The early history of the Bastar State is obscure and it appears that the central part of the Bastar State formed in the 11 th century by the kingdom of the Nagavanshi family who had their capital at Barsur .Their Kingdom was known as ‘Chakrakot’.This Kingdom subsequently formed part of the Warangal Kingdom of the Kakatiya dynasty.

The Bastar Raj family claims its descent from the Pandu king ,Birbhadra of Delhi who was granted by the family goddess Dillishwari an arrow as his weapon of war .This Birbhadra subsequently moved to Mathura where he received a trident from the goddess Bhuwaneshwari.Then he moved on to Jeypur (Orissa) with the family goddess. Later on they settled at Warangal with Manikya Devi (or Danteshwari as she is called in the Bastar inscriptions),their family goddess, who granted them a sword when they moved into Bastar. All these weapons are still in existance and are even now worshipped.

The Kakatiyas were great patrons of learning and the great commentator Mallinath flourished under their patronage.The great Kakatiya King Pratap Rudra’s brother, Annam Deo, left Warangal and established his kingdom at Bastar,after 1424 A.D. After Annam Deo,Hamir Deo had been succeeded and then Pratap Raj Deo.The Pratap Raj Deo is said to have conquered 18 forts around Dongar and assigned them to his younger brother as a maintenance grant. It seems that within three generations of this event the Bastar branch of the family became extinct,and then after both Donger and Bastar came under Rajpal Deo.

Rajpal Deo had two Ranis (wives),Baghelin and Chandelin.By the first he had a son named Dakhin Singh and by the second two sons namely Dalpat Deo and Pratap Singh.The Baghelin Rani was very jealous of her Co-Rani and her sons. When Rajpal Deo died, she managed to place her brother on the throne and there by ousting the legitimate claiment Dalpat Deo,who had to leave Bastar for the time being and take shelter in the Jeypore Kingdom.Subsequently he managed to win over the Bastar Court people to his side and with their help he occupied the Bastar throne.

Dalpat Deo had seven Ranis .By the senior rani, a Kanker princess, he had a son named Ajmer Singh. Later on Dalpat Deo shifted his capital to Jagdalpur which has since then become the head quarters town of Bastar State. After the death of Dalpat Deo,Daryao Deo, his son of second Rani, occupied the throne of Bastar by ousting the Ajmer Singh. But later Ajmer Singh secured the throne. But he had ruled only for two years, when Daryao Deo with the help of Raja of Jeypore, ousted him. He also received assistance from the ruler of Raipur,then a part of Nagpur Territory, for which he had to pay a yearly tribute.