Chattarpur Temple

Chattarapur temple dedicated to Maa Kaatyayini is the second largest temple complex in India, the first being Aksharadhaam temple in Delhi.  The man behind the development of temple complex in Chattarpur village is Sant Nagpal.  Sant Nagpal, Durgacharananuragi Baba, was born in the state of 

Karnataka on Full moon day – Holi – on 10^th March, 1925.

 He visited all the pilgrim places in India, lived for many years in Kashmir before moving to Delhi and building Maa Durga Temple.  Later he moved to Chattarpur village and built Durga Ashram and other Temples.  He utilized 70 acres of land with bushes and shrubs to construct a beautiful temple complex.  The final picture of area we see now had taken about two and a half decades from mid seventies to early nineties.  He left his mortal body at mid-night 15-16^th December 1998.

 

The main deity at Chattarpur is Maa Kaatyayini.  There are many temples in the complex that extends on either side of wide road.  The temples are of Gods Laxmi Ganapathi, Hanuman, Shiva in Linga form, Parvati - Parameshwar, Ram – Laxman – Sita, Radha – Krishna, Yashoda – Krishna – Balaram, and Maa Kaatyayini holding Karthkeya.  Sant Nagpal Samadhi surrounded by Nag with Shiva Linga on top is also present.

The temple complex is well maintained.  The temple complex also has diagnostic centre, a school and other training institutes. 

Most of deities are made of marble and full of life and look magnificent.  There is also a dressing, dining and bedroom for Devi Maa. 

It takes a day to visit all the temples leisurely and feel divine vibrations.

Sultanpur National Park - Gurgaon

Gurgaon in Haryana is a fast developing area in India.  The urbanization was at rapid pace since the establishment of automobile industry Maruti Suzuki Private Limited.  The city and district is of historical importance; it is believed that the village Gurgaon – “village of Guru” is donated to Dronacharya for imparting warfare training to Pandavas and Kauravas. 

Recently when I visited this place and enquired about local places of tourist interest everybody talked about those seen in Delhi which is about 35 KM from Gurgaon.  As I have already visited places in Delhi, I asked for those specifically present in Gurgaon, in particular about Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary.  Many could not give any information about it.  The taxi driver we were traveling with initially took us to Sultanpur in NCR region and from there to Chattarapur temple.  After explaining him that I want to see birds park at Sultanpur he finally understood and took us to Sultanpur National Park. 

Sultanpur National park is about 15 Km from Gurgaon.  It is actually a jheel (lake) where many resident and migratory birds visit.  Peter Jackson a famous ornithologist who had seen the birds wrote to the then Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi to protect and accord it the bird sanctuary status.  Accordingly was done in 1971.  Later in the year 1991 it was upgraded to National park by including some areas in the surrounding villages and increasing that jheel area from 1.21 Sq. KM to 1.42 Sq. KM.  People in this area are more familiar with name Sultanpur Jheel, rather than Bird Sanctuary or National Park. 

Since it is upgraded to National Park it is developed to attract and maintain the resident and migratory birds.

  Mounds and pitches are built for the birds.  Bore wells are dug to maintain water levels.  When there are no rains water is supplied from nearby canals or bore wells.  There are four watch towers to watch birds.

When a visit is planned to this place, binoculars are a must.  I couldn’t find any binoculars being provided for charges at ticket counter.  One young boy approached us with his binoculars and said he will show us all the birds with his binoculars and will be our guide in the Park.  He wanted us to pay two hundred per head for the two hour tour.  As true Indians we bargained and settled for Rs.150/- .

  He took us around the Park and showed different birds and explained what little he knows about the bird and its habitat.

In this park there are also nilgai and some abandoned bulls. 

Sultanpur National Park is a beautiful place which has more than 250 species of local birds and also hosts migratory birds from Siberia, Europe and Afghanistan.

  There is also a library and museum which educates visitors about different birds and their habitats.

Here are few pictures of the birds seen at Sultanpur National Park, Gurgaon.