History of Raipur

Today when Raipur has become state capital of Chhattisgarh it is obvious to trace it origin. You will be surprised to know that Raipur is one of the oldest cities of India. On digging deep into the history of Raipur, one comes to know that the origin of this city can be traced back to the times when many other ancient cities in the Indian subcontinent had not even come into existence. Earlier a part of Madhya Pradesh, it is now the capital city of Chhattisgarh. The district of Raipur is an important historical and archeological landmark. It has an alluring blend of rich ancient history and culture.

There is another story about this ancient city according to which King Ramachandra's son Brahmdeo Rai established Raipur. His capital was Khallari. The newly built city was named after Brahmdeo Rai as 'Raipur'. During this time the temple of Hatkeshwar Mahadev was constructed on the banks of river Kharun. With the death of King Amarsingh Deo, this dynasty declined. This region became the domain of Bhosle kings following Amarsingh Deo's death.

Raipur was once a part of the southern Koshala and believed to be under the Maurya Kingdom. Raipur used to be the capital of the Kalchuri kings of Haihaya Dynasty who controlled the traditional forts of Chhattisgarh for a considerable period of time. According to historians, the town of Raipur has been in existence since 9th century. The old site and ruins of the fort can be spotted in the southern part of the city. The Satavahana kings ruled this region till the 2nd–3rd century AD.

The 4th century AD saw the dominance of king Samudragupta who occupied the region and established his firm domination which continued till 5th–6th century. After that the region saw the rule of Sarabhpuri kings. The Nala kings dominated this region for some period. Later, Somavanshi kings took control over this region and ruled from Sirpur, their capital. Under the administration of competent rulers, Sirpur witnessed a cultural boom during this time. Mahashivgupt Balarjun was the most powerful king of this dynasty. His mother Rani Vasata, the widow queen of Harshgupta of the Somavansh, built the well-known Lakshman temple made of bricks. The Kalchuri kings of Tumman ruled this part for a considerable time and made Ratanpur the capital. The ancient inscriptions of Rajim, Ratanpur, and Khallari convey information about the reign of Kalchuri kings. It is thought that the King Ramachandra of this dynasty established the city of Raipur and made it the capital of his kingdom.

Raipur disintegrated into small principalities and passed from one powerful empire to the other before it came under the British rule in 1854. The British East India Company made Chhattisgarh a separate governing body or Commissary with Raipur as its district headquarters.After independence, Raipur district and the Chhattisgarh region underwent many territorial changes like the rest of the states. It was included in Central Provinces and Berar. Before 2000, Raipur was one of the districts in the state of Madhya Pradesh. On 1 November 2000, the new state of Chhattisgarh was formed and Raipur was declared its capital.

Today Raipur is the biggest city of the region and a fast developing centre not just in terms of industry but tourism too. The city has its own railway station and airport connecting all major cities of India. It is also accessible by road through the National Highway.