Bastar district General information
.BASTAR , is the Land of Tribals & Natural Resources. This Divine Land is also enriched with Natural Beauty which makes it a paradise for tourists.
The deep forest area between bushes and bamboos where one always feel the absence of sunlight , wide and thick forests , between high mountains cool flowing streams , sky-touching mountains , caves , high waterfalls , and in the valleys the spread of greenary and in between this , the huts made by bamboo sticks, the fearless life style of the tribals and their culture, one's heart and mind would be filled with new wonders and pleasure.
Bastar district is a district of Chhattisgarh. Jagdalpur is the district headquarters. The district has an area of 8755.79 km². Bastar District is bounded on the northwest by Rajnandgaon District, on the north by Kanker District, on the northeast by Dhamtari District, on the east by Navarangpur and Koraput districts of Orissa state, on the south and southeast by Dantewada District, and on the east by Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra state. The population of the state is 1,302,253 (2001 census). 70% of the district's population are tribal peoples.
Administratively, the district is divided into four tehsils, Jagdalpur, Kondagaon, Keshkal, and Narainpur. The district has two municipalities, Jagdalpur and Kondgaon.
Bastar , the tribal district ,before splitting in to three districts ,was one of the largest district in India ,with an area of 39114 sq k.m ,which was even greater than the Kerala state and some other countries like Belgium,Israel etc.
In the year 1999 , the district Bastar has been divided into 3 districts namely Bastar,Kanker and Dantewada. All these 3 districts comes under Bastar Division with the divisional head quarter at Jagdalpur ,which is the district head quarter of Bastar district.
In the year 2000 ,Bastar became one of the 16 districts of the newly formed state Chhattisgarh ,which was earlier in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The District Bastar is located in the southern part of Chhattisgarh and situated at a height of 2000 ft plateau from sea level .The borders of Bastar district are Kanker district in the north,Maharashtra State in the west , Dantewada district in the south and Orissa State in the east.The District head quarter Jagdalpur is situated approximately at a distance of 300 k.m from Raipur,which is the capital of Chhattisgarh state.
The beauty of Bastar district lies in its natural forest area and various types of tribals.The total forest area is 7112 sq k.m which is more than 75 % of the total area of the district .Of the total population more than 70 % are tribals like Gonds,Abhuj Maria,Darda Maria,Bison Horn Maria ,Munia Doria ,Dhruva,Bhatra ,Halba etc.
The largest and the most important river in Bastar district is the Indravati which has numerous tributaries ,the largest being the Pamer Chinta .The Indravati river rises from Rampur Thuamul in the Orissa state and flowing through the Bastar division for about 240 miles and finally merges into the Godavari at Bhadrakali in Dantewada district.Owing to its rocky bed the river is not navigable except near its junction at Godavari.Neither the river nor its tributaries dry up in the hot season
History
The early history of the Bastar State is obscure and it appears that the central part of the Bastar State formed in the 11 th century by the kingdom of the Nagavanshi family who had their capital at Barsur .Their Kingdom was known as 'Chakrakot'.This Kingdom subsequently formed part of the Warangal Kingdom of the Kakatiya dynasty.
The Bastar Raj family claims its descent from the Pandu king ,Birbhadra of Delhi who was granted by the family goddess Dillishwari an arrow as his weapon of war .This Birbhadra subsequently moved to Mathura where he received a trident from the goddess Bhuwaneshwari .Then he moved on to Jeypur (Orissa) with the family goddess.Later on they settled at Warangal with Manikya Devi (or Danteshwari as she is called in the Bastar inscriptions),their family goddess, who granted them a sword when they moved into Bastar.All these weapons are still in existance and are even now worshipped.
The Kakatiyas were great patrons of learning and the great commentator Mallinath flourished under their patronage.The great Kakatiya King Pratap Rudra's brother , Annam Deo , left Warangal and established his kingdom at Bastar,after 1424 A.D.After Annam Deo ,Hamir Deo had been succeeded and then Pratap Raj Deo .The Pratap Raj Deo is said to have conquered 18 forts around Dongar and assigned them to his younger brother as a maintenance grant.It seems that within three generations of this event the Bastar branch of the family became extinct ,and then after both Donger and Bastar came under Rajpal Deo.
Rajpal Deo had two Ranis (wives) ,Baghelin and Chandelin.By the first he had a son named Dakhin Singh and by the second two sons namely Dalpat Deo and Pratap Singh.The Baghelin Rani was very jealous of her Co-Rani and her sons.When Rajpal Deo died ,she managed to place her brother on the throne and there by ousting the legitimate claiment Dalpat Deo ,who had to leave Bastar for the time being and take shelter in the Jeypore Kingdom.Subsequently he managed to win over the Bastar Court people to his side and with their help he occupied the Bastar throne.
Dalpat Deo had seven Ranis .By the senior rani , a Kanker princess , he had a son named Ajmer Singh .Later on Dalpat Deo shifted his capital to Jagdalpur which has since then become the head quarters town of Bastar State.After the death of Dalpat Deo ,Daryao Deo , his son of second Rani , occupied the throne of Bastar by ousting the Ajmer Singh.But later Ajmer Singh secured the throne .But he had ruled only for two years , when Daryao Deo with the help of Raja of Jeypore , ousted him.He also received assistance from the ruler of Raipur ,then a part of Nagpur Territory, for which he had to pay a yearly tribute.
After the death of Daryao Deo, his eldest son Mahipal Deo succeeded the throne of Bastar, and then after his death ,Bhopal Deo succeeded.Bhairam Deo was the next successor .He seems to have been unfortunate in his Dewan and a disturbance occured in which some Murias tribals were shot.This lead to the Raja being besieged by his subjects in 1876 A.D.In 1883 A.D ,Colonel Ward held an enquiry into the administration and it was arranged that Lal Kalindar Singh should be Dewan , assisted by a Tehsildar in government service.This arrangement however broke down.The Raja was alleged to have permitted a human sacrifice to take place and was removed from the state while enquiries were made.The charge was not proved and he was allowed to return in 1886 , but an Extra Assistant Commissioner was appointed Diwan and made responsible for the administration of state affairs.The Raja being unable to over rule him without the approval of the higher authorities .
Bhairam Deo died in 1891 , leaving a minor son Rudrapratap Deo .During his minority the state was managed by government until January 1908 when the young Raja was installed as Feudatory Chief of Bastar.In 1910 a tribal revolt was occured against the Diwan and British government who ruled over the state.Raja Rudrapratap Deo died in 1921 and his daughter Praphul Kumari Devi ascended the throne in 1922.Later in 1927, she was married to Praphul KumarBhanj Deo,who belonged to the royal family Mayurbhanj of Orissa.Praphul Kumari Devi died in 1936 in London and her elder son Maharaja Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo 'Kakatiya'ascended the throne in 1936 at a minor age.The famous Maharani hospital at Jagdalur was built in memory of Maharani Praphul Kumari Devi in 1937.Later in 1941, the Air strip had been made at Jagdalpur.One bridge was also constructed during this time over river indravati.In 1948, Bastar state has been merged in Indian Union.
Demographics
The population of the district is 1,302,253 (2001 census). 70% of the district's population are tribals (adivasis).
In 1981 Bastar had a population of 1,842,854 with 1,249,197 of the residents being members of scheduled tribes. This also represented about 70% of the population.[1] However these figures are for the pre-1999 Bastar District which had the same boundaries as the modern Bastar Division
Places of Interest
Danteshwari Temple: It is an ancient temple built by the kings of Bastar for inhabiting there family Goddess ,Devi Danteshwari. Devi Danteshwari is the Goddess of entire Bastar division, equally worshipped by Hindus as well as tribals.This temple is located beside Bastar palace and near to Gole Bazar.It is worth seeing and pleasant to watch the temple during the famous Bustar Dusshera festival season, decorated in color lights and lambs, where the main traditional functions of the festivals are being carried out.
Bastar Palace: It is another historical remain that is seen in Jagdalpur.It was the head quarters of Bastar Kigdom. It was built by the rulers of Bastar State when the capital of Bastar kingdom had been shifted from Barsur to Jagdalpur.At present this is keeping as a monument by the government.
Kanger Valley National Park: Kanger Valley was declared a National Park in 1982. It has breathtaking wilderness and abundant fauna. Located on the banks of Kholaba river, 27 Km from Jagdalpur, it is the ideal place for nature lovers and wild life enthusiasts. Wildlife here includes panther, tiger, bear, snakes and many species of deer’s.
Indravati National Park: This park derives its name from Indravati river which flows through it. Lush green forests, streams, and creeks give the place a serene charm. Wildlife is abundant and it is a haven for those who seek tranquility, away from the urban chaos. Animals found here include tigers, wild buffalo, nilgai, flying squirrel and barking deer among others.
Bairamgarh Wildlife Sanctuary: This sanctuary abounds in Chital, considered the most beautiful of the deer species. They are found roaming in open grasslands as well as dense forests. Apart from its wildlife, the park has beautiful landscapes.
Bhainsa Darha: Kanger River flows into this lake, which is spread over nearly four hectares in the thick bamboo forests. Famous residents of this place are Crocodiles and tortoises. It is 63 Km from Jagdalpur.
Chitrakoot Waterfalls: 50 Km from Jagdalpur is the crescent moon shaped Chitrakoot waterfalls. It is often compared with the Niagra falls of the US for its shape, although it is smaller. River Indravati plummets down from the Vindhya mountain ranges and forms these waterfalls. The waterfalls and surrounding areas are spectacular in their beauty and extreme challenge for adventurer’s.
Tirathgarh Waterfalls: Tirathgarh, 32 Km from Jagdalpur is famous for this waterfall that drops into Mugabahar river. On descending down the steps you can get a grand view of the falling sheets of water that falls from a height of 50 metres. There is also an old Shiv-Parvati temple at the site. You can go up the watchtower to enjoy the panoramic view of the waterfalls and surrounding forests.b Waterfalls abound and range from zig-zag trickles to roaring falls. Smaller waterfalls include Kanger Dhara near Kutumsar, Mandra, Chitradhara, Tamada and Dhoomar. Although smaller, each one surrounded with greenery is a treat to the eyes.
Kutumsar Cave: This underground cave is 330 metres in length and is known to be the second longest natural cave in the world. It is about 32 Km from Jagdalpur and was discovered in the year 1900. There are stairs at the entrance and once inside, you can see stalactite formations. No sunlight reaches the cave and in little puddles of water there live blind fish and frogs. The cave has many connecting compartments. At the end of the cave is a stalagmite Shiv-linga, which is revered by tribals and visitors alike.
Kailash Cave: 40 metres above the ground level and 200 metres in length, this cave derives its name from the natural carving of the idol of Lord Shiva. It is located on a small hill in the Kanger Valley National Park. It was discovered in 1993 and the salt deposits here, called the music point, sound musical when tapped with a stone. Presently solar energy is used to light this cave. The Stalagmite and Stalactite formations inside the cave are beautiful.
Dandak Cave: This underground cave was discovered in 1995. It is 200 metres in length and divided into two compartments. To go from the first compartment to the second, you need to go on your knees. White stalactite formations here look resplendent. Solar lamps are used to light the cave.
The whole area of Bastar has many smaller caves such as Kanger, Karpan and Devgiri among others. All the caves are a geologist delight as their rocks are said to be millions of years old.
There are a chain of waterfalls and many other tourist places in Bastar.The MANDAWA waterfalls is located 12 kms away from Tokapal of Jagdalpur Tehsil. It is also a natural place of tourism. Another waterfall in Bastar district is CHITRADHARA ,which is just 19 kms away from Jagdalpur and is in Potanar village of Lohandiguda block of Jagdalpur Tehsil. THAMADA GHUMAR water fall is another recently discovered waterfall which is also in Lohandiguda block.Its height is more than 100 feet and is generally formed from the water in rainy season.There are green fields on both sides of this waterfall . Indravati National Park situated in Narainpur Tehsil is famous for tigers and wild buffaloes.It is situated 200 kms. west of Jagdalpur.Also about 40 kms. north west of Narainpur is the virgin Kurschel Valley, with its gigantic trees.