Balangir
Encyclopedia
For Balangir District See : Balangir District
Balangir', is a city and municipality
in Balangir district
in the state
of Orissa
, India
. It is also the headquarter of Balangir district
.
. The more famous among them include Harishankar, and the Samaleshwari Temple located in the Balangir town is also very famous.
Population/area/business wise Balangir town is the second largest town in Western Orissa after Sambalpur
. It is also known as the cultural hub of Western Orissa. Balangir Town has many cultural groups who are trying hard to preserve the dying down Kosali Folk arts & dance. Kosali/Sambalpuri
is the language spoken & used by the people of Balangir.Balangir Municipality is divided into twenty one Wards. Each ward consists of two three Units or sub-areas called "Pada" or "Para". Balangir town has nearly forty "Pada's". Some of the largest "Pada's" of Balangir town are Rugudi Pada, Sud Pada, Maal Pada, Tikra Pada, Radharani Pada, Sagar Pada,Pratapsagar pada, Talpali Pada, Jagannath Pada,Thikadar Pada, Palaceline, Gandhinagar Pada, Shantinagar Pada, Barpali Pada, Tulsinagar Pada, Kansari Pada, Teligoth Pada,Radharani rara,Club para,Khadal para,Rameshwar nagar,Ranjendra para, A.B.S.S. road etc..
, Balangir had a population of 85,203. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Balangir has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 57% of the males and 43% of females literate. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
kingdom.
Balangir was an obscure village till 1871 when the Court of Wards administration during the minority of the then ruler Ram Chandra Deo III shifted the capital from Patnagarh
. Immediate steps were taken to build a planned township
.
Patnagarh
, which was the Capital of the Kingdom of Patna for several centuries was considered unsuitable to be the State Headquarters because of its unhealthy climate.The moats and the bamboo
thickets which had long protected the place against enemies became breeding ground of mosquitoes causing widespread malaria
.The place was also not on the direct road from Bhawanipatna
to Sambalpur
.So, Balangir was selected to be the Headquarters not only because of its climate but also for its admirable location on the route connecting the Headquarters of Sambalpur with that of Kalahandi
.
Sir Douglas, the then Deputy Commissioner of Sambalpur
, got the sanction of the Government and transferred the Headquarters from Patnagarh
to the new town of Balangir in 1872.Old Balangir is now known as Junha Dihi meaning the old house site.
was built and some Government offices moved to Balangir. The Court of Wards Administration lasted for 22 years, from 1871 to 1893 and during that period the jail
building , the palace
for the Maharaja
and many office buildings were constructed. During the Kondh rebellion of Kalahandi
in 1882,the importance of Balangir increased as it became the main seat of operation against the rebellious Kondhs.
Maharaja Ramachandra Deo III established the first English school in Balangir sometime between 1893 and 1895.Maharaja Dalganjan Singh built the two storyed court building and established the Dalganjan press. He made improvement of a big tank called Karanga Kata in the heart of the town and it was named after him as Dala sagar.
A contactor named Parbat Bira built by the time a beautiful temple of God Narasimha
.Balangir grew in size and grandeur during the rule of Maharaja Prithiviraj Singh Deo who established the High English School, which was later known as Prithviraj High School (P R High School), a Sanskrit
Tol, the George Literary Club and the fine temple of Samaleswari
and Patneswari. The construction of the new palace building then known as Badal Mahal was undertaken by him about two miles to the south of the town by the side of the road leading to Titlagarh.It was later named as Sailashri Palace.Prior to this the royal palace was situated at the heart of the town and was known as Sheesh Mahal (currently known as Old Palace).
During the administration of Maharaja Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo
the town was beautified by laying out Rajendra Park and by the Rajendra Experimental Farm and construction of several fine buildings.The X-ray ward, the maternity ward and the Dairy farm were started and a Museum for preservation of antiquities was also organised.The town had its first college, Rajendra College Balangir
in 1944. In 1962 the Women's College was started by member of parliament and Rajya Sabha member Sri Krushna Chandra Panda of Rugudi Para, who also established the Govt. Ayurvedic College, Town Boys High school and Town Girls high school amongst many other educational institute.
The town is situated on the right bank of the Lakshmi, a hill-stream which flows in her rocky bed in serpentine course. The stream has been bridged at five places as the town is expanding on the left bank.
The chief communicative language of Balangir District is Kosli
or Sambalpuri
. Hindi is treated as the second language for communication. English and Oriya are used for official purpose only. Being a part of Orissa, Oriya is used as medium of education in school. English is used for higher education.
, Rajendra College, Women's college, Govt. Ayurvedic College,Sushree Institute Of Technical Education,Sadaipali
Following are some of the Most Popular and important temples of Balangir Town.
Religious places of other religion/sects
Prominent recretion place for Balangiria's are :-
Some of the best Markets in Balangir Town:-
state. It is also the birth place of former Minister and leader of opposition of Orissa Narasingha Mishra
and Minister Ananga Udaya Singhdeo. Balangir is now at the centre of the "separate Kosal state movement
". The chief of "Kosali Ekata Manch" and the chief of "Kosal Kranti Dal" (KKD), a reginal political party are from this town. These two are leading the separate Kosal state movement. "Bolangir Bar Association" is agitating for a branch of the Orissa High Court" at Bolangir.
of BJD
, who won the seat in State elections of 2009. He also won in 2004 and 2000 as BJD candidate, and earlier as JD
candidate in 1995 and 1990. Mahammad Mujafar Hussain Khan had won this seat as a candidate of INC
in 1985, and as INC(I) candidate in 1980. Muralidhar Guru of JNP
was MLA from this seat in 1977.
Bolangir is part of Bolangir (Lok Sabha constituency)
.
Balangir town is also leading the Kosal state movement
.
Balangir District
Balangir District, also called Bolangir District, is a district situated in the western orissa region of India. The district has an area of 5,165 km², and a population of 1,335,760 . The town of Balangir is the district headquarters...
Balangir', is a city and municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Balangir district
Balangir District
Balangir District, also called Bolangir District, is a district situated in the western orissa region of India. The district has an area of 5,165 km², and a population of 1,335,760 . The town of Balangir is the district headquarters...
in the state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is also the headquarter of Balangir district
Balangir District
Balangir District, also called Bolangir District, is a district situated in the western orissa region of India. The district has an area of 5,165 km², and a population of 1,335,760 . The town of Balangir is the district headquarters...
.
Overview
Balangir has a rich cultural heritage. Though economically not very well off, it has a great potential for development. There are many important tourist locations in Balangir districtBalangir District
Balangir District, also called Bolangir District, is a district situated in the western orissa region of India. The district has an area of 5,165 km², and a population of 1,335,760 . The town of Balangir is the district headquarters...
. The more famous among them include Harishankar, and the Samaleshwari Temple located in the Balangir town is also very famous.
Population/area/business wise Balangir town is the second largest town in Western Orissa after Sambalpur
Sambalpur
Sambalpur is a city in Sambalpur district in the Indian state of Orissa.It lies at a distance of 321 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. In the year 1876, Sambalpur was established as a municipality. It is currently the headquarters and the largest city of Sambalpur district. It is also...
. It is also known as the cultural hub of Western Orissa. Balangir Town has many cultural groups who are trying hard to preserve the dying down Kosali Folk arts & dance. Kosali/Sambalpuri
Sambalpuri language
Sambalpuri or Kosli is an Indo-Aryan language. It is mainly spoken in Western Orissa and north central part of Orissa. It was considered to be a dialect of Oriya language, but owing to its distinct grammar, pronunciations and vocabulary, it has achieved the status of a distinct language...
is the language spoken & used by the people of Balangir.Balangir Municipality is divided into twenty one Wards. Each ward consists of two three Units or sub-areas called "Pada" or "Para". Balangir town has nearly forty "Pada's". Some of the largest "Pada's" of Balangir town are Rugudi Pada, Sud Pada, Maal Pada, Tikra Pada, Radharani Pada, Sagar Pada,Pratapsagar pada, Talpali Pada, Jagannath Pada,Thikadar Pada, Palaceline, Gandhinagar Pada, Shantinagar Pada, Barpali Pada, Tulsinagar Pada, Kansari Pada, Teligoth Pada,Radharani rara,Club para,Khadal para,Rameshwar nagar,Ranjendra para, A.B.S.S. road etc..
Geography
Balangir is located at 20.72°N 83.48°E. It has an average elevation of 383 metres (800 feet).Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Balangir had a population of 85,203. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Balangir has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 57% of the males and 43% of females literate. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
The name Balangir is said to have been derived from Balaram Garh, a fort, built here in the 16th Century by Balram Deo, the 19th Raja of Balangir (Ex-Patna State) and founder of SambalpurSambalpur
Sambalpur is a city in Sambalpur district in the Indian state of Orissa.It lies at a distance of 321 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. In the year 1876, Sambalpur was established as a municipality. It is currently the headquarters and the largest city of Sambalpur district. It is also...
kingdom.
Balangir was an obscure village till 1871 when the Court of Wards administration during the minority of the then ruler Ram Chandra Deo III shifted the capital from Patnagarh
Patnagarh
Patnagarh is a town and a notified area committee in Bolangir district in the Indian state of Orissa. Its original name is Patnāgarh and verbally as Patnāgad. The official language is Oriya , but the mother toungue is Sambalpuri....
. Immediate steps were taken to build a planned township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
.
Patnagarh
Patnagarh
Patnagarh is a town and a notified area committee in Bolangir district in the Indian state of Orissa. Its original name is Patnāgarh and verbally as Patnāgad. The official language is Oriya , but the mother toungue is Sambalpuri....
, which was the Capital of the Kingdom of Patna for several centuries was considered unsuitable to be the State Headquarters because of its unhealthy climate.The moats and the bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
thickets which had long protected the place against enemies became breeding ground of mosquitoes causing widespread malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
.The place was also not on the direct road from Bhawanipatna
Bhawanipatna
Bhawanipatnais the headquarters of Kalahandi District.Bhawanipatna is a town of numerous temples dedicated to different deities of Hindu pantheon. Named after its presiding deity "Bhawani-Shankar", it is the most convenient base for touring various places of interest in the district and the nearby...
to Sambalpur
Sambalpur
Sambalpur is a city in Sambalpur district in the Indian state of Orissa.It lies at a distance of 321 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. In the year 1876, Sambalpur was established as a municipality. It is currently the headquarters and the largest city of Sambalpur district. It is also...
.So, Balangir was selected to be the Headquarters not only because of its climate but also for its admirable location on the route connecting the Headquarters of Sambalpur with that of Kalahandi
Kalahandi
Kalahandi, , is a district of Orissa in India. The region had a glorious past and great civilization in ancient time. Archaeological evidence of stone age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilized, cultured and urban human...
.
Planning and Set up of Balangir Town
The plan of Balangir town was prepared by Pandit Chintamani Bidyabhusan for a sqare town with roads crossing one another at right angles was accepted and the new township was constructed to the south of the old village.Sir Douglas, the then Deputy Commissioner of Sambalpur
Sambalpur
Sambalpur is a city in Sambalpur district in the Indian state of Orissa.It lies at a distance of 321 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. In the year 1876, Sambalpur was established as a municipality. It is currently the headquarters and the largest city of Sambalpur district. It is also...
, got the sanction of the Government and transferred the Headquarters from Patnagarh
Patnagarh
Patnagarh is a town and a notified area committee in Bolangir district in the Indian state of Orissa. Its original name is Patnāgarh and verbally as Patnāgad. The official language is Oriya , but the mother toungue is Sambalpuri....
to the new town of Balangir in 1872.Old Balangir is now known as Junha Dihi meaning the old house site.
Early Developments
Already in the 1871, the dispensaryDispensary
A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital or other organization that dispenses medications and medical supplies. In a traditional dispensary set-up a pharmacist dispenses medication as per prescription or order form....
was built and some Government offices moved to Balangir. The Court of Wards Administration lasted for 22 years, from 1871 to 1893 and during that period the jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
building , the palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
for the Maharaja
Maharaja
Mahārāja is a Sanskrit title for a "great king" or "high king". The female equivalent title Maharani denotes either the wife of a Maharaja or, in states where that was customary, a woman ruling in her own right. The widow of a Maharaja is known as a Rajamata...
and many office buildings were constructed. During the Kondh rebellion of Kalahandi
Kalahandi
Kalahandi, , is a district of Orissa in India. The region had a glorious past and great civilization in ancient time. Archaeological evidence of stone age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilized, cultured and urban human...
in 1882,the importance of Balangir increased as it became the main seat of operation against the rebellious Kondhs.
Firsts of Balangir
After the setup of Balangir town, the dowager Rani Amrut Kumari built the temple of Gopalji, the earliest temple of the town and caused to be excavated a large tank which was named Pratap Sagar after her husband Maharaja Surpratap Deo. During the rule of Maharaja Dalganjan Singh another defunct tank was re-excavated and was named as Rani Sagar bearing the memory of Rani Amrut Kumari.Maharaja Ramachandra Deo III established the first English school in Balangir sometime between 1893 and 1895.Maharaja Dalganjan Singh built the two storyed court building and established the Dalganjan press. He made improvement of a big tank called Karanga Kata in the heart of the town and it was named after him as Dala sagar.
A contactor named Parbat Bira built by the time a beautiful temple of God Narasimha
Narasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...
.Balangir grew in size and grandeur during the rule of Maharaja Prithiviraj Singh Deo who established the High English School, which was later known as Prithviraj High School (P R High School), a Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
Tol, the George Literary Club and the fine temple of Samaleswari
Samaleswari
Maa Samaleswari is the presiding deity of Sambalpur and is a strong religious force in western part of Orissa, also known as Kosal region, and Chhattisgarh state of India. Maa Samaleswari is known as the symbol of Sambalpuri "Sambalpuri" culture...
and Patneswari. The construction of the new palace building then known as Badal Mahal was undertaken by him about two miles to the south of the town by the side of the road leading to Titlagarh.It was later named as Sailashri Palace.Prior to this the royal palace was situated at the heart of the town and was known as Sheesh Mahal (currently known as Old Palace).
During the administration of Maharaja Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo
Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo
Maharaja Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo was an Indian politician and the last ruler of the princely state of Patna in Orissa before Indian independence in 1947...
the town was beautified by laying out Rajendra Park and by the Rajendra Experimental Farm and construction of several fine buildings.The X-ray ward, the maternity ward and the Dairy farm were started and a Museum for preservation of antiquities was also organised.The town had its first college, Rajendra College Balangir
Rajendra College Balangir
Rajendra College is situated in Balangir town in the state of Orissa, India. This institution was upgraded to a degree college on July, 1946 by offering B.A. class. It became a full fledged degree college after the affiliation of Commerce Faculty in 1964-65 and Science faculty in 1965-66...
in 1944. In 1962 the Women's College was started by member of parliament and Rajya Sabha member Sri Krushna Chandra Panda of Rugudi Para, who also established the Govt. Ayurvedic College, Town Boys High school and Town Girls high school amongst many other educational institute.
The town is situated on the right bank of the Lakshmi, a hill-stream which flows in her rocky bed in serpentine course. The stream has been bridged at five places as the town is expanding on the left bank.
Language
Main Article : Kosli LanguageThe chief communicative language of Balangir District is Kosli
Kosli
Kosli is a Tehsil in District Rewari of state Haryana in India. It is situated 80 km from Delhi in National Capital Region .According to Mahabharat, Tomar Clan was once a part of Yadav Clan...
or Sambalpuri
Sambalpuri language
Sambalpuri or Kosli is an Indo-Aryan language. It is mainly spoken in Western Orissa and north central part of Orissa. It was considered to be a dialect of Oriya language, but owing to its distinct grammar, pronunciations and vocabulary, it has achieved the status of a distinct language...
. Hindi is treated as the second language for communication. English and Oriya are used for official purpose only. Being a part of Orissa, Oriya is used as medium of education in school. English is used for higher education.
Education
Balangir has different schools and colleges like, Prithviraj High school (PR Highschool), Patitapaban (PP) Academy. Balangir Girls School, Saraswati Sishu Mandir, Little Flower School, Oriental Public School, Central School, Balangir Public SchoolBalangir Public school
Balangir Public School is the preimiere English medium school in Balangir District. It is affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education . The school is situated at Hatisal Pada of Balangir Town.-History:...
, Rajendra College, Women's college, Govt. Ayurvedic College,Sushree Institute Of Technical Education,Sadaipali
Religious Places of Balangir Town
There are hundred of temples in Balangir town. Each and every Pada has one or more temples.Following are some of the Most Popular and important temples of Balangir Town.
- Maa Pataneswari Temple (Pataneswari Gudi) - The presiding deity of Balangir DistrictBalangir DistrictBalangir District, also called Bolangir District, is a district situated in the western orissa region of India. The district has an area of 5,165 km², and a population of 1,335,760 . The town of Balangir is the district headquarters...
and Kosal. - Maa Samaleswari Temple (Samalei Gudi) - Second most visited Famous temple of Western Orissa after SamaleswariSamaleswariMaa Samaleswari is the presiding deity of Sambalpur and is a strong religious force in western part of Orissa, also known as Kosal region, and Chhattisgarh state of India. Maa Samaleswari is known as the symbol of Sambalpuri "Sambalpuri" culture...
temple of Sambalpur. Dedicated to Maa Samalei. - Goplajee Temple - Oldest temple of Balangir town dedicated to Lord Krishna.
- Nursingha Temple - One of the earliest temple of Balangir dedicated to Lord Narasimha
- Santoshi Temple - Dedicated to Maa Santoshi
- Lokanath Baba Temple - Dedicated to Lord Shiva
- Sheetala Mata Temple - located inside the premises of Santoshi Temple.
- Bhagwat Temple - Dedicated to Lord Krishna, Garuda and Bhagwat Geeta. Located at Rugudi Pada
- Jagannath Temple - Dedicated to Lord Jagannath
- Mausi Maa Teple - Dedicated to Lord Jagannath. Lord Jagannath stays at this temple during Rath Yatra.
- Durga Temple - Dedicated to Lord Durga.
- Ramji Mandir - One of the Oldest temple at Ramji Pada dedicated to Lord Rama
- Ram Temple - Located near daily market is dedicated to Lord Ram, Seeta, Laxman and Hanuman.
- Shyama Kali Temple - Dedicated to Lord Kali. Located at Rugudi Pada
- Saibaba Temple - Located off Sambalpur Road, On the outskirt of Balangir town
- Sathya Sai Baba temle - Located at Rugudi Pada
- Laxmi Narayan Temple - One of the Oldest temple dedicated to Lord Laxmi, located at Club Pada.
Religious places of other religion/sects
- There is also a Gurudwara for Sikh community, located at Ramai Talkies Road
- There is one Sunni Masjid for the Muslim community, located at Tikrapara
- There are several churches in Balangir town. Prominent amongst them are Roman Catholic Church at Rugudi Pada and Protestant church at Adarsha Pada.
- There is one Jalaram temple for the Hindu-Gujurati Community
- There is one Jhulelal temple also for the Sidhi community
Tourist place in an around Balangir
To know about all the tourist places.. read the article Balangir districtBalangir District
Balangir District, also called Bolangir District, is a district situated in the western orissa region of India. The district has an area of 5,165 km², and a population of 1,335,760 . The town of Balangir is the district headquarters...
Prominent recretion place for Balangiria's are :-
- Rajendra Park - Built by last king of Patna (princely state)Patna (princely state)Patna, or Patnagarh, was a princely state in India, with its capital at Balangir . Its area was . Until 1947, it was not part of British India but was subject to the suzerainty of the British crown, under the Orissa States Agency....
HH. Rajendra Narayan Singh DeoRajendra Narayan Singh DeoMaharaja Rajendra Narayan Singh Deo was an Indian politician and the last ruler of the princely state of Patna in Orissa before Indian independence in 1947...
is a 100 year old park. Recently renovated by Balangir Municipality with active help from Balangir MLA A.U Singhdeo. This park is situated in the heart of Balangir town. It is a lush green park with hundred varieties of Roses and other flowers. The park has three beautiful water fountains which light up at evenings. Rajendra Park also have children playing areas and various amusements. It has got a cafeteria also. Besides that the park is equipped with Dolby Digital Sound system which plays old Hindi songs throughout the evening. In the middle of the park there is a statue of its founder HH Rajendra Narayan Singhdeo. The timing of the park is from afternoon 2 pm to evening 10 pm. Entry fee for this park is Rs.1, which is used for the maintenance. Rajendra Park is situated in front of the Balangir Municipality Office.
- Karanga Kata - One of the oldest lake of Western Orissa. Recently Balangir Municipality has renovated it and started Boating. Lush green garden has been built around the lake to make it beautiful. It is located behind the Durga Mandir.
- Anand Niketan, Khujenpali Ashram –there is a beautiful Ashram on 40 Acrs of land surrounded by School ( ViswatmaVidyamandir) , yoga Centre , Puja Mandapa , Sadhana Kehtra, Ashutosh Peeth , Green Jungle, Garden, Prajna Kutir, Santh Nivas etc. every year nearly hundreds of thousands visitor coming from around the world to this place on various occasion like Sivaratri , Navaratri, Guru Purinima and for many Yoga and spiritual practice. The Asharma is established from 1985 by Pramahansa Swami Sree Satyaprajananda Saraswati.
- Divine Life SocietyDivine Life SocietyThe Divine Life Society is a religious organization and an ashram, founded by Swami Sivananda Saraswati in 1936, at Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, India...
- Conducting Yoga classes from the last four decade. Location Gaura Mutt, Nalkhandi (Rugudi Pada).
- Khujenpali Ashram - If you are in search of real spirituality then this is a must visit place. Five kilometres from Balangir town.
- Jalia - It's a popular picnic spot for the youths. It is located in the middle of dense forest. one small river also passed through the spot. Located around 20 km from Balangir.
- Ramai Talkies - It's a historical single screen movie theater. It is around 70 years old.
- Priyadarshini Talkies - A air-cooling single sceen movie theater
- Sailashree Palace - A huge palace belonging to the Royal Family of Balangir. Considered the best Palace ever build in Orissa state.
- Lower Sukhtel project - A popular picnic spot on the bank of river Sukhtel. Current construction work is underway for a proposed dam here. Located around 15 kilomenters from Balangir.
Markets
Balangir town is famous for Sambalpuri sarees and dress materials. One can get wide varieties of sambalpuri materials here with best rates, from Sambalpuri bedsheets to Sambalpuri pata sarees which costs in thousands and lakhs.. Balangir Market is also famous throughout India for its cabbage. It is the best breed cabbage with the cheapest rates. Balangir is also famous for Sambalpuri Music albums.. There are numerous production house in Balangir who are engaged in producing Sambalpuri Music albums. Each year on an average 100 Sambalpuri album is getting released in Balangir. Balangir is also famous for its local cuisine or snacks, like Chaul bara, Chaka peeta, gaham bara(Gulgula), labangalata, chena gaaja etc. & Orissa famous Original Peda of Hotel NAROTTAM,Near Vikaram Chowk.Some of the best Markets in Balangir Town:-
- Sindhi Marktet,Main Road :- It is famous for accessories, dress materials sarees, footwear etc.
- Samalei Mandir Road :- Many branded stores as well as many cloth stores are there.
- Daily Market:-It is a huge market. You can get each and everything that you need for daily use.
- Weekly Market:- Historical market which opens every Sunday only at hatpada pada. One can get all the traditional things from the market.
Political Heartland of Western Orissa
Balangir is said to be the political heartland of Western Orissa region. The last ruler of Balangir Sir Rajendra Narayan Singhdeo went on to become the Chief Minister of OrissaOrissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
state. It is also the birth place of former Minister and leader of opposition of Orissa Narasingha Mishra
Narasingha mishra
Narasingha Mishra is a politician from Orissa, India. He was a Member of Orissa Legislative Assembly and was the Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party from 2004-2009. He was first elected to the assembly in 1990 and served as the Law Minister...
and Minister Ananga Udaya Singhdeo. Balangir is now at the centre of the "separate Kosal state movement
Kosal state movement
A movement is continuing in the “Kosal region” of India for creation of a separate state from the existing state of Orissa. People of this region are demanding a politically separate Kosal state from Orissa. The demand for ‘Kosal state’ in Orissa is becoming intense day by day. Political parties,...
". The chief of "Kosali Ekata Manch" and the chief of "Kosal Kranti Dal" (KKD), a reginal political party are from this town. These two are leading the separate Kosal state movement. "Bolangir Bar Association" is agitating for a branch of the Orissa High Court" at Bolangir.
Politics
Current MLA from Bolangir Assembly Constituency is Ananga Udaya Singh DeoAnanga Udaya Singh Deo
Ananga Udaya Singh Deo also known as A U Singh Deo is a politician from Orissa, India. He is the current Member of Legislative Assembly of Orissa Assembly representing from Bolangir constituency.He belongs to the royal family of Bolangir & is the younger son of Late...
of BJD
Biju Janata Dal
The Biju Janata Dal is a state political party of the Indian state of Orissa led by Naveen Patnaik, son of former state chief minister Biju Patnaik. It was founded on 27 December 1997.-History:...
, who won the seat in State elections of 2009. He also won in 2004 and 2000 as BJD candidate, and earlier as JD
Janata Dal
Janata Dal is an Indian political party which was formed through the merger of Janata Party factions, the Lok Dal, Congress, and the Jan Morcha led by V. P...
candidate in 1995 and 1990. Mahammad Mujafar Hussain Khan had won this seat as a candidate of INC
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
in 1985, and as INC(I) candidate in 1980. Muralidhar Guru of JNP
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
was MLA from this seat in 1977.
Bolangir is part of Bolangir (Lok Sabha constituency)
Bolangir (Lok Sabha constituency)
Bolangir Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 21 Lok Sabha constituencies in Orissa state in eastern India.-Assembly segments:...
.
Balangir town is also leading the Kosal state movement
Kosal state movement
A movement is continuing in the “Kosal region” of India for creation of a separate state from the existing state of Orissa. People of this region are demanding a politically separate Kosal state from Orissa. The demand for ‘Kosal state’ in Orissa is becoming intense day by day. Political parties,...
.