Danteshwari Temple

A splendid temple of Goddess Danteswari is the main attraction for people visiting Dantewada district. This temple is one of the 52 Shakti Peethas, shrines of Shakti, the divine feminine, spread across India and is visited by devotees from different parts of the country through out the year. The temple was built in 14th century by the Chalukyas of the South and is located at the confluence of the holy rivers of Shankiniand Dhankini.

According to the legend, the temple is the spot where the Tooth of Sati fell, during the episode when all the Shakti shrines were created in the Satyuga. Every year during Dussehra, thousands of tribals from surrounding villages and jungles gather here to pay homage to the Goddess, when her idol is taken around the city in an elaborate procession, now a popular tourist attraction part of the “Bastar Dussehra” festival. There also is a tradition of lighting Jyoti Kalashas during Navratri here.

In the temple, old statues of archaeological importance found in the area have also been kept, including the inscriptions on stone written in Devnagri as well as Telugu. Apart from Danteshwari temple, the temple of Bhairm Baba is also historically important place to visit.