Famous for its Sambalpuri Saree, the Sambalpur District is the western part of state of Odisha. The District is surrounded by Deogarh District in the East, Bargarh and Jharsuguda Districts in the West, Sundargarh District in the North and Sonepur and Angul Districts in the South. The District of Sambalpur has a history full of events including Indian freedom struggle representing the different section of the society. Sambalpur is mentioned in the book of Ptomely as Sambalaka on the river Manada. Sambalpur District was subsequently divided into four separate Districts. Bargarh District was separated in 1993, and Jharsuguda and Deogarh Districts were separated in 1994.
This town is also a significant textile district of Odisha and admired worldwide for its tie-and-dye Ikat art which is endearingly named as Sambalpuri.
Places to Visit:
The Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary stands out from all the wildlife sanctuaries in the state in terms of sighting wild animals. One of the major reasons for this is its proximity to the Hirakud dam as it provides a perfect water source host for the animals, birds and aquatic fauna of the sanctuary. Apart from the animals already inhabiting the sanctuary, migratory birds also come to explore the nearly 150 km2 area of the Hirakud reservoir. As the dam is a standing water body, many varieties of diving ducks can be seen. The sanctuary may welcome the largest number of diving ducks in winter compared to all the other sanctuaries in Orissa. Birds such as the red crested pochard and great crested grebe are seen in large numbers. During 2008 there was a bird census and the sanctuary reported more than 32,000 winged visitors.
There are six eco-tourism cottages in the sanctuary at Barkhandia and each has all the facilities to accommodate a complete family or two adults. Most importantly, the tariff includes all meals. Permission for the entry into the sanctuary is available at the gates, but to stay in the eco-tourism cottages one has to get the DFO's permission from the office in Sambalpur town after paying the fees.
Cattle Island exists in one of the extreme points of Hirakud Reservoir, a natural wonder. It is near Kumarbandh village of Belpahar-Banharpali range which is about 90 km from Sambalpur. The island is a submerged hill, and before the construction of Hirakud Dam it was a developed village. During the resettlement period, villagers left some of their cattle behind; when the dam construction was over, the cattle settled on the hilltop. With the passage of time the nearby area filled up with the reservoir water, turning the hilltop into an island. Being away from mankind, the cattle are now wild, very swift and not easily caught. Living on a hilltop with dense forest, they are larger than tame cattle, almost all of which are white in colour. Nearby residents attempt to capture these animals from time to time, but these hunts are rarely successful. Though descended from tame cattle, these animals provide a contrasting picture of this breed of animal returning to life in the wild. If the visit to this island is taken by a boat in the Hirakud reservoir it's an adventurous trip with breathtaking views.
Pradhan Path Falls is at a distance of around 100 km from Sambalpur and is a splendidly charming waterfall. It will let you glance into the extreme innate gorgeousness of Orissa that will take your heart away. A wonderful way to conclude your blissful trip to Sambalpur, this invigorating waterfall will let you refresh yourself amidst the picturesque scenery of Orissa.
Transport:
Roadways: Sambalpur has a well networked transport facility for commercial and public transportation. It is connected to the rest of Odisha and India by national highway - NH 6, which is a part of Asian Highway-AH46 (Mumbai-Nagpur-Kolkata line). NH 42 connects with Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, State Highway 10 (SH10) connects with Jharsuguda and Rourkela, and the new Biju Expressway (under construction) will connect Rourkela-Sambalpur-Jagdalpur.
City bus services have started in Sambalpur from January 2014. The service was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik. It is run on a PPP (Public Private Partnership) by two companies, Western Odisha Urban Transport Service Limited (WOUTSL) and Paschim Odisha Paribahan Company (POPCO).
Railways: There are five railway stations in Sambalpur City (since it gained the corporation tag), namely Sambalpur Junction, Sambalpur Road Railway Station (SBPD), Hirakud Railway Station (HKG), Sambalpur City Railway Station (SBPY) and Maneswar Railway Station (MANE). Sambalpur City and Maneswar Railway Stations are located on the Bhubaneswar-Sambalpur route (commissioned in 1998), while the other three stations are located on the Jharsuguda-Vizianagaram route. There are direct train connections to all the metros and prominent cities across India. It lacks direct connectivity to Indore, Dehradun, Lucknow and Guwahati.
Airways: The nearest airports are Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur (262 km) and Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar (325 km). A new airport is being constructed at Jharsuguda (50 km).
Language: Sambalpuri language is spoken at Sambalpur; however, Odia, Hindi, and English are used for education and official purposes.
Map:
This town is also a significant textile district of Odisha and admired worldwide for its tie-and-dye Ikat art which is endearingly named as Sambalpuri.
Places to Visit:
The Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary stands out from all the wildlife sanctuaries in the state in terms of sighting wild animals. One of the major reasons for this is its proximity to the Hirakud dam as it provides a perfect water source host for the animals, birds and aquatic fauna of the sanctuary. Apart from the animals already inhabiting the sanctuary, migratory birds also come to explore the nearly 150 km2 area of the Hirakud reservoir. As the dam is a standing water body, many varieties of diving ducks can be seen. The sanctuary may welcome the largest number of diving ducks in winter compared to all the other sanctuaries in Orissa. Birds such as the red crested pochard and great crested grebe are seen in large numbers. During 2008 there was a bird census and the sanctuary reported more than 32,000 winged visitors.
There are six eco-tourism cottages in the sanctuary at Barkhandia and each has all the facilities to accommodate a complete family or two adults. Most importantly, the tariff includes all meals. Permission for the entry into the sanctuary is available at the gates, but to stay in the eco-tourism cottages one has to get the DFO's permission from the office in Sambalpur town after paying the fees.
Cattle Island exists in one of the extreme points of Hirakud Reservoir, a natural wonder. It is near Kumarbandh village of Belpahar-Banharpali range which is about 90 km from Sambalpur. The island is a submerged hill, and before the construction of Hirakud Dam it was a developed village. During the resettlement period, villagers left some of their cattle behind; when the dam construction was over, the cattle settled on the hilltop. With the passage of time the nearby area filled up with the reservoir water, turning the hilltop into an island. Being away from mankind, the cattle are now wild, very swift and not easily caught. Living on a hilltop with dense forest, they are larger than tame cattle, almost all of which are white in colour. Nearby residents attempt to capture these animals from time to time, but these hunts are rarely successful. Though descended from tame cattle, these animals provide a contrasting picture of this breed of animal returning to life in the wild. If the visit to this island is taken by a boat in the Hirakud reservoir it's an adventurous trip with breathtaking views.
Pradhan Path Falls is at a distance of around 100 km from Sambalpur and is a splendidly charming waterfall. It will let you glance into the extreme innate gorgeousness of Orissa that will take your heart away. A wonderful way to conclude your blissful trip to Sambalpur, this invigorating waterfall will let you refresh yourself amidst the picturesque scenery of Orissa.
Transport:
Roadways: Sambalpur has a well networked transport facility for commercial and public transportation. It is connected to the rest of Odisha and India by national highway - NH 6, which is a part of Asian Highway-AH46 (Mumbai-Nagpur-Kolkata line). NH 42 connects with Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, State Highway 10 (SH10) connects with Jharsuguda and Rourkela, and the new Biju Expressway (under construction) will connect Rourkela-Sambalpur-Jagdalpur.
City bus services have started in Sambalpur from January 2014. The service was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik. It is run on a PPP (Public Private Partnership) by two companies, Western Odisha Urban Transport Service Limited (WOUTSL) and Paschim Odisha Paribahan Company (POPCO).
Railways: There are five railway stations in Sambalpur City (since it gained the corporation tag), namely Sambalpur Junction, Sambalpur Road Railway Station (SBPD), Hirakud Railway Station (HKG), Sambalpur City Railway Station (SBPY) and Maneswar Railway Station (MANE). Sambalpur City and Maneswar Railway Stations are located on the Bhubaneswar-Sambalpur route (commissioned in 1998), while the other three stations are located on the Jharsuguda-Vizianagaram route. There are direct train connections to all the metros and prominent cities across India. It lacks direct connectivity to Indore, Dehradun, Lucknow and Guwahati.
Airways: The nearest airports are Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur (262 km) and Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar (325 km). A new airport is being constructed at Jharsuguda (50 km).
Language: Sambalpuri language is spoken at Sambalpur; however, Odia, Hindi, and English are used for education and official purposes.
Map:
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