Sambalpur is the gateway to the western zone of Orissa. It abounds in prolific rivers, lavish hills, lush green forests and affluent wildlife. It is a beautiful amalgamation of modernity and culture. Holding a significant historical importance, the place also has a flourishing textile and handloom industry popular for its unique patterns and style. In addition to that, Sambalpur has a flourishing tribal life with exclusive exquisite folk songs-dances and culture. Sambalpur got its name from Devi Samaleswari who is the main goddess of the region. One can also visit wildlife parks here to enjoy the beauty of nature that Sambalpur has in plenty. The area is known for the world famous Hirakud Dam which is the main attraction for the tourists here.
There are also several temples holding great significance, with people coming from all over with a strong sense of faith and the holy deity bestowing happiness and wealth upon the devotees. Sambalpur is the biggest city of western Odisha and is famous for the number of freedom fights that took place here which make this place historically important too.
Sambalpur is famous for its handlooms and textile industry. This place is popular for its Sambalpuri Sarees. Gole Bazaar is the main shopping centre. Price can range from a few hundred to a hundred thousand rupees. There are many shops in the city, but the most famous shops can be spotted in Gole Bazar. An emerging Big Bazar and a whole complex in the City Centre mall is on Modipara road.
Places to Visit
Hirakud Dam
Constructed across the Mahanadi River in Sambalpur, Odisha the Hirakud Dam is hailed as the longest human-made dams in India. Astonishingly, it is over 56km long and is the top pick among the locals as well as tourists to enjoy a refreshing day out. This marvellous piece of architecture construction was built in the year 1956, and owing to its location is a fantastic spot to watch nature come alive in all its glory. One of the major attractions here is a drive-through road that you can take you 21km over the dam, admiring its ingeniousness and expertise. Another striking feature of the dam is, of course, the wide expanse of the view that it offers from the Gandhi and Nehru Minarets that are located towards the Northern Facade of the dam. It is also a fantastic site for birdwatching as it is surrounded by abundant water and trees on all sides.
Any nature lover will enjoy the quaint atmosphere and lush greenery that is in abundance at the Hirakud Dam. The dam stretches between the Burla and Hirakud Hills. In addition to showcasing stunning natural beauty, the dam irrigates 7,500,000 hectares of land and also generates hydroelectricity. Situated near the Hirakud Dam is a hill called Budharaja hill, which is well-known for the Budharaja Temple at its peak. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple offers breathtaking views of the dam from. Another temple which is a must-visit in Hirakud is the Ghanteshwari Temple which served as a lighthouse for the incoming ships as the bells were used to warn the sailors. Visit this destination for a tranquil getaway in the lap of nature.
Shopping In Sambalpur
There are beautiful handlooms and sarees that could be bought. Price ranging from Rs100 – 1000.
Samaleswari Temple
Samaleswari temple is located on the banks of Mahanadi and is dedicated to Devi Samaleswari also known as Jagannath Adishakti, Mahalaxmi and Mahasawarswati.
The name of the city also is derived from the name Samaleswari as she is the main goddess of the region.
Leaning Temple Of Huma
This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was built in the 17th century and is the only leaning temple in the world. In this temple, only the top is leaning while the pinnacle is perpendicular to the ground.
It is said that the reason for this could be either earthquake or the flood current in river Mahanadi. There is a huge gathering specially during Shivratri festival during March.
Deer Park
This mini zoo has about 300 visitors on a daily basis and the number reaches to 1000 on Sundays. There is a larger number of visitors specially during November to March.
Located on the suburbs of Sambalpur and is spread across 13.6 hectares. There are four horned antelopes, barking deer, leopard, rat, monkey, sloth bear, civet, python, parakeet, peacock and many others are spotted here. Besides wildlife, there are several kinds of flowers planted in the garden besides the zoo.
Must Try Food in Sambalpur
1. Urban Tadka
2. Casa Cusina Chinese Restaurant
3. Biryani Dhaba by Kedia’s
4. Esquire Restaurant
5. Dosa Plaza South Indian Restaurant
6. Zaika Fast Food
7. Hotel Suruchi
8. Midtown Restro Cafe
9. Shree Balaji Rajasthani Thali Restaurant
10. Desi Tadka
How To Get Here
Sambalpur houses two railway stations – Khetrajpur and the Sambalpur Road Station. Regular buses ply, connecting Sambalpur to Raipur and Bhubaneswar. The nearest airport is Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur, at a distance of 262 km.
By Air
There is an airport which is under construction as of now in Jharsugada (50) Km. So, till that airport is fully functional, there is Swami Vivekananda Airport which is 262 Km from Sambalpur.
Nearest Airport: Biju Patnaik International Airport (BBI) – 235 kms from Sambalpur
By Road
Roads in Sambalpur are well connected with nearby cities. Rourkela – Sambalpur state highway 10 is under construction to transform this from a two lane highway to a four or even six lane highway. There are buses leaving every fifteen minutes to Jharsuguda and Bargarh from the terminal.
By Train
Sambalpur has four railway stations, namely Sambalpur (khetrajpur), Sambalpur road (fatak), Hirakud, Sambalpur city. These railway stations are well connected to all major metro cities, but for Indore, Dehradun, Lucknow and Guwahati there aren’t any direct rail connections.