Manipat an Unexplored Gateway

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Manipat and Unexplored Gateway

• www.ticketgoose.com

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• Chhattisgarh has several destinations that are
  still unexplored. And going to an offbeat getaway
  devoid of the usual crowd is rejuvenating where
  you can simply walk in leisure without bothering
  about the honking traffic or the onlookers.
• Manipat was a chance discovery during our trip to
  Chhattisgarh. About 258 km from Bilaspur, it lies
  atop a plateau surrounded by emerald valleys.
• The hill station with its thick forests, gushing
  waterfalls, and gentle-flowing streams has earned
  itself the sobriquet of Shimla of Sarguja.

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• The Tibetan settlement in the village was another
  pleasant surprise. This locality seemed every bit
  like a mini Tibet with colourful prayer flags
  lining up the streets.  We were told that this
  hill station is also popularly known as Mini
  Tibet.

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• The trip from Bilaspur by bus through Jarabhata
  along the National Highway 111 took us about four
  and half hours.
• But the view en route was beautiful and that is
  one of the reasons why I love road trips.
• We headed straight to the Tibetan restaurant next
  to the beautiful settlement and helped ourselves
  to the piping hot thukpa and a plateful of momos.
  
• We decided to visit this place once again before
  heading back.

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• Chit-chatting with the people around in the
  restaurant we got our itinerary chalked out.
• We also came to know that there were seven
  different refugee camps in the village.

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Dhakpo Monastery

• Our first stop was at the Dhakpo Monastery. This
  quaint monastery was a little small compared to
  the ones we had seen elsewhere.
• But it stood squeaky clean and elegant glistening
  under the afternoon sun.
• You can interact with the monks here who are very
  friendly and also with the people around.

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Dhako Monastery
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Tiger point

• Though we couldnt spot any tigers, we had a good
  view of the cascading waterfalls from the road
  level itself.
• There are steps to take you down to the bottom of
  the falls.
• But be careful while climbing down, it can get
  slippery. A check dam nearby adds to its beauty.
• It is said that tigers were sighted in the area
  many years ago, lending it its present name.

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Fish point

• This point with a flowing river is picturesque.
  It is called Fish Point because a certain type of
  fish is found here.
• As we climbed uphill, the view was breathtaking.
  The sound of the gushing waterfall invaded the
  tranquility of the place, and it couldnt have
  been better without the crowd around.

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Fish point
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Tibetan Settlement

• We finally walked through the Tibetan camps
  accompanied by some lamas. They were happy to
  show us around.
• We were taken to a handicraft shop selling some
  mementoes, where we got some goodies for friends
  back home.
• At the end of the day we invited the lamas, who
  heartily took us around, to join us for some
  momos at the Tibetan restaurant.

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Getting There

• You can easily get a bus from Bilaspur, Raipur
  and Ambikapur. Or you can hire a taxi and make a
  day trip. Check out for buses at Ticketgoose.com i
  f you are travelling on this route.

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Where to Stay

• There are a couple of places where you can spend
  the night. Saila Tourist Resort (Tariff-Rs 1,500
  onwards) and Mercury Resort and Restaurant are
  some of the places worth opting.
• The latter has some adventure sport facility for
  the adrenaline junkies.
• If you are looking for an offbeat destination far
  away from the bustling city, there couldnt be a
  better choice than Manipat. You can visit this
  place just for its untouched beauty.