Danteshwari Temple, in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh, honours Goddess Danteshwari (a form of Shakti/Durga). It is also known as Maa Danteshwari Temple.
Danteshwari Temple is revered as one of the Shakti Peethas of India; tradition holds that a tooth (danta) of Sati fell at this spot, giving both the goddess and the town their name. It is the ritual center of the 75-day Bastar Dussehra, in which the goddess, rather than Rama's victory over Ravana, is honored as the presiding deity. The temple is believed to have been built in the 14th century under the Chalukya rulers of Bastar, a dynasty founded by Annamdev, a prince linked to the Kakatiya lineage of Warangal.
Chhattisgarh carries a distinct temple identity of its own: A land of ancient Shakti Peethas and tribal devotion, where forested Bastar hills cradle Chhattisgarh's oldest temples and living festival traditions.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 5:00 AM - 7:00 PM (temple reported open through the day by most sources) |
Sources disagree on exact hours and aarti windows: some list a continuous 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM opening with darshan until about 6:45 PM, others list 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and the temple's own website lists a morning aarti around 8:30-10:30 AM and evening aarti around 6:00-7:30 PM. Timings may also vary on festival days.
Poojas and daily rituals
Daily morning and evening aarti; Jyoti Kalash (lit lamps) installed and worshipped during Navratri
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Bastar Dussehra | 75 days, roughly August/September through October | India's longest Dussehra celebration, centered on Goddess Danteshwari as the presiding deity rather than on Rama's victory over Ravana, with elaborate rath (chariot) processions and tribal participation from across Bastar. |
| Navratri (Chaitra and Sharad) | Twice yearly, spring and autumn | Jyoti Kalash are installed and worshipped for nine days. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Walled temple complex with a courtyard, garbhagriha, multiple mandapas, a shikhara, and a Garuda pillar at the entrance
History
The temple is believed to have been built in the 14th century under the Chalukya rulers of Bastar, a dynasty founded by Annamdev, a prince linked to the Kakatiya lineage of Warangal. It stands near the confluence of the Shankini and Dhankini rivers, and the town of Dantewada takes its name from the presiding goddess. Danteshwari has long served as the kuldevi (family deity) of the Bastar royal family.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Nearest railway and major airport are at Raipur (around 350 km, roughly 7-8 hours by road via NH30); Jagdalpur, about 80 km away, has a smaller airport with limited connectivity; well connected by road via NH30
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Shakti Peetha status, core history, and general opening hours are well corroborated across multiple sources, but exact aarti timings, entry fee details, and travel distances vary between sources and could not be fully reconciled.