Uttar Bastar Kanker District is located in the southern region of the state of Chhattisgarh, India within the latitudes 20.6-20.24 and longitudes 80.48-81.48.
According to the legendary Sanskrit epics of India, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, there was once a dense forest area named Dandakaranya, in the region where Kanker is located.
[2] In 106 AD, the Kanker state was under the rule of the Satvahana dynasty and the king was Satkarni, This fact is also described by Chinese visitor Whensaung.
After Satvahana rule, the state was under the control of the Nags, Vakataks, Gupt, Nal and Chalukya dynasties.
In more recent years, this district has been affected by violence from Naxalite groups (Indian Maoists).
Narhar Deo made a plan termed 'Ratna Bhandar' for keeping grain in stock for his people.
[5] According to the 2011 census Kanker district has a population of 748,941,[8] roughly equal to the nation of Guyana[9] or the US state of Alaska.
Annual average rainfall in the district is 1492 mm, 90% of which falls during the period from June to October.
Within the district, the Kanker and Charama blocks have a predominantly dry climate, whereas that of Bhanupratappur is of the wet type.
The capacity of water absorption by this soil is great, and this is very useful in growth of Kharif and Rabi crops in the region.
The farmers who live in the forest cut the trees before the rainy season and use the land for agriculture.
Over 80 percent of the working population is already dependent on marginal agriculture and allied activities, with low incomes and stagnant productivity.
This would be beneficial, since persons engaged in agriculture could then earn an adequate income to meet their basic needs.
Thus, the only feasible option in the short to medium run is to increase employment in the main livelihood sector, which is agriculture.
Iron ore, quartzite and garnet deposits are found in southern regions of the district, but mining of these minerals on a commercial scale has not been attempted.
About 100 million tons of iron ore deposits have been identified in the Hahaladdi region of the Bhanupratappur Tehsil.
Chhattisgarh's second biggest iron ore deposits, Rowghat Mines, is in Antargarh tehsil in this district.
Rowghat Mines will supply iron ore to the Bhilai Steel Plant of SAIL.
Some deposits of gold have been found in Sona Dehi, Michgaon and in certain other regions of Bhanupratappur Tehsil.
The chief languages or dialects used in the Kanker district are Hindi, Bengali, Chhattisgarhi, Gondi and Halbi.
Until the end of the Nala dynasty, the people were divided into four different castes, namely: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.
Parja, Gadva, Halba, Ganda, Mahra, Chandal, Ghuruva, Dom, Lohar, Matrigond, Rajgond, Dorla, Nahar, Naikpod, Kuduk, Andkuri, Kumhar, Kosta, Chamar, Kenvat, Dhakad, were important and in other castes Brahmin, Vaishya, Kayasth, Teli, Kalar, Kshtriya, Kunbi, Dhobi, Marathi, Mohammedan, Pathan, Telanga, Orria, Rohilla and others were important.
If a child who is younger than 5 years dies, then their body is also buried beneath a Mahua tree and their head is placed facing an easterly direction.
On Poornima people celebrate the Madai festival in respect of the goddess Kesharpal Kesharpalin Devi.
In January, the people of Kanker, and the adjoining areas of Charama and Kurna, celebrate the Madai festival.
At the end of February, the Madai festival goes to Antagarh, Narayanpur and Bhanupratappur, and in March it is celebrated in Kondagaon, Keshkal and Bhopalpattanam.
Kanker is a forestry district containing good quality woods from which wooden-carving crafts and various types of furniture are made by skilled artisans.
[citation needed] Kanker District has the following attractions:[15] This place is very renowned for its royal palace including the tribal villages and the deep forests.
When the Kandra king Dharma Dev won the Kanker, he declared his capital on Gadhiya Mountain, which is a natural form of a fort.
Bastar Dharma Kshema Samiti, Jagadalpur provides local support for the plan preparation under the leadership of Rev.