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Chhattisgarh — Culture,
Heritage & Language

Chitrakote Falls, tribal heritage, Bastar art

Introduction

Chhattisgarh, separated from Madhya Pradesh in 2000, is a land of dense forests, waterfalls, tribal heritage and the ancient city of Sirpur. Bastar's Dussehra, Chitrakote Falls — India's widest — and Dhamtari rice fields define the state.

Quick Facts

Capital
Raipur
Largest City
Raipur
Official Language
Hindi
Formation Date
1 November 2000
Area
135,192 sq km
Population
29,000,000+
Region
Central
Type
State
Language
Hindi is the official language; Chhattisgarhi is the dominant regional speech. Tribal languages include Gondi, Halbi, Kurukh and Sadri.
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Traditional Dress
Men wear dhoti and bandi (jacket); women wear Lugra sarees and traditional silver jewelry — Bichhia, Pairi and Sutia.
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Festivals
Bastar Dussehra (75 days long), Hareli, Pola, Madai, Teeja and Goncha. Bastar Dussehra is one of the world's longest festivals.
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Cuisine
Chila, Faraa, Aamat, Bafauri, Bhajia, Muthia, Petha and rice-based dishes like Bore Baasi (cooled fermented rice).
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Literature
Padumlal Punnalal Bakshi, Mukutdhar Pandey, Sundarlal Sharma and Hari Thakur are key Chhattisgarhi-Hindi authors.
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Art Forms
Bastar Dhokra metal craft, Bell-metal art, Wood carving, Pandwani folk narration (popularized by Teejan Bai), Panthi and Raut Nacha dances.
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Historical Importance
Ruled by the Kalchuri and Bastar dynasties; ancient Sirpur was a major Buddhist-Hindu centre; carved out of MP in 2000 as India's 26th state.
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Districts & Cities

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