Kanker district

Last updated
Uttar Bastar Kanker district
Stream that joins Dood river Kanker district.jpg
Tributary of Dood river near Kanker
Kanker in Chhattisgarh (India).svg
Location in Chhattisgarh
Kanker district
Kanker district
Coordinates(Kanker): 20°16′19″N81°29′35″E / 20.27194°N 81.49306°E / 20.27194; 81.49306
CountryFlag of India.svg  India
State Chhattisgarh Flag(INDIA).png Chhattisgarh
Division Bastar
Headquarters Kanker
Tehsils 11
Government
  Type Collector - Abhijit Singh (IAS) Superintendent of Police - Divyang Patel (IPS)
   Lok Sabha constituencies 1 (Kanker-ST)
   Vidhan Sabha constituencies 3 (Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker)
Area
  Total6,432 km2 (2,483 sq mi)
Population
 (2001)
  Total748,941
  Density120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+05:30 (IST)
PIN
494xxx (Kanker) [1]
Vehicle registration CG 19
Major highways NH-30
Website kanker.gov.in

Uttar Bastar Kanker District is located in the southern region of the state of Chhattisgarh, India within the latitudes 20.6-20.24 and longitudes 80.48-81.48. The total area of the district is 6432 square kilometers. The population is 748,941.

Contents

The district's headquarters, Kanker town, is situated on the National Highway 30 almost halfway between Chhattisgarh's two major cities - Raipur, the state capital, and Jagdalpur, the headquarters of the neighbouring Bastar district.

History

The history of Kanker begins in the Stone Age. According to the legendary Sanskrit epics of India, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, there was once a dense forest area named Dandakaranya, in the region where Kanker is located. According to myth, Kanker was also a land of monks and sages. Many Rishis (monks/sages) such as Kank, Lomesh, Shringi, Angira were said to have lived here. The influence of Buddhism on the region started in the sixth century BC. The ancient history of Kanker records that it always remained an independent state. [2]

In 106 AD, the Kanker state was under the rule of the Satvahana dynasty and the king was Satkarni, This fact is also described by Chinese visitor Whensaung. After Satvahana rule, the state was under the control of the Nags, Vakataks, Gupt, Nal and Chalukya dynasties. The Som dynasty was founded by the king Singh Raj, and this dynasty ruled the state from 1125 to 1344. After the downfall of the Som dynasty, Dharam Dev founded the Kandra dynasty which ruled the state up to 1385. After the downfall of the Kandra dynasty, the Chandra dynasty came. According to a myth, the first king of this dynasty was Veer Kanhar Dev. He ruled the state up to 1404. This dynasty ruled the state up to 1802. In more recent years, this district has been affected by violence from Naxalite groups (Indian Maoists).

Kanker State

The Kanker state came under the control of the Bhosales of Nagpur during the reign of Bhoop Dev from 1809 to 1818. During the kingship of Narhari Deb, the Kanker state came under control of the British from Maratha. Because the British government gave the adoption to Narhar Dev, he acknowledged fealty to the British. In 1882, the control of Kanker State was handed over to Commissioner Raipur.

The rule of Narhar Deo saw the construction of many buildings, including a palace near Gadiya Mountain, a printing press, a library, Radhakrishna Temple, Ramjanki Temple, Jagannath Temple and Balaji Temple. Narhar Deo made a plan termed 'Ratna Bhandar' for keeping grain in stock for his people. He established a new town named Narharpur near Kanker.

In 1904, Komal Dev became the king of Kanker. During his rule one English secondary school, one Girls school, and 15 primary Schools were established, as well as two hospitals: one in Kanker and the other in Sambalpur. He died on 8 January 1925. After his death, Bhanupratap Dev became the king. Bhanupratap Dev was the last king of Kanker before the Independence of India. After independence, he was elected twice as an MLA from Kanker constituency.

Rajas/Zamindars

[3]

Post-independence

What is now Kanker District was a part of old Bastar district. In 1999, Kanker received its identity as an independent district. It is now surrounded by five other districts of Chhattisgarh state: Kondagaon District, Dhamtari District, Balod District, Narayanpur and Rajnandgaon District. [4]

It is currently a part of the Red Corridor, the region in the eastern, central and the southern parts of India that experience considerable Naxalite–Maoist insurgency. [5]

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 87,748    
1911 119,905+3.17%
1921 126,079+0.50%
1931 141,373+1.15%
1941 167,588+1.72%
1951 195,482+1.55%
1961 258,593+2.84%
1971 370,295+3.66%
1981 443,508+1.82%
1991 548,476+2.15%
2001 650,934+1.73%
2011 748,941+1.41%
source: [6]
Religions in Kanker district (2011) [7]
ReligionPercent
Hinduism
83.78%
Other (tribal religion)
14.14%
Islam
0.81%
Christianity
0.54%
Other or not stated
0.73%

According to the 2011 census Kanker district has a population of 748,941, [8] roughly equal to the nation of Guyana [9] or the US state of Alaska. [10] This gives it a ranking of 493rd in India (out of a total of 640). [8] The district has a population density of 115 inhabitants per square kilometre (300/sq mi). [8] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 15%. [8] Kanker has a sex ratio of 1007 females for every 1000 males, [8] and a literacy rate of 70.97%. 10.25% of the population lives in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 4.21% and 55.38% of the population respectively. [8]

Languages of Kanker district (2011) [11]

   Chhattisgarhi (60.76%)
   Gondi (17.06%)
   Bengali (13.10%)
   Hindi (5.71%)
   Halbi (1.71%)
   Kurukh (0.40%)
  Others (1.26%)

At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 60.76% of the population in the district spoke Chhattisgarhi, 17.06% Gondi, 13.10% Bengali, 5.71% Hindi and 1.71% Halbi as their first language. [11]

Geography

The district headquarters of Kanker is 140 kilometers from Raipur and 160 kilometers from Jagadalpur. In 2018, the district got its first railway station in the form of Bhanupratappur railway station. Daily DEMU services connect Keoti and Bhanupratappur to Raipur.

The Mahanadi River, Doodh River, Hatkul River, Sondur River and Turu River all flow through small pockets of hills in the district.

The physical area of Kanker is heterogeneous and is a mix between flat land and undulating hills. Most of the land is between 300 and 600 meters above sea level, and about 80% of the area of Kanker is flat. These flat lands can be divided into two parts, the Mahanadi Plane and the Kotri Plane.

The northeastern part of Kanker is on the Mahanadi Plane. The majority of this plane lies at an elevation less than 500 meters above sea level. The main river in that area is the Mahanadi River. Hatkul, Chinar, Doodh, Sondur, Nakti, and Toori are the other rivers of the area. Bhanupratappur is located on the Kotri Plane. The majority of this plane lies at an elevation less than 400 meters above sea level. Korti and Valler are the main rivers of this area. The topography of Kanker district is also dotted with a multitude of hilly regions. These can be divided into the following three groups:

A. Vindhyana Hill Group: These hill groups are spread in the south eastern part of Kanker district, where the soil constitutes six phases of quartile and sand.

B. Archian Hill Groups: 95% of the area of Kanker is covered by Archian Hill Group. In this area, granite and gneiss rocks are spread over almost all the geographical area of the district.

C. Dharwar Hill Group: This hill group is very crude and broken in shape and form. These hills are spread all over the northern region of the district, in the areas close to Sambalpur and Bhanupratappur.

Climate

The climate of the district is of predominantly a “Monsoon type”. May is the hottest month and December is the coolest month. Annual average rainfall in the district is 1492 mm, 90% of which falls during the period from June to October. The average annual rainfall has fluctuated greatly over the last six years.

Within the district, the Kanker and Charama blocks have a predominantly dry climate, whereas that of Bhanupratappur is of the wet type.

Soil

The soil in Kanker originates from granite, gneiss, sand and khedar. Most of the area is covered with red soil. The soil is faintly coloured in the higher regions of the hilly tract, while in the river valleys, the soil is smooth and fertile. The soils of this district can be divided into four types.

A. Kanhar: This type of soil is black and oily. The capacity of water absorption by this soil is great, and this is very useful in growth of Kharif and Rabi crops in the region. This type of soil is found in the planes of Kotri and Mahanadi.

B. Dorsa: This type of soil is medium in nature and it is very similar to Matasi and Kanhar type soil. This type of soil is found in north east Kanker and in the Bhanupratappur region.

C. Matasi: This type of soil is found at an elevation higher than Kanhar and less than Bhata. This soil is appropriate for growing rice. This type of soil is found in most of the Kanker region.

D. Bhata: This soil-type is affected by a late rating process. It can be red or yellow, having a mixed shape/condition. This soil is found in uplands of the area. It is appropriate for the cultivation of crops like Kodo, Kulthi, Maize and Kutki.

Administrative divisions

There are 7 blocks and 11 tehsils in Kanker district. [12] [13] They are:

BlockTehsilImportant places
Kanker Kanker Kanker, Makdi
Charama Charama Charama, Lakhanpuri
Narharpur Narharpur Narharpur
Sarona Sarona
Bhanupratappur Bhanupratappur Bhanupratappur, Sambalpur, Korar, Kachche
Durgukondal Durgukondal Durgukondal, Kodekurse
Antagarh Antagarh Antagarh
AmabedaAmabeda
KoyalibedaKoyalibedaKoyalibeda
Pakhanjur Pakhanjur, Kapsi, Badgaon
BandeBande

There are 454 Gram Panchayats and 1005 villages in the Kanker district.

Economy

Agriculture is the mainstay of people in the district. Even though large numbers of them are tribal, it is agriculture that sustains them for most of the year. Non-timber forest produce is another major source of income, as large tracts of the land are still forested. The tribes in many places practice Marham or Dippa. The farmers who live in the forest cut the trees before the rainy season and use the land for agriculture. After every two years they prepare a new farm and leave the old one fallow for some time. On the planes, the land is farm every year. Rice is the main crop but wheat, sugar cane, Gram, Kodo, Moong, Tilli, and maize other important crops. People also grow varieties of vegetables. Varieties of fruits such as mangoes, and bananas are also produced. [2] [14]

About half of rural Kanker is below the poverty line, according to official estimates. [2] The entire district is drought prone. Over 80 percent of the working population is already dependent on marginal agriculture and allied activities, with low incomes and stagnant productivity. Thus, in addition to providing a livelihood for the unemployed, it is a challenge to make the existing the livelihoods of the nearly 295,000 (2.95 lakh) workers more productive. This would be beneficial, since persons engaged in agriculture could then earn an adequate income to meet their basic needs. Thus, the only feasible option in the short to medium run is to increase employment in the main livelihood sector, which is agriculture. Diversification, intensification and stabilisation of agriculture are at the core of the challenge of livelihood promotion in the district.

Minerals

Kanker is rich in minerals. Iron ore, quartzite and garnet deposits are found in southern regions of the district, but mining of these minerals on a commercial scale has not been attempted. About 100 million tons of iron ore deposits have been identified in the Hahaladdi region of the Bhanupratappur Tehsil. Chhattisgarh's second biggest iron ore deposits, Rowghat Mines, is in Antargarh tehsil in this district. Its reserves are assessed at 731 Million tons. Rowghat Mines will supply iron ore to the Bhilai Steel Plant of SAIL.

Black and white granite is plentiful in the district, where it is used as a building material. In the Markatola and in Barchhegondi region aluminium-bearing Sillimanite/Kinite deposits have been identified. Some deposits of gold have been found in Sona Dehi, Michgaon and in certain other regions of Bhanupratappur Tehsil. At present some bauxite-based (aluminium) industries are functional in the district.

Flora

Most of the forest in Kanker district is of dry deciduous type. In Kanker district Sal, teak and mixed forests are found. Sal forests are found in the eastern part of the district, teak forests are found in the Bhanupratappur region and mixed forests are found in most of the area. In the mixed forest varieties of medicinal plants and other economically important plants such as Saja, Tendu, Dhaura, Bija, Harra and Mahua are found in abundance.

Socio-cultural Aspects

About half of the total population is Kanker district is tribal. Accordingly, most of the culture of Kanker district is tribal, even though an interplay/fusion with other cultures is clearly visible.

Languages

The chief languages or dialects used in the Kanker district are Hindi, Bengali, Chhattisgarhi, Gondi and Halbi. There were times when Halbi was an important language; at one time all of the administrative work was done in that language. Halbi is a compound form of Hindi.

Bhatri is the main branch of Halbi language. There are a lot of words taken in this language from other languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, and Persian. Like Hindi, Halbi also has two genders, masculine and feminine, but the feminine is used more.

The other languages such as Bengali, Telugu and Odia are also spoken in some parts of the district.

Religion

Until the end of the Nala dynasty, the people were divided into four different castes, namely: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. After the downfall of the Nal dynasty, many people came from outside and the main castes divided into sub-castes. There were around 62 castes in Bastar state and Kanker state.[ citation needed ]

The tribes Maria, Gond, Ojha, Muria, Bhatra are divided into sub-caste San Bhatra, Pit Bhatra, Amnit Bhatra Amnit. These castes hold highest status. Parja, Gadva, Halba, Ganda, Mahra, Chandal, Ghuruva, Dom, Lohar, Matrigond, Rajgond, Dorla, Nahar, Naikpod, Kuduk, Andkuri, Kumhar, Kosta, Chamar, Kenvat, Dhakad, were important and in other castes Brahmin, Vaishya, Kayasth, Teli, Kalar, Kshtriya, Kunbi, Dhobi, Marathi, Mohammedan, Pathan, Telanga, Orria, Rohilla and others were important. About half of the population is tribal, although in this modern era the culture has slightly changed.[ citation needed ]

Family structure

In all castes, people live as a joint family. All the families are male dominant. The oldest person is the head of the family and all other members obey his authority. The oldest person of the family has full authority on all financial matters. All sons have the same share in the family assets, however daughters have no share. In tribes, the women play an important role.

Marriage

Like all other cultured castes, the marriage ceremony is very important to the tribes of Kanker.

Among the tribes, if any woman chooses a new husband, then the new husband gives money to the old husband as 'compensation allowance'. This compensation is settled by the leader of caste. Re-marriage of widows is also popular among tribes. In Halbas no widow may be married with any unmarried person. In some tribes, there is a tradition named Ghotul. Ghotul is a cultural centre of Gonds and Murias.

Customs at death

The tribal customs of death are complex.

The Maria bury dead bodies. If a woman dies during her pregnancy, her body is buried. If a child who is younger than 5 years dies, then their body is also buried beneath a Mahua tree and their head is placed facing an easterly direction. They construct a little tomb in that place in memory of the dead person.

The Gonds place the legs facing the south, in tombs. In some tribes they place a wooden pole in memory of the dead person.

Madai and other Festivals

Among the tribes of Kanker and Bastar districts there is an important festival celebrated called Madai. This festival is a moving festival and moves throughout the Kanker, Bastar and Dantewada regions from December to March. The celebration of the festival starts in Bastar Region in December. On Poornima people celebrate the Madai festival in respect of the goddess Kesharpal Kesharpalin Devi.

In January, the people of Kanker, and the adjoining areas of Charama and Kurna, celebrate the Madai festival. In the month of February, the festival is celebrated in Bastar district and there the festival is celebrated in the respect of Cheri-Chher-Kin. At the end of February, the Madai festival goes to Antagarh, Narayanpur and Bhanupratappur, and in March it is celebrated in Kondagaon, Keshkal and Bhopalpattanam.

The festival is celebrated in the respect of local Gods and Goddess. This festival is celebrated in a big ground where thousands of peoples gather simultaneously. The festival starts with a procession of local God or Goddess; after that the worship is done and then the festival starts. A lot of shops, restaurants, crafts, dances and other cultural program can be seen in this festival.

Although the festival is tribal, all the communities have faith, celebrate and enjoy the festival. Other important festivals are Mati-tihar, Gobar-boharani, Rama Navami and Navakhani.

The standard Hindu festivals of Dusshera, Diwali, and Holi are celebrated also, as in other parts of India.

Handicrafts

The tribal societies of Kanker are known for their handicrafts prepared with a variety of designs and shapes. These handicrafts include wood-carvings, bell-metal items, terracotta items, and bamboo items, among others. Kanker is a forestry district containing good quality woods from which wooden-carving crafts and various types of furniture are made by skilled artisans. These items attract locals as well as outsiders.[ citation needed ]

Wood and bamboo crafts

This is one of the most distinctive arts of tribal wooden carving.[ citation needed ] These wooden crafts are made out of the finest teak wood and white wood. These wooden crafts include models, idols, wall panels and furniture items. These handicrafts are generally exported to different parts of India, and there is also demand from foreign countries.[ citation needed ] The tribes make bamboo crafts also. Bamboo crafts include wall hangings, table lamps, and table mats among other items.[ citation needed ]

Noteworthy locations

Kanker District has the following attractions: [15]

Kanker Palace

This place is very renowned for its royal palace including the tribal villages and the deep forests. The palace was owned by the esteemed 12th century royal family. The family of the late Maharajadhiraj Udai Pratap Deo resided here, since 2002. Now some section of the palace are being converted into a hotel. [16]

Gadiya Mountain

The Gadiya Mountain came into light at the time of Kandra dynasty. When the Kandra king Dharma Dev won the Kanker, he declared his capital on Gadhiya Mountain, which is a natural form of a fort. On the mountain there is a natural reservoir which never dries and which is filled by water throughout the year. One part of this reservoirs is called 'Sonai' and the other part is called 'Rupai'. Sonai and Rupai were the two daughters of the Kandra king Dharma Dev. On the southern part of this reservoir there is a cave named 'Churi pagar'. The entrance to this cave is very narrow. During any attack the King and his family lived safely in this cave.

The space of the cave is sufficient to accommodate 500 people inside. The exit door of this cave is towards west direction. In the south east part of Gadiya mountain there is another cave called Jogi cave. The length of this cave is 50 meters. In ancient times, it is said that many monks lived and meditated here. There is a small pond in this cave. The water of this cave flows on the rock like a waterfall. The Doodh river flows at the bottom of Gadiya mountain, .

Legend Years ago, it is said, a King lived in the Gadhiya Mountain. He had two daughters named "Sonai" and "Rupai". Both were playing near the lake over the hilly area. Suddenly they both fell in the lake; that lake was later named "Sonai Rupai Talab". It is said that the water of that lake never dries and there are two fish on very bottom of that Lake. One fish is of gold and another one is of silver. According to the legend, both fish are remain alive even to this day. Many people in Kanker claim that they have seen both fish. On the mountain there are two rocks behind the main "Sheetla Temple" and the door between those mountain is very thin. Only slim persons can enter there, but after entering the middle there is a Big Hall in which about 300 people can be seated. People say that the King used to stay with his soldiers during any war on that particular place.

On the occasion of Navratri, a cultural fest known as Gadhiya Mahotsav is celebrated beneath the Gadhiya Mountain.

Malajkudum Waterfall

About 15 kilometres away towards south form Kanker, there is a small mountain. On this mountain there is a spot named Neele Gondi from where the Doodh river takes its shape. After crossing the 10 kilometres there is a place named as Malajkudum from where the river produces three waterfalls. This amazing waterfall will make to fell love with the nature. The heights of these waterfalls are 10 meters. 15 meters and 9 meters respectively. The slope of this water fall is like a ladder. The wave of this waterfall is very attractive and challenging. This is an ideal place for picnic. The road is available to reach this spot. [17]

Charre-Marre Waterfall Antagarh

This is another waterfall situated in Kanker district. This waterfall is situated 17 kilometers away from Antagarh block of Kanker district. There is a place named Charre-Marre on the way from Antagarh to Aamabera. The waterfall produces by the river named Jogidahara which flows in Matla valley. The height of this waterfall is 16 meters. The slope of this water fall is jig jag.

Shivani Temple

This temple is situated in Kanker city. This temple is called Shivani Maa temple. The statue of goddess is excellent. According to a myth this Goddess is a combination of two Goddess name Kali Maa and Durga Maa. The vertically half part is of goddess Kali and the remaining half part is of goddess Durga. There are only two of this type of statue in the world (the other one is in Kolkata).

Notable temples

Other places of attraction

Plans under BRGF

Centre for Rural Management (CRM), Kottayam, Kerala has been assigned to prepare a five-year Perspective Plan and Annual Plans under BRGF in the District of Kanker. The annual plan for 2012-2013 has been approved by the District Planning Committee District planning committees in India on 10 March 2012 and it is started uploading in the plan plus Archived 2012-04-19 at the Wayback Machine . The Preparation of the perspective plan is under progress. CRM has constituted a team under the leadership of Dr. Jos Chathukulam, the Director. Bastar Dharma Kshema Samiti, Jagadalpur provides local support for the plan preparation under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Abraham Kochukarackal CMI.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chhattisgarh</span> State in central India

Chhattisgarh is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Pradesh to the northwest, Maharashtra to the southwest, Jharkhand to the northeast, Odisha to the east, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to the south. Formerly a part of Madhya Pradesh, it was granted statehood on 1 November 2000 with Raipur as the designated state capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastar district</span> District of Chhattisgarh in India

Bastar is a district in the state of Chhattisgarh in Central India. Jagdalpur is the district headquarters. Bastar is bounded on the northwest by Narayanpur District, on the north by Kondagaon district, on the east by Nabarangpur and Koraput Districts of Odisha State, on the south and southwest by Dantewada and Sukma. The district possesses a unique blend of tribal and Odia culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bargarh</span> Town in Odisha, India

Bargarh is one of the major towns of Western Odisha and a municipality in Bargarh district in the state of Odisha in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Bargarh District and is one of the most important towns of Odisha because it is known as the "rice bowl of Odisha" due to its intense rice production, it is a agroindustrial hub and is also known as "city of handloom" because sambalpuri sari originated from here."Dhanujatra" of Bargarh is world famous and is known as the "world's largest open theatre". Bargarh was awarded with the "fastest moving city" award under the 50k-100k category in Swachh Sarbekhyan 2022 in the east zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balangir district</span> District of Odisha in India

Balangir District, also called Bolangir District, is a district situated in Odisha state of India. The district has an area of 6,575 km2 (2,539 sq mi), and a population of 1,648,997. The town of Balangir is the district headquarters. The composition of the land is predominantly rural. Other important big & small towns in Balangir district are Titlagarh, Patnagarh, Kantabanji, Loisingha, Saintala, Belpada, Tushra, Agalpur, Deogaon, Chudapali, Biripali, Bhalumunda, Bangomunda, Sindhekela,Kansil, Turekela and Muribahal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dantewada district</span> District of Chhattisgarh in India

Dantewada District, also known as Dantewara District or Dakshin Bastar District, is a district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Dantewada is the district headquarters. The district is part of Bastar Division. Until 1998, Dantewada District was a tehsil of the larger Bastar District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanger Valley National Park</span> National Park near Jagdalpur

Kanger Valley National Park is a national park in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state in India. It came into existence in July 1982 and covers an area of approximately 200 square kilometres (77 sq mi). The park extends from the Teerathagarh waterfalls in the west to the Kolab river in the east, spanning an average length of 33.5 km (20.8 mi) and an average width of 6 km (3.7 mi) from north to south. It derives its name from the Kanger river, which flows centrally through it. Situated at a distance of 30 km (19 mi) southeast of Jagdalpur city, it is one of India's densest national parks and is known for its biodiversity, landscape, waterfalls, and subterranean geomorphologic limestone caves. It is also the home to the Bastar hill myna, the state bird of Chhattisgarh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajnandgaon district</span> District of Chhattisgarh in India

Rajnandgaon is a district of the state of Chhattisgarh in central India. The administrative headquarters the district is Rajnandgaon town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jagdalpur</span> City in Chhattisgarh, India

Jagdalpur is a city located in the southern part of Chhattisgarh state in India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Bastar district and Bastar division. Before the independence of India, it also served as the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Bastar.

Dantewada is a town and a municipality, or nagar palika. in the Dantewada district in the state of Chhattisgarh, India.It is the administrative headquarters of Dantewada District. It is the fourth largest city of Bastar division. The town is named after the goddess Danteshwari, the presiding deity of the Danteshwari Temple located in the town, 80 km from the Jagdalpur town. The goddess is worshipped as an incarnation of Shakti and the temple is held to be one of the fifty-two sacred Shakti Peethas. Dantewada Town is well connected by broad gauge railway line from Visakhapatnam. The Nearest Big city to Dantewada is Raipur and well connected with Bus services

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastar division</span> Administrative division of Chhattisgarh State, India

Bastar division is an administrative division of Chhattisgarh state in central India. It includes the districts of Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Sukma, Kondagaon and Kanker.

The Halba are a tribe in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha in India. They speak the Halbi language and mostly farm. They are a mixed tribe descended from Gonds and Hindus. Linguistic evidence indicates they are an aboriginal tribe who adopted Hinduism and an Indo-European language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastar State</span> Princely state in India

Bastar state was a princely state in India during the British Raj. It was founded in the early 13th century by Annamaraja, a brother of the last ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty, Prataparudra II.

The history of Kalahandi goes back to the primitive period where a well-civilized, urbanized, and cultured people inhabited this land mass around 2000 years ago. The world's largest celt of Stone Age and the largest cemetery of the megalithic age have been discovered in Kalahandi. This shows the region had a civilized culture since the pre-historic era. Asurgarh near Narla in Kalahandi was one of the oldest metropolises in Odisha whereas the other one was Sisupalgarh near Bhubaneswar. Some other historical forts in the region includes Budhigarh, Amthagarh, Belkhandi and Dadpur-Jajjaldeypur. This land was unconquered by the great Ashoka, who fought the great Kalinga War, as per Ashokan record. In medieval period the region had played a prominent role to link South India, Eastern India and Central India region and witnessed the battle ground for Somavamsi, Chola, Kalachuris of Kalyani and Eastern Ganga dynasty. Kalahandi region was the main route for Chola to attack Subarnapur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kondagaon district</span> District of Chhattisgarh in India

Kondagaon district is a district of Chhattisgarh, India, and separated from Bastar district on 24 January 2012. with headquarters in Kondagaon. It is mostly renowned for its bell metal craft and other art forms native to the tribal of Bastar. It is also known as the Shilp sheher of Chhattisgarh owing to the variety of indigenous crafts produced in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastar Dussehra</span> Dussehra festival in Chhattisgarh

Bastar Dussehra is the unique cultural trait of Chhattisgarh. Celebrated by the local people of the state with sufficient vigor, the festival of Dussehra connotes to the supreme power of goddess Danteswari, the revered deity of all the existing tribes of Chhattisgarh. During Dussehra, the inhabitants of Bastar organizes special worship ceremonies at the Danteswari temple of Jagadalpur. On this occasion rath is made in which goddess sits.

Madai festival is one of many popular festivals of Sanskritik Chhattisgarh. The festival reflects the rich culture and tradition of the state. The Madai Festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and excitement by people belonging to the Gond Tribe. It is celebrated from the month of December to March and tours from one place of the state to another. The Charama and Kurna communities of Kanker district, tribes of Bastar and people of Bhanupratappur, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Pakhanjore and Antagrah celebrate the Madai Festival in the state of Chhattisgarh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanker State</span> Princely state of India at colonization era

Kanker State was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. Its last ruler, Maharajadhiraj Bhanu Pratap Deo, signed the accession to the Indian Union in 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Chhattisgarh</span>

Tourism is an important part of the economy of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, India's tenth largest state. The state has many ancient monuments, rare wildlife, carved temples, Buddhist sites, palaces, water falls, caves, rock paintings and hill plateaus.

Chhattisgarh embraces a diverse cultural and traditional practices in India. As the state government has taken meticulous steps to preserve the tribal culture, these festivals and the traditions are celebrated almost from the time of ancient India.

Manoj Singh Mandavi was an Indian politician and a member of the 4th Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, elected from the Bhanupratappur constituency in the 2018 Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly election. He was a member of the Indian National Congress.

References

  1. Kanker
  2. 1 2 3 http://planningonline.gov.in/data/report/DP2010-2011_381Merge.pdf%5B%5D
  3. "Indian states before 1947 K-W".
  4. "Kander District Website" . Retrieved 2006-09-22.
  5. "83 districts under the Security Related Expenditure Scheme". IntelliBriefs. 2009-12-11. Archived from the original on 2011-10-27. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  6. "Table A-02 Decadal Variation in Population Since 1901: Chhattisgarh" (PDF). census.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  7. "Table C-01 Population by Religion: Chhattisgarh". censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "District Census Handbook: Kanker" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. 2011.
  9. US Directorate of Intelligence. "Country Comparison:Population". Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved 2011-10-01. Guyana 744,768
  10. "2010 Resident Population Data". U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2010-12-27. Retrieved 2011-09-30. Alaska 710,231
  11. 1 2 "Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Chhattisgarh". www.censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
  12. "आमाबेड़ा, कोयलीबेड़ एवं बांदे को नवीन तहसील बनाने प्रारंभिक सूचना प्रकाशित".
  13. "कांकेर : कोयलीबेड़ा को पूर्ण तहसील का दर्जा के लिए दावा आपत्ति आमंत्रित".
  14. "Resources and Economy". Archived from the original on 2006-11-15. Retrieved 2006-09-22.
  15. "Tourism" . Retrieved 2012-03-31.
  16. "Kanker District". Archived from the original on 2012-04-12. Retrieved 2012-03-31.
  17. waterfall, malajkudum (10 October 2022). "malajkudum-waterfall". more life changer. Retrieved 10 October 2022.