About Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava
Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava is the foundation day of Chhattisgarh, marked on 1 November, the day in 2000 when the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh as India's 26th state. In 2026 it falls on Sunday, 1 November 2026. The state government holds a festival of several days at the Rajyotsava Maidan in Nava Raipur, with folk performances, exhibitions and the state's annual honours.
Rajyotsava means the festival of the state. For Chhattisgarh it marks something recent: the state is younger than many of the people who celebrate it, and 2025 was its silver jubilee.
How was Chhattisgarh formed?
Chhattisgarh was formed on 1 November 2000 under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, which Parliament enacted in August that year. The Bill was brought by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government to fulfil an election promise. The new state took the eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh, with Raipur as its capital, and got its own High Court.
The split also divided Madhya Pradesh's seats. Of the old 320-member assembly, 90 seats went to Chhattisgarh. Of 40 Lok Sabha seats, it received 11, and of 16 Rajya Sabha seats, five. Ajit Jogi became the first Chief Minister and inaugurated the first Rajyotsava on the day of formation.
Chhattisgarh was the first of three states created that November. All three were carved out of large Hindi-speaking states after long regional movements.
| State | Formed | Carved out of | Capital |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chhattisgarh | 1 November 2000 | Madhya Pradesh | Raipur |
| Uttarakhand (first named Uttaranchal) | 9 November 2000 | Uttar Pradesh | Dehradun (winter), Gairsain (summer) |
| Jharkhand | 15 November 2000 | Bihar | Ranchi |
1 November is also the foundation day of Madhya Pradesh itself and the day of Karnataka Rajyotsava, Kerala Piravi and Haryana Day, so offices in several states mark a state day that morning.
How is Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava celebrated?
Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava is celebrated with a state festival that runs for about five days from 1 November. Since 2024 it has been held at a permanent Rajyotsava Maidan in Tuta, Nava Raipur. Earlier editions moved between the Science College ground in Raipur and the Rajyotsava Maidan in Atal Nagar.
The festival has folk dance and music on the main stage, craft and government exhibitions, food stalls, and evening concerts with national performers. District headquarters hold smaller programmes of their own.
The Rajyotsava is also when the state presents its Rajya Alankaran honours, awards named after figures from Chhattisgarh's history. They include the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Samman, the Gundadhur Samman, the Minimata Samman, the Guru Ghasidas Samman, the Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Samman, the Chakradhar Samman and the Dau Mandraji Samman, given for work in fields from tribal welfare and social service to literature, music and folk theatre.
The silver jubilee in 2025 ran for several days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the celebrations on 1 November, and Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan presented the state honours at the closing function in Raipur on 5 November, which also included an Indian Air Force Surya Kiran aerobatic display.
What makes Chhattisgarh distinct?
Chhattisgarh is often called the rice bowl of India, after the paddy fields of the Mahanadi basin. More than 41 per cent of the state is forest, the third-largest forest cover in the country, and Adivasi communities, who live in and around those forests, are central to the state's identity.
Hindi is the main official language, and Chhattisgarhi was given official status in 2007. The state song, "Arpa Pairi Ke Dhar", written and set to music by Narendra Dev Verma, was adopted in November 2019. It opens with the rivers Arpa, Pairi and Mahanadi.
Folk dance is a large part of any Rajyotsava programme. Panthi is danced by the Satnami community, Raut Nacha by the Yadav cattle-herding community around Diwali, Karma by Adivasi communities, and Sua by women, who dance around a clay parrot.
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Chila | A thin pancake of rice-flour batter, like a plain dosa |
| Fara | Steamed rice-flour rolls, sometimes made from leftover rice with a cumin tempering |
| Bore basi | Cooked rice soaked in water or buttermilk, eaten with pickle and onion |
| Angakar roti | A bread made from rice flour |
| Khurmi | A sweet made with rice flour |
| Gulgula | Fried sweet dumplings |
How do you wish someone on Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava?
A Chhattisgarhi phrase goes a long way. "Gaada-gaada badhai" means many, many congratulations, and "Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava ke gaada-gaada badhai" is the standard wish. "Chhattisgarhiya sable badhiya", roughly "Chhattisgarhis are the best of all", is the state's own proud tagline and works in a friendly message.
Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava ke gaada-gaada badhai. Save me a plate of chila and a seat at the Rajyotsava Maidan next year.
Happy Rajyotsava, Maa and Papa. Missing the rice fields, the Mahanadi and your angakar roti most of all today.
Happy Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava. Wishing you and your family a proud and happy foundation day.
Chhattisgarhiya sable badhiya. Happy Rajyotsava from home. Play "Arpa Pairi Ke Dhar" loud today.
Rajyotsava ke gaada-gaada badhai. Thank you for keeping Panthi and Sua alive on stage for the rest of us.
Warm wishes on Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava. Here's to many more years of growth for the state and its people.
- Rajyotsava
- Festival of the state; the name used for state foundation days in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.
- Gaada-gaada badhai
- Chhattisgarhi for many, many congratulations.
- Rajya Alankaran
- The state's annual honours, presented at the Rajyotsava.
- Bore basi
- Cooked rice soaked in water, curd or buttermilk.
- Sua
- A women's dance around a clay parrot, performed after the harvest.
For the other states formed in November 2000, see Uttarakhand Foundation Day and Jharkhand Foundation Day.
How to wish someone on Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava
A Rajyotsava wish is about pride in a place: its rivers, rice fields, forests, folk music and people. Chhattisgarhi phrases land well with people from the state, and a message that names something real, such as a dance, a dish or a hometown, reads better than a slogan. Keep it free of politics.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + regional language.
When is Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava in 2026 and 2027?
Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava is on 1 Nov every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
When is Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava in 2026?
Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava 2026 falls on Sunday, 1 November 2026.
Why is Chhattisgarh called the rice bowl of India?
Chhattisgarh is called the rice bowl of India because paddy is grown so widely across its plains, especially in the fertile basin of the Mahanadi. Rice also runs through its food, from chila and fara to bore basi.
Who was the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh?
Ajit Jogi was the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. He took office when the state was formed on 1 November 2000 and inaugurated the first Rajyotsava that day.
What is the state song of Chhattisgarh?
The state song of Chhattisgarh is "Arpa Pairi Ke Dhar", written and composed in Chhattisgarhi by Narendra Dev Verma. It was officially adopted in November 2019 and opens with the state's rivers, the Arpa, the Pairi and the Mahanadi.
Where is Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava held?
The main Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava celebration has been held at the Rajyotsava Maidan in Tuta, Nava Raipur, since 2024. District headquarters across the state hold their own programmes.
Which states were formed in November 2000?
Three states were formed in November 2000: Chhattisgarh from Madhya Pradesh on 1 November, Uttarakhand from Uttar Pradesh on 9 November, and Jharkhand from Bihar on 15 November.
How do you say congratulations in Chhattisgarhi?
"Gaada-gaada badhai" is the Chhattisgarhi phrase for many, many congratulations. On foundation day people say "Chhattisgarh Rajyotsava ke gaada-gaada badhai".
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