Happy TravellerWelcome to Dongargarh, a major town and municipality in Rajnandgaon District in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. This beautiful city is a popular tourist destination, known for its majestic mountains, serene ponds, and religious landmarks. The name Dongargarh is derived from the words ‘Dongarh’ meaning mountains and ‘garh’ meaning fort. Dongargarh is situated about 35 kilometres (22 mi) west from Rajnandgaon, 67 kilometres (42 mi) west from Durg and 132 kilometres (82 mi) east from Bhandara which are situated on National Highway 6.
One of the most popular landmarks in Dongargarh is the Maa Bamleshwari Devi Temple, situated on a 1,600 feet (490 m) high hilltop. This temple is of great spiritual importance and several legends are associated with it. Another prominent shrine in the vicinity is Chhoti Bamleshwari Temple. Devotees flock to these temples during Navratri. Shivji Temple and temples dedicated to Lord Hanuman are also located here. The ropeway is an added attraction and is the only passenger ropeway in Chhattisgarh. However, a severe accident occurred in 2016 when the ropeway broke and fell down killing several people.
Dongargarh is also known for its religious harmony and has a considerable population of Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, and Jains apart from Hindus. A 30 feet high statue of Buddha situated at the hilltop of the Pragyagiri hill is another attraction of the town. This is visible from all the 06 major hills of the town. In addition to these, a Jain temple is also being constructed on a hill known as Chandragiri with the blessings of Jain saint Acharya Shri Vidyasagar Ji Maharaaj. The temple is specially recognized for an ancient statue of the Teerthankara god Chandraprabhuji. One of the biggest gurudwaras in the state is also located in the heart of the city managed by the Sikh society which also runs Khalsa Public School, one of the biggest schools in the town. Dongargarh’s oldest and most beautiful Roman Catholic church (Sacred Heart Church) is situated just near the railway station, as well as there is a tall and beautiful Calvary hill near the railway colony which has a huge cross on the tip of the hill that can be seen from a far distance during the day. Every year, a huge crowd of devotees, Christians, and other religions gather here during the month of April for the way of the cross marking the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ as well as to get his blessings.
Dongargarh has good road communication and buses and taxis are available from Rajnandgaon. The nearest airport, Swami Vivekanand Airport, is at Raipur, 110 kilometres (68 mi) away, while the nearest railhead is Dongargarh Railway Station. As of the 2011 India census, Dongargarh had a population of 37,372 with males constituting 52% of the population and females 48%. The city’s average literacy rate is 80%, which is higher than the national average of 59.5%; male literacy is 81% and female literacy is 66%. In Dongragarh, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Come and explore the beauty and spirituality of Dongargarh, a hidden gem in the heart of India.
