Sirpur undergoes tourism upgrade

Sirpur, home to Buddhist sites and the iconic 7th-century Laxman Temple, lies on the banks of the Mahanadi River opposite the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, around 85 km from Raipur

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

World-class tourist amenities are being developed at Sirpur, a prominent archaeological site in Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district, while ensuring its cultural and historical character remains intact, in view of its proposed UNESCO World Heritage nomination, an official said Thursday.

Sirpur, home to Buddhist sites and the iconic 7th-century Laxman Temple, lies on the banks of the Mahanadi River opposite the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, around 85 km from Raipur.

A joint inspection of all monuments and archaeological sites in Sirpur was carried out earlier this month to review the sustainable development of the historic sites in view of the proposed World Heritage nomination, Dhammshil Ganvir, chief executive officer of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA), Sirpur, told PTI.

He said that the objective is to create state-of-the-art tourist facilities without compromising the archaeological and cultural integrity of the area.