Culture of Chhattisgarh

Chhattisgarh boasts of a rich cultural heritage amidst crusty cuisine, vivacious dances, great religions, melodious music, lively people, amiable languages, sparkling fairs & festivals, and marvelous arts & crafts. Its unique approach towards dance, cuisine, and music, make it different from others. Perhaps all this and the relevant profile have made Chhattisgarh - the preferred choice of anthropologists and sociologists. To be honest, the eastern parts of Chhattisgarh are influenced by the Oriya culture.

Cuisine
Rice is the staple diet in the state which is complemented by pulses, cereals, vegetables, fruits, and meat products. The tribal population enjoys delicacies state, a brew made of small, creamy white fruit of a local tree called ‘mahuwa' is very much popular.

Religion
Hinduism is the major religion practiced in Chhattisgarh. However, the state has a significant number of Muslims and Buddhists as well. Besides them, the tribal have their own set of beliefs and customs. Due to the influence of early missionaries, many of the tribes converted into Christians. The other religious sects, such as, Satnami, Kabirpanth, Ramnami Samaj, etc, that have emerged from caste-based Hinduism, also fourish in Chhattisgarh.

People
The majority of the state's population belongs to tribal communities, like Gonds, Kanwar, Brinjhwar, Bhaina, Bhatra, Oraon, Munda, Kamar, Halba, Baiga, Sanwra, Kowa, Bharia, Nageshia, Manghwar, Kharia, and Dhanwar. These people love to ornament themselves with items, such as, cowries, beads, shells, bones, feathers, etc. Apart from the tribal, many people of Chhattisgarh actually belong to the neighboring states.

Dance
Chhattisgarh is a reservoir of talent. Since ages, dance and performing arts have been practiced here. Where Raut Nacha is the folk dance of cowherds, Panthi ‘Karma' and Soowa dance forms are popular all over the state. Local dances and dramas, for example, Pandavani, Panthi Dance, Nacha, Gond, and Muria are performed at the state fairs and festivals. Pandavani is an ancient style of story telling; actually it's a musical narration of the epic - Mahabharata.

Music
Music forms an inseparable part of the state's entertaining culture. The rich traditional folk songs that are exclusive mentioned are sohar, bihav, and pathoni. While Sohar songs are associated with child birth, Bihav songs are linked with marriage celebration. The songs, like Chulmati, Telmati, Maymouri, Nahdouri, Parghani, Bhadoni, etc, form the major part of Bihav songs. Pathoni songs are related to Gouna, which is the local term for the departure of bride to bridegroom's home.

Language
Chhattisgarhi is the local dialect of Hindi language in Chhattisgarh. It is spoken Aryan dialect, though it has considerable vocabulary and linguistic features of Munda and Dravidian languages. Besides Chhattisgarhi, about 93 dialects or languages are spoken in the state. Each of these dialects uses the Devanagari script of Hindi regardless of their language group. Hindi, Oriya and Marathi are also commonly used in Chhattisgarh.

Fairs & Festivals
The people of Chhattisgarh celebrate each and every event with cheerfulness. Different fairs & festivals that are synonymous to this state are Bhagoriya Festival, Bhoramdeo Mahotsav, Chakradhar Festival, Dussehra Festival, Goncha Festival, Hariyali Kora Navakhani, Kajari Festival, Madai Festival, Narayanpur Mela, Rajim Lochan Mahotsav,and Sheorinarayan Fair. The harmony amongst people from different communities and sects cheers up through such grand celebrations.

Arts & Crafts
The arts & crafts of Chhattisgarh truly represent the dexterity of its artisans. Amazing wood carvings, bamboo work/furniture, bell metal handicraft, figures of terracotta, tribal jewelry, paintings, and clay pieces are some of the specialties from the state. The authentic handicrafts, like any other element of culture, are really mesmerizing. If truth be told, Chhattisgarh is a place to behold the ancient as well as refined form of arts & crafts.