Keonjhar, a beautiful Odia district, once was a small princely state. Keonjhar served as a capital where the king Dhanurjay Narayan Bhanjadeo built a small palace sometime between 1861 and 1905. After India become the republic, the Royals slowly left the palace due to some or other reason. Lack of attention deteriorated the beauty of the small castle. Nowadays, the palace is not open for public; however, two temples nearby are. One is Maa Tarini temple located inside the palace. After sunset, this part of Keonjhar is frightening. No lights, no directions and feels like it's a typical ghost-Bangalow.
The other temple Matiabandh Pokhari (now called Chandan Pokhari) is on the south side of the palace, outside the premises inside a small lake. Once the lake dries up, people visit the temple. During Rath Yatra and Chandan Yatra, a unique fair is organised.
Lakeside is a peaceful place to be, especially in the morning. The lake and palace are now very near to the new expressway AH-46, to be operational soon.
As the name suggests, Ghanta means bells. The title "Ghanteshwari" is originated from the fact that, devotees tie a bell when they visit with some wish. Hundreds and thousands of bells are tied to the holy tree under which the idol of the goddess is situated. Even the breeze rings the bells to create a sweet tinkling sound from the thousands and tiny and big bells.
In front of the temple is the Mahanadi river bed. The width of the river is large which with the green mountains in the backdrop with some white clouds on the rich blue sky is a beauty to watch on a clear day. However, in earlier times, this beautiful place was dangerous to the sailors.
One story behind the concept of bells goes like this: The Mahanadi river earlier used to have whirlpools which have claimed many lives. An idea of a ‘lighthouse without light’ was born. It was decided by the sailors to build a warning system to intimate the sailor as he approaches the very dangerous spot near Ghanteshwari Temple. To warn any sailor nearing this spot bells were ranged with full force to produce a loud sound.
Due to the Hirakud Dam built for the flood control, the water level in the bed is now controlled. Controlled flow of Mahanadi obsoletes then much-needed warning-mechanism, however, faith and beliefs of people in Maa Ghanteshwari are still strong. Thousands of devotees visit the temple daily and pray to their beloved goddess.
Video:
How to reach:
Ghanteshwari Temple is located in the backyard of Chiplima Hydroelectric Power Station 13 Km from the NH6 (33 km southwest of Sambalpur). Parking is provided by the local governing body at 20 Rs. per car and for 10 Rs. per bike.
Schematic of a typical hydroelectric plant construction
A hydroelectric powerhouse at Chiplima (Power House – II under stage III) is an outcome of renovation carried out by Odisha government under 11th five-year plan. The Chiplima powerhouse was earlier a part of HPS Burla. As a part of the restructuring, Chiplima Power House (Power House No. II) has been separated from HPS, Burla, with effect from 01.07.2009 and renamed as Chiplima Hydro Electric Project.Currently, three generating units with installed capacity of 72 MW (3 x 24) makes the power. The plant uses Kaplan turbine spinning at 350 RPM and uses a head of 72 feet.
Powerhouse is located near famous Ghanteshwari Temple. To enter inside the generation unit, prior permission from authorities should be obtained. However, a spectacular view of the reservoir and the Mahanadi basin is seen while crossing the dam wall to reach the Ghanteshwari Temple.
Rani Sati Temple, also known as second Jhun-Jhun Dham is located in Birimitrapur, a small town on the Odisha -Jharkhand border famous for limestone mines. Rani Sati Temple spread over two acres of campus run by a trust, headed by Gopalji Tulsian. Besides Rani Sati temple other temples in the premises are Sita Ram Temple, Ganesh Temple, Hanuman Temple, and Shiva Temple.
Temple was constructed in 1967 and then was renovated in the years 1992 and 2000. The white marble temple structure is decorated with art works (especially one on the ceiling), costumed with silvery metal sheets and has a golden top. Day of attraction is on auspicious days like Bhado Amavasya or the no-moon day when special pujas are offered.
Timings:
Contact Info:
Shree Rani Satiji Mandir
"Jhunjhunu Dham"
Main Road,Birmitrapur(Odisha)-770033
Tel No:0661-3209970/2610627
Email: ranisatimandir@gmail.com
Notes:
Photography is not allowed inside the temple.
No separate parking facility available.
How to reach:
Rani Satiji Mandir is about 35 Km from Rourkela on NH23 towards Ranchi. Private/hired vehicle is the best way to reach the temple. Bus service from Rourkela to Birimitrapur is also available. A passenger train from Rourkela runs daily to Birimitrapur Railway station in the morning.
The Teerathgarh Falls is a block type waterfall on the Kanger River in Bastar district of Chattisgarh which falls from about 90 meters. It further divides into two waterfalls and the water then runs through the valley of limestone deposits full with thick forest cover.
A small temple on a large rock opposite the falls is surrounded by the ruins of a 1,000-year-old Hindu civilization. In monsoon, the water flow is heavy and muddy. After Winter season, the water recedes and one can cross the fall and experience the complete enchanting view.
Photography Tips:
As the distance between the viewpoint and the fall is too small, carry a wide angle lens or fish eye lens to capture complete fall.
In monsoon season, when the fall is at peak, the vapors evaporating wets the camera. Keep a waterproof cover and a dry cloth to wipe water droplets.
After the trip, immediately clean the camera.
Best season to visit the fall between June to December.
If you don't love the crowd, avoid weekends and holidays.
Reach early to get "human-free" pictures.
Entry Fee and timing:
A nominal fee (five rupees for adults and ten rupees for the camera) is charged to enter the waterfall area.
Parking facility is available just near the fall and is charged.
Local food is available at the restaurants near by.
Jagdalpur is the nearest city where from a vehicle can be hired. Fall is located 35 kilometers away from the Jagdalpur city. A personal vehicle is the best choice in this part of the area (to visit common tourist places).
Chitrakoot waterfalls, known as mini Niagara of India, is located about 45 kilometres from Jagdalpur town of Chattisgarh state. It is located on River Indravathi and near to the Kanger Valley National Park. Although water falls from a height of about 100 feet, the fall is known for his grand width especially in the season of Monsoon. In monsoon, the stream swells and acquires more than 200 feet width. The waterfalls display different moods in every season. In monsoon, it roars and swells. While after December, when the water recedes, it is snowy white with blue sky as the backdrop.
On the left bank of the Chitrakoot Falls, a small Hindu shrine dedicated to the god Shiva and several naturally created grottos named "Parvati caves" (named after Shiva's wife Parvati) are located [1].
My visit to Chitrakoot:
I visited the falls in the month of August when the water flow is at peak. Fortunately, a local jeep driver who happened to have good knowledge about the area was out tour guide. His vehicle, in which we travelled was not comfortable, but the information and the guidance were quite valuable for the first-time traveller. In the morning till eight o'clock, one hardly finds any shop or restaurant open. On the way, we stopped at a small Dhaba where we had a typical breakfast of Bhajiya with tasty spicy peas-potato curry with a cup of tea.
The road to the falls is splendid and well maintained. However, at the falls there are no good restaurants or even hotels to stay overnight. The only accommodation present needs to be booked through the district collector office. The colourful floodlights installed to beautify the falls are not working.
Tips for photography:
The place is best for shooting different compositions of the waterfall. I would advise a telelens as well as a wide-angle lens to capture different perspectives. An 'ND-filter' and a tripod would come in handy especially on a sunny day. The combination would help to capture blurry motion as well as the video of the falls.
Visiting the falls in the morning and evening is the best time to capture the beauty without any interference. If the vehicle is hired, the driver may refuse to stop after five or so. That's why it is better to travel in the own vehicle. Having said this, one should be careful about visiting offbeat places, as the area around is considered as Naxalite-prone.
Locals have converted the small caves near the banks to the temples. Locals priests take care of the daily rituals carried here. These little caves look beautiful due to the limestone walls.
Selfie with daughter: A family taking selfies with waterfall as the background
The grand view:
To watch the front view, where complete fall can be seen, one has to go down the valley. A small path, parallel to the walls of the resort, takes to the river bed. This path is well constructed. A boating facility is also available, however, it remains closed in the Monsoon season.
Watch the Video:
How to reach:
The best way to travel to Jagdalpur is by road. Chitrakoot waterfall is located at about 40 Km from the nearest town Jagdalpur. Road network well connects Jagdalpur. However, Rail connectivity is poor.
Keonjhar, a beautiful Odia district, once was a small princely state. Keonjhar served as a capital where the king Dhanurjay Narayan Bhanjadeo built a small palace sometime between 1861 and 1905. After India become the republic, the Royals slowly left the palace due to some or other reason. Lack of attention deteriorated the beauty of the small castle. Nowadays, the palace is not open for public; however, two temples nearby are. One is Maa Tarini temple located inside the palace. After sunset, this part of Keonjhar is frightening. No lights, no directions and feels like it's a typical ghost-Bangalow. 
