History

Bambleshwari Temple is at Dongargarh in Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh, India. It is on a hilltop of 1600 feet. This temple is referred as Badi Bambleshwari. Another temple at ground level, the Chhotti Bambleshwari is situated about 1/2 km from the main temple complex. These temples are revered by lakhs of people of Chhattisgarh who flock around the shrine during the Navratris of Kavar (during Dashera) and Chaitra (during Ram Navami). There is tradition of lighting Jyoti Kalash during Navaratris here.
Dongargarh is 107 kilometers from Raipur, via Bhilai, Durg and Rajnandgaon. Dongargarh does not exactly fall on the massive Mumbai highway, a diversion some 25 km before, from the Calcutta-Mumbai National Highway (NH #6) leads the vehicle through lush green vegetation and mild forests on a narrow winding single road.

Dongargarh is 40 km from district headquarters Rajnandgaon and is well connected with buses from Rajnandgaon. Dongargarh is also well connected with trains. It is on the Mumbai – Howrah main line at a distance of 200 km from Nagpur and 100 km from Raipur . The nearest airport is at Raipur Airport.

The rope-way in the hill on which the temple is located, is another attraction to the tourists in the city. It is very popular with the tourists as it is the only rope-way that has been set up in Chhattisgarh state.
Dongar means mountains while Garh means fort. The legend goes that around 2200 years ago, Raja Veersen, a local king, was childless and upon the suggestions of his royal priests performed puja to the gods. Within a year, the queen gave birth to a son whom they named Madansen. Raja Veersen considered this a blessing of Lord Shiva and Parvati and constructed a temple here. In the temple of Dongargarh, king Vikramaditya went for suicide but Devi Bamleshwari came and stopped him to do this act. For reaching the top, there are total 1000 steps that lead to the temple.