Dhamtari

Dhamtari is supposed to be one of the most fertile districts of Chhattisgarh. The place is irrigated by a number of prominent rivers like the Mahanadi, along with Sendur, Sondhur, Joan, Pairy, Kharun and Shivanath flowing by. Endowed with the Chhattisgarh plains and the hills, Dhamtari takes pride in its natural panorama – the lush green woods, cluster of hills- the Satpura ranges commonly known as Sihawa Pahad, soothing surroundings with a rich endowment of flora and fauna and above all, the tribal societies dwelling in this area. It is mainly a tribal inhabited area who leads their lives in traditional styles. These tribal societies comprise the segment of people who understand the meaning of living together and join hands to work together to achieve any shared interest to cater to the needs of their society. Every society has its own set of rules with respect to business and commerce. These augment and strengthen their unity to live and toil collectively as one. The tribal groups although have undertaken various forms of odd jobs at present, yet their basic livelihood depend on hunting and cultivation. In the past eras, the tribal land areas were never analyzed and they did not lead a settled life. The tribal people carried out shifting cultivation, taking into consideration that they were the possessors of the natural resources like the river water, forest trees and the lush green lands. This practice of self cultivation still continues in the contemporary times. Paddy is the chief crop grown here. The chief tribal community seen here is the Kamars. Dhamtari hosts numerous dams and reservoirs. Syphen Dam was Asia’s important and large dam is the first dam, established in the year 1914 at Madamsilli. Another Ravishankar Sagar Dam, irrigating 57000 hectares of land area. It is a major water supplier to places like Raipur and Bhillai Steel Plant. The other well-known dams are the Sondhur Dam and the Dudhawa Dam.