Profile of Chhattisgarh
Known as the
‘Rice Bowl of Central India,’ Chhattisgarh came into existence on November 1, 2000. It was earlier part of Madhya Pradesh and after separation became 26th State of India. Located in central India it covers an area of of 135,194 sq.kms.
Raipur is the capital of Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh is bordered by
Bihar,
Jharkhand and
Uttar Pradesh in the north,
Andhra Pradesh in the south,
Odisha in the east and
Madhya Pradesh in the west. The state lies at 17°46' N to 24°5'N latitude and 80°15' E to 84°20' E longitude.
Chhattisgarh is a land of opportunities. It is the richest state in mineral resources with all major minerals including diamonds available in abundance. Major industries in steel, aluminium and cement are present in the state. Chhattisgarh contributes substantially to the economy and human resources of the country.The major crops produced in the state are rice, sugarcane, banana, pulses, and wheat.
The forest products that are produced are teak,
sal, bamboo, sheeshal, mahua, tamarind, haldu, saja, sheesham, and various herbs.
About 80 percent of the total population of Chhattisgarh depends on agriculture.
Wheat, paddy, maize and
groundnut are the major crops produced in the region. Chhattisgarh is also rich in mineral resources and about 20 percent of the country’s steel and cement are produced here. Chhattisgarh has large supply of power which can be easily transmitted to any of the four grids of India. About 90 percent of the villages in Chhattisgarh have been electrified.
History of Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a young and a new state but the reference of this state can be traced in ancient texts, and inscriptions. In ancient times Chhattisgarh was known as
Dakshin Kosala and it is said that Lord Rama has spent some time here when he was on his 14 years exile.The unbroken history of Chhattisgarh of South Kosala can be traced back to fourth century AD. In the 10th century the region was ruled by a powerful Rajput family who called themselves as
Haihaya dynasty. This dynasty continued ruling Chhattisgarh for six centuries and about the 14th century it split into parts. The Chalukya Dynasty established its rule in Bastar in the middle ages.The Marathas attacked Chhattisgarh in 1741 and destroyed the Haihaya power.
Archeological Site in MalharIn 1745 AD after conquering the region, they deposed Raghunathsinghji, the last surviving member of the Ratanpur house. In 1758, the Marathas finally annexed Chhattisgarh. It came directly under Maratha rule and Bimbaji Bhonsle, was appointed the ruler. After the death of Bimbaji Bhonsle, the Marathas adopted the Suba system.In 1818 Chhattisgarh came under some sort of British control for the first time. In 1854, when the province of Nagpur lapsed to the British government, Chhattisgarh was formed into a deputy commissionership with its headquarters at Raipur.The First war of independence in 1857 was spearheaded in Chhattisgarh by
Vir Narain Singh who was a benevolent zamindar of Sonakhan.
Chhattisgarh was first used in an official document in 1795, and became popular during the Maratha period. There are three popular stories about the origin of the name.Perhaps the most popular one is that since Chattisgarh means
"36 forts", it denotes the number of forts in the region. Experts do not agree with this explanation as thirty-six forts cannot be identified in the region.An explanation popular with experts and historians, is that Chhattisgarh is the corrupted form of "Chedisgarh", which means "Stronghold of the Chedis", Chedis being another name for the Kalchuri dynasty.According to British Chronicler, J.B. Beglar, "the real name is Chhattisghar (36 houses) and not Chhattisgarh. There is a saying that ages ago, about the time of Jarasandha, thirty six families of dalits (leather workers) emigrated southwards from Jarasandha's kingdom and established them in country, called Chhattisghar".
Chronology of events
- 10th century- The region was ruled by a powerful Rajput family Haihaya dynasty.
- 1741- The Marathas attacked Chhattisgarh and destroyed the Haihaya power
- 1818- Chhattisgarh came under British control for the first time
- 1-11-2000 – Chhattisgarh became a separate state
Chhattisgarh as a separate state
Separate state demands began as
early as in 1920. A lot of demands kept mushrooming at regular time
intervals with respect to the separation of the state. In 1924, the
Raipur Congress unit demanded a separate Chhattisgarh in the Annual
session of the Indian congress in Tripuri. Again in 1954, when the State
Reorganisation Commission was set up, the demand for the separation of
the state was put forward. Again in 1955, Nagpur assembly came up with
the quest of a separate state of Chhattisgarh. Even in the 1990’s, there
was an active demand that was progressing regarding the separation.
However, later the new National Democratic Alliance or NDA government
sent a Separate Chhattisgarh Bill for the approval of the Madhya Pradesh
assembly. It was approved and sent to Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The
then President of India, K.R. Narayanan, gave a nod of approval for the
Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2000 on the 25th of August, 2000.
Later on the 1st of November, 2000, Government of India separated the
state of Madhya Pradesh into Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
Geography of Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is the
10th largest state in India. The capital of this
state, Raipur, is situated on the fertile plains of Chhattisgarh.
Strategically, the state is in the central part of India. The northern
and southern areas of the state are hilly, and the central part is
fertile. The outline map of the state resembles a sea horse. In the
north is the end of
Indo-Gangetic plain, where the Rihand River drains.
The east side of the
Satpura range and the west of the
Chota Nagpur
plateau comprise beautifully to form the hills that divide the great
Mahanadi river basin from the Indo-Gangetic plain. The southern part of
Chhattisgarh rests with elegance on the Deccan plateau. Mahanadi is the
leader of rivers of the state, while other rivers that follow suit in
this state are Rihand, Indravati, Jonk, Arpa and Shivnath. Chhattisgarh
is located between 21.27° N latitude and 81.60° E longitude.
Climate of Chhattisgarh
The climate of Chhattisgarh is mainly
tropical. It is hot and humid
because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer. It is dependent
completely on the monsoons for rains. Summer in Chhattisgarh is from April to June, and can be uncomfortably hot, with the mercury hitting the high 40's. Monsoon
season is from middle and late June to October and is a wonderful time
to visit Chhattisgarh. The rains provide a welcome relief from the
scorching summer heat and the whole state is covered with greens and
waterfalls are at their best.Winter season is from November to
January is also a good time to visit Chhattisgarh. Winters are pleasant
with low temperatures and less humidity.
Flora And Fauna Of Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh enjoy deep forest cover with 44% area of lush green areas. It accounts for 12% in terms of forest areas in India. The dense forests
home to various species of flora and fauna. Moreover different flora and fauna, but also house more than
80 types of medicinal value plants. The
state animal is Van Bhainsa or
Wild Water buffalo and the
state bird is pahari myna or the hill myna.
The state tree is Sal or Sarai that is found extensively in the Bastar
division. Unique in its wildlife properties, there are 3 national parks
and 11 wildlife sanctuaries to protect the exquisite flora and fauna of
the state. The unparalleled natural beauty of the flora and fauna are
put into sanctuaries like Barnawapara Sanctuary, Kanger Ghati National
Park, Udanti Sanctuary, Sitanadi Sacntuary, Bhoramdeo Sanctuary,
Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary, Indravati National Park and the like.
These house several wild animals like leopard, fox, bear, tiger, wild
buffalo, nilgai, hyena and the like. This beautiful and lush green state
is a sanctuary to many of the wild animals and rare and exotic plants.
Economy of Chhattisgarh
The major source of economy in Chhattisgarh is agriculture. Owing to its
fertile lands, agriculture thrives as a vital economical indicator in
this state. Nearly 80% of the masses of the state are from the rural
sector and their main livelihood is agriculture and small industry work
based on the same. Chhattisgarh is known as the
"rice bowl" of central India. Chhattisgarh
used to produce over seventy percent of the total paddy production in
the state. Apart from paddy, cereals like maize, kodo-kutki and other
small millets, pulses like tur and kulthi and oilseeds like
groundnut,
soyabean, niger and sunflower are also grown.
Blast Furnace at Bhilai Steel PlantChhattisgarh produced
nearly half of all food grains, and one third of all major crops were
grown in the undivided Madhya Pradesh during the kharif season. The main
rabi crops of Chhattisgarh are
jowar, gram, urad, mong and
moth.
Chhattisgarh produces 45 percent of the jower and over eighty percent of
the gram which was produced in undivided Madhya Pradesh. It
produces very little wheat. A quarter of all produce of pulses in Madhya
Pradesh during the rabi season comes from Chhattisgarh.The
crops sown in addition to rice are maize, millets, Kodo kutki, pulses
like Tuvar and Kulthi, oilseeds like peanuts, sunflower and soybeans.
The state is ranked 17th in tea production, and its districts Jashpur
and Surguja are favorable for tea production. Herbal farming is a
popular one amongst the locals of Chhattisgarh. Agro based jobs are the most sought for in Chhattisgarh. Agriculture,
steel and handicrafts are the major source of economical sector in
Chhattisgarh.
Industries in Chhattsigarh
Chhattisgarh is a developing state with numerous mega industrial units located here. It is self reliant in terms of power resources. There is a lot of surplus electric power, and the state is
in a profitable mode in terms of electricity. Due to its excess
electricity, it provides power to other states as well. The core
strengths of power production for Chhattisgarh are Korba and Bilaspur.
Due to its ample availability of power, there are a lot of government as
well as private sectors that have established their base here in
Chhattisgarh. Further it is home to numerous rice mills, cement and steel
plants. Durg, Raipur, Korba and Bilaspur are the leading districts in
the field of industrial development in the State. The
Bhilai Steel Plant
(BSP) in Durg district happens to be the largest integrated steel plant
of the country. The establishment of BSP in the 1950’s led to the
development of a wide range of industries at Raipur and Bhilai.
Raipur
district has got the rare distinction of having the largest number of
big and small-scale cement plants. Bilaspur and Durg districts, too, are
home to a number of large-scale cement plants. Korba, with a number of
power generating units established by NTPC and MPEB, is among the
leading power generation centers in the country. Aluminum and explosive
plants are also located in Korba district. There are a number of
industrial growth centers in the State which host hundreds of industrial
units. The principal growth centers in the State are - Urla and Siltara
(Raipur); Borai (Durg) and Sirgitti (Bilaspur).There
are very few cash crops grown in Chhattisgarh, and there is a need to
diversify the agriculture produce towards oilseeds and other cash crops.
Mineral Resources in Bialspur
Chhattisgarh accounts for more than 13 per cent of India's
total mineral production, worth around Rs.4, 000 crore a year.
Twenty-three per cent of the country's iron- ore deposits, 14 per cent
of the dolomite deposits, and 6.6 per cent of the limestone deposits are
found here.Chhattisgarh has 18 percent of coal reserves of the country, and the state is ranked third after Jharkhand and Orissa.
Forest Resources of Chhattisgarh
12% of India's forests are in Chhattisgarh, and 44% of the State's land is under forests. Identified as one of the richest bio-diversity habitats, the Green State of Chhattisgarh has the densest forests in India, and rich wildlife., Over 200 non-timber forest products, with tremendous potential for value addition are produced in the state.The Mahanadi is the main river of the state. Other rivers are Hasdo (a tributary of Mahanadi), Rihand, Indravati, Jonk and Arpa.
Also Read Economy of Raipur | Bhilai | Jagdalpur | Bilaspur | Raigarh
Culture of Chhattisgarh
The state of Chhattisgarh lives in harmony amidst its differences in
language, religion and the like. The traditional richness and royalty
still prevails in the state. The deep rooted culture stays alighted even
though there are changes and the society is crawling towards modernism.
Though most of the places are rural in Chhattisgarh, they have a sense
of modernism and urbanity. Since Odisha borders the eastern side of
Chhattisgarh, the Oriya culture is sprinkled through the state.
Chhattisgarh
is a mixture of literature, arts and crafts. The favorable themes of
the locals are religion, social and political events, nature, mythology,
folklore, and the like. The most traditional crafts are paintings, bell
metal craft, bamboo, wood carving and tribal jewelry. Chhattisgarhi
Kosa silk and lost wax art are prominent through the state as well as
the nation. Not just for saris and salwar suits, the fabric is also used
in the creation of the lehanga, shawls, stoles and the like. Menswear
like jackets, shirts, sherwanis and the like are also made from this
fabric.
The traditional forms of dance would include
Rawat Nacha
Pandwani, Chaitra, Panthi, Kaksar, Soowa, Saila and the like. The
official language of the state is Hindi. A dialect of Hindi,
Chhattisgarhi is majorly spoken in many parts of Chhattisgarh. In some
parts of the state, Telugu is spoken, as it is bordered by Andhra
Pradesh on one side. The tribal people versed Chhattisgarhi as Khaltahi,
while Sambalpuri and Oriya speakers know it as Laria. Since Odisha
borders one side of Chhattisgarh, Kosali and Oriya are also spoken by a
countable number of the populace. Not just this, even Bhojpuri is spoken
by a lot of people here in Chhattisgarh.
Also Read Culture of Raipur | Bhilai | Jagdalpur | Bilaspur | Raigarh
Administration in Chhattisgarh
Government of Chhattisgarh is the governing and administrative authority
of the state and the districts concerning it. There are a quantitative
27 districts in Chhattisgarh. Raipur, one of the largest cities, is the
capital of Chhattisgarh. The State Government comprise of an executive,
led by the governor, a judiciary and a legislative branch. For the
uninformed, executive is the only part of the government that has
authority and accountability for the daily administration of the state.
The Governor is selected by the President of India, based on the advice
of the central government. The head of the government of the state is
the Chief Minister, who is the one adorned with executive powers. The
legislative assembly of Chhattisgarh is unicameral, that is, it has only
one legislative chamber. The assembly consists of 91 MLA’s and its term
is 5 years.
Tourism in Chhattisgarh
Every place in Chhattisgarh is filled with
uniqueness and charm that is awe-inspiring. The places in Chhattisgarh
are filled with rich legacy and culture and attract the tourists as well
as give a sense of pride for the localities. The place has a concoction
of traditionalism and modernism. The entire state is lush green and is a
pleasant site for the public. More than 40% are dense forests and hold
in a lot of flora and fauna for the people. Known as the Niagara Falls
of India,
Chitrakot waterfalls are a scenic beauty, which is located 38
kms from the city of Jagdalpur. Other breathtaking waterfalls in the
state are Akuri Nala and Amrit Dhara waterfalls, Ramdaha waterfalls;
Tiger point waterfalls and the like.
Chitrakot Waterfalls in ChhattisgarhNot just the cool effect of
waterfall, but Chhattisgarh also accommodates the hot spring called the
Taat Pani in the Balrampur district. This hot spring flows through the
entire year and is believed to have medicinal properties. The government
is planning on developing a geothermal power plant in this place, which
is known to be the first one in India. Gadiya Mountain,
Kotumsar cave,
Kailash Gufa, Sita Bengra are some of the caves with historic drawings
and paintings inscribed on them. Ancient temples in Chhattisgarh
which are a must visit are Bhoramdeo temple, Rajivilochan temple, Champaran, Chandrahasini Devi temple, Vishnu Temple, Damudhara,
Sivarinarayana Laxminarayana temple, and the like. MM Funcity is a theme park that has one of its kind fun rides and water rides in the state. Sirpur, a historical town in Mahasamund district in Chhattisgarh is proposed world heritage site.
Also Read Tourism in Raipur | Bhilai | Jagdalpur | Bilaspur | Raigarh
Transport in Chhattisgarh
Being one of the most important states of central India, Chhattisgarh is
widely connected with almost key places through road, rail and air
transport. Chhattisgarh enjoys nationwide connectivity with other states and cities as well.
There are a total of
11 national highways that pass through the state
and measure about 2184 km in length altogether. The state highways and
the vital roads to the districts comprise of a distance of 8031 kms
together. There are about
2400 roads in Chhattisgarh and about 7000
vehicles ply on them. There are 22 transport offices in the state that
are computerized and the transport is coordinated through them.
Additionally, there is a motor and driving school establishment being
proposed of late.
Railways in Chhattisgarh
Raipur JunctionThe rail network in Chhattisgarh is centered on Bilaspur, which is the zonal headquarters of
South East Central Railway of Indian Railways. Other main railway junctions include Raipur, Durg, and Champa. These junctions are well connected to all the major cities of India. Other most important and vital junction of the state is its
capital, Raipur. Durg is also an important station. .
These junctions are the starting points for many long distance trains to
other states and cities across the nation. These three imperative
junctions have a strong network with the other foremost cities of India.
About one-sixth of the revenue for the Indian Railways comes from the
state of Chhattisgarh. There is also a feasibility of metro line coming
up, which would be started with the
Bhilai-Raipur line.
Air Transport in Chhattisgarh
The
air transport is minimal when compared to other major states in India.
Swami Vivekananda International Airport bearing the code RPR, formerly
called Mana Airport, is the prime air hub serving Chhattisgarh. This
airport comprises of an elevation of 317 m. This airport is located in
Mana, 15 kms south of Raipur. The major airlines that ply in this state
are Air India, IndiGo, Jet airways and Jet Konnect. These airlines have
scheduled flights to destinations like Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur,
Vishakhapatnam, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow. In
the non-metro category, this airport is ranked as the number one in
terms of customer satisfaction. Last year, this airport was awarded the
best airport award in the non-metro category. Located near Kondatarai is
the Raigarh Airport which is an air strip that is mainly used for
smaller aircrafts and choppers.
Healthcare in Chhattisgarh

As far as the health index is concerned,
it measures less than 0.49, which is one of the lowest in the nation.
Health index is the term of life expectancy at the time of birth. If
there is higher life expectancy at birth it means that the individual
will have better health. There are a lot of women with
BMI lower than
18.5, under five mortality in children, underweight and nutrition
deficiency children in the state. Half of the women belonging to the ST
are malnourished. Same way, the under five mortality rate is high than
that of the national average. According to the demographic profile,
about 80 percent of the people live in rural areas. Sanitation
facilities in the state are very low as only 27 percent have access to
toilet facilities. As far as drinking water is concerned, there is a bit
of improvement in this sector, and many households have got access to
clean and neat drinking water.
Also Read Healthcare Services in Raipur | Bhilai | Jagdalpur | Bilaspur | Raigarh
Theatre & Films in Chhattisgarh
The
Chhattisgarh film industry is called as
Chhollywood. A lot of
Chhattisgarhi films are produced by the local producers. Not just
Chhattisgarhi, but films from languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu,
Kannada and the like are also successful blockbusters. In Chhattisgarh,
theatre is known as Gammat. One of the lyrical forms of theatre is
Pandavani.
Media in Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is well aware to different forms of media. Telecasting is done from the Doordarshan
Kendra Chhattisgarh. DD Chhattisgarh is a television channel owned by
the state government. There are a lot of other private channels that are
major players in the state. As far as news is concerned, IBC24 brings
about the regional news from Chhattisgarh as well as Madhya Pradesh.
Newspapers are an important form of media for this state. There are a
lot of newspapers that are published in Chhattisgarh, of which the
important ones are Hari Bhoomi, NaiDunia, Nava Bharat and Deshbandhu.
Hindi newspapers are more famous here, however, there are also English
leading dailies akin to Times of India, Hindustan Times, and the like
available in the state. In the radio division, All India radio, 94.3
MYFM, Radio Rangeela, Radio Mirchi and Radio Tadka are the important
ones.
A beautiful and a well formed state, Chhattisgarh, is one of
the rapidly developing states in India. It is known for its beautiful
collaboration of traditionalism that remains unchanged even with the
influence of modernism.