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About Chhattisgarh
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Culture of Chhattisgarh


Dances of Chhattisgarh

Panthi Dance

The Panthi dance is usually organised in the rural areas on the occasions of marriage and some other auspicious occasions. Panthi dance is specially organised on the occasion of Chhattisgarh's respected saint guru Ghasidas's birth anniversary. The dancers themselves sing and dance together. It is basically a devotional dance that gets the audience engross into devotion. All the dancers perform around a circle after establishing "Jaitkham".

Raut Nacha 

A traditional folk dance usually done by yadavs/yaduvanshis as symbol of worship to Krishna. Done at the time of 'dev udhni ekadashi' (time of awakening of Gods after brief rest) according to Hindu Panchang (calendar). The dance is a close resemblance of Krishna's raas leela with gopis.

Crafts of Chhattisgarh


Wood Crafts

 This is one of the most famous ,beautiful and unique art of wooden carving of Bastar tribals. These wooden crafts are made out of the finest teak wood and white wood.These wooden crafts includes models, Idols, wall panels, furniture items etc. Among the furniture items Deewan(Cot with  box) is very famous and attractive since it involves the art of carving with different pictures of Bastar culture and other designs of interest.These handicrafts are generally exported to different places of the country, and it has demand even from foreign countries also.


The tribals of Bastar are excellent in making handi crafts of Terracota items which is made of the finest  bed clay of  river Indravati.This terrakota items includes elephents, tigers, deer, horses, table lamps etc.

Bamboo Crafts

Bastar triblas specilizes in Bamboo Crafts which includes the products like wall hangings, table lamps, table mats etc .

Bell Metals

The Bastar tribals are famous in making bell metal arts which are crafted by hand through the vanishing wax technique. These handicrafts include items like elephent, deer, horses etc., of various sizes

Wrought Iron

It is an indegenious Bastar tribal craft made by black smiths .

Cotton Fabrics

Cotton Fabrics are one of  the famous and attractive handicrafts made by the tribals of Bastar. These are made of Kosa thread which is made from a kind of worm found in the forest, handwoven and handprinted by tribes  who trace their lineage to the 14th centuary weaver-saint-poet Kabir. The handprinting is generally done with the natural vegetable dye extracted from aal , found in the forest of Bastar. These fabrics include cotton saris - well-known as Bastar Kosa Sad , dress materials and drapes.

People of Chhattisgarh


 The Gonds are one of the most famous and important tribes in India, known for their unique customs and traditions. They are mainly a nomadic tribe and call themselves as Koytoria. The term 'Gond' is derived from the Telugu word 'Konda' which means hill. The Gonds are predominantly Hindus and like to live in groups in small villages. The main language of the Gonds is Gondi but about half of Gond populations also speak Indo-Aryan dialects including Hindi. The Gonds are traditionally agriculturalists and some practice shifting cultivation even today. Other major activities of Gonds include collecting forest produce, fishing, hunting, forging metal goods in cottage industries and other primary sector activities.


Abhuj Maria

 Predominantly found in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, the Abhuj Maria tribes are one of the major sub-castes of the Gonds. Known with various names such as Abudjamadis, Abujmariya and Hill Maria, these tribes mainly live in the deep interiors of forests in Narayanpur Tehsil of Bastar districts. They speak a Dravidian language called Abujmaria. The Abhuj Maria are mainly semi-nomadic farmers practicing shifting cultivation method of agriculture. After cultivating an area for two to three years, they abandon the land and move to a much fertile location. The primary activities of Abhuj Marias are agriculture, hunting, and gathering the fruits of the forests. They protect the tigers from poachers, which is highly honored and feared among these tribals. Women of the Abhuj Marias love to wear several iron rings, sometimes as many as 20 round their necks. The Abhuj Marias worship the local village deity 'Kaksar' and dance for blessings for reaping a good harvest. Kaksar is a group dance, performed by young boys and girls, dressed in their best.


BisonHorn Maria

 Primarily found in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, the BisonHorn Marias tribes are another major sub-castes of the Gonds. They mainly reside in Jagdalpur Tehsil of Chhattisgarh, south of Indravati River. Like Abhuj Marias these tribes also like to live in isolation into deep interiors of forests and avoid contacts from outside world. The majority of BisonHorn Marias speak various  dialects of Gondi. They also practice shifting cultivation method of agriculture and collect forest produce for survival.



 Murias, another major sub-castes of the Gonds, are found in the Narayanpur and Kondagaon Tehsils of Bastar district. They survive on agriculture and collection of minor forest produces.


The Halbaas are one of the major tribes found in central India.  The name 'Halbaa' has been derived from the Hindi word 'Hal', the plough, which goes on to prove that they are primarily agriculturists. Other major activities of Halbaas are collecting fruits and other forest goods and iron working.

Halbaas can be divided into three major types - Chhatisgarhia, Marathia and Bastaria. Also, the Bastaria Halbaas (Halbaas of Bastar district) enjoy great similarities with the tribals of the Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh. Halbaas are comparatively more developed and rich tribal groups in the region mainly due to the fact that they practice sedentary farming. Halbaas speak a dialect, which is a raw blend of three main languages in the region- Marathi, Oriya and Chhattisgarhi.


 The Bhatras are one of the major tribal groups of the Chhattisgarh found mostly in Bastar and Raipur divisions of the state. Bhatras have three sub-groups - Pit, Amnet and Sebhatra.


The Dhurvaas are one of the most important tribal groups in Bastar district. The primary activities of Dhurvaas mainly include agriculture, hunting, crafts with cane and gathering minor forest products.





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