Sambalpur

The abode of Goddess Samaleswari -the presiding deity of Sambalpur is one of the most revered temples of the state. The benevolence of the Goddess spreads across Western Odisha up to Chhattisgarh. The goddess is worshipped in various forms across the region. On the bank of the river Mahanadi the mother goddess Samaleswari is worshipped from ancient times as Jagatjanani, Adishakti, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati. The region in which the temple is situated has a rich cultural heritage. Though the origin of the Goddess is still shrouded in mystery, one thing has been ascertained that Goddess Samaleswari was appropriated as the deity of Sambalpur by the Chouhan King Balaram Dev, who became the King of the region in 1542 AD. The main priest of the Samaleswari Temple is the descendants of the Chouhan dynasty. Apart from tribal influence, the rituals of the temple has an element of tantra as well. She is offered both vegetarian and non-vegetarian offerings on specific days.

The abode of Lord Shiva worshipped as Vimaleswara is located on the banks of River Mahanadi, 23 KM from Sambalpur and is a revered place of worship in the region. The highlight of the temple is its leaning structure, not only the main sanctum sanctorum is in an inclined position, but all the other shrines including the boundary wall are in a leaning position within the temple premises. The reason for constructing a leaning structure according to a section of historians is deliberate and has been done to safe guard the temple from the violent currents of Mahanadi and Dhulijore. So while the main temple leans in one direction, the smaller shrines within the premise tilt in the other direction. The main deity of this temple is Lord Shiva. According to legend, there was a milkman who used to cross the Mahanadi every day, to worship Lord Shiva. He used to offer milk to the rock idol of Shiva, which consumed the milk every day. This miraculous incident led to the construction of Huma Temple in the place. The most visited day of this temple is the Shivratri, when a large number of devotees come here for offering milk to the idol of Lord Shiva, present in this temple.

Maa Ghanteswari Temple is situated 33 km south-west of Sambalpur, on the banks of River Mahanadi. Maa Ghanteswari's Temple is one of the most holiest and beautiful places in Sambalpur. As the name indicates, there are bells (Ghanti) everywhere. People offer bell to Maa after their fulfilment of their wishes. A large number of pilgrims visit this place every day from across the state. This is also a very famous picnic spot. The specialty of this temple area is, thousands of bells hanging all around, the only place of its kind in Orissa. It is known as the 'lighthouse without light', built by the early sailors, for whom the bells served as warning against heavy winds. Earlier there were some big size bells on this spot and with the help of wind those were creating enormous sound which made the navigators aware of this treacherous spot and they never came near it. This area being the conglomeration of three streams of water of river Mahanadi, the water current here is very treacherous forming a whirlpool. Now after the construction of Hirakud dam, this spot became safer.

Often treated as one of the perfect day-out spots in Sambalpur, Odisha, Hirakud is historical dam constructed across the River Mahanadi. Of all dams, Hirakud is the longest dam in India. Apart from being a prominent reservoir, this beautiful dam is also a revered tourist attraction in Odisha which is known for its eternal beauty and gorgeous surrounding. From its construction in 1957, this iconic masterpiece is making the country proud by being one of Asia’s biggest artificial lake. Moreover, the 21 km stretch of the dam is ideal for a drive. In the monsoon season, the beauty of the place rejoices and attracts a large number of tourists. There are also two observation tower - Gandhi Minar and Nehru Minar. From these towers, one can have a bird-eye view of the surrounding.

Gudguda waterfall is situated near Kuchinda sub-division. The waterfall around the dense forest attracts the tourists and is one of the most beautiful Picnic Spots. Though Gudguda comes under Sambalpur District, Many people’s flock this place from neighboring towns like Deogarh , Jharsuguda , Sambalpur and even Rourkela too. Journey to this place is very pleasant. This place is fully covered with dense forest. There are many Mango and Lichi Orchards on both side of the roads. It is a very peaceful place away from your hectic and busy life. Before entering to the exact spot one need to cross a small waterfall, which can easily be crossed by any four wheeler. This Place has three Step by step waterfalls, these Waterfall have been beautifully carved themselves through the rocks. The place is also good for Mountain Trekking.

Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary, an important site for in-situ conservation of wildlife and its habitat in the state of Odisha is home to an immense array of biodiversity, a large number of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, odonates, butterflies and spiders are found here. The sanctuary is famous for its sylvan beauty and pristine wilderness. The dry deciduous forests with varied flora and fauna attract the nature-lovers of Odisha and neighboring states every year. The combination of dry deciduous mixed forests with rich wildlife, Hirakud reservior and attractive topographical features are the important features of Debrigarh wildlife sanctury. It is said to be one of the vibrant wildlife sanctuary of the state.