History

Mahamaya Temple is temple dedicated to dual Goddess Lakshmi & Saraswati, located in Ratanpur and is one of the 52 Shakti Peethas, shrines of Shakti, the divine feminine, spread across India. Ambikapur is also the divisional headquarters of Surguja Division which consists of the five districts of Surguja, Korea, Balrampur, Surajpur and Jashpur.
Ambikapur was the capital of the Princely state of Surguja before Indian Independence. The name of the city is derived from the Hindu goddess Ambika (Mahamaya) Devi, who is the central figure of worship in the area. Ambikapur is one of the largest cities in Chhattisgarh.
Ambikapur is located at 23°12′N 83°2′E. It has an average elevation of 623 metres (2078 feet). The district is spread over a forest-rich area of 22,237 km². Most of the district’s terrain is forested and hilly. Natural resources include bauxite, forest products and paddy crops.