Aura of India: Temples of Chhattisgarh: Dongargarh, Sirpur and Bastar Dussehra

The brick Lakshman temple at Sirpur on its stone platform

Photo: SUDHIR UPADHYAY JI, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

Chhattisgarh, from a hilltop shrine at Dongargarh to the brick temple at Sirpur.

In Chhattisgarh, the oldest temples are made of brick, and the busiest ones sit on hills.

A goddess on every hill

Chhattisgarh, in east-central India, is a state of forests, rice fields and low hills, and many of its hills carry a goddess. At Dongargarh, the Bamleshwari temple sits on a 1,600-foot hill, reached by about a thousand steps or a ropeway. At Ratanpur, near Bilaspur, the Mahamaya temple was the shrine of the Kalachuri kings who ruled from there for centuries. In the south, at Dantewada, the Danteshwari temple is the goddess of the Bastar region and gives its name to the town.

Brick, river and forest

At Sirpur, on the Mahanadi river, the Lakshmana temple, built around the seventh century, is one of the finest brick temples in India, its walls still carved with windows and figures after more than thirteen hundred years. Excavations around it have uncovered Buddhist monasteries and markets of an old capital. At Rajim, where three rivers meet, the Rajiv Lochan temple of Vishnu holds a large fair each February and March. In the north, at Kawardha, the eleventh-century Bhoramdeo temple, carved in the style of Khajuraho, stands in a valley of forest.

Why people come

Navratri is the great season. Twice a year, lamps are lit at Bamleshwari and Mahamaya in their thousands, and pilgrims climb through the night. In Bastar, the Dussehra festival lasts about seventy-five days, one of the longest festivals in India, and centres not on Rama but on the goddess Danteshwari, with a huge wooden chariot pulled by villagers. Visitors from outside come for Bastar's crafts, such as dhokra bronze casting, for the Chitrakote waterfall, and for the quiet of the old temple sites.

Getting there

Raipur, the capital, has the main airport and railway station. Dongargarh is on the main Mumbai-Howrah railway line, about two hours west of Raipur. Sirpur is about eighty kilometres north-east of Raipur by road. Bilaspur, for Ratanpur, has an airport and trains. Jagdalpur, the base for Bastar and Dantewada, has a small airport. Check local advice before travelling deep into the southern forests.

Bastar Dussehra in 2026

The 2026 festival began on 12 August with the Pat Jatra, the worship of the wood for the chariot. The chariot circuits around Jagdalpur run through Navratri, from 13 to 18 October. The Nisha Jatra, a night ritual, follows on 19 October, then the Bheetar Raini and Bahar Raini on 21 and 22 October, when the chariot is pulled out and brought back.

On 23 October the Muria Darbar gathers village headmen with the former royal family and officials to talk about the region's needs. The goddess Mawali is sent home on 27 October, closing the festival. No effigy of Ravana burns here, unlike the Dussehra grounds of the north.

A route from Raipur

Raipur is the base for the middle of the state. Sirpur takes a full day: the brick Lakshmana temple and the excavated Buddhist monasteries beside the Mahanadi. Rajim, south of Raipur, is a half day. Dongargarh is about two hours west by train. Ratanpur is a short drive from Bilaspur, and Bhoramdeo needs a long day by road through Kawardha.

Bastar is a separate trip. Jagdalpur is about 264 km from Raipur, with the Chitrakote falls and the Kanger Valley nearby, and Danteshwari at Dantewada further south. For the rest of the state, see the Chhattisgarh guide.

Temples to know

Bamleshwari, Dongargarh: a goddess on a high hill.
Mahamaya, Ratanpur: the shrine of the Kalachuri kings.
Danteshwari, Dantewada: the goddess of Bastar.
Lakshmana, Sirpur: a brick temple of about the seventh century.
Rajiv Lochan, Rajim: a Vishnu temple at the meeting of rivers.
Bhoramdeo, Kawardha: carved stone in a forest valley.
Chandrahasini, Chandrapur: a riverside goddess temple on the Mahanadi.
Shivarinarayan, Janjgir-Champa: an old pilgrim town on the river.

At Sirpur, touch the brick. It still holds the warmth of the afternoon long after sunset.

Plan your visit

Best season	October to March. Navratri, in spring and autumn, fills Dongargarh and Ratanpur. Bastar Dussehra peaks in October, and the Rajim fair falls in February and March. Bastar district advises avoiding the monsoon.
How to reach	Raipur airport serves most of the state; it is about 72 km from Rajnandgaon, near Dongargarh. Bilaspur and Jagdalpur have smaller airports. Dongargarh is on the main Mumbai–Howrah railway line.
Getting around	Hire a car from Raipur, Bilaspur or Jagdalpur. Trains are useful only for Dongargarh.
Where to stay	Central Raipur for Sirpur, Rajim and Dongargarh; Bilaspur for Ratanpur; Kawardha for Bhoramdeo; Jagdalpur for Bastar and Dantewada.
How long to spend	Five or six days: three around Raipur and Bilaspur, two or three in Bastar.
Entry and timings	Bamleshwari is reached by about 1,000 steps or the ropeway; ropeway fares and hours: check at the gate. Sirpur is a protected site with a small entry fee; check at the gate.
Dress and rules	Dress modestly and leave shoes at the gate. In Bastar, travel by day on main roads and follow local advice in the forests south of Jagdalpur.

Open Maa Bamleshwari Temple, Dongargarh, Chhattisgarh in Google Maps

Questions people ask

How do you reach the Bamleshwari temple?

The temple sits on a hill about 1,600 feet high at Dongargarh. You can climb about a thousand steps or take the ropeway, the only one in the state.

When is Bastar Dussehra in 2026?

It runs from 12 August to 27 October 2026. The busiest days are the chariot circuits from 13 to 18 October, the Bheetar and Bahar Raini on 21 and 22 October, and the Muria Darbar on 23 October.

Is Bastar safe to visit?

The region is far calmer than it was a few years ago, and Jagdalpur, Chitrakote and Dantewada are on the main roads. Travel by day, keep to established routes and check local advice before going deeper into the forests.

How old is the Lakshmana temple at Sirpur?

It dates from about the 7th century and is one of the finest early brick temples in India. Its walls still carry carved windows and figures.

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Temples of Chhattisgarh: Dongargarh, Sirpur and Bastar Dussehra