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Archeological evidence of life of Indus Valley civilization has not been found in Chhattisgarh. Some people believe that toward the end of Indus Valley Civilization there was a big flood in Saraswati River because of which many people moved toward south and some of them could have come to Chhattisgarh and settled here. Recently some port like formations have been found on the banks of Mahanadi which show that this river was used of for navigation at that time and this is a feature of Indus Valley Civilization

Puranic Rerences -

The Kosala area of the Puranic times was later divided into North (Uttar) Kosala and South (Dakshin) Kosala. Today’s Chhattisgarh is the ancient South Kosala. The largest river of Chhattisgarh, Mahanadi is mentioned as Chitrotpala in Matsya Purana, Brahma Purana and Bhishma Parva of Mhabharata.

Mahabharat – Bhishmaparva – 9/34
Chitrotpala chitraratham Manjula Vahini tatha,
Mandakinim Vaitarinia Kosham Chapi Mahanadim.

Matyapurana – Bharatvarsha Prakaran – 50/25
Mandanikidsharna ch chitrakuta tathaiva ch,
Tamsa Pippalishyaini tatha chitrotpalapi ch.

Chhattisgarh in Ramayana Period

Forests of Chhattisgarh are described in Valmiki Ramanyana. It is said that Shringi Rishi who conducted the Putryeshthi Yajna for king Dashrath lived in Sihava near Dhamtari. This is also the origin of Mahandi. Ram had come to this place during his Vanvas.

Hari Thakur has called Chhattisgarh as old as the Vedas in his book Chhattisgarh Gatha. In the olden days Chhattisgarh was known as Kosala. Daughter of King of Kosala was married to King Dashrath of Ayodhya. She was known as Kosalya. For this reason Ram is called the nephew of Chhattisgarh. The only temple dedicated to Maharani Kosalya is in village Kosir on the border of Bilaspur and Raigar districts of Chhattisgarh. Many rishis lived in Chhattisgarh. The main among them were Shringi, Agstya, Matang, Mandkarni, Sharbhang and Suthikshan. Shanta, the daughter of king Dashrath, who was adopted by Lomapad the king of Anga was married to Shringi Rishi. Hari Thakur has written in his Chhattisgarh Gatha that the ashram of Atri Muni must have been in Atarmadha. Madha is a apbhramsha of Math. This village is in Dhamtari tahsil of Chhattisgarh. Vaidya Sukhen lived in Chhattisgarh who told about Sanjeevani Booti when Lakshman was unconscious in the battlefield. The ranages from Amarkantak to Sihava were known as Riksha Parvat and Gandhmadan where Sanjeevani Booti was found was a part of this range. It is said that the ashram of Valmiki Rishi was in Turturia village of Chhattisgarh. Sita lived in this ashram after her exile from Ayodhya. her sons Lav and Kush were also born here.

Chhattisgarh in Mahabharata Period

During the Mahabharata period Haihaivanshi King Mayurdhwaj ruled in Raipur. He was very brave and also famous for his donations. He never refused anything to any persons. His son was Tamradhwaj, who stopped the horse of Yudhishthir during Rajsuya Yajna. Arjun fought Tamradhwaj but could not defeat him. When he asked Krishna for the reason, Krishan told him that it was because of the holiness of his father Mayurdhwaj who was a devotee of Krishna and never refused a beggar. Arjuna wanted to test Mayurdhwaj. Krishna and Arjuna went to Mayurdhwaj and Krishan asked for half of his body. When the king called for a saw to cut his body into hald, Krishna stopped him and embraced him. Hari Thakur has written in Chhattisgarh Gatha that Sirpur of Chhattisgarh was also known as Manipur and king Chitrangad ruled there. His daughter Chitrangada was married to Arjuna. When Yudhishthir did his Rajsuya Yajna, the Yajna horse was stopped by Babruvahana, the son of Chitrangada. There was a fierce battle between Arjuna and Babruvahana in which Arjuna was not only defeated but was also seriously injured. Chitrandaga rescued him and treated him. It was then that Babruvahan found out that Arjuna was his father.

Chhattisgarh during Baudha (Mauryan) period

Chinese traveler Huentsang had travelled to Sirpur in 639 AD. He has described Sirpur in his travelogue. According to him Sirpur was the capital of Dakshin Kosala. Huentsang has written that Gautama Budhha had lived here for three months. The legend is that King Prasenjit of Shravasti invaded Sirpur. However he was defeated. He then approached Buddha to negotiate a treaty with King Vijayas of Sirpur. King Vijayas kept a condition that he would enter into a treaty if Budhha agreed to come to Sirpur and spend some time there. The founder of Mahayana Buddhism, Bodhisatva Nagarjuna lived in Sirpur. It is said that he was born in first century AD in village Mahabaluka on the banks of river Sundarabhuti. According to Hari Thakur, Sundarabhuti is the Sondur river of today and Bahabaluka village is called Baruka now. Nagarjuna was a great writer and has written 30 books. He was also a physician and a chemist. He has written the famous Rasa-Ratnakar. He was latter appointed Vice-chancellor of Nalanda University. Another famous scholar of Sirpur was Acharya Budhghosha who latter went to Srilanka.

Chhattisgarh after the Mauryan Period –

After the Mauryan period the empire was divided and many new dynasties were founded. The main among them were -

1. Shunga dynasty in Bihar (Magadh)
2. Chedi dynasty in Kalinga.
3. Satvahana dynasty in the South.

Satvahan Dynasty –

This dynasty was founded between 200 BC and 60 BC. King Shatakarni (first) of this dynasty extended his kingdom up to Jabalpur. Some coins of Satvahana period have been found in Bilaspur. Some stone statues of this period have also been found in Bilaspur. In a stone inscription found near Sakti inn Bilaspur, the Satvahan king Kumarvar Dutta is mentioned. It is said that the founder of Mahayana sect of Buddhism, Nagarjuna was very friendly with Satvahanas.

Vakatak dynasty –

One bronze plate found in Durg district is of the Vakatak dynasty. This dynasty ruled for a very short period.

Gupta Period –

The military expeditions of Samudragupta are described in the Allahabad inscription. There is the description of imprisonment of a king of Kota family in the 14th line of this inscription. There is the description of violently destroying many kings of Aryavarta and conquering many kings of forest regions in the 21st line. The main among them was Vyaghra Raja whose kingdom was in Mahakantar which is near present day Sihawa in Dhamtari. The 22nd line describes how many kings obeyed order of Samudragupta and showed respect to him. Lines 12 to 20 of the Allahabad-Prahasti Inscription describe how many kings of the South were conquered and then freed. In the Inscription found in Arang, which is from sixth century AD, it is written about King Bhimsena that he was from a family of Rajarshis. This is probably about his Gupta overlords as the title of Rajarshi has been used for Chardagupta the second in the Udaygiri cave inscription. Gupta period coins have also been found in Barnabad in Chhattisgarh. According to great historians like Dr. Hiralal Shukla, Dr. Krishnadev Saraswat and Late Gangadhar Samant, poet Kalidas was also born in Chhattisgarh. According to them Kalidas wrote his first book- Ritusamhar in Chhattisgarh.

Rajarshiyatulya Kula –

Some bronze plates have been found in Chhattisgarh in which King Bhimsen (second) of Rajarshitulya Kula is mentioned. Rajarshitulya Kula ruled South Kosala around the fifth century. Some historians say that they were the descendents of King Mahendra, but there is not proof of this. The genealogy of this dynasty begins with King Sur. Important kings of this dynasty were Dayit Verma, Bhimsen (First) Vibhishan etc. This dynasty ruled Chhattisgarh for more tan 100 years.

Shaabhpuriya Dynasty –

The capital of this dynasty was Sharabhpur which is probably the present day Sambalpur in Odisha. Some historians believe that Sirpur was also called Sharabhpur. After king Sharabh, his son Narendra became the king. The most important king of this dynasty was Prasannamatra. The last king of this dynasty was Pravarraha. Some bronze plates of the period of king Narendra have been found in Kurud. Some gold coins of king Prasannamatra have also been found. The Sharabhpuria dynasty was defeated by the Panduvanshis in the sixth century.

Panduvansha –

Panduvanshis made Sirpur their capital after defeating the Sharabhpurias. These kings were Somvanshis and were Vaishnavas. The first Panduvanshi king was Udayana. Four sons of king Indrabal of this dynasty are mentioned in the Mandak inscription. Nanna who was the son of Indrabal was a mighty king. He extended his kingdom. His brother Ishandev is mentioned in a rock inscription found in Kharod in Bilaspur district. King Nanna’s son Mahashiv Tivardev assumed the title of Kosaladhipati because he conquered Kosala and Utkala. The bravery of Mahashiv Tivardev is described in the bronze plates found in Rajim and Balod. The wife of king Harshgupta of this dynasty was queen Vasata who was the daughter of Magadha Emperor Surya Verma. After Harsha Gupta’s death queen Vasata got the Lakshmana temple constructed in his memory in Sirpur. This temple is a very good example of temple architecture of that period. Mahashiv was also called Balarjuna beacuse he was a great archer like Arjuna. He became king in 595 AD and ruled for 60 years. Many bronze plates of rock inscriptions of his period have been found. His father Harshagupta and mother Vasata were Vaishnavas but he was a Shaiva. Nandi was inscribed on his royal seal. He allowed equal opportunity to all religions like Boddha, Jain, Shaiv and Vaishnavas in his period. Famous Chinese traveller Huentsang visited Sirpur during this time. Many Boddha Viharas, statues, and inscriptions are found in Sirpur. King Balarjuna had many poets, artists and scholars in his court. His period can be called the “Golden Period of ancient Chhattisgarh. The successor of Balarjuna, Mahabhava Gupta settled in Vinitpur. His son was Shivgupta and his son was Janmejay. Janmejay had taken the title of Trikalingadhipati. His son was Mahashivgupta Yayati and he changed the name of Vinitpur to Yayatinagar.

Nala dynasty –

This dynasty began with king Nala. The period of this dynasty is approximately 700 AD. This dyansty mostly ruled in Bastar. King Bhavadant of this dynasty was very brave. He ruled Kosala and extended his kingdom. Skand Verma was another powerful king of this dynasty.

Regional Dynasties –

Regional dynasties also ruled many parts ofChhattisgarhj. The main among them were: -

1. Nala and Naga dynasties of Bastar.
2. Somvanshis of Kanker.
3. Fani-Nagvanshis of Kawardha

Nala Dynasty –

The gold coins found in Adega in Bastar show that the Nala dynasty king Varah Raj ruled around 440 AD in Kotapur area of Bastar. After him many other kings of Nala dynasty like Bhavdant Verma, Arthapati, Bhattaraka etc. ruled Kotapur. Some historians say that Vyaghra Raj was also a Nalvanshi king and his kingdom of Mahakantar was in Bastar. He was defeated by Samudragupta. King Prithviraj of Nala dynasty was also a physician. Virupraja became king after him. He is compared in truthfulness with king Harishchandra. His son Vilastunga was a contemporary of Panduvanshi Balarjuana. He constructed the Rajivlochan temple in Rajim which is similar to the Lakshamana temple of Sirpur which was constructed by queen Vasata the mother of Balarjuna. The Nala dynasty was defeated by the Kalchuris toards the beginning of the tenth century.

Chhindak Naga dunasty (Bastar) –

There are different views about the old name of Bastar. Some people call it Chakrakut and others call it Bhramarkut. The Naga dynasty kings rulled in this Chakrakut or Bhramarkut. Soemshwara was a well known king of Chhindak Nagas. He constructed many temples. He ruled from 1096 AD to 1111 AD. The last king of this dynasty was Harishchandradev who was defeated by the Kakatiya Chalukya king Annabhdev of Warangal. The rule of Nagvanshis was from 400 AD to the tenth century. They respected Brahmins and gave them land grants to settle in their kingdom. There were many scholars in their court. They also encouraged artists. The sculpture of that period is of a very high quality. Telugu and Sanskrit both were languages of the State. Women played important role in the administration of the kingdom. The custom of Sati existed during this period. The King was also the chief judge and could give death penalty and could also revoke it. Very nice idols of Uma-Maheshwar, Mahishasura, Vishnu, Hanuman, Ganesha, Chamunda and Ambika have been found pertaining to this period.

Fani-Naga dynasty –

There is a temple in Chaura in Kawardha which is also known as Mandwa-Mahal. The genealogy of Naga kings is given in the inscription found in this temple. This was inscribed during the period of Naga king Ranchandra. The first king of this dynasty was Ahiraja. This dynasty ruled the Bhoramdev area till the 14th Century.

Somvanshis of Kanker –

Somvanshis ruled Kanker from 1125 AD to 1344 AD. It is said that Soma dynasty was a branch of the Panduvanshis. Vyaghra Raja of this dynasty has donated some land for the construction of Bhairava temple. Karna Raja constructed the Shiva temple in Sihava and the Ramnath temple on the banks of Dudh river in Kanker. Chandrasen Dev who was the last king of this dynasty ruled till 1344 AD.