Although Chattisgarh is a young state, it is an ancient land, referred to in ancient texts, inscriptions, literary works and accounts of foreign travellers as Dakshin Kosala. Lord Rama is said to have spent part of his exile here.

Chhattisgarh is known to be a tribal-dominated state, and it has a significantly large tribal population - 32.5% as compared to 7.8% for the rest of India. In spite of this, the region has been historically dominated by traditional Hindu culture based on a hierarchical social and religious order.

From the 17 th century onwards, a number socio-religious reform movements emerged, seeking to establish a more equitable society. These included:

• The Satnam Panth, formed in the second decade of the nineteenth century, by a farm worker, for sharecroppers and agricultural labourers. The followers of this movement, Satnamis, preached a casteless order, believed only in the formless - Satnam or the true name, and rejected the deities and idols of the Hindu pantheon.

• The Kabir Panth, recruited mostly from dalits, follow the teachings and principles of Kabir, the revolutionary social reformer saint poet of the sixteenth century. They reject the caste system, renounce polytheism and believe in only one god.

• The Ramnami Panth, a small sect propagating the cult of Rama among dalits. They reject Hinduism's traditional practise of using Brahmins as a medium for worshipping God.

• The Rae Das Panth, also a sect drawn mainly from the dalit community, spreading the message of equality.

Chhattisgarh also witnessed several tribal rebellions from the late 18th century to the first few decades of the 20th century. Some of these were localised, others were more widespread. However, all sought to protest against exploitative laws and practices and interference with local way of life, and assert the
rights of the tribals with regard to use of land and resources, and follow their traditional way of life. Key rebellions included:

• Halba rebellion (1774-79)

• Bhopalpatnam Struggle (1795)

• Paralkot rebellion (1825)

• Tarapur rebellion (1842-54)

• Maria rebellion (1842-63)

• First Freedom Struggle (1856-57)

• Koi revolt (1859)

• Muria rebellion (1876)

• Rani rebellion (1878-82)

• Bhumkal (1910)

All these movements and rebellions eventually culminated in the creation of the state, in recognition of protecting and preserving its distinct and plural customs, traditions and cultures.

The name, Chhattisgarh, is not ancient. It was first used in an official document in 1795, and became popular during the Maratha period. There are three popular stories about the origin of the name.

• Perhaps the most popular one is that since Chattisgarh means "36 forts", it denotes the number of forts in the region. Experts do not agree with this explanation as thirty-six forts cannot be identified in the region.

• An explanation popular with experts and historians, is that Chhattisgarh is the corrupted form of "Chedisgarh", which means "Stronghold of the Chedis", Chedis being another name for the Kalchuri dynasty.

• According to British Chronicler, J.B. Beglar, "the real name is Chhattisghar (36 houses) and not Chhattisgarh. There is a saying that ages ago, about the time of Jarasandha, thirty six families of dalits (leather workers) emigrated southwards from Jarasandha's kingdom and established themselves in country, which after them is called Chhattisghar".

Women in Chhattisgarh have traditionally enjoyed more freedom than women elsewhere in the country. The Purdah system is mostly absent, and a woman can, through a local custom called Chudi pahanana, choose to terminate her marriage.