History of Bastar

What exactly comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘Bastar’? For the unconventional first timers, this might sound mysterious and for people who already know a little about Bastar might consider this to be an old village. A district in the state of Chhattisgarh that reminds us of tribal culture with folklores played, tribal communities, forests around and the chirping of the birds, everything pictures in our minds when Bastar is imagined.

Time slowed down in Bastar back in the centuries when most of us were not even born! Filled with pleasant and eye catchy environment rounding up with numerous waterfalls and paddy fields, Bastar has a lot to offer to its visitors.

Before dwelling on the details, let us look at how Bastar took its birth in the hands of the rulers. A long time ago during the course of Ramayana and Mahabharata, Bastar was known as Dandakaranya, the famous forest through which Lord Rama has passed during his exile. And hence this was considered as a peaceful place for all kinds of Rishis like Kank, Lomesh, Shingri and Angira. This is very old information, but a powerful one; hence people should be aware of this mythological connection between Lord Rama and the forests. Now let us move ahead with the history of the nearing future.

From the 4th century, Nala, Trikut, Gang Kings, Nag Dynasty and from the 13th century, Raja Anam Dev, the Kaktiya king, ruled Bastar. Whatever is known about Bastar is a careful outcome of the chronological reconstruction of inferences drawn from the Sanskrit literature. A collection of 23 temples from Gobarhin and 32 gold coins from Adenga were excavated. Remains of earthenware from Bakawand, Jaithgiri inscriptions from Artakot portrays the ancient heritage of the city and its areas.

Considered to be the Kashmir of Central India, Bastar’s forest is one of the densest, next to Amazon. With its enormous flora and fauna and the placid harmony, Bastar serves to be every visitor’s item on their bucket list. Even the local tribe of the place, the Adivasi Gonds do not hesitate in living their lives to the core. They believe in practicality rather than expectations of sophistication, hence making the modern society to learn from them.

To enjoy the beauty of Bastar, the best time is from October to March during the key festivals taking place in the district. Most of the fascinating festivals celebrated is between the month’s January and March. Am sure, with the little known here, you might have already started picturing yourself adoring the beautiful waterfalls and the dense forest.

Let’s delve in and start exploring the city to its fullest!

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