Banswara

Banswara is a city in Banswara District in south Rajasthan in India. The state of Banswara was founded by Maharawal Jagmal Singh. It is named for the "bans" or bamboo forests in the area. Formerly a princely state under the reign of the Maharavals and home to the Bhil tribals of the region, Banswara gets its name from ‘baans’ or bamboo tree that once grew in abundance. The city is famous for hundreds of tiny islands (known as ‘Chachakota’ in local parlance) situated on Mahi river. The presence of centuries-old temples and shrines, such as Arthuna, are prime attractions for tourism in Banswara. The tribal culture prevalent in the Banswara makes it a popular tourist hotspot.

Banswara The Land of the Tribals- One of the famous tourist places in Banswara is the ruins of 11th and 12th century Hindu and Jain temples at Arthuna. Some of the Shiva temple ruins at the site have intricate carvings depicting various religious figurines. Anand Sagar or Bai Talab is an artificial lake constructed by the queen Lanchi Bai which is encircled by Kalp Vriksha (wishing trees) and royal chattris (cenotaphs). Ram Kund (also known as Phati Khaan) is an under hill cave where it is believed that Lord Ram stayed during his exile. Andeshwar Parshwnathji is a revered Jain temple visited by devotees from all over the country and is home to rare rock inscriptions dated around 10th century.

Some other famous temples in Banswara are Talwara Temple, Madareshwar Temple, Vithala Deo Temple and Raj Mandir. Paraheda is a famous Shiva temple built around 12th century while Tripura Sundari is one the Shakti Peeths in Hinduism dedicated to 18-armed goddess Tartai Mata. Kagadi Pikup Weir is another tourist attraction in Banswara known for lush green gardens, beautiful fountains overlooking the Kagdi Lake. AbdullaPir is a revered Muslim dargah which is an important place of pilgrimage for Bohra Muslims.

History:  Banswara city and its district formed by the merger of Banswara state and Kushalgarh chieftainship in Greater Rajasthan in 1949. Banswara was the place where hundreds of Bhils were shot during a revolt by Bhil tribals. That revolt was led by the social reformer Govindgiri in the year 1913. But revolt turned to a massacre, also called “Mini Jallianwala Bagh Kand” as it took place at Mangarh hillock where Bhils holding a peaceful meeting. Now the place of Massacre named the Mangarh Dham. Banswara also has another story abot its name. There are lots of bamboos known as ‘bans’ that grows in the forest of Banswara .So it named as Banswara.

Banswara District is situated in south Rajasthan in India. Banswara princely state was founded by Maharawal Jagmal Singh. It is named for the “bans” or bamboo forests in the area. It is also known as ‘City of Hundred Islands’, due to presence of numerous islands in the Mahi River, which flows through Banswara. Banswara district forms eastern part of the region known as Vagad or Vagwar. The district was formerly a princely state ruled by the Maharavals. It is said that a Bhil ruler Bansia or Wasna, ruled over it and Banswara was named after his name. Bansia was defeated and killed by Jagmal Singh who became the first Maharaval of the princely state.

Raj Mandir(City Palace):  Raj Mandir or more popularly known as the City Palace was built in the 16th century and situated on a hillock overlooking the town. Covering a huge area it follows typical style of old Rajput architecture. Though lack of funds has made many royal palaces of Rajasthan exchange hands with the government after Independence, this palace is still owned by the Royal family. The palace has been maintained rather well and can be visited only by a lucky few, only by invitation. The Tripolia Gate near the entrance of the City Palace has been a mute witness to the fortunes of the palace. This three arched open gateway has a clock embedded on its outer wall, but unfortunately this lovely timepiece has long crossed its working days.

Maharawal Jagmal Singh’s Palace:  Maharawal Jagmal Singh’s palace wasn’t quite as fortunate as the City Palace. This once imposing structure now lies in ruins on a hilltop south of the town. The stone wall that used to defend the city is also in ruins. Anand Sagar Lake, also known as Bai Talab is an artificial lake built by Lachchi Bai, Maharawal Jagmal Singh’s queen. In local parlance she was called Bai of Idar and thus the epithet Bai Talab. Right beside the Bai Talab are the sorry remains of some chhatris (cenotaphs) of the rulers of the state. They have a very peculiar structure – triple stored in the rear and double stored in the front.

Anand Sagar Lake: The Anand Sagar Lake is an artificial lake , which was constructed by Lanchi Bai, the Rani of Maharval Jagami and is located on the eastern part of Banswara. It is enclosed by the holy trees named ‘Kalpa Vriksha’, famous for fulfilling the wishes of the visitors. The ‘chattris’ or cenotaphs of the rulers of the state are also scattered nearby. The lake is a famous tourist spot in Banswara and is visited by locals and tourists alike.

Nearby the lake are small mountains where is the famous Ram Kund, also known as ‘Phati Khan’ because there is a deep cave under a hill. There is a Pool of very cold water found throughout the year. It is said that Lord Ram, during his exile came & stayed here. It is a beautiful place surrounded by hills.

Dailab Lake: Dailab Lake located in Bansawara is a beautiful lake which is covered with lotus flowers all-round the year. It is one of the famous spot for locals to relax and enjoy some time in nature. There is a Palace called Badal Mahal at the bank of the lake. The palace was the summer resort of the erstwhile rulers and now is a famous tourist spot of Bansawara.

Mahi Bajaj Sagar Dam: The Mahi is a river in western India. It rises in Madhya Pradesh and, after flowing through the Vagad region of Rajasthan, enters Gujarat and flows into the Arabian Sea. The river Mahi is worshipped by a lot of people and has a lot of temples and places of worship along its shore. It is popularly described as Mahisagar due to the vastness of the river. Mahi Bajaj Sagar Dam is a dam across the Mahi River. It is situated 16 kilometres from Banswara town in Banswara district Rajasthan, India. The dam was constructed between 1972 and 1983 for the purposes of hydroelectric power generation and water supply. It is the second largest dam in Rajasthan. It is named after Shri Jamnala Bajaj. It has many crocodiles and turtles in it. There are large number of islands within the catchment area of the dam, so Banswara also called popularly called as “City of Hundred Islands”. The dam is easily accessible by road. The dam has an installed capacity of 140 MW. The Mahi river flowing into the Gulf of Khambhat is on the verge of extinction due to pollution and salinity.

Ghotiya Amba: About 35 Kms. from Banswara, in the lap of beautiful hills, Ghotia Amba is believed to have been the hiding place of Pandavas during Mahabharat times. Ghotia Amba has got a distinct value amongst the tourist places of the district. People here strongly believe that the mango trees, (which is called Amba in local dialect) planted by Pandavas, gave this name to the place as Ghotia Amba. Every year during the hindu month Chetra a huge fair takes place here in which pilgrims from Rajasthan, Gujrat and Madhya Pradesh come in large number.

Very close to this place is another place of reverence called Kela Pani. Kela means Banana and it is believed that Pandavas at this place had served food in Banana leaves to the Rishis and Sages. This temple and the place is looked after by the Devasthan Department of government of Rajasthan. Apart from these there are some other major attractions worth seeing and visiting in and around the city of Banswara.

Abdullah Peer Dargah:  Also called as Dargah of Abdul Rasul, Abdullah Pir Dargah is one of the most famous pilgrimage in Banswara. It is famous among the Bohra Muslim Saints and has a great historical significance. This dargah is located in southern part of the city. Every year a large number of people, specially of the Bohra Community, take part in the ‘URS’ at the Dargah. The festival takes place for over a period of 6 days and there are night long musical programs comprising of qawwali singing. Thousands of pilgrims from all the over the country travel to Banswara during this time. The main dargah is located amidst the beautiful gardens and is built with white marbles with four entrances. Located about 3 kms from the main city.

Andeshwar Parshwanath: Andeshwar Parshwanathji is a famous Jain temple located on a small hill in Kushalgarh tehsil. The temple is home to rare Shilalekhs from the 10th century. The place also houses two Digamabara Jain Parshwanatha temples. The main temple was built by Digamabar Jain Panchayat of Kushalgarh. The main idol of Bhagawan Parshwanatha is being protected by seven hoods.

It is located about 40 km from Banswara and is a famous Jain Temple. The main attraction of the temple is the idol of Parshwanath ji which dates back to 12th or 13th century. Black idol of lord Parshwanath is around 80 cm tall with seven hoods. It is believed to be discovered by tribes of those regions while cultivating the field. Every year on kartik purnima i.e. fifteenth lunar day of Hindi month kartik, a fair is organized which is visited by people from the neighboring towns and villages.

Arthuna: Arthuna is a small town located in Banswara District. Arthuna Town is known for clusters of ruined Hindu and Jain temples belonging to the 11th, 12th and the 15th centuries. It was the capital of Paramara rulers of Vagada during eleventh-twelfth centuries. They patronized both Jainism and Saivism simultaneously, so they constructed a number of Shiva temples. Arthuna as well as its surrounding areas have clusters of ruined Hindu and Jain temples belonging to the 11th, 12th and the 15th centuries. Among the dilapidated ruins is a beautifully carved conjugated statue of Shiva, Parvati and Ganesh. Lankiya village around Arthuna has Shaivite temples called Nilkanth Mahadev Temples. The temple is an old stone temple having beautiful intricate carvings and sculpted figures of women embedded in the outer walls. The bull Nandi (Lord Shiva's faithful vehicle) stands guard at the entrance in the temple porch.

Tripura Sundri Temple: Located about 20km from Banswara, Tripura Sundari is the temple, devoted to Goddess Tripura Sundari or Turita Mata. It is one of the famous temples in Banswara. Inside the sanctuma is a beautful idol of black stone having 18 hands and more important each hand carrying a different emblem. The Goddess is seen riding a tiger. It is believed that it’s one of the Shakti Peeths of Hindus having divine powers. Situated atop a small hillock, the temple has a square type sanctum of the typical Bengali-hut style construction with a conical dome. It is believed that this temple was built before Samrat Kanishka, who rules here. The exact date of its construction is not yet known. It is said to be one of the “Shakti Peeths” of the Hindus having charismatic divine power. But it is believed that the temple was constructed approximately before the reign of the Kushana emperor Kanishka who ruled here in the first century. Tripura Sundari Temple is also known as Kurma Pith because the shape of the temple is similar to that of tortoise.

Madareshwar Temple: The temple of Madareshwar is located at the eastern part of Banswara city in a natural cave on a hill.  The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple indoor a natural cave of a high hills and presents an overwhelming picture of the panorama below.It is one of the most famous temples in Banswara City. Banswara has a number of ancient Hindu and Jain temples, and In the past was known as Lodi Kashi or the city of temples. This famous temple of Lord Shiva is situated inside the natural cave of a high hill on the eastern part of the city. It presents a sensational natural view. The cave temple provides an Amarnath Yatra like feeling to the pilgrims, due to its typical location.
Inside this temple, you will find the entire religious temple. During Maha Shivratri, rudra abhishek Pooja is carried out. Kavadi Yatra is to be start from this Temple to Baneshwar Temple by Walk to bring the Water of Mahi and Pooja will be carried out from that water to Lord Shiva. An interesting feature of this temple is the presence of a small shrine of a Muslim saint only 10 steps away from the cave, making it an important place of worship for both Hindus and Muslims.

Paraheda Shiv Temple:  Paraheda, a famous Shiva temple, is located in Garhi Tehsil. It was constructed by King Mandlik in the 12th century and is approximately 22 kilometres from Banswara. Shri Raj Mandir or more popularly known as the City Palace was built in the 16th century and situated on a hillock overlooking the town.

Covering a huge area it follows typical style of old Rajput architecture. Though lack of funds has made many royal palaces of Rajasthan exchange hands with the government after Independence, this palace is still owned by the Royal family. There are several small Shiva temple and ragged hospices around paraheda shiva temple.

The Mythical Tree: The charming environs of the Bai Talab also hold a couple of holy trees known as Kalpavriksha. According to Hindu mythology, the Kalpavriksha tree was one of the 14 gems which came out of the depths of the sea after the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean). The ancient scriptures speak of a mighty tug of war betwixt the Gods on one side and demons on the other which brought out many divine and exotic elements to the surface of the sea.he first one to emerge was Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of Wealth and Prosperity. Then came Kaustaubh, a precious jewel. Next were the divine white elephant Airawat; Kamdhenu, the celestial cow; Dhanvantri and Nimi, the fathers of medicine and surgery; Shiv Dhanu, Lord Shiva's bow; Sura, the intoxicating drink and five other elements apart from Kalpavriksha.
It is also said to fulfill the desires of all those who have faith on the holy tree. This tree has a generous connotation attached-for ages it has been known to grant wishes of the needy and desperate. Nature worshipped in the forms of trees and animals have been the basis of the pre-Aryan religious practices. This tradition is still found among India's tribal population and more among the Bhils.
They believe that goddess Earth manifests herself through nature and the banyan tree is its best form of representation. The tree is said to be possessed by Shalabhanjika, the goddess of trees. The seeds of the tree make up for beads and are worn by the tribals in honour of the mother goddess and Lord Shiva. The banyan is often depicted as the Kalpavriksha by the tribals of India. The tree has a Ganesh idol anointed in saffron and worshipped daily by the locals.

Wildlife Attractions: The wildlife here includes a large variety of animals, reptiles and fish. Chinkara (Indian gazelle), chowsingha (four-horned antelope) are spotted very rarely. Sambhar (Asiatic deer), wild boar (Susscrofa cristatus) and cheetal (spotted deer) which used to frequent these forests have now become migrated to greener pastures. Squirrels (Funamblous palmarum) and reptiles like lizards and snakes of various types are found almost in all parts of the forests. Birds are common and varied. Jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos), red vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer), myna (Acridotheris tristis), red spur fowl and black drongo (Dicrusrus adsimilus), grey shrike, green bee eater, parrot, house sparrow, purple sun bird (Nectarina asiastica), wood pecker, white spotted fantail can be spotted here. Major carps, catfish and other fish varieties are abound in the waters of Mahi, the Anas, the Chap and the Airav. Among the major fish rohu, khuris or sarsi, kalbose or kalot are found while the cat variety includes patola, girai, saul lanchi, singhara and singhi.

How to Reach:  Banswara Location- Banswara is located at an average elevation of 302 Metres above sea level in south part of Rajasthan. It is in the south of Udaipur at a distance of 165 kms.

By Air – The nearest airport from Banswara is Udaipur (160 Km). The tourists who are coming by flights can opt for catching a taxi in order to reach Banswara. There are good state transport bus facilities for connection towards Jodhpur bus terminal from the airport.

By Train – The nearest railway station is at Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh) from Banswara. Ratlam is a railway junction and has meter gauge and broad gauge lines running through. Banswara is 85 km from this railway station.

By Road – Banswara is connected to cities and towns of Rajasthan, Gujarat and M.P. State transport corporations and private operators run buses to major cities like Ahmadabad, Baroda, Bhopal, Ujjain, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Mount Abu, Bombay and Delhi. It also has direct road links with the cities of neighboring states like Ratlam, Dungarpur, Dohad and Jaipur.

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