Tourism is an important part of the economy of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, India's tenth largest state. The state has many ancient monuments, rare wildlife, carved temples, Buddhist sites, palaces, water falls, caves, rock paintings and hill plateaus.
The State of Forest Report 2023 published by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, recorded that forest cover accounts for 44.25 percent of the total geographical area of Chhattisgarh.
Located in central India, Chhattisgarh attracts tourists with its untouched forests, impressive waterfalls, and varied wildlife. From the dense greenery of Bastar to the peaceful surroundings of Chitrakote Falls, every aspect showcases the beauty of nature, appealing to nature lovers and adventurers alike.
Waterfalls
Waterfalls are a tourist attraction in the state. Due to the three main physio-graphic division i.e. 1. Northern Hills, 2. Central Plains and 3. Southern Plateaus, Chhattisgarh has numerous perennial and seasonal waterfalls, some of which are listed below:
Dantewada District Saat Dhaar Waterfall Jhara Lava Waterfall Malangir Waterfall Fulpaad Waterfall Pondum Falls
Kondagaon District Katulkasa Waterfall, Honhed Bijkudum Waterfall, Uper-murvend Umradah Waterfall Ling-Darha Waterfall (also known as Lim-darha or Lingo-darha WF) Amadarha-1 Waterfall Amadarha-2 Waterfall Hankhi-kudum Waterfall Ghumur Waterfall Kudarwahi Waterfall Uperbedi Waterfall Mirde Waterfall Mutte-Khadka Waterfall Cherbeda Waterfalls
Bastar District
Chitrakote Falls Teerathgarh Falls Chitra Dhara Falls Tamda Ghumar Mendri Ghumar Mandwa Waterfalls Jhulna Darha Falls Chik-Narra Falls Shiv-Ganga Falls Bhunbhuni Falls Bijakasaa Falls Kanger Dhara Falls Kunduru Nala Waterfall Vijay Ghumar Waterfall Topar Waterfall Toyer Nala Waterfall Lude Ghumar Waterfall Dordori Waterfalls Maajur Tondri Waterfall Udli Bahar Waterfall Madhota Waterfalls Alwa Dongripara Waterfall Burungpal Waterfall
Jashpur District
Dangiri Falls Ranidah Falls Kotebira Falls Rajpuri Falls Bhringraj Falls Gullu Falls Churi Falls Bane Falls
Korba District Damau Dhara Deopahri Waterfall Kendai waterfall Nakiya waterfall bhamarjhajha waterfall Teenjhariya waterfall
Dhamtari District Narhara Gahandhar Dhara Falls
Kanker District Malaj-kudum Falls Charre-Marre Falls Madoda Falls Badgo Falls Kamkakudum Falls
Korea District Amrit-Dhara Waterfall Ramdah Waterfall Gaurghat Waterfall (Tarra, Sonhat) Akuri Nala Waterfall Karam ghongha Waterfall
Bijapur District Lankapalli waterfall Bogtum Waterfall Nambi Dhara Satdhara waterfall
Surguja District Tiger point waterfall Fish point waterfall Ghaghi waterfall Perwaghaghi waterfall Mahadevmuda waterfall Jama-labji waterfall
Gariyaband Godena Falls Deo-Dhara Chingra-Pagaar Jatmai Falls Ghata-rani Falls Gajpalla Falls Kari-pagaar Fall Baniya Dhans Fall Budhha Raja Falls Sindurikhol Fall Jharjhara Falls
Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai District Thad pani waterfall Saraipatera, Chhuikhadan Dhas kuwa Waterfall
Sukma District Dudma Falls (near Chitalnar, Pushpal) Pratapgiri Falls (near the border of Sukma and Dantewada districts) Bhimsen Falls
Temples
Notable and ancient temples in Chhattisgarh include: Shri Ram Janki Temple at Setganga in Mungeli District, Bhoramdeo temple near Kawardha in Kabirdham district, Rajivlochan temple at Rajim and Champaran in Raipur district, Chandrahasini Devi temple at Chandrapur, Vishnu temple at Janjgir, Damudhara (Rishab Tirth) and Sivarinarayana Laxminarayana temple in Janjgir-Champa district, Bambleshwari Temple at Dongargarh in Rajnandgaon district, Danteshwari Temple in Dantewada district, Deorani-Jethani temple at Tala gram and Mahamaya temple at Ratanpur in Bilaspur district, Laxman temple at Sirpur in Mahasamund district, Uwasaggaharam Parshwa Teerth at Nagpura in Durg district, Pali with Lord Shiva temple and Kharod with Lakshmaneswar temple, Patal Bhairavi temple in outer area of Rajnandgaon.
Giraudhpuri is a religious place for the Satnamis. They are the followers of Satnampanth.
Sirpur, a proposed World Heritage Site. and Malhar are of historical significance, as they were visited by Xuanzang, the Chinese historian. Mama-bachha temple is at Barsoor.
The hot spring known as Taat Pani, (taat - hot, pani - water) flows in Balrampur district. This hot spring flows throughout the year and is reputed to have medicinal properties due to its high sodium content. National Thermal Power Corporation Limited is developing a geothermal power plant at Taat Pani, which is described as the first geothermal power plant in India.
Ancient temples
Dantewada District Mama Bhanja temple, Barsur Battisa Temple, Barsur Goddess Danteshwari temple, Dantewada Samloor Mahadev Temple Chandraditya temple, Barsur
Bastar District Gumadpal Mahadev Temple Mahadev Temple, Bastar Devarli temple, Dodrepal, near Tokapal Shiv temple, Chhindgaon, Bastar Ruined Shiv temple, Gudhiyari, Kesharpal, Bastar Shiv temple, Singhaigudi, Ghumarmundpara, Chitrakote
Raipur District Mahadev temple, Chandkhuri Mahadev Temple, Nawagaon Mahadev Temple, Girod Bhand Dewal temple, Arang
Durg District Mahadev temple, Dev-baloda, near Charoda, Bhilai Mahadev Temple, Nagpura, Durg Lord Parshva nath Temple, Nagpura, Durg
Bilaspur District Mahamaya Temple, Ratanpur Ancient Shiva Temple, Kirari Gordhi Deorani – Jethani Temple, Amarikampa Shiv temple, Belpan, Takhatpur Bhima-Kichak temple, Malhar, Masturi Madku Dwip Temples, Bilaspur Raipur Highway, Bilaspur
Janjgir-Champa Goddess Shabari temple, Sheori-Narayan Lord Ram temple, Sheori-Narayan Laxmaneshwar temple, Sheori-Narayan Lord Vishnu temple, Janjgir Ruined Shiv temple, Adbhar, Shakti
Gariyaband Rajiv Lochan temple, Rajim Lord Ramchandra temple, Rajim Lord Balkrishna temple, Rajim Goddess Mavli temple, Rajim Kuleshwar Mahadev temple, Rajim
Mahasamund Laxman temple, Sirpur Surang Tila temple, Sirpur Anand Prabhu kuti Vihar (Tiwar dev temple), Sirpur Swastik Vihar, Sirpur Jagannath temple, Bagbahara
Balod Kukur dev temple, Khapari, Balod Jagannathpur Shiv temple Kapileshwar Group of temples, Balod Ancient temple, Dondilohara Shiv temple, Palari, Balod
Surguja Goddess Ambika temple, Ambikapur Shiv temple, Devgarh, Udaipur Deur temple, Maharanipur, Sitapur Devi temple (Chherika Deur), Devtikra, Udaipur Group of temples, Satmahla, Kalcha-Bhadwahi, Udaipur
Balodabazar Chitvari devi temple, Dhobani, Simga Mavli devi temple, Tarponga, Simga Siddheshwar Shiv temple, Palari Ancient Ruined temple, Damru
National parks and wildlife sanctuaries
There are several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Chhattisgarh including the Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mungeli district, Gamarda Reserve forest at Sarangarh in the Raigarh district, Indravati National Park and Kanger Ghati National Park in the Bastar district, Barnawapara Wildlife sanctuary in the Mahasamund district. There is also Guru Ghasidas National Park. It is designated as Guru Ghasidas - Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve. The natural environment of Koriya includes many dense forests, mountains, rivers and waterfalls, and is known for the rich mineral deposits. Coal is found in abundance in this part of the country. The dense forests present here have a rich wildlife, and the district was where the last known Asiatic cheetah was spotted in the wilderness of India. The climate of Koriya has mild summers and cool winters.
National Parks Kanger Ghati National Park, Bastar District (Area: 200 km2) Indravati National Park, Bijapur District (Area: 1258 km2) Guru Ghasidas National Park, Korea District (Area: 2898.705 km2)
Sanctuaries Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary, Bilaspur/Mungeli, 1975 Badalkhol Wildlife Sanctuary, Jashpur, 1975 Bhairamgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Bijapur, 1983 Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, Balodabazaar, 1976 Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary, Raigarh, 1975 Pamed Wildlife Sanctuary, Bijapur, 1983 Semarsot Wildlife Sanctuary. Balrampur, 1978 Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Dhamtari, 1974 Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary, Gariyaband, 1972 Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary, Surguja, 1978 Bhoramdev Wildlife Sanctuary, Kawardha, 2001
Caves and archaeological sites Gadiya mountain in Kanker district, Kotumsar cave in Bastar district, Kailash gufa in Jashpur district, Ramgarh and Sita Bengra in Surguja district and Singhanpur cave in Raigarh district with pre-historic paintings are well known. There are cave paintings at Ongana and Kabra Pahad near Raigarh, though most of the paintings lie in open the and have been overwritten with graffiti. Archaeological sites include Barsoor in Dantewada district, Malhar and Ratanpur in Bilaspur district, Sirpur in Mahasamund district, Koriya in Koriya district and Surguja in Surguja district. There is a small picnic spot with waterfall on the extremity of Satpura range along with a stone inscription of c. 1st century CE is found at Damau dhara in Janjgir-Champa district.
Caves in Chhattisgarh Bastar District Aranyak Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Dandak Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Kailash Caves Kanger Ghati National Park Devgiri Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Jhumar Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Kanak Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Kotumsar Cave Mendhkamaari Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Rani Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Gumalwada Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Green Chamber Cave(Salma Sitara) Kanger Ghati National Park Gorla Ama Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Dobla Mahadev Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Gudiya Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Kulur Gaddha Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Mayar Kotla Cave Kanger Ghati National Park Durki Koppa Cave (also known as Chhota Devgiri) Kanger Ghati National Park Parewa Badi Cave Kanger Ghati National Park
Kanker District Jogi Cave, Gadiya Mountain Kanker Sondayee Cave, Kanker
Jashpur district Kailash Cave Khudiya Rani Cave
Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district Mandipkhol Cave Chhuikhadan
Bijapur Shakal-Narayan Cave, Bijapur Shankanpalli Cave, Bijapur Usur Cave, Bijapur
Surguja
Jogi-mara Sita-bengra Laxman Bengra Haathi-pol
Raigarh District
Kurra Cave Singhanpur cave Botalda cave
Dams Dams, not only used for Irrigation and Hydro-electricity generation, but also serve the purpose of artificial eco-tourism. Some of the main projects of Chhattisgarh are as follows: Gangrel Dam (Dhamtari) Madumsilli/Murumsilli Reservoir (Dhamtari) Rudri Pick-up Weir (Dhamtari) Dudhawa Dam (Kanker) Kherkatta Dam (Kanker) Sondhur Dam (Dhamtari) Sikasaar Dam (Gaariyaband) Minimata (Hasdeo-Bango) Dam Project (Korba) Kelo Dam (Raigarh) Kodar (Veer Narayan Singh) Dam (Mahasamund) Bhainsajhar Dam (Bilaspur) Khuntaghat Reservoir (Bilaspur) Tandula Dam/reservoir (Balod) Chhindari Dam/reservoir (Chhuikhadan)
See also Central India Rihand River Son River
References
External links