Bethelpur or Baitalpur as they spell it, is a quiet hamlet of houses on the state highway connecting Bilaspur and Raipur. The one mile stretch of road has two hospitals, one leprosy colony, few houses, a couple of shops and a christian graveyard. The people are humble and polite. The weather was hot and dry. Nights were just an extension of the days with no sun. It made me think, why a Christian missionary, Rev Nottrot built a house here and fed the poor in the days of famine when all around people and the land was so inhospitable.Even now, a dry parched land with a few leafless trees spread from here to the horizon.
The only place I could visit beyond my scheduled trip was the Island of Madhku, about 7 miles from the hospital. It has an interesting story according to the locals. Every year in the early 20th century, when the missionaries travelled from one place to the other to meet each other, they either got looted or lost or could not meet due to lack of communication. Hence, they decided that they would meet at the Island of Madhku, every year in the first week of February. The location was ideal with lots of water around and trees for shade. Even after a hundred years, the Christian mela takes place regularly at the small island with people coming from far off and even abroad. A time when the place becomes alive for some days.
Here are a few pictures of the place with some notes about them.
The only place I could visit beyond my scheduled trip was the Island of Madhku, about 7 miles from the hospital. It has an interesting story according to the locals. Every year in the early 20th century, when the missionaries travelled from one place to the other to meet each other, they either got looted or lost or could not meet due to lack of communication. Hence, they decided that they would meet at the Island of Madhku, every year in the first week of February. The location was ideal with lots of water around and trees for shade. Even after a hundred years, the Christian mela takes place regularly at the small island with people coming from far off and even abroad. A time when the place becomes alive for some days.
Here are a few pictures of the place with some notes about them.
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| The landscape as we travelled; wondering how it would have looked in 1897. |
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| The Hospital Chapel |
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| Shangri La - where I stayed |
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| Rev K Nottrot's residence- A home which became a hospital |
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| Community Church - Bethel Church, Baitalpur |
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| Christian Graveyard, Baitalpur |
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| Madhku Island |
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| The Cross at Madhku Island |
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| Celebration Stage Madhku Island |
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| A temple in the nearby village |
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| One morning just outside the hospital gate |
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| Thank you Raju for the comfortable and safe drive. |
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