bilaspur. Located on the outskirts of Bilaspur city Sirgitti Industrial Centre is spread over an area of approx. 338 hectares. With about 324 industries it provides direct employment to 4431 persons.
Transports:-
Roadways
It is well-connected with a network of national highways intersecting it. The national highways are National Highway 130 (NH-130) connecting it with Ambikapur and Raipur directly, National Highway 130A (NH-130A), National Highway 45 (NH-45) and National Highway 49 (NH-49). The proposed Narmada Expressway will start from it, and will run till Ahmedabad, along the route of the Narmada River.
Railways
It is the busiest junction of Chhattisgarh, and the second busiest of central India after Itarsi station for passenger trains. It is the third cleanest railway station in India after Surat and Rajkot stations. It is well connected with the rest of the country, as it lies on the Tatanagar–Bilaspur section of the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line and a junction, as another line goes towards Delhi via Katni. The station has the fifth longest railway platform in India after Hubballi, Gorakhpur, Kollam and Kharagpur stations
Air
The nearest airport is Bilaspur Airport, also known as Bilasa Devi Kevat Airport, located 13 km (8.1 mi) south of the city. Currently, there are direct flights from the airport to Jabalpur, Bhopal, Delhi and Prayagraj, operated by Alliance Air.
Food
It is famous for food varieties, such as Doobraj rice, fara, chila, rice roll, sonhari (Poori made from Rice Flour or Sweet Potato), ayirsa roti, gulgula bhajiya, angakar roti, thetri-khurmi, airsa, tamatar fatka (tomato chutney), different types of bhajis (includes leafy vegetables like bathua, palak, chench, tirpaniya, khatta bhaji, laal bhaji, amari patua, Bohar Bhaji), etc. The wheat grown in the region is called sharbati (juicy) or like a sweet refreshing drink. The rotis made from the flour of this wheat are soft and tasty
Education
It has developed as a centre of education for Chhattisgarh with students from all over the state coming to this District to study engineering, medical and administrative officers’ competitive exams. As of 2012 Bilaspur has 5 universities. It has following educational institutions:
University
- Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya – Central University
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee Vishwavidyalaya
- Pandit Sundarlal Sharma (Open) University
- C. V. Raman University
- Maharishi University of Management and Technology
Colleges
- Institute of Technology, Guru Ghasidas University
- E. Raghvendra Rao P. G. Science College (‘A’ grade)
- Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences
- Government Engineering College, Bilaspur
- L.T. Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Ghasidas University
- Thakur Chedilal Barrister College of Agriculture & Research Station, Bilaspur
- New Horizon Dental College and Research Institute
- M. Dubey Postgraduate College, Bilaspur
- Bilasa Girls P.G. College, Bilaspur
- Ayurveda College, Bilaspur
- LCIT Group of Institutions, Bilaspur
- Triveni Institute of Dental Sciences, Hospital & Research Centre
School
- DAV Public School, SECL Bilaspur
- The Jain International School, Bilaspur
- Delhi Public School, Bilaspur
- Brilliant Public School, Bilaspur
- Krishna Public School, Bilaspur
- Loyla School, Bilaspur
- Francis sen. sec. School, Bilaspur
Conclusion
It was the capital of a state of the same name founded in the 7th century, also known as Kahlur. This is known for its aromatic rice variety named ‘Doobraj’ rice, Handloom woven colourful soft Kosa silk sarees. It is the most important financial center of Chhattisgarh state. Besides, it is administrative headquarter of Bilaspur District, which happens to be the largest and also the most industrialized district of Chhattisgarh state.
This city is about 400 years old and the name of “Bilaspur” is named after the Fisher-woman named “Bilasa”. Despite of many natural calamities, Bilaspur has developed a lot. It is the second-largest city after the Raipur-Bhilai-Durg Tri-City Metro area. The High Court of Chhattisgarh is located at village Bodri in district Bilaspur has privileged it with the title ‘Nyayadhani'(Law Capital) of the state.