Bastar district
Bastar district is located in southern part of the
state of chhattisgarh. The district has an area of 8425.22 km². Bastar district
is bounded on the north by kanker district, on the west by koraput districts of
orissa state, on the south by dantewada district, and on the east by narayanpur
district. The district head quarter jagdalpur is situated approximately at a
distance of 300k.m. From raipur,
which is the capital of chhattisgarh.
Bastar,
Kanker and Dantewada districts were formerly part of the princely state of
Bastar. In 1947, the princely states of Bastar and Kanker acceded to the
Government of India, and were merged to form Bastar District of Madhya Pradesh
state. The district, which had an area of 39,114 km², was one of the largest in
India. In 1999, the district was divided into districts of Bastar, Dantewada,
and Kanker, which constitute Bastar Division.
In 2007 Bastar district was further divide in to the present-day
district of Narayanpur and Bastar.
The climate of Bastar is characterized by Hot
Sub-humid climate with dry and hot summers and cool winters. The temperature
varies from 17°C to 32°C. The area has a hot and humid summer season from March
to mid of June, with May being the hottest having temperature of around 35°C,
while in winter season from November to February mean daily temperature
is less than 15°C. The rainy season starts from middle of June and lasts up to
the end of September. The rainfall varies from 1095 mm to 2079.5 mm and is
received both by North East and South West monsoon.
District has good network of roads with
N.H.-43 connect the region from Raipur and Jaypur. The N.H.-16 connects
Jagdalpur to Gidam and goes to Nizamabad and N.H. 221 to Hyderabad. Major
tourist attraction like Jagdalpur, Kondagaon, Keshkal, Chitrakote, Kanger
Valley are well connected with roads but public transpiration facilities are
not available which is a major constraint in tourism development. Jagdalpur
serves as a gateway in this region. It has both rail and road link. Day tours
are easily organised for tourist places like Kanger Valley, Chitrakote falls,
Narayanpur, Bastar and Dantewada.
The railway line established by NMDC between
Vishakhapatnam-Koraput and Belladilla can become a good tourist link from
Andhra Pradesh & Orissa. The nearest international airport is Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar airport in Nagpur and domestic airport in Raipur. Jagdalpur has a
non-operational airstrip, which can be upgraded to a functional airport for
smaller aircrafts, to provide air linkage in the southern part of Chhattisgarh.
The Southern circuit-
Map shows
tourist destinations in Bastar details of the same have been discussed in the
chapter. Major tourist destinations in Bastar circuit are Keshkal, Kondagaon,
Jagdalpur, Chitrakote, Kanger valley national park and Nagarnar.
Keshkal is
located at a distance of 38km from Kanker on national highway no.43, on the way
from Raipur- Kanker to Jagdalpur. It is a beautiful place with approx 3500 ft
height at hill top and presents to the travelers the first glimpse of Bastar.
It has excellent valley view and thick forest coverage. Tourists stop halfway
up at a small temple to offer puja to a local goddess for protection against
wild beasts. A few kilometers into the interior from Keshkal, the first market
town of Bastar and 8th century ancient archaeological site of Garh Gobrahin
with its granite shivling.
Keshkal is
a hill station and has an excellent climate. It has an excellent valley view in
the morning and evenings. In winter, it is very cool app.2 to 4° C, while in
summer time it is very pleasant. In the monsoon, heavy rain descends, but it is
a very enjoyable sight from hill top.
Kondagaon is located N.H.43, on the way from Raipur
to Jagdalpur. Kondagaon is a municipality having a population of 26,000. The
city of Kondagaon is an important center for promoting tribal art and
architecture. This city is famous for local handicrafts terracotta, bell metal
and wrought iron work. The craftsmen of
this region are also famous for their stone carving and bamboo craft. A large
proportion of population is dependent on handicraft a primary source of
livelihood.
Chitrakote falls is located just 28 km from
Jagdalpur city, on the way to Barsoor. The Chittarkote waterfall is the main
natural attraction of the village, attracting thousands of visitors from all
over the world. The waterfall is situated on the river Indravati, which plunges
some 100 feet down, creating a horse-shoe water fall, termed as mini-Niagara
fall of Bastar. The cascading water of the fall is muddy brown in rainy season
and milky white in winter and summer.
the rainbow on the sunny day slowly rises
from the depth of the lake going further up as the sun moves towards west.
Below the fall, it creates a huge deep lake strewn with huge rock pieces, the
artifact of running water erosion. Around the lake, there are patches of forest
in the riverbed like green islands.
Originally, due to the abundance of the Chital (spotted) deer, the local
tribal named this place as CHITTAR-KOT GHOOMAR; Chittar-spotted deer, Kot-place
and Ghoomar-waterfall. Apart from that there are many tourist spots located
nearby which have been listed below:
Tamada Ghoomar is another small waterfall situated some 10 kms away on a
tributary nala of Indravati.
Hathi Darha,
a deep ravine located around 6 km from Chittarkot village. It has the potential
to be developed as a good para-gliding center in future.
Chundi Ghat,
is a confluence of river Indravati and Naarangi, located at a distance of 7 kms
from the village is another point of tourist attraction.
Japo Darha,
is a deep-water pool, located only at a distance of 3 km from the waterfall is
a good picnic spot. It also has the potential to be developed as natural
swimming pool and the angling point.
Narayanpal temple,
at a distance of 8 km, is a place of heritage importance. The place houses an
old temple of lord Vishnu, aged back to 13th Centuary.
Huge Shivaling, located
in the village itself, at a distance of 250 meters from the fall, is another
place to visit. The place also has a huge iron hammer, supposed to be belonging
to Lord Vishvakarma, who according to local folklore created the waterfall
using this hammer.
Jagdalpur is a district head quarter of Bastar
district, in south part of Chhattisgarh. It is 282 Km from the state capital
Raipur. It is accessible by National highway no.43 from Raipur. It is also
connected by NH 16 with Andhra Pradesh.
Jagdalpur is linked by road with
Koraput in Orissa, which is another broad gauge rail head for this area.
Jagdalpur is linked by all parts of Chhattisgarh by CGSRTC bus links as well as
private travel operators’ bus links.
Jagdalpur is linked by south-eastern
railway with Vishakhapatnam on one side and Bacheli-Kirandul in Dantewada
district on other side.
There is only one passenger train per day running on
this route, there is excellent potential to develop this link for tourist traffic
as it passes through beautiful Araku valley of Andhra Pradesh and beautiful
forest and hilly track of Bastar area. Jagdalpur is having a non-operational
air strip, which can be upgraded to give air link to the area, and it can
improve accessibility for both domestic and foreign tourist in the area.
Jagdalpur can be linked with feeder air line or small air craft with Puri &
Bhubaneshwar in Orissa and Vishakhapatnam and Hyderabad in Andhra by such air
linkages. Jagdalpur serves as gate way to Bastar and day tours are organised
from Jagdalpur.
Jagdalpur is a gateway (Hub) for Bastar region as a
whole. Besides it is a district place, it is one of the major city of the area,
serving tourist traffic. Jagdalpur is having several tourist attractions,
including Dalpatsagar lake, Balaji and Danteshwari Temples, recently
constructed Jain temple near lake, Anthropology museum depicting all aspects of
Tribal life style, art and culture, Bastar Palace etc; are important tourist
attractions of Jagdalpur.
The key attractions in Jagdalpur town are Dalpatsagar
Lake, Danteshwari Temples, Anthropology museum, Bastar Palace, Dancing cactus,
Lamni Park and Kosa center. Jagdalpur serves as base for traveling to other
parts of Bastar region like Kanger Valley National Park, Chitrakote falls,
Dantewada, Bacheli, Bastar Dussehra festival at Jagdalpur is the main
attraction for experiencing Tribal life style, art and culture.
Nagarnar is located at a distance of 19 km on N.H.
43 connecting Raipur and Vishakhapatnam. Nagarnar has been famous for the
handicraft skills of the village artisans. Around 18-20% of the village
population comprise of artisan families. The village houses around 125 artisan
families, quite a few of them, have got good national and international fame.
Different types of artisans have been staying in the village, with ~ 52 potter
families, ~ 40 weaver families, 5 blacksmiths families and around 25 ghadwa
(bell metal artisan) families. Kakrapasar,
is a picnic spot, at a distance of 8 km, famous for its thick forested area. It
is said that the King of Bastar used to go for hunting in the adjoining
forests. Machkote forest, at a distance of 10 kms, is a part of Kanger
Valley National Park; can be accessed only with the permission of Forest
department.
Kanger Valley National park is Paradise for the
nature lovers. The Park derives its name from the Kanger River which flows
throughout its length .Kanger valley National park has several attractions, Kanger
Dhara falls, Tirathgarh fall, Kanger river trail, Kotamsar and Kailash caves of
lime stone formations, dense moist forest, and wild life inside park area.
Forest department run conducted tours inside this national park from Jagdalpur.
It is difficult to travel inside this national park without proper vehicle.
Kotmsar caves are having one of the rare species of fish, “Blind Fish”, which
is available only at two places in the world, India and Canada.
These waterfalls are situated at a distance of 35
Km. from Jagdalpur in south west direction and can be approached these
waterfalls through N.H.221 connecting Jagdalpur and Hyderabad. The waterfall is
actually situated in Kanger Valley National Park and the height is
approximately 300 ft. The good season for visiting these waterfalls is from
October to February. A Government rest house is also available. Other tourist
spots are Kanger Dhara and Bhainsa Dharha are two good picnic spots and
especially Bhainsa Dharha which is a crocodile park.
Haats and Madai are
major tourist attraction in Bastar which are the highpoints of tribal life.
While haats are the weekly markets, the Madai are is an annual fair, attracting
much larger crowd , both from the region and outside, these serves as a social
occasion as well as a market place. With their local flavors and bright
colours, they are the best place to get a glimpse into tribal cultures. A Madai
is much more commercial than a haat, with shopkeepers from neighboring towns
coming to sell their wares. In Madai deities from neighboring villages are
invited and the villagers pay homage to gods, socialize, drink huge amount of
salfi and shop[1].
These haats are organised at various places throughout the year and these can
be developed as potential tourist destination.
Special fairs and festivals are organized
throughout the year, which is also the show of their rich cultural aspect of their
life. The deities are worshiped using different rituals, processes and
celebration methods, which are specific for specific fairs and festivals.
The tribal district Bastar is full of festivals
which includes harvest festivals like Navakhana ,'eating of
the new crop', Mati Puja,'Worship of the earth', Goncha,the
chariot festival etc. Many of the Hindu festivals are not observed , while
those that are observed are carried out differently. For example during
Diwali festival in Jagdalpur in the morning following the Diwali , the bullocks
are given 'Khichri' ( a food item ) and their horns are tied with a new piece
of cloth which goes to the grazier. The important Gond festivals observed in
the district are the Nawakhana and Chaitrai in
which Hindus also take part. On the Chaitrai a pig or a fowl
is offered to the village god with some liquor. The Nawakhana is
observed in the bright fort-night of Bhadon (September). On
this day the Gonds offer new grain and liquor to their ancestors. In kondagaon
tehsil of the district Budha Deo is worshipped on this day. In the Jagdalpur
tehsil this festival is observed by taking sweets and giving new clothes
to the members of the family. The Dhurva/Parjas tribes observed only hareli and amakhai (mango
season).
The
Bastar Dusshera is the most famous festival of the region when all the deities from all the villages congregate at the temple of
Danteshwari in Jagdalpur. The Dusshera in Bastar, unlike Dusshera in other
parts of India, has nothing to do with the triumphant return of Rama to
Ayodhaya. Dusshera in Bastar is devoted entirely to the goddess, Danteshwari
Devi. Bastar Dusshera is believed to have been started by Maharaj
Purushaottam Deo, the fourth Kakatiya ruler of Bastar, in 15th century. The
festival involves participation of all major tribes of Bastar.
Bastar
Dusshera has several components, each of which has a history of its own.
Dusshera is observed by the Raj family with great importance for ten days,
during which period the arms gifted by their family goddess are worshipped. The
special feature of the festival is the formal handing over of the charge of the
management of the state to the Diwan in the presence of the Zamindars, and
other leading men. Bastar Dusshera is a major tourist attraction and large
number of tourist visit Bastar during this period. During this
period around 30thousand tourist visit Jagdalpur and 60 thousand devotees come
from nearby place to pay their homage to Devi Danteshwari and the approximate
turnover of these 10 days is around 3crores. This shows the potential of fairs
and festivals for generating income in the region. There is need to promote
various fairs and festivals for attracting tourists throughout the year.
The tribal society of Bastar is famous for their
excellence in making exotic handicrafts with a variety of designs and shapes.
These handicrafts include wood-carvings, bell -metal items, terracotta items,
wrought iron, bamboo items etc. These items reflect long and close association of
tribals with Nature which has culminated in a craft heritage. Frequent
references to local mythology, rituals, religion, and folklore in the exquisite
shapes and forms of thee handicrafts reflect the cultural legacy of the people
that craft them. There unique quality of rawness in the finish that adds to the
rustic appeal of the products. Bastar, Kondagaon and Nagarnar are some of the
areas in Chhattisgarh that are known for handicrafts, effectively, the very
essence of Chhattisgarh-simplicity and tradition is unveiled in the gamut of
artistic expressions of its people.
Dhokra craft
Bastar’s Dhokra work is certainly the most famous
handicraft from this state and its fame has long reached the international
stage. Exquisite dull gold figurines and objects de art are crafted in the
Bastar of Chhattisgarh out of bell metal, brass, and bronze. Traditionally the
Ghadwas of Bastar practice the Dhokra art with lost wax technique or hollow
casting. Inspiration is available to the craftsperson from his abundant environment,
be it the village ghotul, myriad of trees, birds and animals, mythology or
rituals. Utilitarian pieces such as combs, lamps, bowls and cups are created
for daily use just as mythological icons like Bhuda-deo, Karma jhaar and Mata
Jhula are crafted for their spiritual relevance. Each piece is characterized by
intricate attention to detail, visible in the jewellery that bedecks the
Maria-Muria heads, the elephant’s houda or even in a pot’s geometric lines.
Wrought iron craft
The dark raw forms of the metal artifacts and
figurines of Chhattisgarh, appear as a reflection of its own people. Both share
a coarseness that is underlined by quiet elegance and dignity. The inherent respect that the ethnic people
have for the environment means that the raw material used for this craft is
predominantly recycled scrap iron. The method of production is simple, yet
effective. Metal is made pliable by beating it in furnaces, and then shaping it
carefully into basic form using hammer and tongs. Mastery over the craft is
evident in the fact that no joints of any kind appear in the products. On
completion, a coating of varnish is applied, to enhance its luster. The forms
of the hunters, farmers, musicians, animals are all generally made from a
single piece of iron, giving them a unique quality.
Terracotta
The region of Bastar has made a unique contribution to the tribal
terracotta’s of the state. The widely acclaimed potters of Bastar cater to the
needs of all these tribes and craft various items to meet both their secular
and sacred requirements. The potters adhere strictly to the structures, forms
and motifs associated with each tribe. The main centres of tribal terracotta in
the Bastar region are Nagarnar, Kumharpara, Kondagaon, Narayanpur and Kanker.
Besides these, Dantewada, Tumnas, Bhairamgarh, Sukma, Kukanar, Kokawad,
Karanpur, Chhoti Lohara etc are some of the villages in the Bastar region where
terracotta as an art is practiced intensively and extensively. Some of the
important motifs are elephants, horses, lamps, hut etc. which are elaborately
ornamented. These figures have great significance in the life and culture of
tribal communities.
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