Lucknow & Kanpur residents await new adventures with the upcoming Chandrakanta tourism circuit!

Scaling up the tourism potential of the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to develop a new tourism circuit, based on Devaki Nandan Khatri's famed novel Chandrakanta Santati. Ushering a new and exciting opportunity for lovers of history, nature and fantasy, the eco-tourism circuit shall come up in the state's Vidhya Region. Once the scheme is ready and formalised, folks from Lucknow and Kanpur will get a new adventure right in their own territory!

A tour through magic, mysteries & the chronicled times!

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The fantasy novel is a remarkable work of fiction in Hindi, which was also adapted into a television series. Penned in the 1880s, the plot of this novel expounds upon the love story of Vijaygarh's princess Chandrakanta and Naugarh's prince Virendra Singh. Creating a fusion of fantasy, magic and the astounding 'aiyaars' (imposters), the book is a wondrous work of imagination. Now, the charms of this book will merge with reality, in the Vindhya regions of Uttar Pradesh.

A string of locations mentioned in the book can be linked to the places in Chandauli and Sonbhadra districts. Though it is noteworthy that some of them, like the Vijaygarh Fort, need to be restored. Sanjay Singh, MD, Uttar Pradesh Forest Corporation (UPFC), said: "We are getting brochures printed that will tell in detail what all sites the circuit has. There would be other efforts as well that will be taken up to promote and develop the circuit." UPFC acts as the nodal agency for boosting ecotourism in the state.

Chandauli, Sonbhadra & Robertsganj to be included!

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As per the current plans, the upcoming ecotourism circuit shall include Chandauli, Sonbhadra and Robertsganj districts. Besides, the Rajdari-Devdari waterfall on the Chandraprabha dam will also be a part of the scheme. Located 65 km from Varanasi, the waterfall remains active throughout the year and it also has several amenities for hosting tourists, like a forest rest house.

In addition to this, the Naugarh region also contains a forest rest house called Chandrakanta Van Vishram Grih. It provided for a summer home to Kashi Naresh in the past. Placed close to the Karmanasa river, this spot finds a place in the novel. Further, the peripheries of the river also have another eco-tourism site called the Aurwatand waterfall, which is replete with rock paintings created in the prehistoric era.

15 centuries-old Vijaygarh Fort to be a prime attraction!

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Notably, the 400-feet high Vijaygarh fort situated in the Maukalan village of Sonbhadra is expected to be one of the most alluring centres of this circuit. Established fifteen centuries ago by a Kol King, the fort is testimony to the flourishing days of the past. Besides, the fossil park, placed at a distance of 25 Km from the Vijaygarh Fort in the Robertsganj district, is another spot to be revamped and developed under the slated plans.

As of now, the government has identified 9 ecotourism circuits in the state, including the Lakhimpur-Pilibhit Katarniaghat circuit and the Agra Etawah circuit. The Chandrakanta ecotourism circuit in the Vindhya region is the third.

- With inputs from IANS