Singhanpur Rock Shelters

Singhanpur Rock Shelters are a group of prehistoric rock shelters located in Singhanpur village in Raigarh district, Chhattisgarh, about 20 km from Raigarh city. Known for Mesolithic-era rock paintings dating back around 30,000 years, the site features natural sandstone shelters adorned with ochre paintings of humans, animals and geometric patterns. Discovered in 1910, it is one of Chhattisgarh's earliest documented rock art sites and an important archaeological attraction.

Visitors can expect a series of natural sandstone rock shelters set on a low hill near Singhanpur village, surrounded by scrub forest and rocky terrain. The shelters contain prehistoric paintings in red and yellow ochre depicting human figures, animals, hunting scenes and geometric designs. The site is open-air with no built structures, requiring a short walk and climb over uneven rocks to view the art panels. Informational boards explain the rock art.

Singhanpur Rock Shelters were first discovered and documented in 1910 by C.W. Anderson. The paintings are attributed to the Mesolithic period, estimated to be up to 30,000 years old, and represent early human artistic expression in central India. The site provides evidence of prehistoric hunter-gatherer life, tools and habitation in the Raigarh region.

The shelters showcase early rock art traditions of central India with depictions of daily life, hunting, dancing and animal figures in natural pigments. The site is culturally significant for understanding tribal and prehistoric heritage of Chhattisgarh and is protected as an important archaeological heritage site.