Dantewada

Dantewada’s history is deeply tied to the wider Bastar region—an area known for dense forests, strong tribal traditions, and powerful local kingdoms. Before modern district boundaries existed, this region was part of the historic landscape often associated with Dandakaranya in Indian tradition, and it developed for centuries through forest-based livelihoods, village networks, and pilgrimage routes.

A defining pillar of Dantewada’s identity is the Danteshwari Temple, dedicated to Goddess Danteshwari (a form of Shakti). Many summaries describe the temple as being built around the 14th century, and it is widely revered as one of the Shakti Peethas in popular tradition. The town’s name is commonly connected to the goddess—local tourism and reference sources repeatedly link “Dantewada” with “Danteshwari,” often explaining it through the legend of Sati’s tooth (“daant”) falling here. Over time, the temple became a major centre of faith for people across Bastar, and it is also associated with the region’s famous Bastar Dussehra traditions where the goddess is central to local religious life.

Politically, Dantewada’s modern administrative story begins under the princely era: before independence, the area formed part of the Bastar State. After 1947, Bastar’s ruler acceded to India and the region became part of Bastar District in **Madhya Pradesh (as it was then organized).

A key milestone came in 1998, when Dantewada was created as a separate district (earlier it had been a tehsil under Bastar). The official district site notes this formation clearly and also explains why the district is called Dakshin Bastar Dantewada (South Bastar). Later, administrative reshaping continued: the district was bifurcated in 2007 to form **Bijapur district, and again in 2012 to form **Sukma district—changes that reflect the region’s large geography and distinct local needs.

Today, Dantewada remains best understood as a historic temple-town and tribal heartland of **Chhattisgarh—where faith, forest culture, and the legacy of Bastar’s princely past continue to shape its identity.