Rajnandgaon is a city in the state of Chhattisgarh, India. As of the 2011 census the population of the city was 163,122. Rajnandgaon district came into existence on 26 January 1973, as a result of the division of Durg district. Originally known as Nandgram, Rajnandgaon State was ruled by Somvanshis, Kalachuris of Tripuri and Marathas. The palaces in the town of Rajnandgaon reveal their own tale of the rulers, their society and culture, and the traditions of those times. The city was ruled by a dynasty of sanatan caretakers ((Vaishnav brahmins)) who bore the title Vaishnav and Gond rajas (chiefs). Succession was by adoption. Its foundation is traced to a religious celibate who came from the Punjab towards the end of the 18th century. From the founder it passed through a succession of chosen disciples until 1879, when the British government recognized the ruler as an hereditary chief and it came to be known as princely state of Raj Nandgaon. The first ruler Mahant Ghasi Das was recognized as a feudal chief by the British government in 1865 and was granted a sanad of adoption. Later the British conferred the title of raja on the ruling mahant. Chhattisgarhi and Hindi are the main spoken languages in Rajnandgaon. Chhattisgarhi is the native language of this town, besides being followed by Hindi. People from different parts of the country live here, so other languages are also spoken by a majority of people. Some people of the city also speak dialects of Hindi such as Rajisthani and Bastari Chhattisgarh.