Koriya district

Koriya, also commonly spelled Korea District, is a district in the northern Chhattisgarh state in central India. The administrative center of the district is Koriya.

Geography

Koriya District lies between 22°56′ and 23°48′ North and 81°56′ and 82°47′ East. It is bounded on the north by Sidhi District of Madhya Pradesh, on the south by Bilaspur District, on the east by Surguja District, and on the west by Shahdol District of Madhya Pradesh.

The area of the district is 5977 km², of which 59.9% is forest area. According to the 1991 census, the total population of the district was 500,758, of which 260,061 were male and 240,697 were female. 66.9% of this population was rural, and 51.87% belonged to the scheduled castes and tribes.

Koriya District consists of the four tehsils of Baikunthpur, Sonhat, Manendragarh, and Bharatpur; five blocks of which four are named the same as the tehsils, the other being Kadgawaon. The district encompasses 223 villages, 5 Janpad Panchayats, 2 Nagar Panchayats and 3 municipal corporations.

Nature's bounty

Koriya District has rich scenic beauty; its mountains, valleys, plains, and rivers all add to its natural beauty. It is extremely rich in wildlife and mineral resources, especially coal. The climate is mild with a bountiful monsoon, a mild summer and a bearable winter.

The district is a vast mass of hill ranges. The general height of the lower tableland is 550 m (1800 feet) above sea level. The Sonhat Plateau has a maximum elevation of 755 m (2477 feet). The highest peak in the district is Deogarh, which is 1027 m (3370 feet) high.

History

Little is known of the area before the 16th century. Koriya was a princely state of British India; the other princely state that lay within the Koriya District was Chang Bhakhar. After Indian Independence in 1947, the rulers of Koriya and Chang Bhakhar acceded to the Government of India, and Koriya was made part Surguja District of Madhya Pradesh state. The District of Koriya came into existence on May 25, 1998, when it was carved out of Surguja District. After the formation of the new state of Chhattisgarh on November 1, 2000, Koriya District became part of the new state.

Culture

Three community dances, the Karma, Saila, and Suga Dance, are celebrated mainly in the district during different festivals. The main festivals of India such as Diwali, Dashehra, and Holi are also celebrated in Korea District. Some other festivals are also special among the Korean communities, such as Ganga Dashera, Charta, Navakhai, and Surhul.

The original inhabitants of Korea were probably the Kols, Gonds and Bhuinhars (Pando). All other communities in the district claim to have come from outside the district. Migration into Korea District was a continuous process. These migrants include the Cherva, Rajwars, Sahu, Ahir, Gwalas, Oraon, Gadaria, Koir, Bargah, Basods, Muslims, Kahars, Kunbi, Kewats, Guptas, Jaiswal, Schedule Caste, Agrawals, and Jains,and panika.