Bhopal revives Bhojpur Festival to boost tourism

With a view to improve tourism in Bhopal and its vicinity, the festival of Bhojpur was revived yesterday.

The festival is renowned for the remains of its magnificent Shiva temple and Cyclopean dam. The temple is also known for the world's largest Shivlinga.

The legendary Parmar king of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (1010-53) (the city was named after him), initiated the construction of the temple, which was never completed.

The Archaeological Survey of India is renovating the temple and has recreated a fibre by taking tips from a drawing carved on the nearby rocks in the temple premises.

Inaugurating the festival, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan announced here yesterday that his government would offer 50 per cent grant to those making a pilgrimage to the famous Kailash Mansarovar.

The festival, organised by the then chief minister Sundarlal Patwa, also known as mentor to the present chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, in 1992, was discontinued by Digvijay Singh's government.

"We will offer 50 per cent travel and tour grant to the pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar," said Shivraj Singh adding, "we will offer more facilities to the area."

Later talking to Business Standard, Superintendent, Archaeological Survey Of India Mohammad KK, said, "Bharat Heavy Elelctricals Limited (BHEL) will undertake the construction of a museum in the temple premises and construction of a wall in the area with an investment of more than Rs 40 lakh."

The renovation of the emple will be completed within two months from now. "We will replicate fiber models of jyotirlingas near the temple premises and will set up an information centre. Another information center will be set up at Bhim Baitka."

Recently, Bhojpur was in the limelight when local police nailed a gang of rapist in Bhojpur locality following which state government planned to deploy tourist police in the temple premises. Now the plan is on the backburner.

Madhya Pradesh contributes to hardly 3 per cent of the total tourists arrival in India.