The tribal heartland of Chhattisgarh, comprising the districts of Bastar and Dantewada, boasts of some of the most magnificent waterfalls of India. It is home to Chitrakote (usually mis-pronounced as ‘Chitrakoot’) Falls, popularly known as the Niagara of India. Apart from Chitrakote, the famous ones here are – Tirathgarh, Chitradhara, Kangerdhara, Mandwa, Mendri Ghumar, Tamda Ghumar and Saatdhara. Once feared for Maoist uprisings, the place has now left behind its ill-famed past to project itself as a popular tourist destination. The main city of the region, as well as the district head quarters of Bastar, is Jagdalpur.
The waterfalls here are of diverse nature and characteristics, and are at their full might during the rainy season of July to September. But it is difficult for us to get off from office and school during that time. Luckily, the Dussehra/ Durga Puja vacation of 2022 fell in the 1st week of October, i.e. just after the monsoon. So, we decided to visit Chhattisgarh (along with Koraput in Orissa) that time.
Our itinerary:
- Day 1 morning: Board the train Hirakhand Express from Koraput and reach Jagdalpur around noon. Transfer to Hotel Atithi in Jagdalpur.
- Day 1 afternoon/ evening: Local sightseeing in Jagdalpur – Bastar Palace & Danteshwari Temple, Archaeological Museum, Tribal Museum, Dalpat Sagar Lake.
- Day 2 morning: Tirathgarh waterfall, Mandwa waterfall, Chitradhara waterfall
- Day 2 afternoon: Narayanpal Vishnu Temple, View of Chitrakote waterfall from Tirtha village.
- Day 2 evening: Nature Trail in Chitrakote.
- Day 3 morning: Mendri Ghumar waterfall, Tamda Ghumar waterfall, Saatdhara bridge, Saatdhara waterfall, the Historic temples of Barsur – Battisa Mandir, Ganesha Temple, Mama Bhanja Temple, Chandraditya Mandir.
- Day 3 afternoon: Danteshwari Temple at Dantewada.
Day 1 afternoon/ evening: Local sightseeing in Jagdalpur:
It was the morning of Dussehra that we boarded the Hirakhand Express from Koraput and reached Jagdalpur around noon.
Bastar Dussehra is celebrated with much pomp and grandeur over a period of 75 days. The celebrations culminate on the day of Dussehra, when the people from different tribes from all over the state congregate at the Danteshwari Temple of Jagdalpur. In the evening, they pull a huge two-storied chariot, which resemble the Rathyatra festival of Puri, where the festivity has its roots.
Unlike the other parts of India, where people mark the victory of good (Lord Rama) over evil (the demon Ravana), the Bastar Dussehra is about offering prayers to their goddess Danteshwari Mai.
Before it gets too much crowded in the evening, we decided to start our exploration from the Danteshwari Temple. It was a short auto-ride from Hotel Atithi. The same premise houses the temple and the Bastar Palace, the erstwhile home to the royals of Bastar and believed to be built when they moved their capital from Barsur to Jagdalpur.
When we reached there, the place was already teeming with devotees offering puja at the temple and also paying homage to their earlier rulers. Only one room in the palace is open to the general public. This room exhibits the pictures of the monarchs; and also the heads of the animals, e.g. deer, bison etc. that they had once hunted.
Next we visited the Archaeological Museum, a short walk away. It has, on its display, various antiques and other artefacts collected and unearthed from various parts of Chhattisgarh and would be of great interest to students of history and archaeology. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the single-room gallery.
After wandering through the crowded streets for some time, we hired an auto to visit the Anthropological Survey of India in Dharmapura (more popularly known as the Tribal Museum). The museum portrays the socio-economic life and culture of different tribes of the state. The exhibits include clothes, footwear, ornaments, headgears, utensils, weapons & armours, musical instruments etc.
Outside the main museum building, are 2 large manicured lawns. One of them is bordered by life-size models of tribal huts called ghotul, which also serve as resting places for tourists from the scorching sun.
The museum is open on all days of the week except on Mondays. Also, photography is not allowed inside the exhibition rooms.
It was already getting dark by now, and we proceeded for our last destination – the waterfront of the Dalpat Sagar Lake. A vibrant place and a favourite among the local residents, we roamed around in the park for a while and then came back to our hotel.
Day 2 morning:
Tirathgarh waterfall:
With many places in our itinerary today, we had a long day ahead. So, we woke up early and got ready. Mr. Sanjay Patnaik (+91- 91316-52186) was punctual enough and reported in front of our hotel with his car around 8.30 AM.
We started soon after, and our first destination of the day was the Tirathgarh waterfall, inside the Kanger Valley National Park. The core area of the national park, that includes attractions like the Kotumsar Caves and Kangerdhara Waterfall are closed to the tourists during the rainy season of June to October. Kotumsar, a Limestone Cave, remains submerged under water and it takes till end of October for the water to recede.
Keeping the entrance of Kanger Valley to our left, we moved forward through the meandering forest path to reach the parking lot of Tirathgarh. It took us around 1 hour to reach from Jagdalpur. The waterfall being immensely popular, the parking space had already started getting full.
The path that leads to the entry gate from the parking is bordered by small shops, where local tribal people sell a lot items like handicrafts, metal wares, bags, toys etc. If you happen to reach here during lunch time, you should definitely try out the local tribal food (including country chicken) from one of the shops, which I heard tastes delicious.
Originating from the Munga Bahar nullah, the Tirathgarh waterfall takes a 300 feet plunge to form a beautiful milky white cascade.
From the entry gate, as we started climbing down the steps, we got the first glimpse of the majestic waterfall. Around 150 steps downhill, and we reached the base of the fall. Surrounded by lush green forest, the whole environ is stunning. In fact, the waterfall here splits into multiple streams, creating a unique spectacle.
We crossed a small bridge, climbed up and down few more steps and came to the second level. The waterfall here has created a large water body, before making its way downwards again. We found some tourists jumping into the water and cooling themselves.
We then crossed a small stream and came to the third level. This place is mostly a flat rocky area bordered by outcrops, through which the river dwindles by. We realized that we are the only tourists who have ventured this far. So, far away from the selfie-clicking tourists, we spent some quality time amidst nature and then started walking back towards the parking lot.
Mandwa waterfall:
We had a bumpy ride as we travelled from Tirathgarh to Mandwa, passing though several tribal villages. Google Maps mis-guided us several times, and we had to take help from local villagers. Although the waterfall is located very near to the highway that connects Dantewada with Jagdalpur, the place is not that popular. We realized this after reaching the falls, as we were the only tourists there.
The landscape here is unique from the standpoint that the water flows down along gentle steps of a rocky surface forming a beautiful cascade. But there was not much water even in the first week of October. We later realized that the villagers have created a canal upstream of the river and channelized most of the water for irrigating their paddy fields. So if you are visiting during monsoons, then Mandwa would surely entice you.
Chitradhara waterfall:
On the way from Jagdalpur to Chitrakote, a little diversion through the country roads took us to the tribal village of Potanar, where the Chitradhara waterfall is located. From the parking lot, as we walked over the boulders towards the waterfall, we could hear the sound of water from a distance.
As we reached near the fall, it was a treat for our eyes. Surrounded by lush green forest, the stream flows for a distance along a rocky surface, before gushing downwards to form a pool. We sat on the rocks, drenched our feet in the cool water and clicked some pictures against the wonderful backdrop.
This place has recently become popular as a picnic spot. But Chitradhara is a seasonal waterfall, and the water flow diminishes after November.
Day 2 afternoon:
It was already 1.30 PM by now and we started towards Chitrakote. We were hungry and a quick Google search took us to the Swad Restaurant, just 6 KM before the Chitrakote Falls. At this small homely outlet, we had a quick lunch of rice, chapatti, mixed vegetable and egg curry.
Narayanpal Vishnu Temple:
Before heading to the Chitrakote Waterfall, we had a plan to visit the Vishnu Temple at the nearby Narayanpal village. From the Swad restaurant, the main road goes straight to Chitrakote, and the one on the right took us to the temple. On the way, we crossed the Indravati River.
The Narayanpal Vishnu Temple was built by the rulers of the Chhindak Nagavamshi dynasty. It has an idol of Lord Vishnu inside the Garbhagriha. The exquisite carvings on the walls of the temple exemplify the architecture of the 11th century AD.
View of Chitrakote waterfall from Tirtha village:
Tirtha is a small village on the banks of the Indravati River, just opposite to Chitrakote and just 5 KM from Narayanpal. It was our next destination.
As we got down from our car, the river was in front of us. We walked over a bed of rocks towards the water and reached its bank, sat on the rocky surface and soaked our feet in the cool water.
We were transfixed by the view here – the river here takes small plunges, as it moves forward and before it takes the huge jump to form the Chitrakote Waterfall.
But the waterfall was not visible from here, as we were facing its back. We were wondering how to move forward so that we can get a view of the fall. And there was literally no one around, whom we could ask (on the contrary, we could see only black heads of tourists on the opposite, i.e. the Chitrakote side of the waterfall).
Ultimately we found a way. We navigated slowly, negotiating the mossy and slippery rocks as we crossed a small stream to reach an open space. And wow !!! We were spellbound by the breathtaking beauty of the Niagara of India – Chitrakote Falls. The milky white water, with shades of brown in between, takes an enormous plunge and creates a blanket of misty white cloud above and a large pool of water below. The river then attains its usual self and moves forward nonchalantly.
This view that we got from Tirtha was without any obstruction, and no doubt better than what we got from the Chitrakote side. We could see the entire horse-shoe arc of the fall. And a big thank you to Sanjay ji, our charioteer cum guide, who insisted that we visit the place. I would suggest everyone who is reading my blog to surely visit this side of the river, unless you want to miss some mind blowing views.
Chitrakote Waterfall and Dandami Resort:
Located around 40 KM from Jagdalpur and 285 KM from the city of Raipur, Chitrakote is the most famous of all the waterfalls in the state. It is the widest waterfall of India, attaining a width of around 980 feet during peak monsoons. Due to this width and its typical horse-shoe shape, it is known as the Niagara of India. During the rainy season the water is muddy and brown in colour. As rains recede and seasons progress, the water changes its hues and transforms to milky white.
The waterfall attains its full might during the peak rainy season and the water’s volume and expanse is a treat to the eyes. If you are lucky enough (as we were), you can experience a rainbow formed by the sunrays reflecting on the mist.
Dense vegetation borders both the flanks of the Indravati and that enhances the natural beauty of the entire surrounding.
We had our reservation in the Dandami Resort (You will find my review here), which is run by the Chhattisgarh Tourism department and situated just beside the Indravati River and overlooking the Chitrakote Falls.
After the check-in formalities, we came to our wooden cottage. Instinctively, we rushed to the balcony and we could see the waterfall from there (the opposite side of what we experienced from Tirtha). We lazed on the arm chairs, cherishing the astounding views of the falls and the river passing by.
After relaxing for a while, we went out to explore the Nature Trail. It is a nicely paved walkway along the Indravati river and surrounded by trees. The trail caters to some breathtaking views of the waterfall and the river. In between, there are a flight of stairs that leads you to the bank of the river. During summers, the local villagers offer boat rides, which would take you near the place where the waterfall takes the plunge of 95 feet. But such rides stop during monsoon or immediately after that, due to the current and volume of water.
After getting out of the trail we reached a place buzzing with tourists. This is the most popular spot, near the point where Indravati takes its jump downwards. But no one can reach the river bank or the waterfall here, as the banks are fenced off by barbed wires.
Nearby, there is temple of Lord Shiva, where many were offering their prayers. The “I Love Bastar” signage has been built here and we saw so many selfie-seekers busy with their smartphones. There is also a souvenir shop, called “Bastar Art” which sells locally made handicrafts and pieces of art at a reasonable price.
It was getting dark, and we came back to our cottage. We spent the rest of the evening in the balcony; sipping cups of hot tea and staring at the majestic waterfall fading into the darkness. More the surroundings got quieter; the more prominent became the roar of Chitrakote. It was truly a unique experience.
Next day, we woke up early in the morning at the chirping of birds. After quickly freshening up, we ventured out for the Nature Trail again. But this time, we took a different route. we explored all the places that we covered yesterday evening, but this time peacefully, sans the maddening crowd.
We were in love with the place, and wished that we booked the resort for another night. But all good things eventually come to an end. We had another long day ahead of us. So, after breakfast, we checked out around 10 AM for our onward journey.
Day 3 morning: Mendri Ghumar, Tamda Ghumar, Saatdhara bridge & waterfall, Historic temples of Barsur:
Mendri Ghumar waterfall:
A drive of around 11 KM from Dandami Resort brought us to the seasonal waterfall of Mendri Ghumar. From the car parking space, we walked over a flat rocky surface to reach the edge of a cliff. To our left, we found a narrow stream of water jumping off the cliff’s rim to form a waterfall and disappear into a deep valley below. The entire valley is full of rich green vegetation, which enhances the natural beauty of the surrounding area.
Tamda Ghumar waterfall:
Tamda Ghumar waterfall is located at a short distance from Mendri. As we walked from the parking lot, we came to the banks of a wide stream, bordered by green foliage on both sides, and moving ahead and disappearing suddenly. The whole environ was so tranquil that we sat on the sandy beach for a while. Then we walked downstream to explore further.
We found the landscape to be similar with Mendri – the waterfall takes a huge plunge from the top of the cliff into a dense valley full of trees. But definitely the volume of water was more than that of Mendri.
Even though both the waterfalls might not bear much water during the summer or winter months, I would definitely suggest everyone to visit them to experience the alluring landscape.
Saatdhara bridge & waterfall:
It took us around an hour to reach Barsur from Tamda Ghumar, and another 15 minutes to reach the Saatdhara bridge. On the way we passed a CRPF camp and had to stop at a couple of check-posts.
The bridge has been constructed on the vast expanse of River Indravati, downstream of what we saw in Chitrakote. We alighted from our car, and walked till the end of the bridge, taking occasional pauses to praise the enchanting beauty of nature.
On the way back towards Barsur, we took a diversion and reached the Saatdhara waterfall, which is nothing but further downstream of Indravati. Here, we didn’t find the typical ‘fall’ of a waterfall. Rather, the fierce river moves over massive rocks and takes gradual plunges, as it navigates forward.
The river here gets divided into 7 streams before meeting again; and hence the name ‘Saat dhara’ (Saat = Seven & dhara = streams). But it seems that, one can distinctly identify the existence of the different streams only in the winter and summer months when the water level is low.
We spent some time amidst the pristine surroundings before starting our journey again.
Historic temples of Barsur:
Barsur was the capital city of the rulers of Chhindak Naga dynasty between the 10th and 13th century AD. They had constructed several temples in the close proximity of each other, and each of them has a wonderful display of contemporary art and culture:
- Battisa Temple – Twin Shiva temples. The structure stands on 32 pillars, and hence the name Battisa.
- Ganesha Temple, consisting of 2 large monolithic statues of Ganesha.
- Mama Bhanja Temple – A temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha and Narayan Chaturbhuj.
- Chandraditya Temple – Dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Day 3 afternoon: Danteshwari Temple at Dantewada:
By the time we completed visiting the temples, it was 1.30 PM. But there are no restaurants or dhaba in and around Barsur. Sanjay ji informed that there are lots of good restaurants in Dantewada. Accordingly we quickly started our journey, and reached Dantewada in around 45 minutes.
We had our lunch at the Anvika Cafe and Restaurant, and then proceeded towards the Danteshwari Temple. The Danteshwari Temple that we visited in Jagdalpur is actually a replica of the one in Dantewada.
The Danteshwari Temple in Dantewada was built in the 14th century AD. Goddess Danteshwari, the kul-devi of the people of Bastar and Dantewada, is worshipped here. It is one of the 52 Shakti Peethas, shrines of Shakti. As per legends, the ‘daant’ or the tooth of Devi Sati fell here, and hence the names Danteshwari and Dantewada.
Every year during Dussehra, thousands of tribal people from nearby towns and villages assemble here to pay their homage. Also, around the year, devotees from far-off places visit Dantewada to seek the blessings from the divine deity.
Dantewada was the last point of our long and memorable journey. Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, Jagdalpur and Koraput provided us the perfect outing that we would cherish in the years to come.
Next day we had our train (Samaleshwari Express) at 5 AM from Jagdalpur. So, we had our booking for the night at the Hotel Atithi, which is just 700 meters from the railway station.
Some useful information and tips:
How to reach Jagdalpur:
The best way to reach Jagdalpur is by train. The town is connected to important cities like Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Sambalpur and Visakhapatnam by daily trains. The major airports nearby are at Visakhapatnam (290 KM) and Raipur (300 KM).
What is the best time to visit Jagdalpur:
The best time to visit Jagdalpur is during the monsoons, when the waterfalls are at their full might. But Kotumsar Caves and Kangerdhara Waterfall are closed to the tourists from June to October. So, if you want to visit these, you can travel during the winter months.
We visited in the first week of October, when the days were pretty warm. I guess that summers would be very hot, and at that time except Chitrakote and Tirathgarh, no other waterfalls would have much water. So, you should avoid visiting Jagdalpur during the summer months.
Review of Dandami Resort:
The location of Dandami Resort, run by the Chhattisgarh Tourism, is amazing – just beside the Indravati River and overlooking the Chitrakote Falls.
There are 2 types of rooms – Wooden Cottages and Deluxe Cottages. The wooden ones are comparatively new and all of them have a clear view of the Chitrakote waterfall. Out of the Deluxe rooms, only Nos. 101 and 102 have a waterfall view. We stayed in a wooden cottage. Our cottage was very spacious, clean and nicely decorated. We could enjoy the view of the waterfall from our balcony and room.
The resort complex itself is huge, with well maintained pathways, gardens, play area and view-points at strategic points.
But all is not well here. The reception cum dining hall is at the far end of the resort compound. There is no room service. So, you need to walk a while every time you need to have food, and it might be difficult especially if it is raining or is cold.
The food at the restaurant is tasty, but pricey. But, the time to serve food at the dining hall is very slow.
Review of Hotel Atithi:
Hotel Atithi (07782-225275, +91- 94242-83556) is a basic no-frills hotel conveniently located very near the Jagdalpur Railway station. It has an attached restaurant – Tandoor, which is open to outsiders also, and where the food was tasty and cost was moderate.
We stayed in an AC Room that had cost us Rs. 1200. Overall it was a nice experience to stay at Hotel Atithi.
Details of Car Rental:
We availed the services of Mr. Sanjay Patnaik (Contact -+91-91316-52186) for 2 days – Day 2 and 3. He owns a few cars, and he himself drives the Brezza in which we travelled. He is a jovial person and a wonderful guide.
Sanjay ji charged us Rs 1500 (fixed) per day, plus the Diesel cost @ 10KM per 1 litre fuel. We travelled a total of 338 KM (147 KM on Day 2 and 191 KM on Day 3). So, the fuel consumed was calculated as 338/10 = 33.8 litre. The cost of Diesel that day was Rs. 98.23.
So, our total charge for 2 days was: Rs. (1500 * 2) + (33.8 * 98.23) = Rs. 3000 + 3320 = Rs. 6320.
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