Maa Danteshwari Temple
Dantewada, at the confluence of the Dankini and Shankini rivers, Dantewada district (Bastar) · Goddess Danteshwari (Maiji), a form of Shakti/Durga; kuldevi of the former Bastar state
The Shakti Peetha where Sati's tooth is said to have fallen – heart of Bastar's tribal and royal faith.
The Danteshwari Temple at Dantewada, about 80 km from Jagdalpur, is counted among the 52 Shakti Peethas: local belief holds that a tooth (danta) of Sati fell here, giving the goddess and the town their names. Built in the 14th century, it enshrines a black stone image of the goddess, family deity of the Kakatiya-descended rulers of Bastar, and is central to the 75-day Bastar Dussehra.
Timings
- Morning aarti: 8:30 – 10:30 AM (official site)
- Prasad distribution: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM (official site)
- Evening aarti: 6:00 – 7:30 PM (official site)
- Darshan (approx.): approx. morning to evening daily; check with the temple (+91 8360601008)
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
Sevas and costs
- Navaratri Jyoti Kalash – Check official site (Chaitra and Sharad Navaratri)
How to book darshan
No darshan booking is needed. Navaratri Jyoti Kalash can be booked on the official site's Online Services page.
Dress code
No official dress code has been published; travel guides advise modest dress covering shoulders and knees. Some visitors report a dhoti requirement for men entering the sanctum – confirm at the temple.
Best time to visit
October–March. Navaratri, Bastar Dussehra (Sept/Oct) and Fagun Madai (Feb/March) are spectacular but crowded. Monsoon (July–Sept) is green but roads can be slow.
How to reach
- air: Jagdalpur airport (approx. 80–90 km) has limited flights; Raipur (approx. 350 km) is the main airport.
- rail: Dantewada has a station on the Kirandul–Visakhapatnam line (few passenger trains); Jagdalpur is the bigger railhead.
- road: Raipur–Jagdalpur on NH-30 (about 7–8 hours to Dantewada from Raipur, per the official site), then Jagdalpur–Geedam–Dantewada (~80 km). Buses run from Raipur and Jagdalpur.
Festivals
- Bastar Dussehra – About 75 days, from Hariyali Amavasya (July/Aug) to Ashwin; 2026: Pat Jatra 12 Aug, main phase 18–22 Oct
- Chaitra and Sharad Navaratri – March/April and Sept/Oct
- Fagun Madai – Feb–March