Chhattisgarh Tourism

Chhattisgarh state has a curious admixture of rich history, natural beauty and popular culture. The infinite and unexplored treasures of the state have immense potential for business investment and destination development
The state is endowed with rich cultural heritage and is a home of some of India’s ancient caves, waterfalls, temples, Buddhist sites, rock paintings, Wildlife and hill plateaus. Chhattisgarh Tourism Board has won National Tourism Award 2012-13 and CNBC Travel Award 2015 as the “Emerging Tourism State.
Chhattisgarh is also a home to some of India’s most ancient people; the tribal population of the state is 32 percent where each tribe here has its own distinctive culture. The pristine natural setting and the tribal heritage offers enormous opportunities for Eco - Ethno tourism, Adventure tourism and Cultural tourism.
The remarkable features of Chhattisgarh include its various historical and archaeological attractions. The most prominent among them are the Buddhist sites of Sirpur, Malhar and Mainpat which has already created a niche for itself on a wider Buddhist circuit of India. The excavations here have yielded extensive ruins of ancient structures scattered over a vast area which is four times bigger than that of Nalanda. Among the numerous temples and Buddhist monasteries (viharas), the most notable are the Lakshman Temple, Gandheshwar Temple, Anandprabhu Kutir Vihara and Swastika Vihara.
Excavations at Sirpur in Chhattisgarh have yielded extensive ruins of ancient structures linked to Buddhist faiths. Sirpur was visited by the Dalai Lama on a 3 days visit to the state in the year 2013 and 2014. One of the quotes by the Dalai Lama during his visit was “Really amazing, the history of Sirpur is glorious. I am now carrying the memories of Lord Buddha from here”
Chhhattisgarh Tourism Board organises Sirpur National Dance and Music Festival every year in the month of January wherein Lakshman temple presents a perfect backdrop for the performances by renowned artists such as Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia (flute), Padma Bhushan Pt.Chhannulal Mishra (thumari,kajari,etc), Padma Shri Madhavi Mudgal (Odissi dance), Padma Shri Prahlad Singh Tipaniya (Kabir panthi and Nirguni songs).
Chhattisgarh has longest running Dussehra of our country. To experience this vibrant repertoire of tribal traditions, music and dance for 75 days, a visit to Bastar is a must. Bastar is a kingdom of rare flora and fauna, rich deciduous forests, bewitching waterfalls and caves and enchanting tribal culture