History of Chhattisgarh in a nutshell

Though a separate state of Chhattisgarh became reality, 

when it was declared the 26th state of India on 1st November 2000;

but the history of Chhattisgarh 
goes back to tens of thousands of years !!

Anthropological evidences
The anthropologists have found evidences of some of the earliest human habitations in the rocks and cave of this ancient land.

pic courtesy:http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/india/pachmarhi/

Hstorical evidence of rich human habitation starts from the 'Stone Age', as Singhanpur caves of Raigarh district and Kabra hill rock painting are about 30 to 50 thousands years old.
*http://www.cgculture.in/archaeology/Rock%20Art%20Site%20In%20Chhattisgarh.htm
*http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/india/pachmarhi/
*http://www.indiamike.com/india/chhattisgarh-f148/trip-report-to-singhanpur-caves-raigarh-t179119/
*http://wikimapia.org/13583821/Singhanpur-Caves 

Mythological history:
The mythological history of Chhattisgarh region stretches back to the period of Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to legends the deep Sal forest regions are Dandakaranya itself, where Lord Rama spent much of his fourteen-year exile from Ayodhya.

Ramgarh hill site where caves are caves and paintings are ound

bill board depicting possible route of Rama,s travel through these places

South Kosal or Maha Kosal was an old name of Chhattisgarh, which differentiated it from Kosal of north i.e. Ayodhya and Shrawasti. 
Bastar region of Chhattisgarh also named as Kantar or Mahakantar or Dandakaranya.

As per reference in Ramayana, Koshilya the mother of Rama was the daughter of King Bhanumant, who belonged to the family of a powerful king dynasty Kosal, south of Vindhyan mountain near Nagpattan. As Bhanumant had no sons, after marriage of his daughter to Ayodhya king Dashrath, this Kosal state was annexed to his state.

As Rama, Laxman and Sita spent much of their 14 year exile in Dandakaranya, there are many places related to their sojourn and stay. Ram devotee Bhil lady Shabri was born in Shivarinarayan.

Various places of Chhattisgarh have been referred in Mahabharat. 
States won by Sahdev named Prakkosal, Arany areas of Bastar were referredf as Kantar state. Places won by Karn is called Kosal janapad.

Chitrangada's father Chitravas was the king of Chitrangadpur (Sirpur). Vabhruvahan, son of Arjun and Chitrangada was the king of Chedi.

Temples at Rajim, called Triveni of Chhattisgarh

Ballabhachary birth place, Champaran near Rajim

Stone inscriptions (शिलालेख) from places on the banks of Mahanadi river; Sirpur, Rajim, Aarang states that Kings of this region called them self Pandav and regarded Vabhruvahan as their ancestor. It is believed that Chedidesh state of Vabhruvahan was later called Chedigarh and then on Chhattisgarh.

Ramgarh range of hills

Ramgarh hill

Cave painting in Ramgarh hill

Cave writing in Ramgarh hill

Drama stage at the cave site of Ramgarh hill

Caves of Ramgarh hills in Surguja have two stone inscriptions in Pali script of Buddha period. These two stone inscriptions of Sita Bengra and Jogimogra are believed to be of Ashoka period. 
This inscription refers to Sutanuka (a देवदासी) and her lover Devdeen. 
Sita Bengra cave have an amphitheatre of Buddha period.

Kotadola, a place west to Ambikapur, there is a Ashoka's three lion emblem inscribed on a stony structure, which supports the idea that Ashoka's kingdom was all up to this place

Like that in the north east of Kawardha, a Rishabhdev's beautiful statue believed to be of Mahavir period.

Jain Teerhankar idol found at Maheshpur

Unbroken history chain of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh or South Kosala can be traced back only from the 4th century AD. Between the 6th and 12th centuries AD the Sarabhpurias, Panduvanshi, Somvanshi, Kalchuri, and Nagvanshi rulers dominated this region. 

The medieval period
This region came to be known as Gondwana and became the part of the kingdom of the Kalchuris who ruled the region till the end of the 18th century AD.
*http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2012/10/culture-embeded-in-stone-maheshpur.html
*http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2012/11/stony-emotions-from-maheshpur-india.html

Excavation site at Maheshpur

Vishnu and other idols found in Maheshpur

Shivling found in Maheshpur

Madwa Mahal temple at Kawardha (1349, Fadinagvanshi king Ramchandra)

Bhoramdev temple, Kawardha, called Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh, belongs 1349, Fadinagvanshi king Ramchandra

The Mughal period
The Muslim chroniclers of the 14th century AD have described well about the dynasties that ruled over the region. The region also came under the suzerainty of the Mughal Empire around the 16th century and later to the Marathas in 1745. By the year 1758, the whole region of Chhattisgarh was annexed by the Marathas. Also the word 'Chhattisgarh' was popularized during the Maratha period and was first used in an official document in 1795.

Colonial era
With the British entry in the early 19th century, much of the territory was subsumed into the Central Provinces. From 1854 onwards the British administered the region as a deputy commissionership with its headquarters at Raipur. 

#Chhattisgarh also took part in the 1857 Revolution when Vir Narayan Singh, a landlord of Sonakhan, grew up to challenge the injustices of British rule in the region. After a prolonged battle with the British forces, Vir Narain Singh was finally arrested and later hanged on the 10th December 1857. 

#In the year 1904 British reorganized the region and transferred Sambalpur to Orissa and added the estates of Surguja to Chhattisgarh.
*http://throughpicture.blogspot.in/2013/03/architecture-with-endemic-flavour.html

Emblem of Surguja state

Revenue stamp of Surguja state

Kothi Ghar, The Palace, traditiopnal seat of governance of Surguja state

T S Singhdeo, Maharaja of Surguja state, now MLA from Ambikapur

Note of thanks for share and citation courtesies:
*For the family tree of Ratanpur king Mayurdhwaj, refer to A.Cunningham, Archaeological Survey of India 
 https://archive.org/search.php?query=creator%3A%22Archaeological%20Survey%20of%20India%22
*Refer to Nelson and Dr. Heeralal for Bilaspur gazetteer for the family tree of Kalchuri kings of Ratanpur and Raipur branch
*some text references thankfully consulted from a book, Chhattisgarh (2003 edition) by Dr.Kaushlendra Tripathi and Dr.Purushottam Chandrakar
*some text reference thankfully shared from:http://www.tourismofchhattisgarh.com/tourism-of-chhattisgarh/history-of-chhattisgarh.html
*author extends thanks to Ms Padmavati Pandey for her valuable input and meaningful discussions during the preparation of this post.