More details of Bastar.
Even though surrounded by 3 different states namely Maharashtra, Andhra and Orissa along with district Bastar, Dantewada has its own separate identity. In spite of the influence of its neighbours in living, eating & drinking, dressing, speaking, Ornamentation, Folk Art, Folk Literature; the cultural identity of the tribes of Dantewada is safe & secure.
Dantewada is inhabited by several tribal groups, out of which three particular tribes are found widely in the district namely Muriyas/Dandami Mariyas or Gonds, Dorla, Halba.
Mortality rate: Mortality rate was very high up-to 1981, thereafter the tribes which are still in the wild are bond to inherit the traditional medicine and the ‘BAIGA’ treatment where a person male or female is expected to be god gifted with the art form of curing the diseased and with enchantment of some foreign element of ‘Pisach’ or ‘Booth’. Mainly the treatment is through herbs and some enchantment of ‘mantras’. As the habit of intoxication starts very early for both man and women there they die of ill food habits. Although the normal age of death range between 50-60 years for man and 45-55 for women.
Child birth: This has been the normal for any women to give birth to children every year, thus one normal lady can give birth up-to 20-25 children in her life but among them only 5-6 i.e. 40% survive due to ill living conditions and less knowledge of the
Food Habits ~The tribes of Dantewada are mainly non-vegetarians, they habitually take liquor, paje (a non-toxic liquid preparation made from water and small amount of cooked rice), Sulphi (Intoxic liquor collected from a tall palm like tree), Landa (a toxic liquid preparation made from water, Madiya, Rice & Corn). Kosra (a kind of grain like rice), rice, Madiya are their main food grains.
The tribes of Dantewada wear very limited clothes, The Tribal ladies decorate themselves with Khosa (beautiful lock of braid), Khinwa in ears (Ear tops), Phuli on Nose (a hanging ring type ornament made with gold or silver). The tribal ladies embellish their neck with Garland of Karipot (Black Pearl), Chapsari (a heavy necklace), Muhar Mala (A garland made with coins).They also wear Chude, Chudiya (bangles) made from Gold, Silver, Brass, Alluminium, Clay, Lead & Wood. They tattoo their skins with different designs.
Like all the tribes of India the tribes of Dantewada too believe in Gods and Goddesses, Jhad Phook (Practice of Occult arts, Exorcism), Bhooth-Preth (Evil Spirits), Jadu-Tona (Black Magic, Sorcery or Obeahism), Sirha-Guniya (Sirha is the person who invites the holy spirits upon his own self and then treats the sufferers, Guniya is the perosn who assists Sirha and treats his clients with Tantra-Mantra (incantation) apart from mediating between Sirha & the sufferers), Panjiyan-Perma (Panjiya is the one who forecasts and Perma is the elder person of the village who is obeyed by all the villagers and who guides them in different rituals and worship).
Tribes of Dantewada celebrate different fairs and festivals round the year which include the major festivals of Hindus like Diwali, Holi,Dashehra,Goncha (The Rath Utsav), Fagun etc. and their own festivals called as Pandum. Pandums are observed by the tribes at different occasions, a brief description of some major Pandums is shown below:-
Festivals
S.No
Pandum Festival
Occassion
Month
1
Vijja Pandum
To worship Earth and seeds of Paddy and to go for hunting which they call Veta
April
2
Ama Pandum
To Worship God Ama before eating Mangoes for the first time in an year
May
3
Pane Pandum
Before Sowing Paddy Seeds
May
4
Dela Pandum
After completing the plough related activities in the fields
June
5
Podla Pandum
To drive out all diseases of crops
August
6
Amus
After completion of Paddy Sowing
August
7
Chikma
To Start eating the new crops of vegetables etc
September
8
Karta
To start eating new Rice
October
9
Pane Pandum
Thanks giving for all new crops
November
10
Gadi Pandum
Before picking up Mahua flower (Mahua-bassia ormadhuka latifolia)
February
Marriage forms: Different types of marriages are prevailing in the Tribal society of Dantewada, they are Mangni Vivah (Arranged Marriage), Bahu-Vivah (Polygamy), Vridh Vivah (Old Marriage), Dharjiya Vivah (Inviting the male to become son-in-law, living and depending on the in-laws after marriage), Apharan-Vivah / Jikunanun (Kidnapping and marrying a girl without her consent). The elders of the bridegroom go to the girl’s place for seeking her hand for their boy, which is known as Mahla-Jane, and also bears the whole expenditure of marriage ceremony. There is a custom to celebrate Chatti (the 6th day’s celebration) on the occasion of the child’s birth. Dead bodies are mostly burnt but small children are buried, and there is also a custom of observing Sutak (temporarily separating one self from the normal social gatherings) after the death of the relatives.
The main occupations of the tribes of the district Dantewada are farming, Poultry Farming, Animal Husbandry. They also sell minor forest produces like leaves, fruits, Datun (Fibrous Twin, used as a tooth brush), fire wood, Basta (new infant root of Bamboo tree), Boda, Tikhur, Chati, Dhup, Chiraunji (a dry fruit), Fish, baskets, Soop (Handy gadget used for winnowing grains and like) made from Bamboo.
Their sources of entertainment are folk songs, dances & folk-dramas. The folk songs include Leja, Reelo, Mariro, Sona, Dhankul Geet, Chait Parab Geet, Kotni and Jhaliyana Geet, each of which differ from one another and are sung at different occasions. Similarly the types of dances they perform are Dandami-Maria, Gurgal, Karsad, Dandari, Gedi etc. and their main folk dramas are Giti, Bhatra, Dandari etc. Apart from these three types of amusements yet another powerful way of enjoying themselves is the Murga Ladai (the cock fight in which two cocks are fought with each other after fixing a sharp knife to their legs and betting on the cocks). Murga-Ladai is so famous in this area that scores of viewers can be found standing around the playground thoroughly enjoying the fight on any fair or weekly market day.
The tribes of Dantewada are excellent artisans; they are experts in crafting artistic items with Clay, Stone, Bamboo, and Metals. They express their deep talent and knowledge through, Gharhwa Art, Wooden Art, and the other crafts they prepare by using Shell & Peacock Feathers.
Their main dialects are Halbi, Bhatri, Gondi, Parji, Dharvi, Dorli, Aboojhmarhi, & Damdami etc.
Their principal deities are Danteshwari, Mawli Mata, Bhima Dev, Bhairam Dev, Ghat Dev, Aanga Dev, Seethla Devi. Apart from these deities, the tribes of Dantewada also worship the nature.
Bastar , the tribal district ,before splitting in to three districts ,was one of the largest district in India ,with an area of 39114 sq k.m ,which was even greater than the Kerala state and some other countries like Belgium,Israel etc.
In the year 1999 , the district Bastar has been divided into 3 districts namely Bastar,Kanker and Dantewada. All these 3 districts comes under Bastar Division with the divisional head quarter at Jagdalpur ,which is the district head quarter of Bastar district.
In the year 2000 ,Bastar became one of the 16 districts of the newly formed state Chhattisgarh, which was earlier in the state of Madhya Pradesh. 
The District Bastar is located in the southern part of Chhattisgarh and situated at a height of 2000 ft plateau from sea level .The borders of Bastar district are Kanker district in the north,Maharashtra State in the west , Dantewada district in the south and Orissa State in the east.The District head quarter Jagdalpur is situated approximately at a distance of 300 k.m from Raipur,which is the capital of Chhattisgarh state.
The beauty of Bastar district lies in its natural forest area and various types of tribals.The total forest area is 7112 sq k.m which is more than 75 % of the total area of the district .Of the total population more than 70 % are tribals like Gonds,Abhuj Maria,Darda Maria,Bison Horn Maria ,Munia Doria ,Dhruva,Bhatra ,Halba etc.
The largest and the most important river in Bastar district is the Indravati which has numerous tributaries, the largest being the Pamer Chinta. The Indravati River rises from Rampur Thuamul in the Orissa state and flowing through the Bastar division for about 240 miles and finally merges into the Godavari at Bhadrakali in Dantewada district.Owing to its rocky bed the river is not navigable except near its junction at Godavari.Neither the river nor its tributaries dry up in the hot season.
Sl No.
Item / Description
Total Items
Particulars
1
Geo Location
Longitude : 19 0 5'
Latitude : 82 0 1'
2
Area
8755.79 Sq. K.m
3
Population (As per 2001 Census)
1302253
Male
648068
Female
654185
Rural
1172265
Urban
129988
4
Literacy Rate
45.48%
Male- 57.09% Female- 33.97%
5
No. of Tehsils
4
1. Jagdalpur 2. Kondagaon
3. Keshkal 4. Narainpur
6
No. of Blocks (Janpad Panchayats)
14
Darbha Bastanar Lohandiguda Bakawand Tokapal Jagdalpur Bastar
Kondagaon Makdi Pharasgaon Keshkal Baderajpur Orchha Narainpur
7
No. of Towns
2
1. Jagdalpur 2. Kondagaon
8
No. of Muncipalities
2
1. Jagdalpur 2. Kondagaon
9
No. of Gram Panchayats
585
10
No. of Villages
1343
Revenue
1239
Forest
83
Un-inhabited
21
11
Constituencies
1.Keshkal
5.Keshlur
Assembly
7
2.Kondagaon
6.Chitrakoot
(All S.T)
3.Bhanpuri
7..Narainpur
4.Jagdalpur
Parliamentary
1
Bastar (ST)
12
No. of Police Stations
20
Police Chowki
6
13
Post Offices
Main Head Post Office, Jagdalpur
Head Post Office
1
Sub - Post Offices
19
Branch Offices
234
14
Health
Main Hospitals
Allopathic Hospitals
4
Maharani Govt. Hospial Jagdalpur.
Primary Health Centres
64
Sub Health Centres
317
15
Electrification
Villages Electrified
1326
Single Connections
45405
16
Education
Jr.Primary Schools
290
Primary Schools
Tribal Dept.
932
Education Dept.
541
Middle Schools
Tribal Dept.
258
Education Dept.
65
High Schools
Tribal Dept.
56
Education Dept.
2
Higher Secondary
4
Tribal Dept.
2
Education Dept.
1
Central School
2
Main Private Schools
Kumara Para , Jagdalpur.
1.Nirmal Vidhyalaya Higher Secondary (English Medium) School ,Jagdalpur.
2.Maharshi Vidhyamandir Higher Secondary School, Jagdalpur
Colleges
3
1.Govt P.G College, Dharampura, Jagdalpur.
Govt colleges
2.Govt. Danteshwari P.G (Girls) College ,Church Road, Jagdalpur.
3.Govt Degree College , Kondagaon.
Law College
1
1.Govt Law College (Evening) , Jagdalpur.
Technical Colleges
Engineering College
1
Govt Engineering College , Dharampura , Jagdalpur.
Poly Technic
1
Govt women Poly Technic , Dharampura , Jagdalpur
I.T.I
2
Govt I.T.I , Bastar, Jagdalpur
Govt I.T.I , Keshkal
