Dantewada District is situated in the southern Bastar region of
Chhattisgarh and is surrounded by the states of
Maharashtra in the west,
Orissa in the east and
Andhra Pradesh in the south. The district derives its name from the capital town
Dantewada, named after the presiding deity of the town ‘Ma Danteshwari’. Ma Danteshwari is the most revered and worshipped Goddess by the people living in Dantewada. It covers an area of 15,610 sq km and has a population of 700,000. The major rivers are the Indravati,
Godavari and Shabhari.
Dantewada is inhabited by several tribal groups, out of which three are found widely, namely Muriyas / Dandami Mariyas or Gonds, Dorli, and Halba. The main dialects are Halbi, Bhatri, Gondi, Parji, Dharvi, Dorli, and Aboojhmarhi. The major occupations include farming, poultry farming, and animal husbandry.
The tribes celebrate different fairs and festivals round the year. The folk songs include Leja, Mario, Sona, Dhankul Geet, Chait Parab Geet, Kotni and Jhaliyana Geet. The tribes are excellent artisans; they are experts in creating artistic items with clay, stone, bamboo and metals.
Surrounded by hilly tracks, valleys, numerous brooks and rivers, lush green and virgin forests, Dantewada is a paradise to the lovers of nature. It is also home to different species of wildlife such as the Tiger, Leopard, Deer, and Bison. The major tourist destinations are the Danteshwari Temple, Bailadila, Barsur, Bodhghat Sath Dhar, and Memory Pillars of Gamawada.
