History

Dhamtari is abbreviated from “Dhamma”+”Tarai”. The District is situated in the fertile plains of Chhattisgarh Region. This District is situated between 20° 42′ 36″ N Latitude and 81° 33′ 0″ E Longitude. Dhamtari district is officially formed on 6th July 1998 dividing the Raipur district currently the capital of Chhattisgarh along with Mahasamund. As a result the boundaries of the Raipur district is converted into the districts e.g Raipur, Mahasamund and Dhamtari. Dhamtari, Kurud, Magarlod and Nagri are included in Dhamtari district as Tehsils and Dhamtari, Kurud, Magarlod and Nagri are included as blocks. The total area of the district is 4084 Sq.Km. and 457 Meter above the mean sea level. The District is surrounded by District Raipur in North and District Kanker as well as Bastar in South, part of Orissa state in East and District Durg,Balod and Kanker in West. Mahanadi is the principal river of this district and Mahanadi is so far named as Kankannadi, Chitrotpala, Neelotpala, Mandvahini, Jairath etc.

Its tributaries being Sendur, Pairy, Sondur, Joan, Kharun and Shivnath. The fertility of lands of Dhamtari district can be attributed to the presence of these rivers. The chief crop of this region is Paddy. Mahanadi one of the major river in central India originates in the hills of Sihawa flows in the direction of East into the Bay of Bengal.

Dhamtari district falls between two Lok Sabha Constituencies (Kanker and Mahasamund) and three Assembly constituencies (Dhamtari, Kurud and Sihawa).The national highway No. 30 (Previously NH 43) Raipur – Vijaynagaram (Andhra Pradesh) passes through Dhamtari. Raipur is 78 Km. from Dhamtari.

In the east, Satpura range is located. It is popularly known as Sihawa pahad. In west lies district of Kanker. In North lies Raipur, the heart and capital city of Chhattisgarh. Southwards lies the boundary of Odisa state. Ravishankar Sagar dam that irrigates almost 57000 Hectare of land and also acts as a main supply unit of safe drinking water resource for state capital Raipur as well as supply to Bhilai Steel Plant lies at almost 11 Km from the District capital .

Asia’s first ever Siphon dam was built in the year 1914 at Madamsilli. Besides Madamsilli, Sondhur dam, Dudhawa dam are the major projects.