Dantewada

The calm and serene town of Dantewada in Chattisgarh has been serving as one of the east India’s best tourist places for decades. The tourists escape to this weekend getaway to attain peace of mind and soul amidst nature and tranquillity. Enveloped by hills on all sides, the town is crisscrossed by many rivers like Godavari and Shabhari and there are some beautiful waterfalls adding to the charm. Greenery adorns Dantewada with many attractions for the tourists. Many popular temples make it a frequently visited pilgrimage site as well. Dantewada experiences extremely hot and dry summers while winters are moderately cool. The rich cultural heritage of Dantewada is reflected with full intensity during their festivals of Holi, Madai, Gobar-boharani, Mati-tihar, Ramnavmi, Dusshera, Navakhani, and Diwali. Tourists can go for trekking expeditions in and around the town.

Dantewada is located in Dantewada District, also called Dakshin Bastar District, in the south-eastern part of Chhattisgarh. This idyllic town was formerly under the rule of Sarabhpurias, Somvanshis, Panduavanshis, Nagvanshis, Kalchuris and Marathas. British East India Company took over the rule of Dantewada in 1845. History says that Dantewada was formerly known as ‘Tarlapal’ and ‘Dantawali’, and it is evident from the stone inscriptions found in the town. The name is derived from the main deity of the town, Goddess Danteswari. This pilgrimage site is one among the 52 Shakti Peethas of India. Read on more to get interesting tourist information about Dantewada in this travel guide.

October to February

Goddess Danteshwari Temple: One of the 52 Shakti Peeths and one of the must visit places at Dantewada, this ancient temple gives the town its name. It was built back in the 14th century by the Chalukya Dynasty kings and it enshrines Goddess Danteshwari. The temple stands near the confluence of Shankini River and Dhankini River. Reflecting the South Indian style of architecture, it has a lovely black stone idol and a Garuda pillar. The temple is decorated at its best during the Dussehra Festival in October. Bodhghat Sath Dhar: This is a beautiful waterfall created by the combination of seven separate tributaries of Indravati River. The surroundings of this waterfall form a dense forested area, adorned with mountains and affluent natural beauty. This calm and serene spot has been used as a picnic zone for the past few years.

According to our tourist guide, Dantewada offers continental cuisine and the typical rice based meals at the local restaurants. However, the tribal delicacies of the region are also worth trying. Dantewada tribes are usually non-vegetarians and their liquor has a special significance. It is known as paje - a non-toxic liquid made from water and small amount of cooked rice. Other than this, they also prepare other forms of liquors like sulphi (liquor refined manually from a tall palm tree) and landa (the liquid preparation made from water and the main food grains, rice and corn). There are many coffee and tea shops in the town.

Dantewada local crafts are great attractions for tourists. The local artisans and tribal groups are often seen engaged in making artefacts out of stone, clay, metals and bamboo. The popular art forms used here are Gharhwa Art and Wooden Art. Crafts made from shell and peacock feathers are extremely exquisite. Vivid handloom collection is one of the attractions of Dantewada.

The nearest airport to Dantewada is Raipur Airport or Mana Airport (about 360 km. away). Raipur is connected by regular flights to major Indian cities. After reaching the airport, one can hire a taxi to Dantewada. The town has its own railway station which receives a regular train from Visakhapatnam. It is also well connected by road to all the nearby locations through regular bus service. Getting around the town is possible in taxis and cabs.

Apart from the mentioned ones, there are many more temples in Dantewada. Although some are in ruins, but are visited by pilgrims regularly.

After sightseeing in Dantewada is done, one should visit the mentioned nearby places to enjoy the complete essence of the region: Bailadila (about 23 km.): This mountain range is popularly known for its finest quality iron ore deposits. Tourists can visit Kailash Nagar, a peak of Bailadila range where rare and wonderful deposits of “blue dust” is seen. It is actually the blue coloured iron ore. Memory Pillars of Gamawada (about 7 km.): These massive pillars stand on the way to Bacheli. Erected by the local tribes, these are dedicated to their ailing elders and relatives. Barsur (about 43 km.): Located on the bank of River Indrawati, it is known for the ruins of numerous temples. Some notable ones include Mama-Bhanjaa Temple, Battisa Temple, Chandraditya Temple and a huge statue of Lord Ganesha.