Bhilwara

Bhilwara is a well-known district in the state of Rajasthan in India. The district has its headquarters in the Bhilwara town. Bhilwara district is a renowned tourist destination and a major trading hub. A large number of cloth mills are located in the region. Bhilwara Land of courage and Sacrifice is a prominent Trading centre of Mewar Achhal. It is mid station of Ajmer Chittor Rail Line and is situated on NH-4 Between Banas and Kothari River. On its east is Bundi, Rajasmand at West, Ajmer at North and Chittorgarh at south is the 14th largest district of the state. According to historians, Bhilwara was established 300 to 400 yrs. Ago due to regular confrontation between the rulers. Bhilwara got destroyed a no of times before it flourished Eighteenth century seemed to be Significant to Bhilwara from development point of view Because of stone laid by the then Rulers and Britishers. Bhilwara at present has become an important Trading city. In 1858, a fierce battle was fought between known Revolutionist Tantya Tope & Britishers at Sanganer Village. Then after Bhilwara got connected through railway line and business started to grow.
History: When Arjuna was going to Dwarika with all Gopis during Mahabharata period, he passed through Bhilwara region. There was a war of Arjuna with Bhils. Local tradition reveals that it came to be known as Bhilwara because it was mostly inhabited by Bhil tribes in old days. These Bhils were eventually driven away towards the hilly tracts and interior places of less importance by the ancestors of the peasant settlers. It is said to have come up in the middle of the 11th century when a Bhil tribal, supposedly one of the first settlers, built a Shiva temple on the site of the existing Jataun ka Mandir. This is in the area called Junawas, the oldest part of the town. And if we are to believe this, the town is more than 900 years old. Ironically enough, now very few Bhils live in this area. Another version recounts that the present Bhilwara city had a mint where coins known as ‘BHILADI’ were minted and from this denomination was derived the name of the district. A town nearby the city named “Mandal” is assumed to be the base of the Mughals when they attacked Chittor Garh, the moughal forces camped near the “talab” of the town of Mandal, ruins of the camp can still be seen there. A tower served as light house was also built on a small hill in Mandal, know known as “Mandara (Minar)” this small hill also houses a devi temple. Bhilwara’s history can be back to prehistoric period when neolithic culture was flourishing at Bagore village. A pillar said to be of First Bird Century at Nandsa village is evidence of Vedic rituals and culture. Classical ‘Nagar’ style of temple architect can be seen at temples of Menaal(Mahanaleshwer),Bijoliya, Gurlan, Gadarmala, Momi, Kanpura and Mandalgarh places.
Bhilwara’s culural history can be traced back to the Nagar Brahmins mentioned in the Skanda Purana.Bhilwara is famous as “the city of textiles” .The city has famous Ramdwara of Ramsnehi Sampraday. The sampraday runs Ram Snehi Multi speciality hospital. The founder Guru of the sampraday was Swami Ramcharanji Maharaj, who preached his followers here later, he moved to Shahpura, 50 km from Bhilwara, where the present headquarters of Ram Snehi Sampraday known as Ram Niwas Dham is located.

Tourist Attractions:
Mandalgarh Fort-

Mandalgarh Fort is situated at a distance of 52 km in Bhilwara in Mandalgarh. This is a fort which is 1 km long and at a height of 1850 feet above sea level. The fort has a rich story of historical importance because it was the scene of many fierce battle during the 15th to the 19th centuries. Naturally this fort was much secured. At this place there are number of temple of God & Goddesses to visit. The place is of historical importance because it was the scene of many a fierce battle during the mediaeval times, according to the muslim historians. The place was taken twice by Mahmud Khilji of Malwa in the middle of the 15 century, and subsequently appears to have belonged alternately to the Ranas of Mewar and the Mughal Emperors. To the North-West is a fort about half a mile in length with a low rampart wall and bastions encircling the crest of the hill on which it stands .The fort is said to have been constructed by a chief of the Balnote Clan of Rajputs (a branch of Solankis). There is an old temple Jaleshwar by name. The fort also houses a temple dedicated to Shiva.
Badnore Fort:-

Badnore Fort It is 70 km from Bhilwara, on the Bhilwara-Asind Road. One of the prime attractions of Bhilwara. It is a seven storied fort that lies.Badnore, earlier known as Vardhanpur, is a little village located in the Bhilwara District. This village is believed to have been founded by the Parmar king Badna in 845 B.C.
Noted persons associated with the history of the ancient Badnore town include names like Mirabai – the great poetess and Rao Jaimal – the grandson of Rao Dudaji. Badnore Fort is an excellent example of medieval Indian military style of architecture. This seven storied fort stands atop a hill. There are many small monuments and temples within the precincts of Badnore Fort. The buildings within Badnore Fort are all built in traditional rajputana style of architecture.

Bijolia Fort is old fort situated on Bundi – Chittorgarh main road. It is 49km away from Bundi. The earlier name of Bijolia fort was Vindhyavali. Vindhyavali became a famous place for art and architecture during the Chauhan period. Bijolia fort is renowned for its beautiful architecture and art. Bijolia fort was built by Chauhan dynasty during 12th century. Chauhan dynasty is famous for their architecture and art.

Pansal Fort-

Pansal Fort Discussions with owners of Fort Pansal are going on to develop it as a 40-room, highly-exclusive 5-star deluxe hotel overlooking Lake Pansal in the Bhilwara region of Rajasthan in India, on the Mumbai-Delhi National Highway, connecting Udaipur with Jaipur. Located within an 18th century Rajput fort and its adjoining land, the Fort is spread over a total area of approx. 5 acres. Svenska Fort Pansal will come up under a unique concept under which the historical facade of the fort would be retained while the interiors would be in contrasting European style, with clean, minimalist, straight-line design.


Mandakni Kund: 

The Mandakini Kund was formed from the ancient Mandakini River, which ran amongst the temples. Today there are still five Jain temples in Bijolia, built in the 11th century. Sanskrit inscriptions are found on their walls, along with beautiful engravings and sculptures. One inscription, known as the Shankh Puran, is 15 feet long and 5 feet wide, and is comprised of 52 lines in Sanskrit.
Mejha Dam: Situated at distance of 17 kms from Bhilwara it is the main Tourist Spot and water reservoir for the Bhilwara Residents. Its capacity is 30 feet. During the rainy season, the surrounding is a site to behold here. A rest house of Irrigation Deptt., swimming pool, swings for the children & toy train are there. Complete facilities for picnic and party are present here.
Temple & Mosque:

Harni Mahadev is the nearest pilgrim site for the Bhilwara Residents which is at a distance of 6 kms. Beneath the green mountains, near the water fall under a large stone there is a ‘Shivling’. On the occasion of Shiv Ratri 3 day fair is held here. There are large no. of people assemble to view this site. In the month of Shravan devotees accumulate and perform various Religious rites. Municipal Corporation of Bhilwara with the help of local people is developing new facilities. At the top of a hill there is situated a temple of ‘Chamunda Mata’ from where a complete view of the city as available. This temple is connected with the road.

Joganiya Mata:

Joganiya Mata is a famous temple which is at a distance of 80 km from the Bhilwara City. It was built in the 8th century. The temple is situated at the midst of the dense forest therefore people scare to visit this place. It has become a shelter place for Dacoits and Drunkards who started offering animal sacrifices; this pratha became so popular that offering animal sacrifices became a regular feature after the fulfillment of asked desire. During Navratra, number of goats and buffaloes are cut to offer as sacrifice; hence the environment here was not conducive. In this situation, Jain Sadhvi Mewar Sihni Yaskanwarji took the responsibility of banishing violence from this are and due to her great efforts, sacrificing and drinking stopped in the year 1974. Then after, due to her inspiration only, religiously bent people made an effort for the planned development of this area, as a result of which Dharamshalas, Shops were built and water, electricity reached this place. During Navratra Festival a 9 day fair is regularly organized here which is visited by number of people here.

Menal Shiv Temple and Water Fall:

Menal is away from bhilwara 90 km. Amidst the natural beauty lies Menal, the coldest town famous for its ancient Shiva temples, picturesque waterfalls and dense forests on the Bundi-Chittaur road. It is also known as the “Mini Khajuraho” blessed with natures bounty. You can also have a look at the picturesque waterfall where water fall to a depth of 150 feet in a v-shaped valley with great force. During the rainy season, sound of the waterfall can be heard from a long distance. The best time to visit this place is July to October, when Menali River flows and meets at Triveni with Banas and Badech.
Sheetala Mata Temple away from city 85 km . Dhanop is a little village near Bhilwara with only the Sheetla Mata Temple to boast of. But it makes for an interesting visit as it is the most colourful temple around. The walls and pillars are bright red while the roof is sparkling white. The floor is of marble, and a checkered one at that. In the complex is a neem (Azadirachta indica) tree which looks more like a Christmas tree. This is because of the hundreds of colourful pieces of cloth which devotees have tied around its branches in the belief that it will fulfill their wishes.
Anyway, the main idol of the goddess Sheetla (a form of Durga) is of black stone with patches of sindoor (vermilion) on it. Same is the case with the stone walls in the inner sanctum. The ceiling, too, has some bright floral paintings.
Charbhuja Temple:

 The Bhilwara Charbhuja Mandir was established in the year 1444. It is on the name of this temple that the village Gadbor, which translates into meaning garh or fort of the Bor Rajputs, derived its name Charbhuja. The Charbhuja Mandir in Bhilwara is counted among the most venerated religious places in Rajasthan. It is exactly located in the Gadbor village which was denominated as Charbhuja on the name of this temple. Charbhuja is another name of the Hindu deity Vishnu to whom this temple is dedicated. It is reckoned among the four most visited temples of Mewar. Along with this temple, tourists go to ekling ji, dwarikadhish ji and shrinathji temples. The major pull of the Charbhuja Mandir in Bhilwara is the celebration of annual fair called Bhadrapad Ekadashi jal jhoolani Gyaras. To take part in the festivities of this fair pilgrims in whopping number hoard in this temple to offer prayers to lord Charbhuja and receive blessings from all over India. It is seen that majority of pilgrims come from Maharashtra and Gujarat to join the fair.
Fair and festival: Bhilwara is essentially an industrial town popular for its textiles industries. BHILWARA is called "Zoo of Minerals" for its huge stores of mica, soapstone, copper, feldspar, quartz, white clay and Garnet. Steel plants and glass factories can easily be spotted in and around Bhilwara. Amongst the must checkouts in Bhilwara are the fort of Badnor, then there is a fortress and the palace of the ex-jagirdars of Benera. Fairs and Festivals of Bhilwara.

Revealing the rich and prosperous tradition and culture of Bhilwara are its many fairs and festivals including Ganesh Mela, Dhanop Mataji Mela, Ramdev Ji Ka Mela and Badnor Pashu Mela.

Sheetala Saptami is the most popular festival of Bhilwara district and is dedicated to Goddess Sheetala. The festival is celebrated by local people and Goddess Sheetala is worshipped in the Sheetala Mata temple located in the district. The festival is celebrated on the 7th day of the dark fortnight in the months of Chaitra and Shravan according to the Hindu calendar.Sheetala Mata is considered to be the Goddess of children. This festival is celebrated by mothers, who pray to the Goddess for the well-being of their children.

Phooldol Mahotasav Another festival in Bhilwara which carries a holy importance is the Phooldol Mahotsava. A fair is organised every year in Bhilwara which lasts for five days. The festival is celebrated after Holi at the famous Ramdwara temple.
The temple is located in the Shahpura region of the district and people from all over the State visit the place.

Ganagapur Cattle Fair:

Gangapur is like the other typical Rajasthani village that one is likely to encounter while travelling in the countryside. An otherwise quiet village, it comes alive every now and then when a local cattle fair is organized here, in which a large number of cattle and other domestic animals exchange hands. These cattle fairs are a regular feature in almost all districts of Rajasthan. This is not surprising because the Rajasthani rural economy, to a large extent, revolves around cattle even though the majority of Hindus are vegetarians. These fairs are primarily meant for the trade in domestic animals but that does not stop anybody from adding a little color to the occasion. The fairs often take on a carnival nature with stalls of items of daily use, toys and a lot more.

How to reach:

By Air – The nearest airports to Mandalgarh Fort Bhilwara is the Dabok Airport at Udaipur, which lies about 160 km from Bhilwara. The airport at Jaipur is the second nearest, being 130 km from Ajmer, which in turn lies about 50 km from Bhilwara.


By Rail – A meter gauge railway line connecting Ajmer and Khandwa passes through the Bhilwara District of Rajasthan. A broad gauge line has also been laid from Kota to Chittorgarh, and this line passes through Bhilwara at Mandalgarh.


By Road – Located near the National Highway that connects the cities of Jaipur and Udaipur, Mandalgarh Fort is easily accessible by road from major destinations within Rajasthan state.
                                                                                       

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