HISTORY OF  BASTAR:-

 

                                               A young Pravir chandra bhanjdeo in London 
The early history of the Bastar State is obscure and it appears that the central part of the Bastar State formed in the 11 th century by the kingdom of the Nagavanshi family who had their capital at Barsur .Their Kingdom was known as 'Chakrakot'.This Kingdom subsequently formed part of the Warangal Kingdom of the Kakatiya dynasty. 
The Bastar Raj family claims its descent from the Pandu king ,Birbhadra of Delhi who was granted by the family goddess Dillishwari  an arrow as his weapon of war .This Birbhadra subsequently moved to Mathura where he received a trident from the goddess Bhuwaneshwari .Then he moved on to Jeypur (Orissa) with the family goddess.Later on they settled at Warangal with Manikya Devi (or Danteshwari as she is called in the Bastar inscriptions),their family goddess, who granted them a sword when they moved into Bastar.All these weapons are still in existance and are even now worshipped.

 

                                                                 Pravir chandra bhanjdeo 
                          The Kakatiyas were great patrons of learning and the great commentator Mallinath flourished under their patronage.The great Kakatiya King Pratap Rudra's brother , Annam Deo , left Warangal and established his kingdom at Bastar,after 1424 A.D.After Annam Deo ,Hamir Deo had been succeeded and then Pratap Raj Deo .The Pratap Raj Deo is said to have conquered 18 forts around Dongar and assigned them to his younger brother as a maintenance grant.It seems that within three generations of this event the Bastar branch of the family became extinct ,and then after both Donger and Bastar came under Rajpal Deo. 

                                                                Pravir chandra bhanjdeo 
Rajpal Deo had two Ranis (wives) ,Baghelin and Chandelin.By the first he had a son named Dakhin Singh and by the second two sons namely Dalpat Deo and Pratap Singh.The Baghelin Rani was very jealous of her Co-Rani and her sons.When Rajpal Deo died ,she managed to place her brother on the throne and there by ousting the legitimate claiment Dalpat Deo ,who had to leave Bastar for the time being and take shelter in the Jeypore Kingdom.Subsequently he managed to win over the Bastar Court people to his side and with their help he occupied the Bastar throne.
                          Dalpat Deo had seven Ranis .By the senior rani , a Kanker princess , he had a son named Ajmer Singh .Later on Dalpat Deo shifted his capital to Jagdalpur which has since then become the head quarters town of Bastar State.After the death of Dalpat Deo ,Daryao Deo , his son of second Rani , occupied the throne of Bastar by ousting the Ajmer Singh.But later Ajmer Singh secured the throne .But he had ruled only for two years , when Daryao Deo with the help of Raja of Jeypore , ousted him.He also received assistance from the ruler of Raipur ,then a part of Nagpur Territory, for which he had to pay a yearly tribute.

Palace of  Bastar  Rajas' at  Jagdalpur 

       After the death of Daryao Deo, his eldest son Mahipal Deo succeeded the throne of Bastar, and then after his death ,Bhopal Deo succeeded.Bhairam Deo was the next successor .He seems to have been unfortunate in his Dewan and a disturbance occured in which some Murias tribals were shot.This lead to the Raja being besieged by his subjects in 1876 A.D.In 1883 A.D ,Colonel Ward held an enquiry into the administration and it was arranged that Lal Kalindar Singh should be Dewan , assisted by a Tehsildar in government service.This arrangement however broke down.The Raja was alleged to have permitted a human sacrifice to take place and was removed from the state while enquiries were made.The charge was not proved and he was allowed to return in 1886 , but an Extra Assistant Commissioner was appointed Diwan and made responsible for the administration of state affairs.The Raja being unable to over rule him without the approval of the higher authorities .
                            Bhairam Deo died in 1891 , leaving a minor son Rudrapratap Deo .During his minority the state was managed by government until January 1908 when the young Raja was installed as Feudatory Chief of Bastar.In 1910 a  tribal revolt was occured against the Diwan and British government who ruled over the state.Raja Rudrapratap Deo died in 1921 and his daughter Praphul Kumari Devi ascended the throne in 1922.Later in 1927, she was married to Praphul KumarBhanj Deo,who belonged to the royal family Mayurbhanj of Orissa.Praphul Kumari Devi died in 1936 in London and her elder son Maharaja Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo 'Kakatiya'ascended the throne in 1936 at a minor age.The famous Maharani hospital at Jagdalur was built in memory of Maharani Praphul Kumari Devi in 1937.Later in 1941, the Air strip had been made at Jagdalpur.One bridge was also constructed during this time over river indravati.In 1948, Bastar state has been merged in Indian Union.

The History of Danteshwari Temple

 In ancient days when Bastar area was famous by the name of Chakrakot, present Dantewada region was known as Tarlapal. The kings of Chalukya Dynasty made Barsur their capital and ruled this region; in course of time they transferred their thrown to Dantewada. Along with Chalukya Kings their ancestral deity of Warangal also came and got established in a temple as Danteshwari near the confluence of Dankini and Shankini rivers and thus this place is called Dantewada.

It is believed that Danteshwari of Chalukya kings is the changed name of Manikeshwari of the kings of Naga Dynasty, who ruled this region earlier to Chalukyas. Chalukya Kings had the temple constructed during fourteenth century.  

According to a prevalent myth in connection with Danteshwari, due to an insult committed by her father Prajapati Daksha towards her consort Lord Shiva during a Yaggya, Goddess Sati got frustrated and committed self-immolation in the fire pit of yaggya. Lord Vishnu cut the dead body of Goddess Sati into pieces with his Sudarshan to make Lord Shiva free from the grief caused by the death of Sati. Parts of the dead body of Goddess Sati were scattered to fifty-two different places, which were consecrated as Shakti Pithas by different names. It is believed that a tooth of Sati had fallen here and Danteshwari Shaktipith was established.

Resurrection of the present construction of temple was done before Independence of India. The temple is divided into four parts such as Garbh Griha, Maha Mandap, Mukhya Mandap and Sabha Mandap. Garbha Griha and Maha Mandap were constructed with stone pieces. It is said that several statues were brought from Barsur and were established here. A Garud Pillar has been erected in front of entrance of the temple, which was brought from the temple of Barsur.

Chalukya rulers were the dedicated devotees of Danteshwari. Whenever they came from Bastar to obtain a glimpse of goddess, a village was offered to the name of goddess. The number of these villages, thus became as much as one hundred and forty four by 1909, it has become a Mukasha or Maphi Jagir (estate, received from a ruler as a gift or reward). Temple’s management was done by the Zia family and followers of this family have been performing the worship  hereditarily till today.

Affectionately known as Maiji among her millions of devotees  both tribal and non-tribal, Danteshwari has become a living Shakti Pith in the form of deity, faith and belief.

बस्तर विलाप

बस्तर विलाप

अबोधें की मां, प्रकृति की मां 

माँ  दंतेश्वरी

एक ही पुकार, आती हजारों बार

मां तेरें सीने से बहती इंद्रावती,शबरी

देती हमें आनंद, संतोष और शक्ति

मां हम तेरे बच्चे, नतमस्तक हमेशा

मां सरपर धारे है सोने की खान

चरणें पर खनिजों का अंबार

हाथों से करती है हमें प्यार

गोद पर बैठे हम

सुरक्षित सुखी है हमारा संसार

अबूझमाड हमेशा अबूझ रहा

क्योंकि बूझ सकने वाले अबूझ रहे

और सदीयों पुरानी मनोरंजन प्रथा महफूज रही

मानवों जानवरों की लडाई के चरम का

आनंद आदत बन गया

प्रोजेक्ट टाइगर की तरह

प्रोजेक्ट ट्राईब यानि आदिवासी अभ्यारण बना दिया

साजिश ही उन माटीपुत्रों के प्रति

जो अपने और उनके बीच समय का अंतराल पैदा किया

अबूझमाड अबूझ ही है

‘राह बताओ’ पहेली की तरह

असंख्य राहें हैं

पर कौन सी है उन तक नही पता

हम हैं आदिपुत्र हम हें वनपुत्र

हम हैं माटीपुत्र हम हैं वादीपुत्र

पर अभी भी नही है ये सब हमारा

हम उनसे हैं

हमारे हाथों की काष्ठ कला निष्प्राण हो चली हे

क्योंकि उसकी प्राणवायु नही है हमारी

जिस संस्कृति के नाम पर हमारा संरक्षण किया

उस पर भी नजर लग गई

वस्त्रहीनता अशिक्षा मद्यपान

हमारी संस्कृति के द्योतक बने

जैसे ही शहर के आसमान मे हेलीकाप्टर की आवाज गूंजती है

दिल रोता है और रूह अंदर तक कंाप उठती है

दूर कंही नव विधवा के रोने की आवाज आती है

टूटती चूड़ियाँ दिमाग की नसों को हिलाती है

चारों ओर अनिश्चित भविष्य की परछाइयां लहराती हैं

सरकारी रजिस्टर मे शहीदों की संख्या और बढ जाती है

अनिश्चित भविष्य मे निश्चिंतता का सपना बुनना

और अपने लिये अकाल मौत चुनना

अंधें को राह दिखाना बहरो कां समझाना

बहुत मुश्किल है भटको को घर पहुंचाना

जनता की मजबूरी है सलवा जुडूम

क्रोध मे बने हैं अग्नि से ज्वाला..........

Places of Interest

Barsoor : -   75 KMs from Jagdalpur on the way to Dantewada a small town Geedam is situated, 24 KMs towards North of Geedam village Barsur is located. The small sleepy village Barsur happened to be the thrown of power during the tenure of the Gangawanshi rulers in as early as 840 A.D. Barsur, situated on the bank of river Indrawati is famously known as the city of temples and ponds. It is believed that there used to be 147 temples and equal number of ponds here in the towering days of Barsur. Even though Barsur had lost its glory gradually century after century, the ruins of numerous temples that are found here will still manage to attract the attention of the people. Some of the temples worth mentioning are Mama-Bhanjaa temple, Chandraditya temple, Battisa temple and a mammoth statue of Lord Ganesha. Apart from these temples one vast pond of pre-historical days is worth visiting.

Bodhghat Sath Dhar : -  6 KMs from Barsur, river Indravati divides into 7 parts to form one small waterfall.  This spot, fully covered with dense green forests stands to explain the beauty of the combination of the river, water and the mountains. With all its beauty and peaceful locality Sath Dhar is an idle picnic spot.

DANTEWADA PARK

Ganesh Temple Barsoor