History of Chhattisgarh:-
The history of Chhattisgarh, which was called as South Kosala goes back to the 4th century AD. The mythological history of the state can be traced back to the days of Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The Haihaya dynasty ruled Chhattisgarh for six centuries during the 14th century
. During the middle ages, Chalukya dynasty established its rule in Bastar.
Annmdev was the first Chalukya ruler, who founded the dynasty in Bastar in 1320. In 1741, the kingdom was seized by the Marathas from the Haihaya dynasty. After conquering the kingdom during 1745 AD, Raghunathsinghji, the last descendant of the Ratanpur house, was forced to leave the area. So, finally in the year 1758, Chhattisgarh was conquered by Marathas and Bimbaji Bhonsle was appointed as the ruler. After the demise of Bimbaji Bhonsle, suba system was followed by the Marathas. It was an era of unrest and misrule. Maratha army was involved in large-scale loot and ransack.
Demographics:-
The Chhattisgarh population constitutes approximately 2.55 crore as per the census 2011. The state is densely populated with one hundred and eighty nine persons per square kilometre. The four important districts of Raipur, Durg, Surguja and Bilaspur support maximum population of the state. The rural areas of Chhattisgarh are more populated than the urban areas. However, in the recent years, most of the population of rural Chhattisgarh migrated to the urban areas in search of better jobs and higher standards of living. Most of the districts of Chhattisgarh depend on agriculture because of low level of industrialisation.
Geography:-
The state of Chhattisgarh was formed by integrating 16 districts of Madhya Pradesh that held together by a strong linguistic barrier. However, more districts were added to the state and presently it has 27 districts. The state came into being in the new millennium on 1 November 2000. The area of Chhattisgarh is estimated to be 135,191 sq km. Chhattisgarh stretches across the latitudinal expanse of 17°46' North to 24°05'North on one hand to the longitudinal meridian of 80°15' East to 84°20' East on the other. Dense forests that cover 44% of the state's area mark the divergent topography of the state. Chhattisgarh claims nearly 12 percent of India's total forest area that accounts for tremendous biodiversity as well as a rich collection of timber and variegated species of wildlife.
Economy of Chhattisgarh:-
The newly formed state is richly endowed with natural resources. Its forest revenue alone accounts for 44 percent of the total state's forest revenue. It has rich deposits of limestone, iron-ore, copper-ore, rock phosphate, manganese ore, bauxite, coal, asbestos and mica. Agriculture is the main activity for the population of this landlocked state enveloped by Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and of course Madhya Pradesh. 80 percent of its population is engaged in agriculture. Chhattisgarh is known as the Rice Bowl of India and supplies food grains to 600 rice mills. Steel and power are the major industries of the state. Chhattisgarh accounts for 15 per cent of the total steel produced in the country.
Wildlife Sanctuaries:-
Chhattisgarh Wildlife Sanctuaries has made it an important destination on the tourism map of India. Chhattisgarh has 3 National Parks and 11 Wildlife Sanctuaries gifted with their unparalleled natural beauty and diverse and rich flora and fauna. Indravati National Park is the most famous wildlife sanctuary of the state of Chhattisgarh. It has several wildlife sanctuaries in secure areas such as Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamor Pingla, Kanger Ghati National Park, Pamed, Sanjay National Park, Semarsot, Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary, Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary, Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary, Badalkhol, Bhairamgarh, Gomarda wildlife sanctuaries etc.
People, Culture and Festivals
The picturesque state of Chhattisgarh abounds in natural splendour and is an idyllic mix of the pastoral and the urban. The state is also a hub of Central India's cultural extravaganzas that is evinced by the friendly and vivacious people, culture and festivals of Chhattisgarh. It is a nascent state that was formed by integrating some districts of Madhya Pradesh that were held together by the fine thread of a common Chhattisgarhi dialect. The people are mainly tribals who speak Hindi and Chhattisgarhi and live harmoniously together. They are diligent and hard working and mainly work in the numerous mines and factories in the state. The tribal people are very talented and creative and their expertise is manifested in the exquisite traditional handicrafts.