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Loading...Banswara is named after the "bans" or bamboo forests in the area. Surrounded by the beautiful Aravali hills and the lush green landscape, Banswara has got a distinct entity in south Rajasthan with its cultural, historical and natural richness. The tribal populated area of the wagad region has kept its heritage intact in spite of the external invasions. There is a number of tourist places in Banswara that hold both cultural and historical significance. There are a number of the ancient temple you can visit here, some of which are intact and some are in ruins.
Not only that the place is a very attractive destination for tourists in general but also it is a very special land for religious tourism. The archaeological significance of Arthuna has made it one of the prime attractions of Banswara. It is also called the land of hundred islands due to the numerous small islands in Mahi River. Mahi Dam is another famous attraction of the city. Besides tourist attractions, there is a number of fairs and mela which are held all around the year. These fairs attract thousands of tourists and devotees not only from Rajasthan but also from nearby states.
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 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.
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.
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 A.D. They patronized both Jainism and Saivism simultaneously, so they constructed a number of Shiva temples.
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.
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 its one of the Shakti Peeths of Hindus having divine powers.
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.
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.
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.