Sonbhadra is the second largest district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Sonbhadra is the only district in India, which shares the boundaries of four states, namely Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar. Sonbhadra district has an area of 6788 km and is situated in the south-east of the state, and is bounded by Mirzapur district to the northwest, Chandauli district to the north, Kaimur and Rohtas districts of Bihar state to the northeast, Garhwa to the northeast. To the east is the district of Jharkhand state, to the south is the Koriya and Surguja district of Chhattisgarh, and to the west is the Singrauli district of the state Madhya Pradesh. The headquarters of Sonbhadra district is at Robertsganj city. The district is an industrial area with many minerals like bauxite, limestone, coal, gold, etc. Sonbhadra is called the energy capital of India because there are so many power plants. Sonbhadra is situated between Vindhya and Kaimur hills. It is a hilly area with natural beauty, due to which the first Prime Minister of India, Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, called Sonbhadra the Switzerland of India. After knowing about Sonbhadra,
History of Sonbhadra
Based on evidence from Ramayana and Mahabharata, the religious and cultural perspective is the cultural symbol found here. Many rulers were kept prisoner here in the Mahabharata war by Jarasandha. The valley of the Son River is inhabited by caves which were the earliest dwellings of the ancient inhabitants. It is said that Bhar had settlements with Cheros, Siaris, Kol, and Kherwar communities in the district by the 5th century, when the Kol kings ruled the Vijaygarh fort. This district was famous as the second Kashi during the 11th to 13th century. In the 9th century BC, the Brahmadatta dynasty was subdivided by the Nagas. In the 8th and 7th centuries BC, the present area of the district was in Kosala and Magadha. The Kushanas and the Nagas also dominated the region before the advent of the Gupta period. After the death of Harshavardhana in the late 7th century, it remained under the control of the Gurjaras and Pratiharas until 1025, until Mahmud of Ghazni ousted them. The region was under the administration of various governors of the Mughal emperors.
During the 18th century, the district came under the control of the Narayan rulers of Banaras State, who built or captured several forts in the district. At the time of the British, the Mirzapur district included present-day Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts. Sonbhadra district was bifurcated from Mirzapur district in 1989.
6 Attractive Places of Sonbhadra
Vijaygarh Fort
The Vijaygarh Fort was built in the fifth century. It was built by the kings of coal of the Sonbhadra district. Vijaygarh Fort is located 30 km from Robertsganj in Mau Kalan village. This is the fort of Princess Chandrakanta. The unique feature of this fort is that it is built on paintings, sculptures, and inscriptions made in caves. The fort is famous for the perennial ponds inside the fort premises. Babu Devkinandan Khatri also describes this grand fort with the novel Chandrakanta as Princess Chandrakanta. In the month of Shravan, Kanwariyas collect water from Ram Sagar and then start their holy journey to Shivdwar. The Vijaygarh Fort was built by the famous King Banasura during Mahabharata and was renovated by Maharaja Vijay Pal in 1040 AD. Vijay Pal was a great Jadon Rajput king. Kashi Naresh Chet Singh was the last ruler of Vijaygarh Fort. He ruled until the British reached this point. The fort is considered mesmerizing, and it is said that another fort is hidden under this fort. Near the fort’s main entrance, there is a mausoleum, which is said to house Sayyid Zain-ul-Abdin Mir Sahib, popularly known as Hazrat Miran Shah Baba. Near the tomb, there are two ponds known as Mira Sagar and Ram Sagar, which never dry up which have many old temples and red stone pillars bearing an inscription of Vishnuvardhana Samudragupta. The fort is famous for its inscriptions, cave paintings, numerous sculptures, and its perennial ponds. There are four ponds inside the premises of the fort which never dry up. More than half the area of Vijaygarh is covered by the steep and rugged hills of the Kaimur range.
Dhandhraul Dam
Dhandhraul Dam It is also known as Ghatghar Dam. Located in Sonbhadra district at about 23 km from Robertsganj on the Robertsganj-Churak road, the Ghaghar Dam has been constructed over the Ghaghra River. The water from the reservoir is being used for irrigation purposes, which is the Ghaghra Canal. It originates from the adjoining districts like Mirzapur, Chandoli, and Sonbhadra. The Dhandhraul Dam also supplies the drinking water needs of Robertsganj City. This Dam has been constructed on the Ghaghara River. Hence this Dam is also called Ghaghar Dam. It is an important place in the sightseeing places of Sonbhadra. A large number of tourists visit here.
Agori Fort
Agori Fort is situated at a distance of about 10 km from Chopan near Obra on the banks of Son River, 35 km from Robertsganj, in Sonbhadra district on Varanasi – Shaktinagar road. According to the legend, it is a magical fort. The Kharwar rulers earlier ruled the fort, but later it came under the possession of the Chandelas. Madan Shah was the last Chandela king who ruled in the Agori Barhar region. According to the legend, there is an underground passage here full of gold and many minerals. This heritage site is built on small hills. There is a stone in the form of an elephant in the center of the river called the Crammel Elephant of the Molagut King. A plateau surrounds the entire area of Agori, and it is a magical fort. Here there was a war between Molagut King and Veer Lorik. This can be a perfect destination for tourists visiting Sonbhadra who want to picnic here and spend some time in this small forest.
Echo Point
Echo Point Robertsganj is an Eco Garden located near Veer Lorik Stone, about 6 km from Robertsganj. The panoramic view of Son Valley is best viewed from this point. Echo Point is a great picnic spot for tourists. Nature-loving people like this place the most.
Salkhan Fossils Park
Salkhan Fossils Park, officially known as Sonbhadra Fossils Park, is located 12 km from Robertsganj city on the Varanasi – ShaktiNagar highway in Salkhan village Sonbhadra district, eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the most important sites to trace Earth’s geological and biological past and is a testament to the emergence of life on Earth. The fossils found here are the oldest of their kind globally, making the park an invaluable business for India and the whole world. According to geologists, tree fossils are about 1400 million years old, and their origin dates back to the Proterozoic period. American scientists estimate that the fossils in the park are about 1500 million years old and date back to the Mesoproterozoic period. They also claim that the park is much older and is three times bigger than Yellowstone National Fossil Park in the United States. The park is spread over about 25 hectares in the Kaimur range adjacent to the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary. It comes under the jurisdiction of the State Forest Department. It is an excellent place to visit Sonbhadra.
Sheetla Mata Temple
Sheetla Mata is a famous Hindu goddess. Sheetla Mata Mandir is an ancient and very popular temple of Robarganj. Sheetla Mata Mandir is located in the main town of Robertsganj at a distance of 500 meters from Badrauli Chauraha and about 500 meters from Dharamsala. There is a massive crowd of devotees in the temples of Mata Sheetla during Navratri. An ancient Neem tree is situated inside the temple (at the backside of the temple). Devotees also worship the tree and light a lamp there.
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