reaching Bhitargaon from Kanpur

alouise

Hi all, has anyone made the 60 km each way day trip to Bhitargaon from Kanpur? It has a unique brick & terracotta Gupta temple with recessed storeys and, it is said to be the earliest example in India of the use of a vaulted roof.

I'm looking at taxi hire, and was wondering if anyone could recommend a reputable company in Kanpur. I will be travelling alone, so this security aspect is important. Bus would be better, but it looks like Bhitargaon is well off the highway - SH 38 closest.

Any recommendations or advice would be great!

mridula

I was in Kanpur while I was studying but never heard of this But is this towards Lucknow or Bithoor or what?

Maybe you may like to rent from the Hotel Landmark? It used to be the only 5 star hotel in the city.

And please share the pictures.

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Mridula

Travel Tales from India

alouise

Thank you for your reply. The temple and area may not be well known ..it's not a ticketed monument. The closest town is Lalganj, SE of Kanpur.

mridula

Well, good luck. Lalganj also doesn't ring a bell. Shows how little I explored around Kanpur. Only place out of town I can remember is Bithoor.

alouise

Yes, Bithoor is north to northwest of Kanpur I think, but I would be going 60 km in the direction of Allahabad. This could be interesting ......

rtandon

Wonderful! someone talking of the place which, perhaps might not be known to many citizens.

I had studied about it, also found the location by talking to villagers.

So, Have you already visited the place? If not, just relax - You will have exact details. It's place approx 50 Km. from the city somewhat towards south. It is supposed to be a very old temple of Gupta period built using thin bricks.

I had earlier identified this place on the map as well and perhaps would do it once again to locate it precisely.

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delhiwala

Bhitargaon is on the Ghatampur-Sarh Road about 60-70 km from Kanpur. A map link here.

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alouise

Thanks for your reply rtandon. The more information beforehand the better. Yes, it has been my experience in many places in India to run into blanks when asking about remote villages, here including the taxi drivers. The temple is one of two remaining early brick temples in India. The other one, dated 6th c CE is at Ter in Maharastra which I visited just over a couple of weeks ago.

alouise

Thanks for the map, Delhiwala. Have you been there?

rtandon

Delhiwala, I have doubt if this place marker is correct. Reason being that a few months back, I had wanted to go there and had inquired from villagers and checked on the map too. Due to rains I had to postpone. What Alousie has said wass the fact which had made my interest. Wait and I'll confirm if this location is correct or else I'll point the right location for that area.

alouise, if you are intending to visit let me know and I can join as well. It's too close to our place and I too was postponing it for some quite some time. Not just this, there is yet another lesser known historic monument which is near to this temple as well and worth visiting.

Perhaps, I'll just call one of the resident of nearby village and if he's available, I'll confirm the location in a few minutes.

hitanshu

Yes, more updates would be welcome. Esp recent pics

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alouise

You could be right, rtandon. During this last trip I'd brought my Google satellite maps for the taxi drivers and found a couple of places were wrongly located on the maps. The only sure way of finding a place, or as I've found so far, is to get close enough to the area (know the Mandal at least) and then stop to ask locals at every village along the way.

alouise

Another tip for locating unticketed monuments (eg. unrestored temples and excavation sites) is to get the taxi driver to first go to the district museum and there ask the archaeologists (who probably did the excavations, as they usually become the curators upon retirement) if they would explain to the driver how to get there. Most are only too happy to reminisce about the site and offer a hand drawn map.

Rtanon, was the other site you mentioned that was nearby at Behta, Kanchilpur, Khurda or was it the ancient mound of Bhitargaon itself?

delhiwala

Yes, I have been to this place, but I was not looking for Bhitargaon temple, it happened incidentally.

I went to a college there and this temple was in front of that college which was named Azad College.

We took a three wheeler from Baradevi Chowraha in Kanpur to Bhitargaon. College and Temple were just opposite each other. Three Wheeler drops you at the temple/College itself. They continue upto to Ghatampur, so you have to ask for a 3wheeler going towards Ghatampur.

It's little offway from Kanpur - Hamirpur main Road.

rtandon

Delhiwala, Yes this description is fully correct. The direction and location presented earlier were in different direction.

Furhter, I had called one of the villegers there and was able to re-explore the place on the Google map with exact location. Even the temple can be identified in the sat. image. I have also marked the route from a prominent place. It's approx 35 km from the periphery of the city.

Alouise, the other place I was referring to is Pavillion of Aurangzeb, this is also protected monument. Not well known even amongst the locals. However, the place is said to be quiet, peaceful with greenery, lawns and monuments. This too is on my agenda. I have also marked it's location

Well, since now it has begun I might locate some other palces of interests within 1 day drive. Yes, I am aware of a few but never care to mark them. This also includes a well preserved temple with bare minimum destruction and very good carvings. I have visited this place and have the pics too. Will post it later, perhaps.

The markers, path and regions as mentioned above can be seen in the map at:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...04823&t=h&z=18