Rajnandgaon

Rajnandgaon’s story sits at the meeting point of the Chhattisgarh plains and the forested belt leading toward Bastar and Maharashtra. In ancient times, this wider region was part of Dakshina Kosala, which appears in early historical accounts of central India. Traditions and later historical summaries place the area within larger imperial networks at different times—often linked with the Mauryan age (commonly associated with Emperor Ashoka) and with Gupta-era influence during Samudragupta’s southern campaigns—reflecting how central India shifted between local rule and wider “overlordship” through the early centuries CE.

From the early medieval period onward, dynastic powers shaped the cultural landscape of the region. District-level historical notes mention rulers and influences such as Somvanshis and Kalachuris, whose periods are remembered for temple-building traditions, evolving agrarian settlements, and the gradual growth of market towns across the plains. Over time, the surrounding countryside—rich in agriculture and forest resources—helped establish stable settlements that later supported state administration and trade routes.

A major turning point came in the 18th–19th centuries with the rise of the local princely establishment historically known as Nandgaon State (also called Raj Nandgaon in various records). Sources describe how the state was founded in 1765 by Mahant Prahlad Das, and its leadership followed the Vaishnav Bairagi tradition, where succession often passed through chosen disciples rather than direct hereditary lines. Initially, the capital was at Pandadah, but it later shifted to Rajnandgaon (commonly dated to the 1830s), after which the town gained greater prominence as the seat of administration and the ruler’s residence.

During the British period, the state’s political status became more formalized. Accounts note British recognition of the ruling authority (with adoption/succession arrangements acknowledged through official sanads) and the continued functioning of the princely setup until independence. After 1947, the princely state merged into the Indian Union, and the region’s governance was reorganized within the modern administrative framework.

In post-independence administration, Rajnandgaon remained important as a regional center. The Government of Chhattisgarh’s district portal notes that Rajnandgaon district was created on 26 January 1973 through the division of the then Durg district—marking the town’s lasting role as a key administrative and cultural hub in the state.