Dhenkanal district

Dhenkanal District is an administrative division of Orissa, India. It is bordered by Kendujhar in the north, Jajpur in the east, Cuttack in the south and Anugul in the west. Dhenkanal town, the district headquarters has a cluster of temples, archaeological remains and a mediaeval fort. A former princely state, Dhenkanal has a long history. Hari Singh Vidyadhar who was a commander of Gajapati Pratprudra Deva defeated the local Tribal Chief 'Dhenka' and occupied Dhenkanal and Karamul, its capital in 1529 AD. Subsequently, 18 generations kings ruled over Dhenkanal and brought about many administrative, political, socio-economic, and cultural evolutions to the State. In 1947, after Indian Independence, the princely State of Dhenkanal merged in the Indian Union, and subsequently with Orissa in 1948.

Most of this district is covered with dense forest and a long range of hills, which are home of wild elephants and tigers. Primarily agricultural, the principal forest products of the district are timber, bamboo, firewood and kendu leaf, and raw materials used for medicine.

The District is the centre of a religious movement called "Mahima dharma" which over the last century has spread throughout the India. The Chandrasekhar (Shivji) Temple at the hilltop of Kapilas attracts pilgrims from all part of the Country for its spiritual enlightenment, natural beauty and holiness. The Jagar Jatra (Maha Shivaratri) is a famous festival celebrated here in winter season.

History
Dhenkanal was a Princely State until the Independence of India and subsequent merger of Princely States. Raja Shankar Pratap Singhdeo Mahindra Bahadur who was the Raja of Dhenkanl, got elected as an M.L.A. Raja's son, Brigadier K.P.Singhdeo was an M.P. for long period and a Minister of Govt. of India Cabinet. Dhenkanal has produced engineers, professors, judges and literary luminaries and is a prosperous district of India.

Geography
Dhenkanal district is one of the centrally located district in Orissa. It lies between Longitude:85° 58' to 86° 2' East and Latitude:20° 29' to 21° 11' North.

Neighbouring districts

 * Keonjhar district in the North,
 * Cuttack district in the South,
 * Jajpur district in the East and
 * Angul district in the West.

Topography
The Geographical area of Dhenkanal district is 4595 sqr.km; for practical purpose, this district can be divided in to three natural divisions:


 * Southern hilly region.
 * The river Valley with tributains.
 * The northern hilly region.

This district has mainly five varieties of soil:


 * Alluvial soil
 * Red leam soil
 * Sandy loan soil
 * Gravelly soil
 * Cleaving loan soil

Famous villages in Dhenkanal

 * Khuntabati
 * Rekula
 * Kaimati
 * Joranda
 * Bhuban
 * Kandhara
 * Banasingh
 * Bhapur
 * Gohirakhol
 * Babandha
 * Banamali Prasad
 * Karadabani
 * sanda

Economy
Some large and medium scale industries have established their base in the district. Some of them are
 * Navabharat Ferro Alloys Ltd.
 * Nilachal Refractories
 * Utkal Asbestos Ltd
 * Orissa Polyfibres Ltd
 * B.Samal & Company Ltd. (Manufacturers of handmade Bidis and Gudakhu a traditional tootpaste)
 * Shakti sugar Ltd


 * Bhusan Steel & Strip Ltd.
 * IPISTEEL LTD
 * Scaw Industries Pvt. Ltd
 * Spinning mills, Govindpur
 * Rana Sponge Iron Ltd
 * BRG Steel Pvt. Ltd

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Dhenkanal one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the 19 districts in Orissa currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).

Transport
By Air   :  Bhubaneswar, the nearest airport (80 km) is connected to Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Vishakapatnam. By Train : Cuttack (55 km), on the main Howrah Chennai route, links Dhenkanal to New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Guwahati and Puri. Dhenkanal is also directly connected to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Vizag, Raipur and Mumbai. By Road :  Dhenkanal is situated 75 km from Bhubaneswar and 55 km from Cuttack on the National Highway No.42. Air Condition and Non-A/C Taxis are available for long distance as well as local travel.

Demographics
According to the 2011 census Dhenkanal district has a population of 1,192,948, roughly equal to the nation of Timor-Leste or the US state of Rhode Island. This gives it a ranking of 400th in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 268 PD/sqkm. Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 	11.82	%. Dhenkanal	has a sex ratio of 	947	females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of	79.41	%.

Most Prominent Persons
Harmohan Patnaik

Brig. Kamaksha Prashad Singh Deo

Baishnab Charan Patnaik

Braja Kisore Dhal

Nabin Chandra Narayan Das

Prafulla Kumar Bhanj

Justice D. N. Patnaik

Haladhar Mishra

Kalpana Dash

Culture
Hindu mostly.

Cuisine

 * Staple Food of Local People - Rice, Dal and Vegetables.
 * Special delicacy includes fish, prawn and meat in non-veg and dalma (a mix of vegetables and pulses) and sag (leaf vegetables)
 * Typical sweetmeats include Chhenapoda, Chhenajhilli, Rasabali, Rasagola (all made from milk) and Pitha (cakes)
 * ‘Mahaprasad’, the food of the Gods cooked by unique steaming process is available in the Datatreya Sai Ashram premises & Sri Balram Temple at Dhenkanal.
 * Indian, Chinese and Continental Food available in Hotels and Restaurants.
 * Dhenkanal is very famous for its BARA which is a traditional tiffin prepared from blackgram & Rice.

Tourism

 * Kapilash Temple

Situated in the north east corner of Dhenkanal town at a distance of 26 km from the district head quarters. The temples is situated in about 2239 feet from the sea level. Narasinghdeva I constructed the temple for Sri Chandrasekhar in 1246 A.D The temple has a wooden Jagamohana. Sri Ganesh, Kartikeya, Gangadevi, etc. are found in the temple. Patita pavana Jaganath also remain in the temple as 'Parsa deva'. Lord Biswanath temple is also situated in Kapilas. According to some scholars this temple is older than the Chandrasekhar Jew temple, hence it is known as 'Budha linga'. There are many legends about kapilas pitha and its significance.


 * Saptasajya

One can proceed 12 km in the Sankarpur road from Dhenkanal Bus stop and then turn west at the Badagila chowk and pass two km to reach Saptya Sajya a scenic beauty where the holy temple of Maryada Purusottama Sri Ramachandra is located at about 900 feet at the hilltop. A mountains stream flows down as if touching his holly feet in veneration. Mythologically this place is important and many legends are still available. Its name is Sapta Sajya because, there are seven hills surrounding the area. Again there is story that, the Saptarashi had their ashramas here in this place. There is also a mythological story, that, Sriram during his exiled or Vanabasha had spent seven days in this beautiful spot. Secondly the Pandavas during their 12 years of exile and one year of Agyanta Vasa had chosen this mountains for shelter. The Govt. constructed the Pukka road way in 1982. Inside the temple complex Maa Annapurna temple was constructed in 1982, the 1st floor Kalki temple in 1985, the Surya Narayan temple in 1990. Now the temple of Sri Rameswaram Shiva, Sri Ganesh, Sri Mahavir, and the Nabagrah Temple with each room for each graha are found. Mahakali, Mata Saraswati, Sri Nrushingha temple are conceived to be built in the holy complex. This scenic spot has become a good tourist and picnic spot where thousands of tourists and devotees gather from different corners of Orissa and India.


 * Naganatheswar Temple

This temple belongs to sri sri Naganatheswar shiva, situated at village 'Nagena' about 20 km from Dhenkanal. It is the most ancient saiva temple and was constructed during the region of the Keshari dynasty. According to scholars Pandit Nagendranath Mohapatras' Naganath satakam it is one of the 12 yotir lingas. In the stotras of the 'Awashyotirlinga' one of the yotirlinga is in the Daruka-Vana or Neem forest. The neem forest is still there in the premises. Even Harisingh Vidyadhar who occupied the Dhenkanal fragmental temple for the darshan of Lord Naganath. The sloka of dwadasha yotirlinga says that Naganath temple is situated in the southernmost part of Anga Kingdom. It shows that some times in history that part kalinga touched Anga border. However, near it there is a debris of a fort which is still unidentified. Here river Brhamani turns to north which is as holy as the Gangas.
 * Astasambhu Temple

Kualo or Karmula was the ancient capital of dhenkanal. Kualo is situated in north of Dhenkanal town at a distance of 32 km on the right side of river Brahmani. The kingdom was ruted by the Shulki kings who hold 'stamba'epithets. They were the fedotaries of the Bahmukar kings. Their futiler deity was Lord Shiva. Hence we see eight Siva temples at Kualo known as 'Ashta Sambhu'. These eight Shiva lingas are known as - Kanakeswar, Swapneswar, Aisneswar, Kapileswar, Baidyanatheswar, Baneswar and Lokanatheswar.
 * Sri kanakeswar

It is one of the Ashta Shambhu Siva and situated near Ramachandi temple.
 * Sri Annakoteswar

Situated at Latodeipur. The significance of this Shiva linga is that it grooms in the bright fortnight and reduces on the dark half.
 * Sri Raghunath Temple

Sri Raghunath Temple of Saptya sajya is one of the Important Baisnav temples of Dhenkanal.
 * Jagannath Temple Deogaon

With the spread of Baisnavism in Dhenkanal Jagannath Temple were built in different parts of the District. This Jagannath Temple is located at Deogaon at the foot of Kapilas mountain. Gajapati Prataprudra Deva had built the temple. The gateway of this temple is higher than the temple itself. Every year the Rathayatra (Car festival) is being organised by the temple management in collaboration with Debottor Dept., Dhenkanal.
 * Narayan Temple of Kaplias

Kaplias is the place where synthesis of saivism and Baisnavism are amply demonstrated. The Narayan Temple at the hill of Kaplias is an example of that great event. There, is a beautiful black granite image of Sri Narayan is Worshipped. A stream flows down touching holly feet of Narayan.


 * Maa brahmayani temple-

The temple is built in heart of twon bajichauk, near medical. Best time for visit tuesday evining and see alati of devi maa.

Interest in and around Dhenkanal
This place is situated at a distance of 24 km. from Dhenkanal which is famous as the religious headquarters of 'Mahima Dharma', the only religious cult started from Orissa. Joranda houses the samadhi of Mahima Gosain, the preacherpropounder of the Mahima Cult. The other sacred temples are the 'Sunya Mandira', 'Dhuni Mandira' and 'Gadi Mandira' Pilgrims in large numbers pour forth to Joranda fair held on full-moon day of Magha which falls in January–February every year. All of the principal texts of the religion like the Stuti Chintaamani were composed by Bhima Bhoi. This is mainly celebrated by the religious people belong to the religion, locally named ‘Alekh/Mahima’ dharma.
 * Joranda

From the year, 1874 this unique festival was regularly held year after year. For the first time Mahima Swami has imagined and created the idea of this great fair. Every year the people belong to Mahima religion gather here to celebrate their annual function, termed as "Joranda Fair". From each nook and corners of Orissa the devotees come to this place to discover calmness in their life and how to achieve nirvana (Swarg) after death.

According to the devotees they pray altogether to their god by saying. Alekh Brahma and burn enough amount of ghee in Jajnan Kund to being peace back into the earth’s life. They believe that this devotion will provide our earthpureness and all the basic needs people cherish in their day-to-day life.

Remnants of the first palace and fort of the ancestors of the present King of Dhenkanal can be visited at Ganesh Khola a further 10 km from Joranda.
 * Ganesh Khola

40 km. from Dhenkanal town, Ladagada is a place of religious importance. A piece of stone known as Lord Siddheswar is worshipped here with great reverence. The banyan tree which gives shelter to the Lord is known as Kalpabriksha.
 * Ladagada

67 km. from Dhenkanal, 23 km from Angul and 3 km. from Talcher one finds the Anantasayan image of Lord Vishnu on the rocky bed of the river Brahmani at Saranga. The hoods of Ananta, the serpent king spread over the head of Lord Vishnu as the crown and cover. The primal lotus, housing Brahma, the creator, originates from Vishnu's naval, the supreme being enjoys deep delight of his cosmic sleep in the water of the river Brahmani.
 * Sarang

67 km from Dhenkanal and 30 km from Kamakshyanagar, Dandadhar is the site of an irrigation project on the river Ramial- an ideal place for outing. Blue expense of sparkling water caged in sun-bathed valley is a thrill to the searching eyes. This place is regarded as a quality picnic spot and is highly acclaimed for its scenic beauty. Many people in the season of winter gathered here to spend some quality time near the dam site.
 * Dandadhar

Education
Dhenkanal is home to the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, the only institute in Orissa for the study of journalism and mass communication; many students come here from all over India to study

Other colleges, universities, and institutes include:
 * Synergy Institute of Engineering & Technology
 * Narayani Institute of Engineering and Technology
 * Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology
 * Dhenkanal Law College
 * Devendra Satpathy Memorial College
 * Dhenkanal College
 * Vidyarthee Residential College
 * E-Tech Residential College
 * Saikripa Residential College
 * Mahima MahaVidyalaya
 * Montfort School
 * B B High School
 * Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
 * Kendriya Vidyalaya
 * Balarampur High School
 * Satyabadi High School
 * Joranda High School
 * Minaketan High School,Babandha