Pilibhit - Places of Interest

Places of Interest

Old Pilibhit (Hindi: पुराना पीलीभीत)

The present town is of comparatively recent origin but there is still a village known as Old Pilibhit standing on the left bank of the Khakra river about 5 km to the northeast near the road to Nyoria Husainpur. This village had always been occupied by the Banjara tribe of the Periya clan. It is supposed that Pilibhit is the corruption of Periya Bhit or the village mound of the Periyas, and also that the name Pilibhit has been derived from a yellow mud wall which once surrounded the district.

Jama Masjid (Hindi: जामा मस्जिद)

Many big buildings were constructed in the Mughal period. A replica of Jama Masjid, Delhi was built in Pilibhit by Hafiz Rahmat Khan in 1769. Previously there was a pond at this place. Three lakh rupees were spent for the construction of this Masjid at that time. A sun watch is still there in the Jama Masjid. Hafiz Rahmat Khan was the Afghan Rohilla leader whose jagirs or estates included Pilibhit and Bareilly, where he is buried. He became the leader of the Rohilla Afghans in western Avadh, but was killed in a battle against the Nawab of Avadh, assisted by the British forces in 1774. The gateway is built in Mughal style, paying homage to the gateways of the Jama Masjid in Delhi, while the wall around the mosque enclosure shows the curvilinear Bengali roof found in Shahjahan's additions to the Mughal palace at Agra. Every Friday, large Muslim population of the city and nearby villages comes to the masjid and performs the prayer in zamat. Due to dense population around this monument and lack of proper maintenance, the part of the building has been destroyed and part of land has been constructed. A small market is also held on every Tuesday in the Jama Masjid compound, which causes damage to the 250-year-old building. A new Tehsil compound also has come up near to the great Jama Masjid compound.

Dargah-e-Shahji Miyan (Hindi: शाहजी मियां की दरगाह)

In the northern side of the city of Pilibhit a dargha of qutebe Pilibhit Hazrat Kibla Haji Shah Ji Mohammad Sher Mian Sahib Rahmat Ullah Aleh is situated. People travel from other states and countries to take the blessing of Hazrat Shah ji mian. It is also said that by offering a Chadar at the dargah is fruitful to the people. The dargar has become place of social harmony as people of various religion come here to offer their faith.

Gauri Shankar Temple (Hindi: गौरी शंकर मन्दिर)

This temple is 450 years old. This is situated in Khahra locality at banks of the rivers Devha and Khahra. It is said that the forefathers of present Pandit Har Prasad came to this place with other saints. There was a jungle at ancient times. He dreamt in the night that an idol of lord Shiva, God of distraction, is beneath the place. The next morning, he dug the place and saw the idol of lord Shiva. Gradually a temple was built. Every year a fair is organized here on the occasions of Shivratri, Raksha Bandhan and on every Monday of Shraavana month. A dharamshala is situated at the outer side of the temple, which was donated by Dwarika Das Banjara. There are two big entry gates at the eastern and southern side of the temple. These gates were built by Hafiz Rahmat Khan in late 18th century.

Raja Venu Ka Tila (Hindi: राजा वेणु का टीला)

In the Puranpur area, about one km away from the railway station, there is one high place (Tila) is situated in Shahgarh area, It is said that there was a palace of Raja Venu at this place. Ruins are still there. A very big well and ruins tell the story of an ancient kingdom.

Jaisantri Devi Temple (Hindi: जयसंतरी देवी मन्दिर)

It is one of the sacred place of the area, placed near awas vikas colony locality of the city, which almost 5 km away from the railway station. Although the temple premises are not in good shape, but it is a place of faith of thousands and lakhs Hindus of surrounding areas. The temple becomes very crowded during Navratri days. A large fair used to be organized in the compound during Navratri, which attracts a large crowd from the district and from nearby districts. It is believed that the temple was constructed some time in 1858, after the great Indian sepoy mutiny, in the memory of some sepoys, who died while fighting with the British forces in the field near the temple. The temple compound also has a Peepal tree which is believed to be more than 200 years old and witnessed the sepoy mutiny in 1857. Beside this great historical and religious importance, the devastating flood in the September 2008 damaged the temple building and other small temples in the compound. Although some maintenance has been done by the temple management committee, a large scale restoration is required to save this 150 year old temple.

Ardhanarishwer Temple (Hindi: अर्धनारीश्वर मन्दिर)

Ardhanarishwer Temple is a newly constructed, well-decorated temple, which is the center point of all Shiva devotees of the city. It is situated on the station road, near the Vishal cinema. This temple become extremely crowded during Shraavana month and on the day of Mahashivratri. The another attraction of this temple is the Kali puja, organized on the Diwali night in an auspious mahurat by the Bengali community of the city. Thousands of devotees take part together in the puja.

Chuka Beach (Hindi: चूका घाट)

Chuka beach is situated between the main Sharda canal and Sharda sagar dam under the Mahof forest range. This is an evergreen forest area protected by the Government of India, and is one of five forest reserves in the district Mala, Haripur, Barahi, Mahof and Deoriya. The district administration has developed this place as a picnic spot in order to increase the tourism in the area.

Drumand Government Inter College (Hindi: ड्रमंड राजकीय इंटर कॉलेज परिसर)

This was established in 1915 by Mr. Drumand. It is now a government inter college for boys from standard VI to XII. This school premises has one of the oldest buildings with the great architecture in the whole region. The trust taking care of the building is one of the richest trusts in that area.

Raja ji Temple (Hindi: राजा जी का मन्दिर)

Raja lalta Prasad and Sahau Har Prasad, belonging to the royal family of Pilibhit worked together and attained lot of fame and prosperity. Their contribution in making the town of Pilibhit well known in the region was immense. Raja Lalta Prasad (1872–1924) along with his brother Sahu Har Prasad (1875–1953) apart from setting up businesses, such as the Lalit hari sugar mills took interest in the development of the region and established the Lalit Hari Sanskrit and Ayurvedic college, the Radha Ramanji temple, dharamshalas at religious centres in the shahukara locality of the city.

Chhathavi Padshahi Gurudwara (Hindi: छठवी पादशाही गुरुद्वारा)

This is a 400-year-old gurudwara in the Pakrdiya locality of the city. It is said that Guru Govind Singhji took rest here on the way to Nanakmatta. He established a gurudwara here on the name of the 6th guru Sri Har Govind ji and named it Chattvi Padshahi Gurudwara. In 1983, one of the famous social servants in area Sri Baba Faoj Singh reconstructed this beautiful shrine.

Gomat Taal (Hindi: गोमत ताल)

The Gomti river is one of the most sacred rivers of north India. It originates from a reservoir called Gomat taal, which is about 7 km east of Pilibhit and flows over 800 km into the River Ganges. It passes through Lucknow the capital of Uttar Pradesh and the latter part of its course through Barabanki, Sultanpur, Faizabad and Jaunpur districts. According to legends in the Pilibhit locality, the river is considered to be the daughter of Sage Vashistha. During solar eclipse, devotees believe that taking a bath in the Gomat taal is equivalent to the bath taken in the rivers in Kurukshetra.

Devha-Ghaghra Sangum (Hindi: देवहा-घाघरा संगम)

The river Devha joins the River Ghaghra at a place named Bharmchari Ghat (Hindi: बहर्मचारी घाट), next to the Aurvedic college campus in the Khakra locality of the city. Though there are no proper roads to reach that place, but some bull carts are always available for transportation, one has to cross both of the rivers before reaching the main ghat. Every year on the occasion of Karthik Purnima, which is also known as Ganga snan, solar eclipse], lunar eclipse, a big fair is organized at sangum, devotees come to sangum and take bath organize prayers. People from various communities come to this Ghats, cook Dal-Bhat and distribute among devotees after offering to the rivers.