This one-page sheet covers Chhattisgarh from the Stone Age to the Gupta period. For explanations, read [Prehistoric Sites and Rock Art](/chhattisgarh/ancient-chhattisgarh/prehistoric-sites-rock-art/), [Dakshin Kosala in Literature and Epics](/chhattisgarh/ancient-chhattisgarh/dakshin-kosala-literature-epics/), [Mauryan and Satavahana Period](/chhattisgarh/ancient-chhattisgarh/mauryan-satavahana-period/) and [Gupta Period and Samudragupta's Southern Campaign](/chhattisgarh/ancient-chhattisgarh/gupta-period-samudragupta/).

{{< callout type="tip" title="How to use this sheet" >}}
Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.
{{< /callout >}}

## Timeline / Key Facts

### Prehistory

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Rock-art district** | **Raigarh**: Singhanpur, Kabra Pahad, Ongna, Karmagarh, Ushakothi, Basnajhar, Botalda |
| Singhanpur | About 20 km north-west of Raigarh (Raigarh–Kharsia road); hunting scenes, animals, ladder-like human figure |
| Kabra Pahad | About 8 km east of Raigarh; *kabra* = spotted; red ochre; wild buffalo, turtle, human figures, geometric designs |
| **First painted shelters reported** | **1910, Anderson** |
| Survey of Raigarh shelters | Amarnath Dutt, 1923–27 |
| Recent find | Dharamjaygarh area, Raigarh (reported January 2023) |
| Chitwa Dongri | Durg–Balod region; rider in Chinese-looking dress on a donkey, dragon, farming scenes (historic period) |
| **Karkabhat** | **Balod; 800+ megalithic burials; menhirs; iron weapons; 1st millennium BCE** |
| Other megalithic sites | Karhibhadar, Dhanora |
| Densest prehistoric clusters | Upper Mahanadi basin, Bastar |

### Dakshin Kosala in Literature

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Ancient name** | **Dakshin Kosala** (also Mahakosala); northern Kosala = Ayodhya, Shravasti |
| Chandkhuri (Raipur) | Kaushalya Mata temple (only one dedicated to her); temple of Somvanshi period, 8th–9th century CE |
| Dandakaranya | Rama's forest of exile; Bastar is its core |
| Shivrinarayan | Shabari (tradition) |
| Turturiya | Valmiki's ashram; birthplace of Lava and Kusha (tradition) |
| Kharod | Khara–Dushana tradition; "Kashi of Chhattisgarh" |
| **Ram Van Gaman Paryatan Paripath** | Launched **2020**; **9** first-phase sites, Sitamadhi Harchowka (Koriya) to Ramaram (Sukma); Chandkhuri works inaugurated October 2021 |
| Mahabharata | Sahadeva defeats the king of Kosala on his southern conquest |
| Kalidasa's Ramagiri | Ramgarh (Surguja) or Ramtek (near Nagpur): disputed |
| **Hiuen Tsang** | About **639 CE**; ~100 monasteries, ~10,000 Mahayana monks; Ashokan stupa; Nagarjuna |

### Mauryan and Satavahana Period

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Ramgarh caves** | **Surguja; Jogimara and Sitabenga; Brahmi script, Magadhi Prakrit; c. 3rd–1st century BCE** |
| Jogimara | Painted ceiling; inscription naming Sutanuka (devadasi) and Devadinna (rupadaksha) |
| Sitabenga | Claimed oldest theatre (natyashala); stone seating for about 50 |
| Ashokan edict in Chhattisgarh | **None found**; Mauryan influence is inferred |
| **Gunji** | **Damau Dahra, near Sakti; King Kumaravaradatta; first inscription naming a king; minister Bodhadatta gives 1,000 cows; Rishabhatirtha; about 1st century CE** |
| **Kirari** | **Wooden pillar; Hirabandh tank; found April 1921; Brahmi, about 2nd century CE; officials incl. senapati**; edited by Hirananda Sastri |
| Malhar (Bilaspur) | Sequence from before the 4th century BCE; four-armed (Vishnu) image, about 200 BCE; silver coin of Vashishthiputra Pulumavi; *gamasya kosaliya* sealing |

### Gupta Period

| Fact | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **Source** | **Allahabad Pillar / Prayag Prashasti, by Harishena** (Sanskrit, on an Ashokan pillar) |
| Samudragupta | c. 335–375 CE (dates vary) |
| **Kings of this region** | **Mahendra of Kosala**; **Vyaghraraja of Mahakantara** (first two of 12 southern kings) |
| Southern policy | Grahana–moksha–anugraha (capture, release, reinstate) |
| Forest kingdoms | Atavika rajya; rulers made servants |
| Mahakantara | "Great forest"; location disputed |
| Gupta era | Begins 319–320 CE |
| Arang copper plate | Bhimasena II (Rajarshitulya kula); Gupta year 282 (about 601–02 CE), earlier read as 182 |

## Don't Confuse

| This | vs | That |
|------|----|------|
| Singhanpur (Raigarh): rock shelter | | Sirpur (Mahasamund): later capital |
| Kabra Pahad: rock paintings | | Karkabhat: megalithic burials |
| Jogimara: paintings + love-note inscription | | Sitabenga: "theatre" |
| Gunji: rock, first king's name | | Kirari: wood, list of officials |
| Mahendra of Kosala | | Mahendragiri of Pishtapura |
| Turturiya: Valmiki, Lava–Kusha | | Shivrinarayan: Shabari |
| Hiuen Tsang: 7th century CE | | Samudragupta: 4th century CE |

{{< callout type="warning" title="Favourite MCQ trap" >}}
Watch for four swaps: **Raigarh** rock shelters offered as Surguja sites; **Kirari** offered as a copper plate (it is **wood**); **Mahendra** confused with **Mahendragiri**; and a claim that Samudragupta **annexed** Kosala (he **captured and released** its king).
{{< /callout >}}

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Source: https://cgpscnotes.in/chhattisgarh/ancient-chhattisgarh/quick-revision/

Chhattisgarh Ancient Chhattisgarh: Prehistory to the Guptas

Ancient Chhattisgarh: Prehistory to the Guptas — Quick Revision

One-page CGPSC quick revision for Ancient Chhattisgarh — every site, inscription, name and date from prehistory to the Guptas in tables.

3 min read Updated Oct 2026 #quick revision#cgpsc

This one-page sheet covers Chhattisgarh from the Stone Age to the Gupta period. For explanations, read Prehistoric Sites and Rock Art, Dakshin Kosala in Literature and Epics, Mauryan and Satavahana Period and Gupta Period and Samudragupta’s Southern Campaign.

How to use this sheet

Scan top to bottom the week before Prelims. Bold lines are the facts examiners return to most often.

Timeline / Key Facts

Prehistory

Fact	Detail
Rock-art district	Raigarh: Singhanpur, Kabra Pahad, Ongna, Karmagarh, Ushakothi, Basnajhar, Botalda
Singhanpur	About 20 km north-west of Raigarh (Raigarh–Kharsia road); hunting scenes, animals, ladder-like human figure
Kabra Pahad	About 8 km east of Raigarh; kabra = spotted; red ochre; wild buffalo, turtle, human figures, geometric designs
First painted shelters reported	1910, Anderson
Survey of Raigarh shelters	Amarnath Dutt, 1923–27
Recent find	Dharamjaygarh area, Raigarh (reported January 2023)
Chitwa Dongri	Durg–Balod region; rider in Chinese-looking dress on a donkey, dragon, farming scenes (historic period)
Karkabhat	Balod; 800+ megalithic burials; menhirs; iron weapons; 1st millennium BCE
Other megalithic sites	Karhibhadar, Dhanora
Densest prehistoric clusters	Upper Mahanadi basin, Bastar

Dakshin Kosala in Literature

Fact	Detail
Ancient name	Dakshin Kosala (also Mahakosala); northern Kosala = Ayodhya, Shravasti
Chandkhuri (Raipur)	Kaushalya Mata temple (only one dedicated to her); temple of Somvanshi period, 8th–9th century CE
Dandakaranya	Rama’s forest of exile; Bastar is its core
Shivrinarayan	Shabari (tradition)
Turturiya	Valmiki’s ashram; birthplace of Lava and Kusha (tradition)
Kharod	Khara–Dushana tradition; “Kashi of Chhattisgarh”
Ram Van Gaman Paryatan Paripath	Launched 2020; 9 first-phase sites, Sitamadhi Harchowka (Koriya) to Ramaram (Sukma); Chandkhuri works inaugurated October 2021
Mahabharata	Sahadeva defeats the king of Kosala on his southern conquest
Kalidasa’s Ramagiri	Ramgarh (Surguja) or Ramtek (near Nagpur): disputed
Hiuen Tsang	About 639 CE; ~100 monasteries, ~10,000 Mahayana monks; Ashokan stupa; Nagarjuna

Mauryan and Satavahana Period

Fact	Detail
Ramgarh caves	Surguja; Jogimara and Sitabenga; Brahmi script, Magadhi Prakrit; c. 3rd–1st century BCE
Jogimara	Painted ceiling; inscription naming Sutanuka (devadasi) and Devadinna (rupadaksha)
Sitabenga	Claimed oldest theatre (natyashala); stone seating for about 50
Ashokan edict in Chhattisgarh	None found; Mauryan influence is inferred
Gunji	Damau Dahra, near Sakti; King Kumaravaradatta; first inscription naming a king; minister Bodhadatta gives 1,000 cows; Rishabhatirtha; about 1st century CE
Kirari	Wooden pillar; Hirabandh tank; found April 1921; Brahmi, about 2nd century CE; officials incl. senapati; edited by Hirananda Sastri
Malhar (Bilaspur)	Sequence from before the 4th century BCE; four-armed (Vishnu) image, about 200 BCE; silver coin of Vashishthiputra Pulumavi; gamasya kosaliya sealing

Gupta Period

Fact	Detail
Source	Allahabad Pillar / Prayag Prashasti, by Harishena (Sanskrit, on an Ashokan pillar)
Samudragupta	c. 335–375 CE (dates vary)
Kings of this region	Mahendra of Kosala; Vyaghraraja of Mahakantara (first two of 12 southern kings)
Southern policy	Grahana–moksha–anugraha (capture, release, reinstate)
Forest kingdoms	Atavika rajya; rulers made servants
Mahakantara	“Great forest”; location disputed
Gupta era	Begins 319–320 CE
Arang copper plate	Bhimasena II (Rajarshitulya kula); Gupta year 282 (about 601–02 CE), earlier read as 182

Don’t Confuse

This	vs	That
Singhanpur (Raigarh): rock shelter		Sirpur (Mahasamund): later capital
Kabra Pahad: rock paintings		Karkabhat: megalithic burials
Jogimara: paintings + love-note inscription		Sitabenga: “theatre”
Gunji: rock, first king’s name		Kirari: wood, list of officials
Mahendra of Kosala		Mahendragiri of Pishtapura
Turturiya: Valmiki, Lava–Kusha		Shivrinarayan: Shabari
Hiuen Tsang: 7th century CE		Samudragupta: 4th century CE

Favourite MCQ trap

Watch for four swaps: Raigarh rock shelters offered as Surguja sites; Kirari offered as a copper plate (it is wood); Mahendra confused with Mahendragiri; and a claim that Samudragupta annexed Kosala (he captured and released its king).

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