CHHATTISGARH
Introduction
State Name: Chhattisgarh
Formation: 1 November 2000 (Carved out of Madhya Pradesh)
Capital: Raipur
Largest City: Raipur
Official Language: Hindi
Additional Official Language: Chhattisgarhi
State Day: 1 November
Nickname: Rice Bowl of Central India
State Symbols
State Animal: Wild Water Buffalo
State Bird: Hill Myna (State Bird of Chhattisgarh)
State Tree: Sal
State Flower: Lady's Slipper Orchid
Geography
Area: 135,192 sq. km
Population (2011 Census): 2.55 Crore
Literacy Rate: 70.28%
Forest Cover: Approximately 44% of the state's geographical area
Highest Peak: Gaurlata (Mainpat Hills region)
Borders
North: Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand
North-East: Odisha
East: Odisha
South: Telangana
South-West: Maharashtra
West: Madhya Pradesh
Administrative Setup
Districts: 33
Divisions: 5
Major Cities
- Raipur
- Bilaspur
- Durg
- Bhilai
- Korba
- Jagdalpur
- Raigarh
- Ambikapur
- Dhamtari
- Rajnandgaon
Constitutional & Political Setup (2026)
Governor: Ramen Deka
Chief Minister: Vishnu Deo Sai
Deputy Chief Ministers:
- Arun Sao
- Vijay Sharma
Major Cabinet Ministers (2026)
Chief Minister: Vishnu Deo Sai
Deputy Chief Minister (Urban Administration & Public Works): Arun Sao
Deputy Chief Minister (Home): Vijay Sharma
Finance: O. P. Choudhary
Agriculture: Ramvichar Netam
Health: Shyam Bihari Jaiswal
School Education: Brijmohan Agrawal
Legislature
Lok Sabha Seats: 11
Rajya Sabha Seats: 5
Legislative Assembly: 90 Seats
Legislative Council: None
High Court
High Court: High Court of Chhattisgarh
Seat: Bilaspur
Established: 2000
Economy
Major Industries
- Steel
- Iron Ore
- Coal Mining
- Power Generation
- Cement
- Aluminium
- Rice Processing
- Forest-Based Industries
Major Crops
- Rice
- Maize
- Wheat
- Pulses
- Oilseeds
- Millets
Major Minerals
- Coal
- Iron Ore
- Bauxite
- Limestone
- Dolomite
- Tin Ore
- Diamond (limited deposits)
National Parks & Wildlife
- Indravati National Park
- Kanger Valley National Park
- Guru Ghasidas National Park
- Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve
- Achanakmar Tiger Reserve
- Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
None at present
Major Rivers
- Mahanadi
- Indravati
- Shivnath
- Hasdeo
- Arpa
- Kelo
- Pairi
Important Dams
- Gangrel Dam
- Minimata (Hasdeo Bango) Dam
- Dudhawa Dam
Waterfalls
- Chitrakote Falls (Niagara of India)
- Tirathgarh Falls
- Amrit Dhara Falls
Mountains & Hills
- Maikal Hills
- Mainpat Plateau
- Bailadila Hills
Transport
Airports
- Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur
- Bilaspur Airport
- Jagdalpur Airport
National Highways
- NH-30
- NH-53
- NH-130
Major Educational Institutions
- AIIMS Raipur
- NIT Raipur
- IIT Bhilai
- Hidayatullah National Law University
- Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya
- Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
Ancient Dynasties
Nala Dynasty
Sharabhapuriya Dynasty
Panduvamshi Dynasty
Kalachuri Dynasty (Ratanpur)
Haihaya Dynasty
Freedom Fighters & Famous Personalities
- Veer Narayan Singh
- Guru Ghasidas
- Minimata
- Pt. Sundarlal Sharma
- Habib Tanvir
- Teejan Bai
Art & Culture
Folk Dances
- Panthi
- Raut Nacha
- Karma
- Sua Dance
Handicrafts
- Bell Metal (Dhokra Art)
- Bastar Iron Craft
- Bamboo Craft
- Terracotta
Festivals
- Bastar Dussehra
- Madai Festival
- Hareli
- Pola
- Teeja
- Goncha Festival
Cuisine
- Chila
- Faraa
- Angakar Roti
- Dubki Kadhi
- Bafauri
- Dehrori
Famous Tourist Places
- Chitrakote Falls
- Tirathgarh Falls
- Kanger Valley National Park
- Bastar
- Bhoramdeo Temple
- Sirpur
- Dongargarh
- Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary
- Mainpat
- Rajim
Chhattisgarh is Famous For
- Rice Bowl of Central India
- Bastar Dussehra
- Chitrakote Falls
- Kanger Valley National Park
- Wild Water Buffalo
- Dense Forests
- Tribal Culture
- Bell Metal (Dhokra) Art
- Bastar Iron Craft
- Coal Reserves
- Iron Ore Production
- Steel Industry
- Tin Ore (India's only significant producer)
- Bamboo Handicrafts
- Sal Forests
- Sirpur Archaeological Site
- Bhoramdeo Temple
- Mainpat (Mini Tibet of Chhattisgarh)
- Tendu Leaves
- Kosa Silk
GI Tagged Products
- Bastar Dhokra
- Bastar Iron Craft
- Bastar Wooden Craft
- Jeeraphool Rice
- Nagri Dubraj Rice
Lesser-Known Facts
- Chhattisgarh is India's only significant producer of tin ore.
- It is known as the Rice Bowl of Central India due to its large rice production.
- Bastar Dussehra is the world's longest Dussehra festival, celebrated for about 75 days.
- Chitrakote Falls is called the Niagara Falls of India.
- Mainpat is popularly known as the Mini Tibet of Chhattisgarh.
- Sirpur was an important centre of Buddhism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism.
- Nearly one-third of the state's population belongs to Scheduled Tribes.
- Chhattisgarh has one of India's richest reserves of coal and iron ore.
- The state is famous for Kosa Silk and Dhokra metal craft.
- Bastar is one of India's most culturally rich tribal regions.
Important Historical Timeline
4th–8th Century: Rule of the Nala and Panduvamshi dynasties.
10th–18th Century: Kalachuri rulers governed large parts of the region.
1 November 2000: Chhattisgarh became the 26th state of India.
2023: Vishnu Deo Sai became Chief Minister.
One-Liner Facts
Capital: Raipur
Largest City: Raipur
State Animal: Wild Water Buffalo
State Bird: Hill Myna
State Tree: Sal
State Flower: Lady's Slipper Orchid
Highest Peak: Gaurlata
Largest River: Mahanadi
Lok Sabha Seats: 11
Rajya Sabha Seats: 5
Legislative Assembly: 90 Members
Governor (2026): Ramen Deka
Chief Minister (2026): Vishnu Deo Sai
High Court: Bilaspur
Famous Festival: Bastar Dussehra
Famous Waterfall: Chitrakote Falls
Major National Park: Kanger Valley National Park
Major GI Products: Bastar Dhokra, Bastar Iron Craft, Jeeraphool Rice
Known As: Rice Bowl of Central India and the Tribal Heartland of India
