At a glance Bastar, a land filled with forests, is in southern Chhattisgarh. Maharashtra lies to the west and Orissa to its east. About the city The most special feature of Chhattisgarh is undoubtedly its local tribes which still give the flavor of ancient Indian culture. Their cultural activities carry the charm of a simple life even in this jet age. Besides, the medicinal plants found in the wildlife sanctuaries of the state hold the remedy of natural cure.Chhattisgarh - a young state but an ancient land is quoted in the ancient texts as "Dakshin Kosala". The several tourist attractions in Chhattisgarh consist of the unspoilt green forests, crisscrossed by picturesque waterfalls, exotic plateaus and winding rivers. Visitors experience here tribal culture since one-third of the state population is tribal among which many live in the densest forests which cover 44% of the land surface. Along with the wild animals roaming around in the woods, the rare medicinal plants too are one of the salient features of this land. This new state is also blessed with mineral resources. How to reach Road: Plan a night halt at Bhopal if you are coming from Delhi; stop for lunch at Nagpur the next day before heading for Raipur (278 km). But road is not a convenient option. Raipur to Jagdalpur, though, is a scenic drive. Stop for lunch at the government-run Panchvati Guest House on the highway. Mahendra Travels (Tel: 07782-226206) and Kanker Travels operate luxury (Rs 150) and sleeper coaches (Rs 210) on the route. Rail: Nearest railhead: Raipur Station, connected with Delhi and Visakhapatnam (Samta Express) and Mumbai and Kolkata (Howrah-Mumbai Express). Air: Nearest airport: Raipur Airport (268 km/ 6 hrs). Connected to Delhi, Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. Taxi (Satguru Travels, Tel: 0771-423965) to Jagdalpur charges about Rs 4,000 return fare. Other options are hotel pick-ups or luxury buses. Distances 898 km South East from Bhopal From Bhopal NH12 to Obaidullaganj from Bhopal NH69 to Nagpur via Hoshangabad, Shahpur, Betul and Pardhurna NH6 to Raipur via Bhandara, Khomara, Rajnandgaon and Bhilai NH43 to Jagdalpur via Abhanpur, Dhamtari, Keskal and Kondagaon. Best Seasons Best from September to March. Places in and around Bamboo forests Sal and Teak are the two major tree species in the state. Other notable overwood species- Bija Saja Dhawra Mahua Tendu Amla Karra Bamboo Rivers in Chhattisgarh The largest river in Chhattisgarh is Mahanadi which does 57.48% collection of water for the land. Besides, there are other rivers too, namely- Shivnath Hasdo Mand Eb Pary Jonk Kelo Udanti Sukha and many more Its second largest river is Godavari. Rihand is main river in northern side of Chhattisgarh. Waterfalls in Chhattisgarh India's largest waterfall and the deepest and perhaps oldest stalagmite formations are found in Chhattisgarh. Chitrakot: Just under 40 km to the west of Jagdalpur on the Indravati river. It is much like the famous Niagara Falls. Kendai: In Kendai village, a hill river falls from distance of about 200 feet. Ranidah: Situated about 19 km. from Jaspurnagar. Bastar district has so many beautiful water falls as Tirathgarh, Kanger Dhara, Mendari Ghumar, Chitra Dhara, Gupteshwar Jharna etc Tribal culture in Chhattisgarh Kafela of so many tribes form the inner beauty of Chhattisgarh. People belonging to different castes have their specific God & Goddess. For Gond's-Budhadev & Dulhadev are gods. Besides, they also worship Lion. Durpatmata, Kudargadi, Mahamaya, Doswali Dev, Bharanag (God of hill), Sheetala Mata-all find worshiping from the tribal people. Tribal people of Bastar & Kanker worship 'Village God' (Gramdevta). In Bastar Angadev, Mandinmata, Budhimata, Bhimsen, Pardesin,Telanginmata, Bhangaram, Korna-Kotik, Danteshwari, Karathidev, Bhagwan Jagannath & Goncha festival has extensive credit Raipur: Well connected with Bhilai (25 km), Durg(41 km), Jagadalpur (297 Km), Rajnandgaon(70 km), Bilaspur (115 km) Jabalpur (369 km) and Bhopal(712 km) Visitors can visit- Hirakud Dam near Sambalpur Puri (Orissa) [Bus Service is available] Alternate Road route to Kanha National Park Bastar: A paradise for tourists Visitors can visit- The deep forest area Cool flowing streams Sky-touching mountains Caves High waterfalls Champaran (Champajhar): The birth place of the Saint Vallabhacharya--the reformer and founder of the Vallabh Sect for whom this place has religious sanctity A temple was built in honor of Guru Swamy Vallabhacharya The temple of Champakeshwara Mahadeva Besides, one can enjoy the magnificent tourist points in Maharashtra from here.