Happy TravellerWelcome to Ghatampur, a small town located in the Kanpur Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, India. While it may not be a popular tourist destination, Ghatampur has plenty to offer visitors, from its rich history and culture to its beautiful temples and natural landscapes. Join us as we explore all that Ghatampur has to offer.
Ghatampur has a fascinating history that dates back to the Gupta Period. The small town of Bhitargaon, just 15 km North-East of Ghatampur, is home to a historic temple from this era. Ghatampur was originally part of Kanpur district but was merged with Kanpur Nagar after the district was bifurcated into Kanpur Nagar and Kanpur Rural. Earlier, Ghatampur was both Vidhan Sabha and a Lok Sabha constituency for the election process. The reshuffling of seats by the Election Commission of India led to the creation of a new Akbarpur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2008 General Elections.
Ghatampur is located just 45 minutes away from Kanpur, the main industrial and educational hub of the state, at a distance of 40 km. It is situated about 30-40 km from southwest from Kanpur Downtown and about 130 km from Lucknow, the state capital. The town has an average elevation of 122 meters (400 feet).
The Ghatampur city is divided into 25 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. According to the Census India 2011 report, the population of Ghatampur Nagar Palika Parishad is 40,623, with 21,334 males and 19,289 females. The literacy rate of Ghatampur city is 75.51%, higher than the state average of 67.68%. In Ghatampur, male literacy is around 80.03% while female literacy rate is 70.49%.
Ghatampur has several government and private educational institutions. Some of the famous schools for high school and intermediate are Maharshi D. B. L. Inter College, Shri Gandhi Vidyapeeth Inter College (Government Aided Inter College), Janta Inter College, Islamia Inter College, Government Girls Inter College (GGIC). The town also has a Government Polytechnic College and Government Industrial Training Institute (ITI). Some famous higher institutions are Sant Viragi Baba Mahavidyalaya, Purshottam Sri Ram Degree College, etc.
Ghatampur has a few popular temples that are worth visiting. The Kushmanda or Kudaha Devi temple is a well-known worship place in Ghatampur. People celebrate Deepdan on the fourth day of Navaratri at this temple. The Navaratri festival is the best time to visit Ghatampur due to the crowded fair at the Kushmanda Devi temple. Post Navaratri, a five-day Ramlila and Krishna Leela is held in the city. The second biggest festival of Ghatampur is Shivaratri, and the third biggest festival in Ghatampur is Adbhut Baraat on the day of Shivratri. Other popular temples in the town include the Gupta-era Brick Temple in Bhitargaon village, Jagannath Temple in Behta Bujurg, Bhadreshwar Mahadev Temple in Nibiyakheda, Bhadrakali Temple in Bhadras Village, and Shri Ratneswar Shiv Mandir near Laukaha village.
Ghatampur is well-connected with other parts of the country by rail and road transport. It is situated between junction of National Highway 34 (India) (connecting Uttarakhand to Madhya Pradesh via Kanpur City) and UP State Highway 46 (bypass for NH 19). CNG buses run between Kanpur and Ghatampur as part of Kanpur City Transport Service Ltd. UPSRTC buses going to Hamirpur and Mahoba from Kanpur also have stopovers. There is one direct bus to Delhi from the bus station. Ghatampur town also has a railway station under the Northern Central zone. There are daily trains with connectivity to Kanpur Central railway station, Lucknow, Chitrakoot, and Jabalpur. This station has two platforms and is served by express, Intercity, and Passenger types of trains. The nearest airport is Kanpur Chakeri Airport for domestic flights to Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai. For other places and international flights, people need to travel to Lucknow.
Ghatampur is also growing in the health sector. It has a Community Health Centre (CHC) which provides health services to rural and poor communities in and around the city. Ghatampur is also home to the National JALMA Institute of Leprosy and other mycobacterial disease, which mainly concentrates on diseases like leprosy, tuberculosis, filariasis, and other mycobacterial diseases.
Finally, Ghatampur has recently become famous for its power plant project. The government is constructing a 1980 MW NUPPL (Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited) thermal power plant in the Ghatampur area of District Kanpur Nagar in Uttar Pradesh India. The power plant was scheduled to be commissioned in three stages beginning December 2016. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who presided over the meeting, asked the officials to ensure timely completion of the project.
In conclusion, Ghatampur may not be the most popular tourist destination, but it has a lot to offer visitors in terms of history, culture, and natural beauty. From its beautiful temples and natural landscapes to its growing educational and health sectors, Ghatampur is a town that is definitely worth exploring. Come and experience the unique charm of Ghatampur!
