Champaran Vallabhacharya Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Raipur is the nearest airport to Champaranya.

• By train

  Raipur is the nearest railway station, on the Bombay-Howrah main line.

• By road

  Champaranya is 60 to 68 km from Raipur by road, via Arang or Rajim. Regular buses run from Raipur and from Arang.

Why devotees come here

Champaran is a village in Raipur district, Chhattisgarh, reached by road from Raipur via Arang or Rajim. It is the birthplace of Vallabhacharya, the reformer who founded the Vallabh sect. Two temples here are dedicated to him as Shri Mahaprabhuji.

Champaran is famous because it is the birthplace of Vallabhacharya, the reformer and founder of the Vallabh sect. Two temples here are dedicated to Shri Mahaprabhuji, the name by which devotees honour him. Two baithaks of Vallabhacharya's Chaurasi Baithak are also found here, and the temple complex is now generally regarded as a Vaishnava peeth, a pilgrim site.

Legend says that in the past Champaran was a forest of champa flowers, and the name comes from that. The village was formerly known as Champajhar, after those forests, which are now extinct. The forests are gone, but the village still goes by the name Champaran.

The modern temple complex uses marble in its interiors, to give a feeling of peace and serenity. A long corridor with multicolored arches and pillars leads to the inner courtyard. There, a series of marble statues depicts the saint in various phases of his life.

Festivals

• Eleventh day of VaisakhPrakatya Utsav

  Followers of the sect gather at the temple every year to pay homage to Mahaprabhuji.

• January and FebruaryChamparanya Mela

  A yearly fair that reflects the local culture and draws Vaishnavas from across the country.

Tips for your visit

• The Champakeshwara Mahadeva temple has a rare shivling dedicated to Shiva, Parvati and Ganesh.
• The Champaranya Mela is held in a town 10 km from Rajim, which is also on the road route from Raipur.

Questions people ask