Mukutmanipur is one the famous tourist destination and a famous picnic spot on the bank of Kangsabati River that is regarded as the second biggest earth dam of India. Immaculately massive lake with dark deep roaring blue water, an open-air temple and a small forest with rare species of birds make it an ideal destination to satisfy weekend wanderlust.
Mukutmanipur marks the very confluence of the Kangsabati and Kumari rivers and the saga of their flowing in a sing song concert towards the confines of Jharkhand border. Kangsabati attracts tourists from all over paving the way for the popularity of the place visited by more than a 100 000 visitors. Mukutmanipur can be described as "green forests surround the vast bluish tract of water, and the hillocks are picturesque".
Tranquil serenity is the identity of Mukutmanipur as the undulating terrain alongside the southern edge of the Kangsabati water reservoir spreads its tributaries almost like a three-dimensional necklace in green and terracotta. A quaint serene place that thrives to be the habitat of the worlds reportedly longest (10.8 km) man-made mud-banked fresh water Mukutmanipur acts as the barrage canalising Kangshabati River and Kumari River into the three droughts affected districts i.e. Bankura, Purulia and Midnapore for irrigation during the sun drenched summer months. It is a treat to travel and explore Mukutmanipur with the sonorous forests and the dazzling water bodies.
History of Mukutmanipur
It was in the year1956 that a giant water dam reservoir was designed at Mukutmonipur, that was about 12 km from Khatra town in the district of Bankura, under the farsighted plan of the then CM of Bengal Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. History has it that it was constructed and planned to provide chief irrigation conveniences and the assorted facilities to 8,000 square kilometres of agricultural land, stretched across Bankura District, Purulia, Paschim Medinipur District and parts of upper Hooghly.
Tourism in Mukutmanipur
As the 11-km-long and 38-m-high dam with its solid concrete road gives way to wide pavements the tourists are likely to stroll along it indulging in the beauty and rejuvenating the mind and body. The small rocky hills dotting the landscape, the sunrise and sunset are magical adding to the fleeting enigma of the place.
If the sunrise over the lake is like a volcano in action, then the sunset is fireworks on a dark Diwali night. A moonlit night is no less beautiful by the lakeside. The open-air temple is also located on the dam. The rocky surface on which it stands is known as Parshwanath Tila. There`s a shiva linga, a statue of the Jain god Parshwanath Swami and a statue of a bull at the location, which were excavated during the construction of the dam. Two stone statues of Lord Vishnu were also found at the same site time and are exhibited on the Tila. The place is considered sacred for both Hindus and Jains.
Four km away from the dam is Ambikanagar, an important place for Jains. The old name of Ambikanagar was Amainagar and the place was ruled by a king named Anatadhabole. The place grew as a cultural centre for Jains. A devastating flood in 1898 reduced this town to a deserted hamlet. The old temple of Ambika Devi was destroyed long ago and was later rebuilt. The image of Lord Ganesha and Lordess Shashti are placed as sentinels in front of the temple. The idol of the temple`s deity was brought from Jayrambati. The image is a little frightening at first darshan, with the black face of the devi sporting several eyes and covered with red vermillion. The goddess is worshipped by both Hindus and Jains.
