Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India and one amongst the landlocked states of India with predominantly tribal population. The state was formed on 1 November 2000 by segregating 16 Chhattisgarhi speaking southeastern districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is a new state but with an ancient civilization. It is commonly believed that Chhattisgarh takes its name from the 36 pillars of Chhatishgarhin Devi temple (chhattis means `36’ and garh means `fort’).  Chhattisgarh borders the states of Madhya Pradesh in the northwest, Maharastra in the southwest Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the south, Odisha in the east, Jharkhand in the northeast and Uttar Pradesh in the north. Here the hills march in ranks and the forests are primeval. The state has 44 percent of its area covered by forest, however below the forested surface lie some of the richest mineral deposits in the world.

Chhattisgarh is gaining popularity not only as a fascinating sightseeing destination but also as an eco-tourism destination of India. The state is full of ancient monuments, exquisitely carved temples, Buddhist sites, rare wildlife, palaces, caves, rock paintings, water falls and hill plateaus. Many of these attractions are untouched and unexplored by tourists and thus it offer a unique and alternate experience. Raipur, Sirpur, Jagdalpur, Chitrakoot, Kawardha, Bastar, Chitrakote Falls (Niagra of India ), Indrawati National Park, Kanger Ghati National Park and Achanakmar Sanctuary are some of the main tourist attractions of the state, which has three national parks and 11 wildlife sanctuaries.