Bastar Region

The Bastar region is a largely forested area of southern Chhattisgarh, centred on the town of Jagdalpur, and home to Gond communities such as the Muria, Maria and Dhurwa, as well as the Halba and Bhatra. Bastar's culture, crafts and festivals are distinct from the rest of central India, and the region holds some of the country's most striking waterfalls and limestone caves.

Bastar was a princely state until 1948, ruled from Jagdalpur, and its guardian goddess is Danteshwari, whose main temple stands at Dantewada. Bastar Dussehra, held in Jagdalpur, runs for about 75 days, far longer than Dussehra anywhere else, and centres on the goddess and a huge wooden chariot rather than on the Ramayana. Bastar is also known for dhokra, lost wax brass casting, along with wrought iron work and terracotta. Parts of the wider region have been affected by Maoist insurgency, so travellers stay on the established circuit around Jagdalpur and follow local advice.

What to see

• Chitrakote and Tirathgarh waterfalls
• Kanger Valley National Park and its limestone caves, including Kutumsar
• Weekly haats, where villagers trade forest produce, cloth and livestock
• Dhokra and wrought iron workshops in villages near Kondagaon
• The Danteshwari Temple in Jagdalpur and the larger one at Dantewada
• The Anthropological Museum in Jagdalpur

What to wear

Bastar is warm most of the year, with heavy rain from June to September, so pack light cotton, a rain jacket and closed shoes for caves, forest paths and slippery falls. Cover shoulders and knees in villages and temples, and remove shoes at shrines. Ask before photographing people, especially at haats. Traditional dress among Bastar's tribal communities includes short-draped cotton sarees, bead necklaces and brass ornaments, and feathered headdresses worn by Maria dancers at festivals.

Local food to try

Bastar's cooking uses what the forest gives. Try chapda, a chutney of red ants and their eggs; mushrooms and bamboo shoots in the rains; and salphi, the fresh sap of the sago palm. Mahua flowers are made into sweets and liquor, and rice beer called landa is common in villages. Chhattisgarhi staples such as chila, fara and aamat, a sour vegetable curry, are served in Jagdalpur's local restaurants.

Good to know

• Best time: October to February; July to August for full waterfalls
• Hours: towns and haats keep daylight hours; the Kanger caves close in the monsoon
• Entry: no fee for the region; national park and cave tickets are separate
• Allow 3 to 4 days based in Jagdalpur
• Getting there: Jagdalpur has a small airport; Raipur is about 300 km north by road
• Hire a local guide and check security advice before travelling off the main routes

Nearby places

Chitrakote Falls is the region's best-known sight, about 40 km from Jagdalpur. Sirpur near Raipur, 330 km north, makes a good heritage stop on the way in or out, and Araku Valley lies several hours east across the Andhra Pradesh border.