Overview
Chhattisgarh is one of the fastest growing states in India. It occupies the central part of the country. It is the tenth biggest city by land and seventeenth most inhabited state in the country.
It is surrounded by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the North, Odisha in the East and Andhra Pradesh in the East. Hindi is the official language of Chhattisgarh and is spoken by non-rural inhabitants of the state. Most people in Chhattisgarh also speak and understand Chhattisgarhi, which is a dialect of the Hindi language. Raipur is the appointed capital of the state.
The history of this region is not very well known, as these lands have always been swarmed by migrants, who now are among the major population of the state. Right from the days of Magdha empire, Chhattisgarh has been part of every empire that ruled the country from north to south, but only as political asset.
People of Chhattisgarh have a low standard of living and income. Having said that, the state has the honor of supplying the majority of steel and electricity to the country, contributing about 15% of the steel manufacturing in the country.
Chhattisgarh has both fertile and hilly area, most of its northern and southern regions are hilly areas, whereas most of its central parts include fertile lands, as they lie in the lush upper basin of the River Mahanadi and in its tributaries. This helps in making the state agriculturally strong. Another bigger source of income includes Forest revenue.
Rice is the principal crop of this state, and forms the staple food of the state. Other delicacies include red ants, flying ants, squirrels, and rats. Liquor is brewed from mahuwa, an important delicacy among the tribes here. Pigs and fish also fall under the same category, and so are reserved for special occasions.
Majority of the population is Hindu. Christians and Muslims occupy a small part of the state. Majorly, the population consists of local tribal groups. Gonds make-up the largest group amongst these tribes that reside on these lands.
For leisure, the people indulge in the regional and local dance forms and songs that describe their rich cultural heritage and geographical advantage.
