Surguja District
Encyclopedia
Surguja District is a district in the northern part of the state of Chattisgarh in India
. The district headquarter is Ambikapur.
The district borders on the states of Uttar Pradesh
and Jharkhand
, and overlaps the southeastern part of the Vindhyachal
-Baghelkhand
region of peninsular India.
had visited Surguja during his 14 years of exile in to the forests. There are many places in connection to epic of Ramayana
, which are named after Lord Rama, Laxmana and Goddess Sita such as Ramgarh, Sita-Bhengra and Laxmangarh.
Prior to the arrival of the Mauryas
, the area was ruled by the Nandas
. In the third century BC the region was divided into tiny kingdoms. Later, a Rajput king belonging to the Rakshal clan, attacked from what is now Jharkhand, and took control of the area. In 1820, Amar Singh was crowned as Maharaja. During the British period, Surguja was a princely state
.
The district is currently a part of the Red Corridor
.
The high-lands of Surguja district have peculiar 'pat formations' – highlands with small tablelands. The Mainpat , the Jarang pat, the Jonka pat, the Jamira pat and the Lahsunpat are the major pats of the district. The average height of area is above 600 metres (1,968.5 ft). Some of peaks are – Mailan 1226 metres (4,022.3 ft), Jam 1166 metres (3,825.5 ft), Parta Gharsa 1159 metres (3,802.5 ft), Kanda Dara 1149 metres (3,769.7 ft), Chutai 1131 metres (3,710.6 ft), and Karo 1105 metres (3,625.3 ft). There are a number of other peaks. North–west Surguja is hilly in nature, and moving westwards, three distinct steps may be marked out: the first from Shrinagar on the east to the low-lands of Patna and Khargawan, the second from thence to the uplands around Sonhat and the third beyond Sonhat to above a height of 1033 metres (3,389.1 ft). Central Surguja is a low basin through which the Rihand and it's tributaries flow.
There are three river basins in Suguja district – those of the Hasdeo River
, the Rihand River
and the Kanhar River
.
In winters temperature dips to below 5 °C (41 °F) and in summers it rises above 46 °C (114.8 °F).
has a population
of 2,361,329 , roughly equal to the nation of Latvia
or the US state of New Mexico
. This gives it a ranking of 192nd in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 150 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 19.74 %. Surguja has a sex ratio
of 976 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 61.16 %.
Major population comprises tribal population. Among the primitive tribes are Pando and Korwa, who still live in forest. The Pando tribe believes themselves as the member of "Pandav" clan of epic Mahabharata
. The Korwa tribe believes themselves to be member of "Kauravs" of Mahabharata.
vernacular spoken by at least 200 000 members of the Bharia
tribe and written in the Devanagari script.
. Sonabai is a clay sculptor famous for her tribal and folk artform.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The district headquarter is Ambikapur.
The district borders on the states of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
and Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
, and overlaps the southeastern part of the Vindhyachal
Vindhya Range
The Vindhya Range is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent, which geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India and Southern India.- Introduction :...
-Baghelkhand
Bagelkhand
Bagelkhand or Baghelkhand, is a region in central India, in northeastern Madhya Pradesh state. It includes the Madhya Pradesh districts of Anuppur, Rewa, Satna, Shadol, Sidhi, and Umaria....
region of peninsular India.
History
According to legend, Lord RamaRama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
had visited Surguja during his 14 years of exile in to the forests. There are many places in connection to epic of Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, which are named after Lord Rama, Laxmana and Goddess Sita such as Ramgarh, Sita-Bhengra and Laxmangarh.
Prior to the arrival of the Mauryas
Maurya Empire
The Maurya Empire was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in ancient India, ruled by the Mauryan dynasty from 321 to 185 BC...
, the area was ruled by the Nandas
Nanda Dynasty
The Nanda Empire originated from the region of Magadha in Ancient India during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. At its greatest extent, the Nanda Empire extended from Bengal in the east, to Punjab in the west and as far south as the Vindhya Range...
. In the third century BC the region was divided into tiny kingdoms. Later, a Rajput king belonging to the Rakshal clan, attacked from what is now Jharkhand, and took control of the area. In 1820, Amar Singh was crowned as Maharaja. During the British period, Surguja was a princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
.
The district is currently a part of the Red Corridor
Red corridor
The Red Corridor is a term used to describe an impoverished region in the east of India that experiences considerable Naxalite communist insurgency...
.
Geography
It lies between 23°37'25" to 24°6'17" north latitude and 81°34'40" to 84°4'40" east longitude. 244.62 kilometres (152 mi) long east to west and 67.37 kilometres (41.9 mi) broad north to south, this land has as area of about 16359 square kilometres (6,316.2 sq mi).The high-lands of Surguja district have peculiar 'pat formations' – highlands with small tablelands. The Mainpat , the Jarang pat, the Jonka pat, the Jamira pat and the Lahsunpat are the major pats of the district. The average height of area is above 600 metres (1,968.5 ft). Some of peaks are – Mailan 1226 metres (4,022.3 ft), Jam 1166 metres (3,825.5 ft), Parta Gharsa 1159 metres (3,802.5 ft), Kanda Dara 1149 metres (3,769.7 ft), Chutai 1131 metres (3,710.6 ft), and Karo 1105 metres (3,625.3 ft). There are a number of other peaks. North–west Surguja is hilly in nature, and moving westwards, three distinct steps may be marked out: the first from Shrinagar on the east to the low-lands of Patna and Khargawan, the second from thence to the uplands around Sonhat and the third beyond Sonhat to above a height of 1033 metres (3,389.1 ft). Central Surguja is a low basin through which the Rihand and it's tributaries flow.
There are three river basins in Suguja district – those of the Hasdeo River
Hasdeo River
Hasdeo River is a tributary of Mahanadi river. The river flows in the state of Chattisgarh. It joins Mahanadi river near to Bilaigarh. Hasdeo Bango Dam is constructed across this river. The river originates about 910 m above sea level in a place about 10 km from Sonhat in Sarguja district of...
, the Rihand River
Rihand River
The Rihand River is a tributary of the Son River and flows through the Indian states of Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.-Course:...
and the Kanhar River
Kanhar River
The Kanhar River is a tributary of the Son River and flows through the Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.-Course:The Kanhar originates at Gidha-Dhodha on the Khudia plateau in Jashpur district of Chhattishgarh. It initially flows north forming the boundary with Garhwa...
.
In winters temperature dips to below 5 °C (41 °F) and in summers it rises above 46 °C (114.8 °F).
Demographics
According to the 2011 census2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 2,361,329 , roughly equal to the nation of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
or the US state of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. This gives it a ranking of 192nd in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 150 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 19.74 %. Surguja has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 976 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 61.16 %.
Major population comprises tribal population. Among the primitive tribes are Pando and Korwa, who still live in forest. The Pando tribe believes themselves as the member of "Pandav" clan of epic Mahabharata
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India and Nepal, the other being the Ramayana. The epic is part of itihasa....
. The Korwa tribe believes themselves to be member of "Kauravs" of Mahabharata.
Languages
Languages spoken include Bharia, a DravidianDravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
vernacular spoken by at least 200 000 members of the Bharia
Bharia
Bharia is one of tribes of Madhya Pradesh in India.The Bharias live in Patalkot, which is completely isolated valley some 400 metres below Tamia in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh.This valley is the source of Dudhi River...
tribe and written in the Devanagari script.
Culture
The first Asian film to win a Green Oscar, The Last Migration, was filmed in Surguja by the wild life film maker Mike PandeyMike Pandey
Mike Pandey is an Indian film maker specialising in films about wildlife and the environment. He has won over 300 awards for his work to spread awareness about biodiversity and species conservation...
. Sonabai is a clay sculptor famous for her tribal and folk artform.