Unexplored

Surguja

State

Surguja, located in the northern part of Chhatisgarh state, is famous for its beautiful natural landscapes and architectural richness. It has some of the most fascinating historical sites, ancient temples, caves, swift rivers and incredible waterfalls. According to legends, Lord Ram had visited Sarguja during his 14 years of exile in to the forests and a number of places here are named after him, his brother Lakshmana and wife Sita like- Ram garh, Laxman Garh and Sita Bhengra.

History

According to legend, Lord Rama had visited Surguja during his 14 years of exile in to the forests. There are many places in connection to epic of Ramayana, which are named after Lord Rama, Laxmana and Goddess Sita such as Ramgarh, Sita-Bhengra and Laxmangarh.

Prior to the arrival of the Mauryas, the area was ruled by the Nandas. In the third century BC the region was divided into tiny kingdoms. Later, a Rajput king belonging to the Rakshal clan, attacked from what is now Jharkhand, and took control of the area. In 1820, Amar Singh was crowned as Maharaja. During the British period, Surguja was a princely state.

Accessibility

Air

Nearest airport to Surguja is Raipur. Flights are available from Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Nagpur and Khajuraho to Raipur.

Rail

Trains are available up to Ambikapur in Surguja district. It is 230 Km from Bilaspur, 1125 Kms from Delhi- via Anuppur-Bishrampur. 588 Kms from Kolkata to Raigarh which is 210 km road journey to Ambikapur.

Road

Private Taxi, Bus or Car service is available to travel to tourist spot in Surguja. Some major distances from - Raipur to Ambikapur - 358 Kms, Bilaspur to Ambikapur - 230 Kms, Raigarh to Ambikapur - 210 Kms, Jharsughuda(Orissa) to Ambikapur - 415 Kms, Anuppur(M.P.) to Ambikapur - 205 Km, Varansi(U.P.) to Ambikapur - 350 Km.

District
Surguja district
STD Code
07774
Topic
Best time to visit
August to March

Koriya

State

Koriya, derived its Name from the Koriya State, came into existence after the formation of New State of Chhattisgarh on 1st November 2000.

History

Little is known of the area before the 16th century. Koriya was a princely state of British India; the other princely state that lay within the Koriya District was Chang Bhakhar. After Indian Independence in 1947, the rulers of Koriya and Chang Bhakhar acceded to the Government of India, and Koriya was made part Surguja District of Madhya Pradesh state. The District of Koriya came into existence on May 25, 1998, when it was carved out of Surguja District. After the formation of the new state of Chhattisgarh on November 1, 2000, Koriya District became part of the new state.

STD Code
07836
Topic

Korba

State

Korba, situated at the confluence of the Hasdeo and Ahiran rivers, is a center of production of Kosa. Most of the region is a plateau of the Maikal ranges of the Satpura hills.

Accessibility

Air

The nearest airport is at state capital Raipur, about 200 km away.

Rail

The nearest railway junction is at Champa, on the Howrah-Nagpur-Mumbai line, South Eastern Railway Zone.

Road
It is directly connected to Bilaspur the Divisional Head Quarter by road through Katghora-Pali-Ratanpur road route.

STD Code
07759
Topic

Kanker

State

Kanker , is a city full of small hilly pockets. It finds mention in the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as part of the dense forest area named Dandakaranya.

Shopping

Handicrafts: Kanker's tribes are known for their handicrafts

wooden items made from the finest teak and white wood, including furniture, carvings, idols, wall panels
bell-metal items
terracota items
bamboo items, including wall hangings, table lamps, table mats.

Attractions

Madai Festival: This tribal festival is celebrated by the tribes of Kanker and Bastar regions, to worship the local God(dess). It travels through the Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada regions from December to March each year.
In December, celebrations start in Bastar to honour the goddess Kesharpal Kesharpalin Devi. In January, the people of Kanker, Charama and Kurna celebrate the festival. In February the festival goes back to Bastar and Cheri-Chher-Kin is honoured this time. Towards the end of February, the festival goes to Antagarh, Narayanpur and Bhanupratappur. In March it goes to Kondagaon, Keshkal and Bhopalpattanam.
It is held in a big ground, so that thousands of people can attend the ceremony, which starts with a procession of the local God(dess), followed by worhip of the same, culminating in cultural programs, dancing and lots of good food.

District
Kanker district
STD Code
07868
Topic

Jashpur

State

Jashpur, located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh, is one of the most fascinating tribal districts of central India and is home to the famous Uraon tribes. The topography of Jashpur comprises of two parts - the Upper Ghat and the Lower Ghat. The Upper Ghat is full of scenic hills with lush forest covers. The Lower Ghat is a plain area with extensive grasslands. The region has a number of enchanting waterfalls, offering spectacular views to their visitors.

History

The History of Jashpur records that the place was inhabited by Uraon tribals. These tribals moved here from Rohtasgarh and settled mainly in the jungle because it provided them ample opportunity for cultivation. After the entry of the missionary priests things changed. They adopted the Christian faith. In 1818 the princely state of Jashpur was taken over by the British Raj. According to a provisional agreement made with Madhoji Bhonsle the British gained accession over the territories of the place. Some of the erstwhile rulers of Jashpur were Raja Ranjit Singh, Pratap Narayan Singh, Raja Deo Saran Singh etc.

Accessibility

How to Reach Jashpur by Air :
The nearest airport to Jashpur lies in Raipur which is the state capital. You can avail direct flight to Raipur from Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Jabalpur, etc.

How to Reach Jashpur by Train :
The nearest railway station to Jashpur lies in Raigarh. Raigarh is connected to the rest of India by an extensive railway network.

How to Reach Jashpur by Road :
Jashpur is well connected to Bhilai, Raipur, Bastar, Raigarh, Ranchi through a network of roads. National Highway 78 runs through Jashpur.

Shopping

The chief items demanding special mention include certain ornaments and jewellery, handicrafts and fabrics.

While Shopping in Jashpur, the comb is that special item which will catch you attention on the first. The carved combs are beautiful to look at and attach due importance as they are used as gifts/tokens of love by young people to their mates. The combs for the men are bigger in size and that for the girls are smaller. They are mostly made out of roots or thick stems and have images of animals and birds carved on them with knives.

One of the finest forms of handicrafts of Chhattisgarh is the Dokra art. It is basically the creation of beautiful brassware using the lost-wax process. Various dokra items including vessels, images of gods, men, women and animals are available here.

District
Jashpur
STD Code
07763
Topic
Termperature
Summer 23-37°C, Winter 13-30°C
Best time to visit
October to March

Durg

State

Durg, occupies the southwestern part of the Upper Sheonath-Mahanadi valley and the bordering hills in the south and southwest, is bestowed with mineral resources and forests.

History

In ancient times Durg was part of 'Dakshina' or 'Southern Kosala'. In the epic 'Ramayana', King Dasharatha Of Uttara Kosala married Kosalaya, the princess of Dakshnia Kosala.

The Chinese traveller Huien Tsang visited Southern Kosala in the 4th Century A.D. He mentions that he found an Asokan tope in the Capital city. It is therefore apparent that the District was included in Ashoka's Empire.

Álso in the 5th century AD, we get an authentic reference to this tract, in the famous Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudra Gupta. He claims that two kingdom Kosala and Mahakantara, sccumbed to his southern expedition.

However, the first specific reference with regard to the word "Durg" comes around the 8th century A.D. through two stone inscriptions; which were found in Durg and later deposited in the Raipur Museuem. The First incription mentions the name of a king Shiva Deva. The 2nd inscription associates the name of Sivapura (the capital of Shivadeva) with that of Shiva Durga, indicating thereby that during Shivadeva's reign the town and the fort were separate. The present name "Durg" is evidently a contraction of the old shivadurga, which he built. The river on whose banks stands the present town is also called "Shiva River ".

With the coming of the Kalachuri dynasty of Tripuri in A.D. 1182, Durg came under there kingdom. From then on it remained under the Kalachuries, till 1742 A. D. when the Marathas deposed them.

In 1877, after the Marathas lost the IIIrd Anglo- Maratha War, the tract of Chhattisgarh passed into British hands. Caption Edmonds was the First British Officer posted in Chhattisgarh as Collector and Magistrate to carry on the administration. For the purpose of Administration Durg was attached to Bhandara District (now in Maharashtra) but in 1857 it was separated and made into a tehsil of Raipur district to which it remained attached till 1906.

In 1906 Durg was created as a separate district. The Collectorate building was built in the year 1907. Interestingly, cement was not used in the construction of the collectorate building, instead a mixure of limestone, gum, sand and fruit pulp was used as the binding agent. Today even though 100 years have gone by, the collectorate building stands strong as it might have been built yesterday. Soon after, 350 acres (1.4 km2) of land from Kasaridih Village, was acquired by the government to build official residences. It is on this land that we find today's Civil Lines, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla Stadium, Chaupati, Company Garden, New Bus Stand, Polytecnic College and the Law College. The First Collector Of Durg was Shri S. M. Chitnabees. It is in his memory that the road from Kucheri to the Railway Station has been named "Chitnabees Road".'

During the freedom struggle, Durg was a hot bed of nationallist activities. Almost all the prominent leaders including Mahatama Gandhi, Pt. Jawahalal Nehru and Dr. Rajendra Prasad visited Durg during the freedom struggle.

Accessibility

Air

Nearest airport from the District Headquarter Durg is at Mana (Raipur) about 50 Kms.

Road

The District is well interconnected by roads. The National Highway No. 6 traversing the district is the Mumbai-Calcutta G.E. Road. Other important roads of district are Durg-Dhamdha-Bemetara Road. Kawardha-Bemetara- Simga Road, Kumhari-Patharia Road, Rajnandgaon-Antagarh Road, Durg-Utai Road etc.

Rail

Durg town is favourably situated on the main line of the South Eastern Railway midway between Mumbai-Calcutta. The main railway line cuts across the District at its narrowest width, the total length of the line being only 17 Kms. There is also branch line from Durg to Dalli-Rajahara for transport of hte iron ore.

District
Durg
STD Code
0788
Topic
Termperature
Summer 32-40°C, Winter 12-23°C
Best time to visit
October to May

Dhamtari

State

Dhamtari, nestled in the Satpura ranges, is bordered by Kanker on the west, Raipur on the north and is renowned for verdant forest reserves, untapped mineral resources and unique yet abundant, flora and fauna. The place has a number of dams and is Asia's first ever Syphen dam, built in the year 1914 at Madamsilli.

Accessibility

Air

The nearest airport is at state capital Raipur.

Rail

Dhamtari is connected with railway line under the Raipur Division of South-Eastern Railway. The Railway route between Raipur and Dhamtari is Narrow Gauge line of 76 K.M. where nearly 40 kms come under district Dhamtari. The nearest main railway junction is Raipur which is connected to the important cities of India.

Road

Topic

Dantewada

State

Dantewada, to the south of Bastar, derives its name from its presiding deity, Devi Danteshwari, the Goddess worshipped as an incarnation of shakti (strength). It is believed to be one of the 52 sacred shakti peethas of Hindu mythology. Traces of Buddhism and Jainism dating back to the 3 rd century AD can be seen here.

History

Before Indian Independence, the district was part of the princely state of Bastar. After Indian Independence in 1947, Bastar's ruler acceded to the government of India, and the erstwhile state became part of Bastar District of Madhya Pradesh state. Bastar District was divided into the districts of Bastar, Dantewada, and Kanker in 1999. In 2000, Dantewada was one of the 16 Madhya Pradesh districts that constituted the new state of Chhattisgarh. Dantewada has further been bifurcated in the year 2007 resulting into a new district Bijapur with 4 Tehsils namely Bijapur, Bhairamgarh, Usoor & Bhopalpatnam.

Accessibility

Air

The nearest Air terminal is Raipur.

Rail

South Eastern Railway is running a regular train (ordinary) from Vishakha Pattanam to Bailadila which passes through the beautiful Araku Vally, and stops a while at Dantewada before reaching its destination Bailadila.

Road

Dantewada is connected with Jagadalpur the nearest town, by State Highway No.9. MPSRTC runs regular services from almost all the big cities of Chatthisgarh, like Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg and Rajnandgaon to Bailadila, which goes through Dantewada. Apart from MPSRTC private luxury buses are also being run from all these cities to Bailadila which passes through Dantewada. Dantewada is also connected by road to Hyderabad, the capital city of the neighboring state Andhra Pradesh on which APSRTC is running its bus service regularly.
Jagdalpur - 87, Raipur - 383, Durg - 421, Rajnadgaon - 462, Bilaspur - 499, Hyderabad - 560

STD Code
07856

Bastar

State

Bastar, known as the ‘Kashmir of Chhatisgarh’, is a tribal region blessed with exceptional scenic beauty and is covered by high mountains, valleys, streams, waterfalls, natural caves, and natural parks. The Land of Tribals and Natural Resources , is also enriched with natural beauty and pleasant atmosphere.

History

Bastar history takes us back to the Valmiki's Ramayana, Bastar is supposed to be the famous Dandakaranya through which Lord Rama passed. Valmiki's ashram has been identified by scholars here in Baster. The rulers of Baster trace their ancestry to Prithviraj Chauhan - the last Hindu king to rule from Delhi in the 12th century. The great Kakatiya King Pratap Rudra's brother, Annam Deo, left Warangal and established his kingdom at Bastar in 1424 AD. Bastar was ruled by number of kingdoms like the Nals, Chalukyas and the Kakatiyas. During the reign of Dalpat Deo the capital kingdom of Baster was shifted to Jagdalpur.

Maharaja Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo, the elder son of Praphul Kumari Devi became the first Oriya ruler of Bastar and the 20th Maharaja of Bastar in 1936 when his mother died. The famous Maharani hospital at Jagdalur was built in memory of Maharani Praphul Kumari Devi in 1937. In 1948, Bastar state was merged in the Indian Union.

Accessibility

Air

The closest airport to Bastar is Raipur, 300kms from Jagdalpur. Raipur airport is linked with Delhi and Nagpur by flights. Bus services are available from Raipur for all major places in Bastar.

Rail

Limited railway facilities are available for Jagdalpur - district headquarter of Basar. Raipur is the most convenient place to explore Bastar as it is conveniently linked with Delhi and Nagpur via rail. Bus services are available from Raipur for all places of tourist interest in the circuit.

Road

Road is the easiest way to get to Jagdalpur - district headquarter of Bastar. Jagdalpur is well connected by NH 215, NH 202, NH 16 and NH 202. Better option to visit tourist’s destinations in Bastar region is to arrange your own vehicles or hire taxi.

Shopping

Various kinds of exotic handicrafts made by the skilled hands of Bastar tribals are available in shops, which are concentrated at Kumharapara, Jagdalpur. These include wooden crafts, bamboo crafts, terracota, bell metal items, wrought iron items and cotton fabrics (Kosa sari etc).

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at Raipur, Bilaspur, and Jagdalpur in private hotels and lodges. Accommodation is also available at government circuit houses.

District
Bastar District
STD Code
07782
Topic
Best time to visit
November to June