Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000.

Raipur is the biggest city and the capital of the state. Chhattisgarh is the 10th-largest state in India with an area of 52,199 sq mi (135,190 km2). By population it ranks as the seventeenth largest state of the nation. It is an important electrical power and steel producing state of India. Chhattisgarh produces 15 per cent of the steel made in the country.

Chhattisgarh borders the states of Madhya Pradesh on the northwest, Maharashtra on the west, Andhra Pradesh on the south, Orissa on the east, Jharkhand on the northeast and Uttar Pradesh on the north.

History
In ancient times this region was known as Dakshin-Kausal. This finds mention in Ramayana and Mahabharata also. Between the sixth and twelfth centuries Sarabhpurias, Panduavanshi, Somvanshi, Kalchuri and Nagvanshi rulers dominated this region. Kalchuris ruled in Chhattisgarh from 980 to 1741 AD.

Chhattisgarh was under Maratha rule (Bhonsales of Nagpur) from 1741 to 1845 AD. It came under British rule from 1845 to 1947. With the advent of the British in 1845, Raipur gained prominence instead of capital Ratanpur. In 1905 Sambalpur district was transferred to Orissa and estates of Sarguja were transferred from Bengal to Chhattisgarh.

The demand for a separate Chhattisgarh state was first raised in the 1920. Similar demands kept cropping up at regular intervals; however, a well-organised movement was never launched. There were several all-party platforms formed and they usually resolved around petitions, public meetings, seminars, rallies and bandhs.

A demand for separate Chhattisgarh was raised in 1924 by the Raipur Congress unit, and later on also discussed in the Annual Session of the Indian Congress at Tripuri. A discussion also took place of forming a Regional Congress organisation for Chhattisgarh. When the State Reorganisation Commission was set up in 1954, the demand for a separate Chhattisgarh was put forward to it, through this was not accepted. In 1955, a demand for a separate state was raised in the Nagpur assembly of the then state of Madhya Bharat.

The 1990s saw more activity for a demand for the new state, such as formation of a state wide political forum, specially the Chhattisgarh Rajya Nirman Manch. The Late Chandulal Chadrakar led this forum, several successful region-wide Bandhs and rallies were organised under the banner of the forum all of which were supported by major political parties including the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Geography
The Northern and Southern parts of the state are hilly, while the central part is fertile plain. Moist deciduous forests of the Eastern Highlands Forests cover roughly 44% of the state.

State Animal - Van Bhainsa (Wild Buffalo) State Bird - Pahari Myna (Hill Myna) State Tree - Sal or Sarai The north of the state lies on the edge of the great Indo-Gangetic plain: The Rihand River, a tributary of the Ganges, drains this area. The eastern end of the Satpura Range and the western edge of the Chota Nagpur Plateau form an east-west belt of hills that divide the Mahanadi River basin from the Indo-Gangetic plain.

The central part of the state lies in the fertile upper basin of the Mahanadi and its tributaries, with extensive rice cultivation. The upper Mahanadi basin is separated from the upper Narmada basin to the west by the Maikal Hills, (part of the Satpuras), and from the plains of Orissa to the east by ranges of hills. The southern part of the state lies on the Deccan plateau, in the watershed of the Godavari River and its tributary the Indravati River.

The Mahanadi is the chief river of the state. The other main rivers are Hasdo (a tributary of Mahanadi), Rihand, Indravati, Jonk and Arpa. It is situated in the east of Madhya Pradesh.

Climate
The climate of Chhattisgarh is mainly tropical. It is hot and humid because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer. It is completely dependent on the monsoons for rains.

Summer in Chhattisgarh is from April to June and can be uncomfortably hot, with the mercury hitting the high 40's. The Monsoon season is from middle and late June to October and is a welcome respite from the scorching heat. Chhattisgarh receives a pretty decent amount of rainfall with an average of 1292mm. The Winter season is from November to January and this is a good time to visit Chhattisgarh. The Winters are pleasant with low temperatures and lesser humidity.