Chhattisgarh
is full of ancient monuments, rare wildlife, exquisitely
carved temples, Buddhist sites, palaces, water falls,
caves, rock paintings and hill plateaus. Chhattisgarh’s
3 National Parks and 11 Wildlife Sanctuaries and National
Parks are a major attraction for eco-tourists. Also,
the places like Bhoramdeo, Rajim, Sirpur, Tala, Malhar
and Sheorinarayan in the state are prime sites for heritage
tourism. Pligrimage tourist spots like Rajim, Champaranya,
Dongargarh, Sheorinarayan, Girodhpuri, Dantewada, Ratanpur,
Sirpur and others are prime destinations. There is,
also, great scope for the promotion of modern adventure
sports such as water sports, trekking, rock climbing,
parasailing and bungee jumping
Weather
Summers during April to June, can be uncomfortably hot,
with the mercury hitting the high 40's. Monsoon starts
from the mid June and the rainy season lasts till October.
Winters during November to January are cold but also
a good time to visit the state.
Places
of Tourist Interest
Bastar : Bastar was once one of the
largest districts in India, bigger even than the state
of Kerala and countries like Israel and Belgium. Its
early history is obscure - it is believed to have been
established in the 11th century by the Nagavanshi dynasty
who had their capital at Barsu. There is plenty to see
and do in Bastar including the 70 year old palace, waterfalls,
lakes and ancient caves. The hilly terrain and forests
of the Kanger Valley National Park, which is situated
in the centre of the tribal Bastar district, house a
number of ancient caves. The Kailash Gufa, Kutumsar
Cave and Dandak Caves are few caves which can be explored.
Bilaspur : The city of Bilaspur is
approximately 400 years old. The name is derived from
bilasa , the name for fisherwomen. It is the second
largest city in Chhattisgarh, and home to its High Court
. Bilaspur is known for its kosa silk and the quality
of its rice. Ratanpur, Mallhar (Saravpur), Kutaghat
Dam, Belpan, Khadia Dam and Kabir Chobutara are some
of the attractions for the tourists.
Raipur : state capital was originally
established by the Kalchuri King, Ram Chandra, in the
last quarter of the 14th century AD. It is the biggest
city in the region, fast developing into an important
industrial center for large and middle scale industries.
The region has its distinctive culture. Raut Nacha,
Dewar Nacha, Panthi and Soowa, Padki and Pandwani are
some of musical styles and dance dramas. There is a
typical style of singing the epic Mahabharata, called
Pandwani. Women wear the sari in a style called kachhora.
Men wear a koundhi (necklace of beads) and kadhah (bangle)
for ceremonial occasions, like dances. If in Raipur,
one must visit Champaran, Turturiya, Laxman Temple and
Gandheswar Temple, Sirpur and Rajim.
Raigarh : Raigarh is known Dhokra,
the craft metalware created by hot wax casting and Silk
which is of two types, tassar and mulberry, and is of
high (export) quality. The main attraction of Raigarh
are Ram Jharna, Gomarda Reserve Forest and Chakradhar
Samaroh.
Durg : Situated in the south west part
of Chhattisgarh, in the plains, about 35 km from Raipur
and is rich in forests and mineral resources. The major
attraction of Durg includes Bhilai Steel Plant, Maitry
Baugh, Uwasaggaharam Parshwa Teerth and Ganga Maiya
Temple.
Ancient caves, fairs and festivals, hill stations, wonderful
waterfalls, picturesque palaces, temples, tribal culture
and wildlife of the state makes plenty of reasons to
visit Chhattisgarh.
Festivals
& Events
Chhattisgarh is known for its traditional fair and festivals.
Most of these have exuberance of age-old tribal traditions.
Some of the major celebrations of the state are:
- Bastar Dassera
- Bastar Lokotsav
- Madai Festival
- Bhoramdeo Festival
- Goncha Festival
- Champaran Mela
- Narayanpur Mela
- Fagun Wadai
- Koriya Mela
- The Earth Festival
- The First Fruits Festival
- Chakradhar Samaroh
- Hareli Festival
- Pola Festival
- Teeja Festival
- Other Tribal Festivals
When
to Go
The best season to visit Chhattisgarh is November to
January
Interesting
Fact
The tribal district of Bastar was once one of the largest
districts in India, bigger even than the state of Kerala
and countries like Israel and Belgium.
Write about Chhattisgarh
If you
are Chhattisgarh insider or had been to Chhattisgarh
recently, then we request you to contribute to our
site. Share your knowledge and experience today with
fellow visitors of this website! To submit
your travelogue (Travel Story)
Click
Here
