Koraput
Encyclopedia
Koraput is a town and a Notified Area Council in Koraput district
in the India
n state
of Orissa
.
about the middle of the 17th century and this town prospered as the capital. Koraput was chosen by the British in 1870 for better health prospects. The origin of the name of Koraput is obscure. There are several theories, none of which is convincing.
According to Mr. R.C.S.Bell the name of the town is ‘Kora-Putti’ or”the hamlet of the nux-vomica” and it is derived presumably from a tree or trees that must at one time have been prominent near the site. But today not a single tree of nux-vomica is to be found near about the town of Koraput and so the assumption or Mr. Bell is open to question.
According to second theory, Koraput is corrupted form of ‘Karaka pentho’ Karaka literally mans ‘hail-stone’. It is also believed that one ‘Khora Naiko’ laid foundation of the village during the time of Nandapur kings. He hailed probably from Ranpur and served under the Nandapur kings in the Militia, and for his faithful and meritorious services he has permitted to establish this village which was named after him as Khora Putu, and later on the name has been abbreviated to ‘Koraput’.
Koraput is also a Tourism Place.The town is surrounded by mountains, thick forests and waterfalls.
is a part of the tribal belt in southern Orissa
. Most of the area was under thick forest cover until a few years ago. Many aboriginal tribes live in this district. Largely due to deforestation
, industrialization and urbanization
these tribes have almost come to modernity and are adopting new ways of life. However, on any Sunday one can see these tribals selling their products (vegetables and fruits of organic origin) in Sunday markets popularly known as HAT PODA.
In the month of November (2nd-3rd week), a famous festival of tribals DONGAR FESTIVAL or PARAB is being celebrated every year which showcases the typical life of tribals inhabiting. Many foreign tourists also visit this place to witness this festival.
which is also known as Sabara Srikhetra. Srikhetra is normally referred to as Puri Jagannath
, but the unique identity of the Koraput temple is because of the fact that no section of the society is barred entry.
Sabara Srikhetra was founded by, among others, Sri PYARIMOHAN MOHAPATRA, the then the Chief Administrator of D.N.K Project Koraput, Dr. Jagabandhu Samal, Reader D.A.V. College Koraput, Dr. P.C.Mohapatra, Koraput Sri Abhaya Mohapatra the Then PRO Koraput, Sri Krushna Chandra Panigrahy,the Present Secretary of Sabara Srikhetra Temple and Dr Nirod Gochhayat.
Thousands flock to the temple every day for darshan. The Temple trust has built huge accommodation centres for pilgrims and is an important force behind the growing number of tourist arrivals. The trust also runs COATS (Council of Analytical Tribal Studies), a university–like educational institute is a successful attempt to restore and educate tribal way of life, customs, tradition, medicine, language, social structure and history.
tourist attractions though they are not that famous as other hill stations of India
. Places like Machkund, Onukadelli, Jalaput
, Chindri, Hatipathar, etc. are places to be visited for its scenic beauty.
, a defence enterprise of the Government of India) is only 15 km from Koraput town. This HAL factory makes military aircraft engines for MiG
and expanding for Sukhoi
assembly line. The HAL factory and township is surrounded by hills and forest. It employs 6000 engineers and technicians, all are staying in the township next to the factory. The National Aluminium Company Ltd.(NALCO), Damanjodi also has its significance to boost up the economy of Koraput district. Around 2500 engineers & technicians are engaged in the process of extraction of Alumina from Bauxite. Other than the employees there are thousands of workers engaged by hundreds of contractors. Nearby Semliguda is developed to cater this population for marketing as well as entertainment. Semliguda is mostly inhabited by trading community. These traders and contractors do business in HAL, Sunabeda
and NALCO, Damanjodi
.
By Rail, it is well connected with Rayagada
, Vishakapatnam, Jagdalpur
, Howrah, Bhubaneswar
, Rourkela
.
As far as higher studies are concerned, Koraput has got one Woman's College and a D.A.V College
, both of which are affiliated to the Berhampur University. The quality of higher education in Koraput is still under question.
Apart from traditional courses, Koraput now also provides facilities for professional courses like engineering and pharmacy. There is a demand from the people of Koraput to establish a medical college in the district which has not been entertained by the Government.Koraput is surrounded with industry like HAL, NALCO,and other like power project, which create a demand for technical professionals.
In 2009, a central university was setup in Koraput namely Central University of Orissa. This started functioning from August 2009 providing courses on English, Oriya, Mass Communication, Journalism, Anthropology and Sociology. Prof Surabhi Banarjee has been appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of the University.
, Koraput had a population of 39,523. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Koraput has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 59%. In Koraput, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
, who won the seat in State elections in 2009. Previous MLAs from this seat were Gupta Prasad Das of INC in 1995, Harish Chandra Baxipatra who won as JD
candidate in 1990 and as JNP
candidate in 1977, Narusinghananda Brahma as INC candidate in 1985 , as INC(I) candidate in 1980 and Taraprasad Bahinipati(INC) in 2000 and 2005.
Koraput is part of Koraput (Lok Sabha constituency)
.
Koraput District
Koraput is a tribal dominated district of Orissa, India, and known for rich and diverse types of mineral deposits. It is located along the Eastern Ghats.-History:...
in the 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...
n 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...
.
History
The district of Koraput derives its name from its headquarters the present town of Koraput. In ancient times when the Nalas were ruling over this tract, Pushkari near modern Umarkot was the capital city. In the medieval period Nandapur developed as the capital under the Silavamsi kings and sometimes under the kings of the Solar dynasty. Vikram Dev of the Solar dynasty shifted his headquarters to JeyporeJeypore
Jeypore, is the largest town in the Koraput district of Orissa, India. Along with Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Balasore, Puri and Berhampur, Jeypore is one of the prominent places of Orissa. It is encompassed by hills of the Eastern Ghats and the more famous Araku hills on three...
about the middle of the 17th century and this town prospered as the capital. Koraput was chosen by the British in 1870 for better health prospects. The origin of the name of Koraput is obscure. There are several theories, none of which is convincing.
According to Mr. R.C.S.Bell the name of the town is ‘Kora-Putti’ or”the hamlet of the nux-vomica” and it is derived presumably from a tree or trees that must at one time have been prominent near the site. But today not a single tree of nux-vomica is to be found near about the town of Koraput and so the assumption or Mr. Bell is open to question.
According to second theory, Koraput is corrupted form of ‘Karaka pentho’ Karaka literally mans ‘hail-stone’. It is also believed that one ‘Khora Naiko’ laid foundation of the village during the time of Nandapur kings. He hailed probably from Ranpur and served under the Nandapur kings in the Militia, and for his faithful and meritorious services he has permitted to establish this village which was named after him as Khora Putu, and later on the name has been abbreviated to ‘Koraput’.
Koraput is also a Tourism Place.The town is surrounded by mountains, thick forests and waterfalls.
Tribal identity
This districtDistrict
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
is a part of the tribal belt in southern 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...
. Most of the area was under thick forest cover until a few years ago. Many aboriginal tribes live in this district. Largely due to deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
, industrialization and urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
these tribes have almost come to modernity and are adopting new ways of life. However, on any Sunday one can see these tribals selling their products (vegetables and fruits of organic origin) in Sunday markets popularly known as HAT PODA.
In the month of November (2nd-3rd week), a famous festival of tribals DONGAR FESTIVAL or PARAB is being celebrated every year which showcases the typical life of tribals inhabiting. Many foreign tourists also visit this place to witness this festival.
Sabara Srikhetra
Koraput is mostly famous for its Jagannath TempleJagannath Temple (Koraput)
Sri Jagannath temple is a temple located in Koraput, Orissa. It is not only built as an altar for worship, but also as a multipurpose area for Jagannath consciousness...
which is also known as Sabara Srikhetra. Srikhetra is normally referred to as Puri Jagannath
Jagannath Temple (Puri)
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath and located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Orissa, India. The name Jagannath is a combination of the Sanskrit words Jagat and Nath...
, but the unique identity of the Koraput temple is because of the fact that no section of the society is barred entry.
Sabara Srikhetra was founded by, among others, Sri PYARIMOHAN MOHAPATRA, the then the Chief Administrator of D.N.K Project Koraput, Dr. Jagabandhu Samal, Reader D.A.V. College Koraput, Dr. P.C.Mohapatra, Koraput Sri Abhaya Mohapatra the Then PRO Koraput, Sri Krushna Chandra Panigrahy,the Present Secretary of Sabara Srikhetra Temple and Dr Nirod Gochhayat.
Thousands flock to the temple every day for darshan. The Temple trust has built huge accommodation centres for pilgrims and is an important force behind the growing number of tourist arrivals. The trust also runs COATS (Council of Analytical Tribal Studies), a university–like educational institute is a successful attempt to restore and educate tribal way of life, customs, tradition, medicine, language, social structure and history.
Geography
Koraput is located at 18.82°N 82.72°E. It has an average elevation of 870 metres (2854 feet).Hill stations
Being at the heart of tribal belt in south orissa, it has also many hill stationHill station
A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia , but also in Africa , for towns founded by European colonial rulers as refuges from the summer heat, up where temperatures are cooler...
tourist attractions though they are not that famous as other hill stations of 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...
. Places like Machkund, Onukadelli, Jalaput
Jalaput
Jalaput Dam is built on Machkund River which rises in the Mudugal hills of Visakhapatnam District and nearby Ondra Gadda it becomes the boundary between Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. For over 48 km the river runs nearly north along a meandering course through the Padwa Valley...
, Chindri, Hatipathar, etc. are places to be visited for its scenic beauty.
Economy
HAL factory (Hindustan Aeronautics LimitedHindustan Aeronautics Limited
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited based in Bangalore, India, is one of Asia's largest aerospace companies. Under the management of the Indian Ministry of Defence, this state-owned company is mainly involved in aerospace industry, which includes manufacturing and assembling aircraft, navigation and...
, a defence enterprise of the Government of India) is only 15 km from Koraput town. This HAL factory makes military aircraft engines for MiG
Mig
-Industry:*MiG, now Mikoyan, a Russian aircraft corporation, formerly the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau*Metal inert gas welding or MIG welding, a type of welding using an electric arc and a shielding gas-Business and finance:...
and expanding for Sukhoi
Sukhoi
Sukhoi Company is a major Russian aircraft manufacturer, headquartered in Begovoy District, Northern Administrative Okrug, Moscow, famous for its fighters...
assembly line. The HAL factory and township is surrounded by hills and forest. It employs 6000 engineers and technicians, all are staying in the township next to the factory. The National Aluminium Company Ltd.(NALCO), Damanjodi also has its significance to boost up the economy of Koraput district. Around 2500 engineers & technicians are engaged in the process of extraction of Alumina from Bauxite. Other than the employees there are thousands of workers engaged by hundreds of contractors. Nearby Semliguda is developed to cater this population for marketing as well as entertainment. Semliguda is mostly inhabited by trading community. These traders and contractors do business in HAL, Sunabeda
Sunabeda
Sunabeda is a township in the state of Orissa, India, ensconced in the lush valleys of the Koraput region. It is also home to Engine Division - Koraput of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited , an aircraft manufacturing company...
and NALCO, Damanjodi
Damanjodi
Damanjodi is a small town in the culturally rich and beautiful Koraput district in the Indian state of Orissa. It is primarily a hilly area with outstanding natural beauty and scarce population. A vast majority of the population of Damanjodi comprises the employees of National Aluminium Company ,...
.
Transport
Koraput has good linkage with other parts of the state as well as some major cities of neighboring states, by means of rail and road. National highway number 43 passes through the town which connects it with Raipur and Vishakapatnam. Buses are a plenty from Vishakhatanam and Vizianagaram to Koraput. Now-a-days many private cabs are also available from Vizianagaram, which costs about Rs.150-200 per head. Buses to Jeypore, Jagdalpur, Umerkote, etc., also passes through Koraput.By Rail, it is well connected with Rayagada
Rayagada
Rayagada is a municipality in Rayagada district in the Indian state of Orissa. It is the administrative headquarters of Rayagada district.-Geography:...
, Vishakapatnam, Jagdalpur
Jagdalpur
Jagdalpur is a city and a municipality in Bastar district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It is the administrative headquarters of Bastar District and Bastar Division, and was the capital of the erstwhile princely state of Bastar. Jagdalpur and its surrounding area comprise a major part of the...
, Howrah, Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...
, Rourkela
Rourkela
Rourkela is located in the northwestern tip of the Indian state of Orissa at the heart of a rich mineral belt. It is situated about north of state capital Bhubaneswar.It is surrounded by a range of hills and encircled by rivers. One of the largest steel plants of the Steel Authority of India...
.
Educational facilities
Koraput is well equipped with basic educational facilities. The major government and privately owned schools and college include :- Vyomayana Samstha Vidyalaya, Sunabeda, Koraput
- Aeronautics College, Sunabeda;Previously named Aeronautics Commerce and Arts(A.C& A)College.
- Govt. High School (previously named Govt. Boys High School);
- Police High School;
- J.E.L.C High School;
- Govt Girls High School;
- Sri Aurobindo Purnanga Shikhsakendra;
- Saraswati Vidya Mandir;
- Public School;
- Central School (Kendriya vidyalaya);
- S.V.B.Vidyapith Eng. Medium School;
- Bikash Vidyalaya Eng / Oriya Medium School;
- Saints English Medium School.
- Siddharth Institute of Engineering and Technology(S.I.E.T)
- Central University of Orissa-Koraput
- Talents College Of Science& Technology
- Jawahor Navodaya Vidyalaya,koraput
As far as higher studies are concerned, Koraput has got one Woman's College and a D.A.V College
D.A.V College
D A V College, Koraput. is a Government run degree college affiliated to the Berhampur University. It is situated in Landiguda 6 km from Koraput Bus-stop. With a beautiful surrounding of greenery near the river Kolab. It offers graduate courses in Arts, Commerce and Science stream. It also offers...
, both of which are affiliated to the Berhampur University. The quality of higher education in Koraput is still under question.
Apart from traditional courses, Koraput now also provides facilities for professional courses like engineering and pharmacy. There is a demand from the people of Koraput to establish a medical college in the district which has not been entertained by the Government.Koraput is surrounded with industry like HAL, NALCO,and other like power project, which create a demand for technical professionals.
In 2009, a central university was setup in Koraput namely Central University of Orissa. This started functioning from August 2009 providing courses on English, Oriya, Mass Communication, Journalism, Anthropology and Sociology. Prof Surabhi Banarjee has been appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of the University.
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...
, Koraput had a population of 39,523. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Koraput has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 76%, and female literacy is 59%. In Koraput, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Politics
Current MLA from Koraput Assembly Constituency is Raghuram Padal of BJDBJD
BJD may refer to:* Biju Janata Dal, a political party in India* Ballyjamesduff, a town in Ireland* Ball-jointed doll* Barycentric Julian Date, a time correction in astronomy...
, who won the seat in State elections in 2009. Previous MLAs from this seat were Gupta Prasad Das of INC in 1995, Harish Chandra Baxipatra who won 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 1990 and as 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...
candidate in 1977, Narusinghananda Brahma as INC candidate in 1985 , as INC(I) candidate in 1980 and Taraprasad Bahinipati(INC) in 2000 and 2005.
Koraput is part of Koraput (Lok Sabha constituency)
Koraput (Lok Sabha constituency)
Koraput is a Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency in Orissa. Assembly constituencies which constitute this parliamentary constituency are: Gunupur, Bissam-Cuttack, Rayagada, Lakshmipur, Pottangi, Koraput, Jeypore.-Members of Parliament:...
.
