Bhilai :- It is famous for Iron & Steel Plant. It is the only steel city of Chhattisgarh State. It is famous for technical tourism. Visitor passes are issued by the P.R.O. Department. The main places in the Steel Plant are: Coke oven battery, Blast furnace, Rail & Structure Mill, Plate Mill, Wire Rod Mill etc. The Main movie theatres are Chandra, Maurya, Venkateshwar and Basant. There is a famous resort called Maitri Garden which is established in the memory of friendship between India and Russia.
Maitribagh :- Maitribagh is famous for its garden & is situated under the township of Bhilai . The garden is built by the co-operation of India-Russia Govt. It has a beautiful musical fountain which happens to be the biggest in Asia and it attracts large crowds. It is also famous for its Zoo. Various types of Indian & Foreign animals & birds are kept in this zoo. The zoo also consists lake, toy train and many more.
Deobalod :- It is situated about 3 km. from Bhilai & is famous for Oldest Shiv Mandir.
Tandula :- It is 60 km. away from the district of Durg. It is famous for Dam on the river Tandula. It is an exciting picnic spot. One can stay here in the rest house of irrigation department.
Dhamdha :- It is situated on the Durg-Bemetara road 35 km. from the district of Durg. It is famous for Prachin Kila (Oldest Palace) & Mandir. Lodge & hotel facility are there for the staying of tourist.
Balod :- It is situated at 58 km. from the district of Durg. It is famous for Prachin Kila (Oldest Palace), Mandir (Temples) & Sati Chabutra.
Siyadevi :- It is around 20 km. (80 K.m from Durg city) from balod (Must See Place). This place is famous for Sita Maiya's templ, situated in the heart of greenery of natural jungle. You can find a natural and very beautiful waterfall between (July- Feb).
Nagpura :- It is situated at 2 km. from the district of Durg. It is famous for Jain Temples & Pasharwanath Tirth.
Kharkhara :- It is 95 km. away from the district of Durg by road. It is famous for Dam on the river Kharkhara. The total length of the dam is 1128 m.
Hajra Falls :- It is 100 km from Bhilai, crossing Dongargarh near Darekasa Railway station in Howrah Mumbai rail route. Situated amongst dense forests, hills and tunnels, this spectacular 150 feet high falls is a visual delight for tourists. Place to stay : The Forest bungalow.
Culture
The steel plant township – which is the dominant populated area – is basically an artificially created area of domicile. And the people who have made this their home have come from all parts of the country. This merging of peoples from all over of India has created its own cosmopolitan culture. And since this is also predominantly a town of educated technocrats, has given rise to a culture of meritocracy and value for education.
The people of Bhilai also have a great tendency towards adopting new trends and life styles. Bhilai thus is multicultural for people from all over the world who have come and settled in this region. Bhilai's people are also known for their simplicity, kindheartedness and adaptibility. And this is the actual culture of Bhilai.
The people of this region are very fond of colours. The dresses they wear are all colourful. Women too wear sarees with Kardhani. In rural areas women wear mala made of one rupee coins. Though this has gone out of trend these days. The people of this region are also known for creating humour out of language. Comical plays are very popular and are worth watching.
Bhilai is rich in its cultural heritage. Bhilai has its own dance styles, cuisine, music, and traditional folk songs in which sohar song, bihav(marriage) song, and Pathoni songs are very famous. Sohar songs are related to childbirth, Bihav songs are related to marriage celebration. The main parts of Bihav songs are Chulmati, Telmati, Maymouri, Nahdouri, Parghani, Bhadoni and other songs related to Bhanver, Dowery and Vidai songs. Pathoni songs are related to gouna (departure of bride to bridegroom home). Seasonal Chhattisgarhi folk songs are Fag (Basant Geet), Baramasi (12 months), Sawnahi (in rainy seasons). Festival's related Chhattisgarhi folk songs are Cher-Chera songs (in welcome of new crops, child songs), Dohe of Rout Nacha (Dipawali), Sua songs (Dipawali).
Regional folk songs are Goura songs (worships Shivji & Parvati in Dipawali), Mata Seva songs, Janvara songs, Bhojali songs, Dhankul songs, songs of Nagpanchami. Loriya & playing songs of child are Loriya, Fugdi, Kau-Mau, Chau-Mau, Khuduwa (Kakdi), Dandi Pouha. Karma songs, Danda songs & Dewar songs are most popular of Entertainment songs in Bhilai.
Bhilai is rich in its cultural heritage. Durg has its own dance styles, cuisine, & music. Pandwani the musical narration of the epic Mahabharata, "Raut Nacha"(The folk dance of cowherds) and the Panthi and Soowa dance styles are very popular in the region. Teejan Bai, the Pandwani artist was awarded Padmashree for her contribution to this dance style. Ritu Verma is also a well known name.
People of Durg celebrate marriage and other cultural festivals like Navakhani, Ganga Dushhara, Sarhul Chherka, Dushara, Dipawali, Karma & Kartika.
Bhilai has a unique cultural blend which has earned it the reparation of being a 'Mini India'. Bhilai is a lush green planned township spread over 13,392 acres of land. The township is divided into self contained 11 sectors, each with parks, clubs, markets, and community and health centre of its own.
Bhilai has a number of places of attraction in and around the township. Noteworthy amongst them is Maitri Bagh. The Bagh is maintained by the Bhilai Steel Plant Management with all the facilities of playing for children apart from a comprehensive, one of the best Zoos of Central India with white tigers as special attraction, many birds, animals and reptiles, an artificial lake for boating, Pragati Minar which gives a panoramic view of Bhilai and it boasts of one of the biggest Musical Fountains of south East Asia which has been attracting people form all over the region. Musical Fountain is a marvelous fountain that is being maintained by the management of Bhilai Steel Plant at Maitri Bag. The Fountain comprises of many fountains of water dancing on the tune of music. The show is organised in the evening on alternate days. The viewers view the fountain with an astonishing eye. The programme remains for 20 minutes and 2 shows are organised. Every year a Flower show is organised in the Bag during which many kind of unbelievable sized flowers and vegetables are displayed which are brought from various part of the district.
Places of religious importance around Bhilai include Parashwanath Teerth Jain Temple situated 10 Kms away at Nagpura. Uwasaggaharam Parshwa Teerth, has a unique distinction of acquiring unprecedented fame and adoration as a pioneer Jan Shrine, hardly within a span of half a dozen years since its formal installation on 5th' February' 1995. Situated on the bank of river Shivnath which had the singular good fortune of washing the holy feet of Shree Parashwanath, thousands of years ago, during his august visit to this area of Chhattisgarh; amidst the breath-taking natural beauty. This holy place not only documents India's glorious past with its rich culturious past with its rich culture and architecture, it tells a tale of unshakeable, faith, unflinching devotion, selfless dedication, voluntary cooperation and above all divine inspiration and Providential Grade also.
The well known Bamleshwari Devi Temple situated 70 kms away at Dongargarh and Bhoramdev, the tenth century Shiva Temple which is known as Chhattisgarh's Khajuraho, just about 115 kms away. The birds' sanctuary of Navegaon and Nagjeera are also at a driving distance. Venturing a little further one can enjoy the bounties of nature at the famous Kanha National Wild Life Park.
Ganga Maiya temple, located at Jhalmala on Durg-Balod main road, has become a premium place of religious importance.
Deobaloda is situated about 3 Km. from Bhilai & is famous for Oldest Shiv Mandir.
Tandula is 60 Km. away from the district of Durg. It is famous for Dam on the River Tandula. It is an exciting picnic spot. One can stay here in the rest house of irrigation department.
Kharkhara is 95 Km. away by road. It is famous for Dam on the river Kharkhara. The total length of the dam is 1128 mtrs.