Chhattisgarh is one of the 29th states of India, strategically located in the central India the country. It was established on November 1 2000 by bifurcating sixteen Chhatsigarhi-speaking southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh. Raigarh is the capital of Chhatisgarh, which is the tenth largest state in India, with geographical area of 135, 191 square kilometers. The state shares its borders with Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Dotted with plethora of nature, wildlife, arts, culture & tradition, handicrafts and abundance of resources; the picturesque beauty is still untouched and unexplored by the common man.
Famously known as the rice bowl of India the state is known for its rich mineral deposits, unexplored tourist circuits, dense forest cover with rich biodiversity habitat covering 80 per cent of the state. It can boast of having three national parks and eleven wildlife sanctuaries and more than thirty significant waterfalls and abundant caves.
History
Unique in nature, the state culture & tradition dates back to thousands of years. The exact history of the state cannot be outlined but it has been traced that lord Ram stayed in Dakshin Kosala during his exile days and the region was refereed as Dakshin Kosala in the ancient times; the earliest clue from historical era is an Ashokan stone inscription of 257 BC.
The modern-day Chhattisgarh was known with different names during different times. For instance, during the ancient times, it was referred to as Dakshin Kosala and also Mahakosala. During the Mughal period it was known by the name of Ratanpur territory. The literal meaning of Chhattisgarh means ‘36 forts’. The province came in force when Marathas ruled this region during the 18th century. Historians believe that various forms of Chhattisgarh including ‘Chhattisgarh and Cherisher came into being.
More about Chhattisgarh Tourism
Situated in the heart of India (Central India), is bestowed with a rich cultural heritage and attractive natural diversity. The state is endowed with plethora of ancient monuments, rare wildlife, exquisitely caved temples, Buddhist sites, Palaces, waterfall, caves, rock paintings and hill plateaus. Most of the attractions in the state are untouched and unexplored and offer a unique and alternate experience to tourists visiting here. About 42 per cent of the state has green forest area and considered one of the richest bio-diversity areas in the country.
Although, Chhattisgarh is a young state, it holds ancient texts, inscriptions, literary works and accounts of foreign travellers as Dakshin Koshala. Though, the region is known to be a tribal-dominated state, the area has been historically dominated by traditional Hindu culture based on social and religious structure.
Wildlife Sanctuaries in Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is magnificently popular across the country for its dense forested regions as well as local traditions and culture that is primarily connected with the forests and the trees of the state. It is considered one of the greenest states in India, with 41.33 per cent of its total area covered by dense forests. The unexplored natural beauty of Chhattisgarh’s flora and fauna, surely make you fall in love with this state. Rich wildlife of the state is prime tourists attractions here. Chhattisgarh has three national parks and eleven wildlife sanctuaries. /p>
Some Important Tourist Destinations
Bastar :
Bastar is one of the largest districts in India and bigger than the state of Kerala and other countries like Israel and Belgium. The district has been believed to be established in the 11th century by Nagavanshi dynasty that their capital at barsur. Historically, Bastar created the buffer zone between Deccan in South India and Central India.
Bilaspur :
Bilaspur is particularly known for its kosha silk and fine quality of rice. It is the second largest city in Chhattisgarh. This historic city is approximately 400 years old.
Malhar :
A former capital, this is situated about 14 kilometers from Bilaspur. It has remains from 1,000 B.C. onwards. Old temples from 10th and 11th century can be seen here. The Pataleswar Kedar Temple is one of them – the Gomukhi Shivling is the main attraction here
Ratanpur :
Once the capital of Chhattisgarh, Rantanpur is located about 25 kilometers from Bilaspur on Katghora road. According to local people, this place was important in all the four Yuagas (ages) of Hinduism – Sat Yug, Treta yug, Dwaapar yug, and Kal Yug.
How to Reach Chhattisgarh :
Being located in the center of the country and bordering the state like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan; Chhattisgarh is easily accessible through major means of transportation like airways, railways and roadways. The state is well connected with airports, numerous railway stations, and extensive networks of state highways and national highways.
How to Reach Chhattisgarh by Air :
International airport located at Raipur is the only airport in the state of Chhattisgarh. This airport receives only domestic flights for passengers and cargo transport. The air carriers such as air India, Jet airways and Indigo operate flights for major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Indore Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Goa, Nagpur, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam and Kolkata. Taxis, city buses are available for transport from the airport to the city.
How to Reach Chhattisgarh by Rail :
Raipur railway station is one of the major railheads in the state of Chhattisgarh. This railway junction is under the Raipur Division an under South East Central Railway zone. Some of the major express trains such as Chhattisgarh Express for Delhi, Geetanjali Express for Howrah, Gandhi Dham Puri Express for Ahmedabad , Bilapur – Chennai Express for Chennai etc. that connects Chhattisgarh from major cities of India.
How to Reach Chhattisgarh by Road :
Raipur – the capital city of the state has good connectivity via state highways and national highways. It is so because Raipur is centrally located in India, there are state government run and private buses for major cities of different states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.
