Dholkal Ganesh and Surya Temple

On top of one of the highest peaks in Dantewada, two temples were discovered in September 2012 – Ganesh temple and Surya temple, at the height of around 3000 ft. Ganesh temple has one Ganesh idol, whereas the idol in Surya temple was stolen many years ago. Archaeologists believe that the beautiful Ganesh idol was made in 11thcentury, and based on the carvings on the idol, it is believed that the idol was made during the time of Nagvanshi dynasty in the 9thor 10thcentury. The idol is 3 ft in length, made of granite, and weighs around 100 kg.Because of its placement on a stone which looks like a dhol, it has become popular as Dholkal Ganesh.

According to mythology, when a fight broke between Lord Ganesh and Parshuram, Parshuram had cut one tooth of Lord Ganesh, hence name Ekdanth. That broken tooth of Ganesha fell in at this place in the Bailadila range.

This is an extremely scenic spot which can be reached only after a trek of 5km one way in the dense forest ranges of Bailadila to reach to the top. In fact, the last 200m of the top are most challenging, but the views from the top make the trek all worthwhile.This is one of the most beautiful sunset points in Dantewada. For the comfort and convenience of the tourists and nature enthusiasts, trained guides are available for trekking as there are high chances of getting lost in the dense forest. Services of those local guides can be availed of at nominal costs to understand to history of the area and flora and fauna of the forest.

How to reach: Dholkal base is around 1920 km from Dantewada city and comes after Faraspal village, Kotwarpara.