Product Code Database
Uttar Bastar Kanker District is located in the southern region of the state of Chhattisgarh, India within the latitudes 20.6-20.24 and longitudes 80.48-81.48. The total area of the district is 6432 square kilometers. The population is 748,941.
The district's headquarters, Kanker town, is situated on the National Highway 30 almost halfway between Chhattisgarh's two major cities - Raipur, the state capital, and Jagdalpur, the headquarters of the neighbouring Bastar district.
In 106 AD, the Kanker state was under the rule of the Satvahana dynasty and the king was Satakarni, This fact is also described by Chinese visitor Whensaung. After Satvahana rule, the state was under the control of the Nags, Vakataka dynasty, Gupt, Nal and Chalukya dynasties. The Som dynasty was founded by the king Singh Raj, and this dynasty ruled the state from 1125 to 1344. After the downfall of the Som dynasty, Dharam Dev founded the Kandra dynasty which ruled the state up to 1385. After the downfall of the Kandra dynasty, the Chandra dynasty came. According to a myth, the first king of this dynasty was Veer Kanhar Dev. He ruled the state up to 1404. This dynasty ruled the state up to 1802. In more recent years, this district has been affected by violence from Naxalite groups (Indian Maoists).
The rule of Narhar Deo saw the construction of many buildings, including a palace near Gadiya Mountain, a printing press, a library, Radhakrishna Temple, Ramjanki Temple, Jagannath Temple and Balaji Temple. Narhar Deo made a plan termed 'Ratna Bhandar' for keeping grain in stock for his people. He established a new town named Narharpur near Kanker.
In 1904, Komal Dev became the king of Kanker. During his rule one English secondary school, one Girls school, and 15 primary Schools were established, as well as two hospitals: one in Kanker and the other in Sambalpur. He died on 8 January 1925. After his death, Bhanupratap Dev became the king. Bhanupratap Dev was the last king of Kanker before the Independence of India. After independence, he was elected twice as an MLA from Kanker constituency.
It is currently a part of the Red Corridor, the region in the eastern, central and the southern parts of India that experience considerable Naxalite–Maoist insurgency.
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 60.76% of the population in the district spoke Chhattisgarhi, 17.06% Gondi language, 13.10% Bengali language, 5.71% Hindi and 1.71% Halbi language as their first language.
The Mahanadi River, Doodh River, Hatkul River, Sondur River and Turu River all flow through small pockets of hills in the district.
The physical area of Kanker is heterogeneous and is a mix between flat land and undulating hills. Most of the land is between 300 and 600 meters above sea level, and about 80% of the area of Kanker is flat. These flat lands can be divided into two parts, the Mahanadi Plane and the Kotri Plane.
The northeastern part of Kanker is on the Mahanadi Plane. The majority of this plane lies at an elevation less than 500 meters above sea level. The main river in that area is the Mahanadi River. Hatkul, Chinar, Doodh, Sondur, Nakti, and Toori are the other rivers of the area. Bhanupratappur is located on the Kotri Plane. The majority of this plane lies at an elevation less than 400 meters above sea level. Korti and Valler are the main rivers of this area. The topography of Kanker district is also dotted with a multitude of hilly regions. These can be divided into the following three groups:
A. Vindhyana Hill Group: These hill groups are spread in the south eastern part of Kanker district, where the soil constitutes six phases of quartile and sand.
B. Archian Hill Groups: 95% of the area of Kanker is covered by Archian Hill Group. In this area, granite and gneiss rocks are spread over almost all the geographical area of the district.
C. Dharwar Hill Group: This hill group is very crude and broken in shape and form. These hills are spread all over the northern region of the district, in the areas close to Sambalpur and Bhanupratappur.
Within the district, the Kanker and Charama blocks have a predominantly dry climate, whereas that of Bhanupratappur is of the wet type.
A. Kanhar: This type of soil is black and oily. The capacity of water absorption by this soil is great, and this is very useful in growth of Kharif crop and Rabi crop crops in the region. This type of soil is found in the planes of Kotri and Mahanadi.
B. Dorsa: This type of soil is medium in nature and it is very similar to Matasi and Kanhar type soil. This type of soil is found in north east Kanker and in the Bhanupratappur region.
C. Matasi: This type of soil is found at an elevation higher than Kanhar and less than Bhata. This soil is appropriate for growing rice. This type of soil is found in most of the Kanker region.
D. Bhata: This soil-type is affected by a late rating process. It can be red or yellow, having a mixed shape/condition. This soil is found in uplands of the area. It is appropriate for the cultivation of crops like Millet, Kulthi, Maize and Kutki.
| + !Block !Tehsil !Important places | ||
| Kanker | Kanker | Kanker, Makdi |
| Charama | Charama | Charama, Lakhanpuri |
| Narharpur | Narharpur | Narharpur |
| Sarona | Sarona | |
| Bhanupratappur | Bhanupratappur | Bhanupratappur, Sambalpur, Korar, Kachche |
| Durgukondal | Durgukondal | Durgukondal, Kodekurse |
| Antagarh | Antagarh | Antagarh |
| Amabeda | Amabeda | |
| Koyalibeda | Koyalibeda | Koyalibeda |
| Pakhanjore | Pakhanjore, Kapsi, Badgaon | |
| Bande | Bande |
About half of rural Kanker is below the poverty line, according to official estimates. The entire district is drought prone. Over 80 percent of the working population is already dependent on marginal agriculture and allied activities, with low incomes and stagnant productivity. Thus, in addition to providing a livelihood for the unemployed, it is a challenge to make the existing the livelihoods of the nearly 295,000 (2.95 lakh) workers more productive. This would be beneficial, since persons engaged in agriculture could then earn an adequate income to meet their basic needs. Thus, the only feasible option in the short to medium run is to increase employment in the main livelihood sector, which is agriculture. Diversification, intensification and stabilisation of agriculture are at the core of the challenge of livelihood promotion in the district.
Black and white granite is plentiful in the district, where it is used as a building material. In the Markatola and in Barchhegondi region aluminium-bearing Sillimanite/Kinite deposits have been identified. Some deposits of gold have been found in Sona Dehi, Michgaon and in certain other regions of Bhanupratappur Tehsil. At present some bauxite-based (aluminium) industries are functional in the district.
Bhatri language is the main branch of Halbi language. There are a lot of words taken in this language from other languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, and Persian language. Like Hindi, Halbi also has two genders, masculine and feminine, but the feminine is used more.
The other languages such as Bengali, Telugu language and Odia language are also spoken in some parts of the district.
The tribes Maria, Gond, Ojha, Muria, Bhatra are divided into sub-caste San Bhatra, Pit Bhatra, Amnit Bhatra Amnit. These castes hold highest status. Parja, Gadva, Halba, Ganda, Mahra, Chandal, Ghuruva, Dom, Lohar, Matrigond, Rajgond, Dorla people, Nahar, Naikpod, Kuduk, Andkuri, Kumhar, Kosta, Chamar, Kenvat, Dhakad, were important and in other castes Brahmin, Vaishya, Kayasth, Teli, Kalar, Kshtriya, Kunbi, Dhobi, Marathi, Mohammedan, Pathan, Telanga, Orria, Rohilla and others were important. About half of the population is tribal, although in this modern era the culture has slightly changed.
Among the tribes, if any woman chooses a new husband, then the new husband gives money to the old husband as 'compensation allowance'. This compensation is settled by the leader of caste. Re-marriage of widows is also popular among tribes. In Halbas no widow may be married with any unmarried person. In some tribes, there is a tradition named Ghotul. Ghotul is a cultural centre of Gonds and Murias.
The Maria bury dead bodies. If a woman dies during her pregnancy, her body is buried. If a child who is younger than 5 years dies, then their body is also buried beneath a Mahua tree and their head is placed facing an easterly direction. They construct a little tomb in that place in memory of the dead person.
The Gonds place the legs facing the south, in tombs. In some they place a wooden pole in memory of the dead person.
In January, the people of Kanker, and the adjoining areas of Charama and Kurna, celebrate the Madai festival. In the month of February, the festival is celebrated in Bastar district and there the festival is celebrated in the respect of Cheri-Chher-Kin. At the end of February, the Madai festival goes to Antagarh, Narayanpur and Bhanupratappur, and in March it is celebrated in Kondagaon, Keshkal and Bhopalpattanam.
The festival is celebrated in the respect of local Gods and Goddess. This festival is celebrated in a big ground where thousands of peoples gather simultaneously. The festival starts with a procession of local God or Goddess; after that the worship is done and then the festival starts. A lot of shops, restaurants, crafts, dances and other cultural program can be seen in this festival.
Although the festival is tribal, all the communities have faith, celebrate and enjoy the festival. Other important festivals are Mati-tihar, Gobar-boharani, Rama Navami and Navakhani.
The standard Hindu festivals of Dusshera, Diwali, and Holi are celebrated also, as in other parts of India.
The space of the cave is sufficient to accommodate 500 people inside. The exit door of this cave is towards west direction. In the south east part of Gadiya mountain there is another cave called Jogi cave. The length of this cave is 50 meters. In ancient times, it is said that many monks lived and meditated here. There is a small pond in this cave. The water of this cave flows on the rock like a waterfall. The Doodh river flows at the bottom of Gadiya mountain, .
Legend Years ago, it is said, a King lived in the Gadhiya Mountain. He had two daughters named "Sonai" and "Rupai". Both were playing near the lake over the hilly area. Suddenly they both fell in the lake; that lake was later named "Sonai Rupai Talab". It is said that the water of that lake never dries and there are two fish on very bottom of that Lake. One fish is of gold and another one is of silver. According to the legend, both fish are remain alive even to this day. Many people in Kanker claim that they have seen both fish. On the mountain there are two rocks behind the main "Sheetla Temple" and the door between those mountain is very thin. Only slim persons can enter there, but after entering the middle there is a Big Hall in which about 300 people can be seated. People say that the King used to stay with his soldiers during any war on that particular place.
On the occasion of Navaratri, a cultural fest known as Gadhiya Mahotsav is celebrated beneath the Gadhiya Mountain.
|
|
