Balangir
Balangir, where wildlife roams free in the forests and history states it as a princely state, which forms a hub to cultural cross-currents. The name Balangir came from the fort Balaram Garh constructed by Balaram Deo, the 19th king of this place.
The city encompasses many picturesque places. One among them is Jalia, a small and beautiful village encircled by thick, dense forest and is famous for trekking. Similarly, Gaikhai too is a panoramic place, having lush green hills on three sides and is perfect for picnic and camping. The Gandhamardan hill with their wild waterfalls is another exotic element. Explore the district by visiting Saintala, Ranipur, Jharial, Patnagarh, Mursing, Jal Mahadev, and Tenttulikhunti. One of the best palace in Odisha is also here known as Sailashree Palace, where once the royal family used to stay.
Odisha is famous for exquisite temples and Balangir boosts the power of our artists and craftsmen with its numerous temples. Harishankar Temple is one of the rare temples where Shiva and Vishnu both are worshipped together and the outer walls have inscriptions in Porto-Oriya. A natural spring adds to the beauty of the whole scenario. Many more splendid structures can be seen, such as Narsingha Temple, the Sunni Masjid at Tikrapara, Jhulelal Temple for Sindhi community, Jalaram Temple, Church at Rugudi Pada and Adarsha Pada.
Apart from sightseeing, this place is very famous for Sambalpuri saris, bed sheets, and clothes. This place is a heaven for the sweet tooth as you get chena gaaja, labangalata, chena poda, and many pithas. Snacks such as Chaul bara, pithau bhaja, gulgula, and chakuli pitha are hard to resist. Best time to visit this place is winters, i.e. from October to February.
