Brahmapur,......... earlier it known as
Berhampur
Overview of Berhampur Culture
Berhampur is the primary railway head for nearby tourist
destinations. It serves as a node for the nearby small towns and
villages, so trade is predominant here. A majority of the people are
self-employed in various businesses of different scales. Berhampur is
well known for its intricately designed silk
sarees called
Berhampuri patta,
handloom cloth and jewellery shops.
Demographics
As per the 2011 Census of India, the population of Brahmapur is
355,823, in which 185,584 males and 170,293 females are included. The
effective literacy rate of Brahmapur is 90.04%, higher than the national
average of 74.04%. Male and female literacy are at 93.83% and 85.92%
respectively. 8.2% of the population is under 6 years of age. Adult sex
ratio is at 917 females per 1000 males, while child sex ratio is at 898
females per 1000 males It is 15 km away from Gopalpur sea beach/port and 35 km away from Aska.
Administration
The city is administered by the
Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC).
This organization earlier was a municipality from 1867 till December
29, 2008. The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) of South zone is
located at Berhmapur and covers the undivided Ganjam, Koraput, Kandhamal
and Kalahandi districts.
Odisha celebrates 77th
foundation day
Bhubaneswar, April 1 (IANS) Rallies,
debates, workshops and various educational and cultural programmes were
organised across Odisha Monday to celebrate the state's 77th foundation day,
officials said.
Utkal Divas is celebrated April 1 every year to mark the
formation of Odisha state, which was carved out of the combined
Bengal-Bihar-Orissa province in 1936.
Important government buildings
including the secretariat and assembly here were illuminated with colourful
lights.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated a museum at Cuttack, about
26 km from here.
The Odisha Maritime Museum has been built at an investment
of Rs.10 crore and is spread over an area of about six acres. It showcases the
state's rich maritime history, a state government official said.
The
government also launched a community policing unit in Cuttack on a pilot
basis.
In Berhampur town, locals organised a rally to mark the
day.
Leaders of the Congress party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) and members of various non-political organisations like Utkal
Sammilani paid tributes to legendary leaders from the state, including
Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati and Madhusudan Das on the
occasion, according to offcials.
Besides a special show in Bhubaneswar,
cultural programmes, seminars and competitions were organised across the
state.
--Indo-Asian News Service
Utility services
The Corporation of Brahmapur provides civic services to the city.
Garbage collection has been privatized in 20 wards out of total 37
wards.
There are many mobile phone service companies who operate their GSM
and CDMA networks in the city. There are many land-line companies that
provide commercial and domestic broadband internet services in the city.
Survey has been done for assessing the nature of solid waste
generated in the city which would help in the designing of the proposed
solid waste management plant that are in plans to be established near
Chandania hill on the outskirts of Berhampur. International Financial
Corporation (IFC), is providing technological support for the project.
Potable water to the city is supplied by Brahmapur Corporation. River Rushikulya is called the Ganga of Ganjam which is main source of water. It flows at a distance of about 30 km from the city and drains into the Bay of Bengal near Gopalpur port. There are a good number of big tanks/ lakes in and around the city.
The Southern Electricity Supply Company of Orissa Limited (SOUTHCO)
was incorporated on November 11, 1997, to manage Southern Odisha
consisting of districts of Ganjam, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput,
Kandhamal, Nawrangpur, Malkangiri, and Puri (some areas) with its head
quarter at Berhampur. Berhampur experiences scheduled and unscheduled
power cuts, especially during the summer, due to excess consumption
demands.
The Odisha State Government has proposed to have a regional passport seva kendra in Berhampur.
Cyclone Detection Radar (CDR)station planned at Gopalpur, which would
provide 24-hours rotation programme and would transmit crucial data
such as cloud density, amount of rainfall and thunderstorm, windstorm,
formation and location of system, disturbance caused by cloud and
rainfall to the ground unit
Culture
Berhampur is one of the oldest and most prominent places between north Andhra Pradesh and Cuttack.
Oriya culture has been prominent in this southern city of Odisha since ancient times. As this region was merged with Madras Presidency
in British era, a large number of South Indians (mostly Telugu and
Tamil) were employed here by the British Government. The city is famous
for the shops in Bada Bazaar, Annapurna Market and Bhapur Bazaar.
Theatre has been very prominent since the early days of 1930, and was
the main source of entertainment till the advent of motion pictures.
Since then, theatre and drama have become cultural events here. Ganjam
Kala Parishad and Prakasam Hall are some of the oldest drama-halls in
India which are located in this city. The oldest theatre in the history
of Odisha was the Sri Sitaram Vilas Talkies (SSVT, established in the
year 1927) which was closed down in October 1999.[4]
Berhampur is very famous for its Pappads (popadum), Aachar (pickles) and various kinds of Badis. Berhampur is well known for its intricately designed silk sarees and handloom cloth and hence is known as the Silk City. It is also a big market place for fruits especially mangoes as they arrive from the orchards of nearby Andhra Pradesh state.
Night life in this town comes alive with some glitter and bustling
shops around Annapurna Market, some market complexes down the market
street and Ramlinga Tank, where people sit there and enjoy the evening.
The streets around Goutam Cinema Hall are famous for street side food,
though hygiene of the food can be questionable.
Western-style dress has gained greater acceptance among men, although
the traditional dresses like dhoti and kurta are seen during festivals
or other religious occasions. Women normally wear the sari or the
shalwar kameez; western attire is becoming popular among younger women.
Festivals
The people of Berhampur celebrate all the major festivals of Odisha, like Rath Yatra, Durga Puja, Diwali, Kumar Purnima or Gaja Laxmi Puja,
Manabasa Gurubar, Raja Sankranti, Makar Sankranti, Bishuba/Pana
Sankranti or Oriya New Year, Dola Yatra or Holi, Chandan Yatra, Gamha
Purnima or Rakshya Bandhan, Kartik Purnima, Nabanna, Janmastami, Ram
Navami, Saraswati Puja, Ganesh Puja and others. Some festivals are unique to the City, like Sharad Purnima or Kumara Purnima. In Kumar Purnima, all the girls do Janiusa Puja and pray to Tulasi Maa for blessing them with a good life partner. Every two years, a festival is held in honor of the main deity of the city, Thakurani Maa and the festival is known as Thakurani Jatara/Yatra. It is said that Goddess Thakurani Maa come to their parent's home during the holidays for some days from her in-laws home.
The other communities of the city such as Telugus, Marwaris,
Punjabis, Bengalis and Gujaratis celebrate their festivals along with
the major festivals of the city.
Transport
Berhampur is the commercial capital and gateway to south Odisha, and has a well-developed transportation network.
Road
Berhampur city is connected with National Highways
NH-5 (Chennai – Kolkata) and
NH-217
(Gopalpur – Raipur) and other cities and towns of Odisha. The
three-wheeler auto taxis are the most important mode of transportation
in this city. Taxis also ply on the city's roads.
Rail
Berhampur Railway station
Brahmapur railway station is situated on the
East coast railway line which is a major route connecting the two metros
Kolkata and
Chennai of India. It is directly connected to
New Delhi,
Ahmadabad,
Bangalore,
Bhubaneswar,
Chennai,
Cuttack,
Mumbai,
Nagpur,
Pune,
Puri,
Vishakhapatnam,
Kolkata,
Raipur,
Sambalpur and many more cities of
India. Bhubaneswar – Berhampur connectivity (DMU) is popular connectivity to reach capital city
Bhubaneswar.
Air
The nearest air port is
Biju Patnaik Airport at Bhubaneswar. However, there is a small air strip situated near
Berhampur university
called Rangeilunda. The Rangeilunda air strip was built by the
Britishers during the second world war. The runway is 900 meters (around
2800 ft) long and is periodically maintained by the state government of
Odisha. There is a suitable helipad too. The runway is basically an air
strip functional for small aircraft take off and landing.
Sea
The city is served by two ports, Gopalpur Port one of the Oldest Port
and upcoming satellite port at the Bahuda Mouth (Muhan) by
Paradip Port Trust (PPT).
Media
Electronic media
Berhampur has a full fledged All India Radio Station which broadcasts
FM radio on 100.6 MHz in Greater Berhampur region (BCGH-Berhampur,
Chhatrapur,
Gopalpur and
Hinjilicut).
Also there is a high power transmitter of (6 KW) Doordarshan which
telecasts Oriya language programs. U-TV,previously known as B TV is the
local channel which broadcasts the daily local news.
Print media
Health care
Government/society-owned hospitals
- MKCG Medical College and Hospital, is a combined medical school and
hospital and one of the three government medical colleges in Odisha.
- Sahara Diagnostics, Courtpeta square
- City Hospital
- Janana Hospital (Christian Hospital)
- Red Cross Hospital
- Amit Hospital, Canal Street, Gate Bazar
- Sriram Hospital, J.P. Nagar
- Narayan Jeevan Daan Hospital, Subba Rao Square
- Narayan Eye Clinic near Gate Bazar
- Sree Ortho Clinic at Gandhi Nagar Main Road
- New Care Hospital, Bramhanagar
Pharmaceutical Business
Berhampur plays a vital role in pharmaceutical business of southern
Odisha. Pharmaceutical distributors of Berhampur supplies stocks to
Retailers & Sub-Stockists of Gajapti, Gunupur, Malkangiri,
Nowrangapur, Koraput and Khandamal districts apart from Ganjam district.
Education
The oldest Municipal School, Government High School – MKCG Medical
Campus, Girls High School, K. C. Town High School, City High School are
probably among the oldest schools in India. Prominent lawyers like G. L.
Narasimham, Rajaguru, G. L. Jagannadham, and others are still
considered prominent legal experts by the lawyers in and around
Odisha and
Andhra Pradesh.
The town is also a major center of education in south
Odisha.
The city is the home to 9 engineering colleges, 11 Polytechnic
colleges, 14 ITI’s (as of 2011) and the number is growing every year.
The city is also home to many tutorials and coaching institutes who
prepare students for various entrance exams. Real Estate have also
emerged as a big player in Berhampur urban area. Recent times have seen
large scale retail chains such as Vishal Mega Mart, The Planet, Kolkata
Bazar, Reliance, The World, etc. opening outlets in Berhampur.
General education
- Berhampur University,
Bhanja Bihar – The Berhampur University came into existence on 2
January 1967, being inaugurated by Dr. A. N. Khosla, the then Governor
of Odisha and the first Chancellor of the University. The University was
later shifted to the present site known as Bhanja Bihar, named after
the celebrated poet of Odisha, Kabisamrat Upendra Bhanja. Spreading over an area of 250 acres (1.0 km2) the university is twelve kilometres and five kilometres away from the Berhampur City and sea beach of Gopalpur respectively.
- Khallikote Autonomous College- Proposed to be converted to an Unitary University
- Berhampur University Higher secondary School- Intermediate in Science & Arts, Berhampur University
- M.A.V School
(Matrusri Anglo Vedic School), Berhampur- It is an English medium and
was founded in the late 1960s. It is affiliated to ICSE board. They have
classes from pre-nursery till 10th standard. The school is located near Nehru Park, close to the city railway station.
- St. Vincents Convent School, K. K. College square (founded in January 1954 and is one of the oldest I.C.S.E. schools in Odisha) [2]
- Cambridge Junior College– For +2 Science Day-cum-Residential programme [3]
- Great India Institute of Technology(GIIT), Aska Road, Berhampur [4]
- Science College, Hinjilicut [5]
- Binayak Acharya College
- D.A.V Public School, Berhampur- Senior Secondary (Std. XII), CBSE affiliated school [5]
- Army Public School, Gopalpur - Senior Secondary (Std. XII), CBSE affiliated school
- Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir, NK Nagar, Brahmapur – (LKG to +2 Stream) - Odisha State Board
- De Paul School, Engineering school road, Brahmapur (pre-nursery to
+2 Sc.)- ICSE Board {The best school in berhampur for ICSE board with
the topper for all time being 97.14%.}
- Kendriya Vidyalaya, Berhampur- A CBSE affiliated Senior Secondary school. Classes up to std. XII in Science and Arts stream [6]
- Supriya Junior College
- SBR Women's College (Autonomous), Berhampur
- K.D. Science College, Pochilima, Hinjilicut
- Takshashila Resd School, Ankuspur [7](LKG to +2 Stream)- CBSE Board
Engineering
- Gandhi Academy of Technology & Engineering, Golanthara Konisi, Berhampur
- Gandhi Institute of Industrial Technology (GIIT), Golanthara, Berhampur
- Kalam Institute of Technology (KIT), Berhampur
- National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), Palur Hills, Berhampur
- Parala Maharaja Engineering College (A Government & constituent college of B.P.U.T.) [8]
- Rahul Institute of Engineering & Technology, Thatadapalli Village, Kotharsing, Berhampur
- Roland Institute of Technology Surya Vihar (RIT), Berhampur
- Sanjay Memorial Institute of Technology (SMIT), Chandipadar, Berhampur
- Vignan Institute of Technology and Management (VITAM), Bhairavi, Mantridi village, Berhampur [9]
- Kalam Institute of Technology and Management (KIT), Govindabihar,Berhampur
Medical, pharmacy, nursing
- MKCG Medical College and Hospital (Medical)- Proposed to be converted to AIIMS or Unitary University
- School of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Berhampur University.
- Biju Patnaik Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur
- Kaviraj Ananta Tripathy Sharma Ayurveda College and Hospital, Ankuspur, Berhampur
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mohuda (Pharmacy)- Proposed to
be converted to a Unitary University (1st Pharmacy college of Odisha) or
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)
- Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ambapua(Pharmacy)
- Royal College Of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Andhapasara Road (Pharmacy)
- Om Sai College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Berhampur
- Sivananda College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, near Engineering College Square, Berhampur
- New Hope Society School of Nursing (General Nursing & Midwifery training), Berhampur
- Brundaban Nayak Medical College & Hospital, Berhampur (in progress by SMIT Group)
- Shankar Netralaya - Eye Hospital (work in Progress to start a 200-bed eye hospital)at Berhampur
Diploma schools
- Uma Charan Pattanaik Engineering School, Berhampur
- Aum Sai Institute of Technical Education, Berhampur
- Berhampur School of Engineering & Technology (BSET), Berhampur
- Sanjay Memorial Institute of Technology (SMIT), Ankuspur
- Government Polytechnic, Berhampur
- Gandhi School of Engineering, Berhampur
- Orissa School of Engineering Polytechnic, Berhampur
- Gandhi Polytechnic, Berhampur
- Kalam Institute of Technology, Berhampur
- Bharat Institute of Engineering & Technology, Berhampur
- Holy Institute of Technology, Berhampur
- Xavier Institute of Hotel Management, Berhampur
Others
- College of Fisheries (OUAT), Rangeilunda, Berhampur
- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ankushpur (Ratanpur Farm), Berhampur, established 2012 [10]
- Army Air Defence College (AADC), Gopalpur, Berhampur
- J N Tata Technical Education Center, Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), Gopalpur
- Academy of Technocrats for the IT courses like BCA, BES & BBA under Berhampur University, Berhampur.
- DISHA College of Management & Technology (BCA & BBA under
Berhampur University, Distance Programs under Punjab Technical
University, Karnataka State Open University, Manomaniam Sundaranar
University) [11]
- Upcoming an international standard Multi Skill Development Centre
(MDC) at Berhampur next year in association with German technological
expertise aids.[12]
- Regional forensic science laboratory Berhampur. [13]
Industries
Berhampur region is the hub of industrial activities in southern
Odisha. Industrial clusters include granite processing units, Cashew nut
processing, rice mills, and fabrication/ handloom unit industries are
popular in this region. Some major industries located in Berhampur
region are:
- Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a unit of Department of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India. Established in the year 1986. (Products: Sillimanite, Zircon, Garnet, Rutile, and Monazite)
- Jayshree Chemicals Limited (JCL), a S. K. Bangur group company.
Established in the year 1967. (Products: Caustic soda, Hydrochloric
Acid, Sulphur Dioxide Gas and Chlorine)
- Virat Crane Agro Tech (Pvt.) Ltd. Established in the year 1997.
- Railway wagon factory, Sitalapalli, Berhampur (Work in progress)
- Titanium Oxide Plant (Planned)
- Gopalpur Industrial Park by TATA - High Carbon Ferrochrome Plant, Rebar Mill, and Desalination plant (Planned)[14]
IT Organisations
Many state level software companies have set up their centres here,
as Berhampur offers opportunities associated with Grade II and grade III
cities for BPO and software companies. The Delhi-based IT company
Perfect Infotech has operations here. Also, certain small and medium
scale software organizations like
TeamIn Technologies Private Limited,
Integrity Infotech Private Limited,
Aahwaan Infotech Odisha, Ozone Software, Auro Infotech,
Tapan Infotech Limited, etc., have set up operations here to cater to the IT needs in and around Berhampur. The third software park
STPI- Berhampur
of the state and 51st in the country inaugurated on 20th Aug. 2010 at
Berhampur. Due to its moderate climate and technical education
infrastructure base it may become a leading IT and ITES destination of
eastern India.
Work has started on establishing a second IIIT at Berhampur. The Government has allotted 100 acres (0.40 km
2)
for the proposed institute at Rangeilunda. Also, NID (National
Institute of Design) is coming to Berhampur city as stated by the ex-MP/
Central Minister Mr. Chandrasekhar Sahu.
Sports
Berhampur has produced some of the best weight-lifting and boxing
players for India at the International level including present day
Indian champion in Commonwealth Games (
CWG) Gold medalist winner
K. Ravi Kumar. Veer Hanuman Club of Berhampur has produced international
weight-lifters like Bijay Kumar Satapathy, Chandra Sekhar Sahu and
Tikina Gopal from the town. Bijay Kumar Satapathy, is also an Arjuna
Award winner and had grabbed the Silver medal in the 1982 CWG held in
Australia, and gold medal in the 1981 Mini-Commonwealth Games. Chandra
Sekhar Sahu, an employee of the Railways, had clinched a Gold medal in
the SAARC sports meet in 1990. Similarly, Tikina Gopal had also won
Silver and Bronze medals in the Junior and Senior Asian Championship,
while Ranu Mohanty, a girl from the city won medals in the International
event of Power-lifting. Cricket, Volley, Basketball and Football
(Soccer) are the other popular sports.
Stadiums
Berhampur has a National level stadium which has hosted several Ranji
Trophy matches. The city has produced many reputed Ranji players in the
recent times.
- Berhampur Stadium (Barracks)
- Khallikote College Stadium
- Veer Hanuman Circus and Physical Institute (VHCPI)- Indoor Stadium
Notable people
Nearby Attractions
- Bi-Annual Thakurani Yatra – The Festival of the Goddess :
This welcomes the goddess Budhi Thakurani to her temporary abode for the
biannual Thakurani Jatra (festival) late at night. The hereditary head
of the festival, who is also regarded as the head of the weaver Dera
community of the city, Desibehera, dressed in his traditional attire,
visits the Budhi Maa Thakurani temple to invite the goddess to her
parental abode at his home on Saturday afternoon. His wife also
accompanies him, and they make offerings at the Kalika temple. Rituals
to welcome the deity for the festival started at the temporary temple
built at Desibehera street from evening with the Changudi Puja. After
these rituals, flowers are carried from Desibehera's house to the Budhi
Thakurani temple. Fallen flowers are carried as representative of the
deity to Desibehera Street in a large decorated procession at night. The
Thakurani Yatra is celebrated in different parts of Ganjam district.
One such major biennial Thakurani Yatra is Lanjipalli Thakurani Yatra.
- Gopalpur Beach : This is located at a distance of 16 km from the city and the Gopalpur-on-Sea
is a retreat for sun, sea and sand lovers. At one time it was a busy
seaport and it still displays the crumbling walls and pillars of the
jetty. There are various town buses that run from Old Bus stand to
Gopalpur. It is quite convenient to drive to Gopalpur on ones personal
vehicle. Gopalpur once used to be a bustling place with tourists. There
are many good hotels like Oberoi Palm Beach resort. It is a lesser known
fact that, Oberoi Palm Beach resort was the first property to be
acquired under the Oberoi Group brand. Gopalpur has an old light house, and a small fisherman's cove. The Gopalpur Beach Festival is also held here.
- See also:
Gopalpur-on-sea travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Taratarini Temple – The Shakti Pitha
- This is one of the oldest pilgrimage place of mother goddess and
amongst the four major ancient Adi Shakti centers in India. The
mythological texts recognize four major Shakti Pithas (centers), like
Bimala, Taratarini, Kamakshya and Dakhina Kalika, which originated from
the limbs of the Corpse of Mata Sati in the Satya Yuga.
- Rooted in the hoary past, mentioned in the Puranas, the Tantras and
as the main seat of Tantric cult for thousands of years and center of
Shakti worship since time immemorial, this hill Shrine is believed to be
the Sthana Peetha (Breast Shrine of Mata Sati) and an important
prehistoric religious center which bears an uninterrupted history of
about 6000 years.
- Ballipadar : It is famous for black bucks.
- Sri Sri Sri Sidhibinayakya Pitha : This temple is centrally
located in the city near Giri Road, which will be one of the largest
Ganesh Temple in Odisha. The temple work is completed.[6]
- City Market Area : Has a host of different bazars (markets) chiefly among them being Bada bazar, Sana bazar, Hanuman bazar, Urban Bank Road etc.
- Mahurikalua : It is a forested hilly area where Goddess of
Shakti Maa Thakurani is worshiped. It is about 30 km from Berhampur.
During the time of Sankranti festival people in large numbers gather to worship.
- Kalua Jatra : The Kalua jatra festival begun in Gosani
Nuagaon area of the city. This festival would continue for 15 days till
next full moon's day which is celebrated as Kumar Purnima in the Odisha state.
- Dhabaleshwar beach : Dhabaleswar is a quiet and secluded
beach close to Gopalpur beach, with facilities for surfing, sailing, and
sun-bathing. The famous pilgrim center, Dhabaleswar, with its
sand-bleached Shiva temple and the Dhabaleswar island are the nearby
attractions.
- The Chatrapur Port Area
- Siddha Bhairavi:
The place is named after the presiding deity goddess Maa Bhairabee at
the remote village of Mantridi. Carved in crude fashion, the icon
(one-legged goddess with four hands) was discovered and enshrined in a
newly adorned temple in 1937. According to legend, fisherman and sailors
used to worship the deity for blessings before commencement of their
journey. Maa Bhairabee nowadays has become an important Shakti Pitha
venerable for the fisherman community that live in nearby villages.
Tourists from almost all parts of southern Odisha as well as northern Andhra Pradesh
visit this holy shrine everyday. The holy days on which most of the
devotees assemble before the deity to offer their prayers are on Sankranti days of the Hindu calendar and on all Tuesdays.
- Taptapani : Taptapani (Hot-Water), as the name suggests, is
famous for its hot springs. Nestled at about 1,800 feet (550 m) above
sea level, this spot is 56 kilometres away from the city's railway
station. The sprawling Panthanivas is the only shelter for tourists at
Taptapani. The cottages overlook a pristine valley, and the dining hall
is strategically placed between two crests of mountain fold. A few
minutes walk from here will take you to Kandimata Mandir, where the
locals bathe in the spring before offering their daily prayers. There is
also a deer park maintained by the forest department.
- Bala Kumari : The temple of Balakumari can be reached by climbing 1,240 steps and is dedicated to the Goddess Durga.
- Chilika Lake :
Chilika is India's biggest inland lake, spread over 1,100 square
kilometers stretching across the length of the three districts of Puri,
Khurdha and Ganjam and finally joins the Bay of Bengal through a narrow
mouth, forming an enormous lagoon of brackish water. Dotted with many
emerald green islands with colourful names such as Honeymoon Island and
Breakfast Island, Chilika is home to a rich variety of aquatic fauna. It
is also a sanctuary and winter resort for migratory birds, some coming
from as far as Siberia.
- Biranchi Narayan Sun Temple : Buguda
is a small town in Ghumusar Subdivision of Ganjam district. It is
famous for the temple of Biranchinarayan. The temple was built by King
Srikara Bhanja, who ascended the throne of Ghumusar in 1790 CE. The
image of the God Biranchinarayan which is installed in the sanctum of
the temple was recovered from the ruins of Malatigarh. The temple is
built in the form of a chariot driven by seven horses and is conspicuous
for its remarkable wood carvings and wall paintings. At the other end
of the main road facing the temple of Biranchinarayan is a temple
dedicated to Lord Jagannath. The temple is built in such a manner that
the devotees can see the Arati of both the temples at the same time from any of these two places.
- Kulada : Kulada is famous for the Goddess Bagh Devi. It is
also said to be the birthplace of the great Oriya poet Kabi Samrat
Upendra Bhanja. It is situated in the northwest of Ganjam District, with
a ruined fort, the river Mahanadi flowing in the east, and dense forest
lies on the west side of the ruined fort. The original temple is at the
top of the hill known as Upar Bagh Devi, with 210 steps.
- Panchama : Panchama is a small village famous for the temple
of Panchama Ganesh, or Siddhi Binayaka, as it is locally known.
Tradition says that the Gajapati King Purushottamadeva (15th century) on the way to his conquest of Kanchi
recovered the image in the hallow of two trees of Vara and Aswastha and
paid his homage to the image after its consecration. Since then the
place has become an important centre of Ganapataya worship, preserving
the great tradition of Panchadevata worship of Odisha.
- Narayani : Narayani, is situated at a distance of 80 km from
Berhampur, and located on the top of the Bhalleri hills. The temple of
Goddess Narayani (Durga) is surrounded by captivating natural scenery of
dense sal and mango grooves. It is one of the most famous Shakti peetha
and Tantra peerha of the district, situated at the border of Ganjam and
Khurda district. The extension of the Bhalleri is known as Narayani
khola. It is believed the top of the shrine is the seat of Devi
Banadurga. As per mythology, the deity in the shrine is an aavatar of
Maishamardini Maa Durga. Earlier she was worshipped by the local tribes
in a natural shape inside the cave. Later, the local civic bodies
arranged the puja and shaped the deity as a ten armed figure. An
ex-ruler of Khallikote garh built the present shrine. The construction
of the temple used a unique method of cementing the stone pieces. The
green jungle surrounding the temple, with its calm and quiet environment
attracts a large number people. During the winter the rush of
picnickers to the spot is multiplied. The enchanting view of Chilika
Lake from the top of Bhalleri hills leaves a long lasting impression in
the mind of a viewer that is beyond any description. Ashokasthami is the most important festival and is celebrated for three days. Following that, every year based on Hindu calendar, Mesha Sankranti and Raja Sankranti
are also important festival dates. A huge number of devotees visit the
temple and worship the deity during these days every year.
- Potagarh : This is a historical fort built by Britishers in the 18th
century. It is situated close to river Rusikulya and is surrounded by a
moat. The remnants of majestic fort houses and a buried tunnel specks,
the melody of glorious past of Ganjam city, which was cursed by a
dreadful epidemic plague in the year 1815 CE. The place attracts
students, scholars and history lovers. Due to its geographical location
close to the confluence of Rusikulya river and Bay of Bengal, it is a
favored picnic spot among the picnickers.
- Ujaleswar : The shrine of Ujjaleswar, 19 km from Digapahandi
and 45 km from Berhampur, near Ghodahada Dam, was developed from a cave
temple, on a hillock which is approachable by steps. A huge stone
shadowing the deity forms the back side of the temple, which has been
also chiseled to steps for facilitating a circumambulating around the
shrine. Before reaching the unctuous site, one would come across the
pleasing surroundings of Ghodahada Dam, which has submerged a fort named
Vijayanagar and its temple. The reservoir shelters a herd of elephants,
crocodiles, and pythons, and provides subsoil water for a horticulture
farm of tube rose.
- Aryapalli : The beach at Aryapalli is 32 km from Berhampur and 8 km from Chhatrapur and Berhampur.
- Mahendragiri : The hill Mahendragiri, 5,000 feet (1,500 m)
high, is in the Parlakhemundi subdivision of the district of Gajapati.
It is associated with mythological stories from the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata, and has interesting archaeological remains. Sivaratri is the main festival.
- Sonepur : Sonepur beach is on the Odisha–Andhra Pradesh border along the river Bahuda; on the other side is the beach Pati Sonepur.
- Galleri and Baibelli : These villages belong to Ghumsar
region of the Ganjam District. These villages are thought of to be the
origination place for Danda Jatra. Danda Jatra are
ritualistic performances held during the month of Chaitra for a period
of 2 to 3 weeks. This is considered to be the one of the traditional
form of worship. The performers showcase their performances in different
villages. The performances are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess
Kali, which are symbolically represented by a Danda (a Pole),
decorated with multi-coloured clothes. The participants showcase various
items from their repertoire chiefly among them being Pani Danda, Agni Danda, Dhuli Danda etc. The closing ceremony is known as Meru Yatra, which is observed on the day of Maha Vishuba Sankranti.
- Bankeswari : Bankeswari is a beautiful and scenic spot located on the Kerandimala hill ranges on the Eastern Ghats.
It's located about 10 km. from the junction near Digapahandi on the
Berhampur – Digapahandi highway. This is mountainous area and has a
dense forest cover. The view from the hills is exotic and refreshing and
has many pristine streams.
Politics
Current M. P. (Member of Parliament) of Berhampur Parliamentary Constituency is
Siddhanta Mahapatra of
BJD, elected in the year 2009. Current
MLA from Berhampur Assembly Constituency is Dr. Ramesh Chandra Chau Patnaik of
BJD, who won the seat in the state elections of 2004 and 2000 and also as
JD candidate in 1995.
[7]
Berhampur Corporation comes under four Assembly segments i.e.,
Berhampur old town, Gopalpur, Chatrapur and Digapahandi. Berhampur is
part of
Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency.
[8]
References
