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Brahmapur (Berhampur)
—  city  —
Brahmapur (Berhampur) Location of Brahmapur (Berhampur) in Orissa and India
Coordinates	19°19′N 84°47′E / 19.32°N 84.78°E / 19.32; 84.78Coordinates: 19°19′N 84°47′E / 19.32°N 84.78°E / 19.32; 84.78
Country	India
State	Orissa
District(s)	Ganjam
Mayor	Shiv Das
Population	355,823 (120) (2011[update])
Official languages	Oriya
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Codes • Pincode • 760001 -760010 • Telephone • +0680- • Vehicle • OR-07

Brahmapur (earlier known as Berhampur) (Oriya: ବ୍ରହ୍ମପୁର), nicknamed "The Silk City", is a city located in the eastern coastline of Ganjam district of the Indian state of Orissa, about 160 kilometres (99 mi) south of the state capital, Bhubaneswar. It is also dubbed as "The Dance City" of Orissa after Prince Dance Group and Harihar Das made the state famous in India's Got Talent television series. It is one of the oldest and largest city of Orissa. It is famous for its silk, its temples and its culture, etc. The latest estimate of the population of the city is 799,282 (2009 est.) making it the third most populous urban city in the Orissa state and 58^th overall in India.^[1] Brahmapur (or Berhampur) also got the status of a Corporation after Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

Etymology[link]

The city's official Sanskrit name was Brahmapur [or Home of Lord Bramha], but in the age of British India, it was changed to Berhampur (English name).^{[citation needed]}. This city has renamed as Brahmapur to retain its original Sanskrit name.

Overview[link]

Berhampur Railway station

Berhampur is the primary railway head for nearby tourist destinations. It serves as a node for the nearby small towns and villages, so trade is predominant here. A majority of the people are self-employed in various businesses of different scales. Berhampur is well known for its intricately designed silk sarees called Berhampuri patta, handloom cloth and jewellery shops.

Demographics[link]

According to 2011 India census,^[2] Berhampur had a population of 355,823 with the population of Greater Berhampur region consisting of Chatrapur & Gopalpur (People are demanding to include Hinjilicut) reaching more than 513 thousands. Males constitute 52% of the population and females only 48%. Berhampur has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, with male literacy of 83% and female literacy of only 64%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. It is 15 km away from Gopalpur sea beach/port and 35 km away from Aska, also known as The Sugar City (This place had the first sugar factory in Asia).

Culture[link]

Berhampur is one of the oldest and most prominent places between north Andhra Pradesh and Cuttack, Berhampur boasts of true Oriya, Ganjami, Telugu and Hindu culture.

Oriya culture has been prominent in this southern city of Orissa since ancient times. As this region was merged with Madras Presidency in British era, a large number of South Indians (mostly Telugu and Tamil) were employed here by the British Government. Being the border city nearest to Andhra Pradesh, the city has a mixed Orissa and Andhra culture. The city is famous for the shops in Bada Bazaar, Annapurna Market and Bhapur Bazaar.

Theater has been very prominent since the early days of 1930, and was the main source of entertainment till the advent of motion pictures. Since then, theater and drama have become cultural events here. Ganjam Kala Parishad and Prakasam Hall are some of the oldest drama-halls in India which are located in this city. The oldest theater in the history of Orissa was the Sri Sitaram Vilas Talkies (SSVT, established in the year 1927) which was closed down in October 1999.^[3]

Berhampur is very famous for its pappads (popadum), aachar (pickles) and various kinds of badis. Berhampur is well known for its intricately designed silk sarees and handloom cloth and hence is known as the Silk City. It is the also a big market place for fruits especially mangoes as they arrive from the orchards of nearby Andhra Pradesh state.

Night life in this town comes alive with some glitter and bustling shops around Annapurna Market, some market complexes down the market street and Ramlinga Tank, where people sit there and enjoy the evening. The streets around Goutam Cinema Hall are famous for street side food, though hygiene of the food can be questionable.

Western-style dress has gained greater acceptance among men, although the traditional dresses like dhoti and kurta are seen during festivals or other religious occasions. Women normally wear the sari or the shalwar kameez; western attire is becoming popular among younger women.

Festivals[link]

The people of Berhampur celebrate all the major festivals of Orissa, like Rath Yatra, Durga Puja, Diwali, Kumar Purnima or Gaja Laxmi Puja, Manabasa Gurubar, Raja Sankranti, Makar Sankranti, Bishuba/Pana Sankranti or Orissa New Year, Dola Yatra or Holi, Chandan Yatra, Gamha Purnima or Rakshya Bandhan, Kartik Purnima, Nabanna, Janmastami, Ram Navami, Saraswati Puja, Ganesh Puja and others. Some festivals are unique to the City, like Sharad Purnima or Kumara Purnima. In Kumar Purnima, all the girls do Janiusa Puja and pray to Tulasi Maa for blessing them with a good life partner. Every two years, a festival is held in honor of the main deity of the city, Thakurani Maa and the festival is known as Thakurani Jatara/Yatra. It is said that Goddess Thakurani Maa come to their parent's home during the holidays for some days from her in-laws home.

The other communities of the city such as Telugus, Marwaris, Punjabis, Bengalis and Gujaratis celebrate their festivals along with the major festivals of the city.

Transport[link]

Brahmapur is the commercial capital and gateway to south Orissa, and has a well-developed transportation network.

Road[link]

Brahmapur city is connected with National Highways NH-5 (Chennai – Kolkata) and NH-217 (Gopalpur – Raipur) and other cities and towns of Orissa. The three-wheeler auto taxis are the most important mode of transportation in this city. Taxis also ply on the city's roads.

Rail[link]

Berhampur is situated on the East coast railway line which is a major route connecting the two metros Kolkata and Chennai of India. It is directly connected to New Delhi, Ahmadabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Cuttack, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Puri, Vishakhapatnam, Kolkata, Raipur, Sambalpur and many more cities of India. Bhubaneswar - Brahmapur connectivity (DMU) is popular connectivity to reach capital city Bhubaneswar.

Air[link]

The historic The Berhampur Airport (Rangeilunda) is located at a distance of around 5 km from the Silk city and adjacent to administrative tower of Berhampur University. The Rangeilunda Airport base was built by the Britishers during the second world war period and it remained as an air strip since then. The runway is 900 meters (around 2800 ft) long and is periodically maintained by the state government of Orissa. There is a suitable helipad too. The runway is basically an air strip functional for small aircraft take off and landing.

Sea[link]

The city is served by two ports, Gopalpur Port one of the Oldest Port and upcoming satellite port at the Bahuda Mouth (Muhan) by Paradip Port Trust (PPT).

Media[link]

Electronic Media[link]

Brahmapur has a full fledged All India Radio Station which broadcasts FM radio with Frequency (100.6 MHz)in Greater Berhampur region (BCGH-Berhampur, Chhatrapur, Gopalpur and Hinjilicut). Also there is a high power transmitter of (6 KW) Doordarshan which telecasts Oriya programs. B-TV, U-TV are two local channels that telecast from here.

Print Media[link]

There are many print media houses in Brahmapur. The oldest Oriya daily Dainik Asha, The Samaj, The Dharitri, The Sambad and Anupam Bharat are published from Berhampur.

Health care[link]

Government/Society-owned hospitals[link]

• MKCG Medical College and Hospital, is a combined medical school and hospital and one of the three government medical colleges in Orissa.
• Sahara Diagnostics, Courtpeta square
• City Hospital
• Janana Hospital (Christian Hospital)
• Red Cross Hospital
• Amit Hospital, Canal Street, Gate Bazar
• Sriram Hospital, J.P. Nagar
• Narayan Jeevan Daan Hospital, Subba Rao Square
• Narayan Eye Clinic near Gate Bazar
• Sree Ortho Clinic at Gandhi Nagar Main Road
• New Care Hospital, Bramhanagar

Pharmaceutical Business[link]

Berhampur plays a vital role in pharmaceutical business of southern Orissa. Pharmaceutical distributors of Berhampur supplies stocks to Retailers & Sub-Stockists of Gajapti, Gunupur, Malkangiri, Nowrangapur, Koraput and Khandamal districts apart from Ganjam district.

Education[link]

The oldest Municipal School, Government High School – MKCG Medical Campus, Girls High School, K. C. Town High School, City High School are probably among the oldest schools in India. Prominent lawyers like G. L. Narasimham, Rajaguru, G. L. Jagannadham, and others are still considered prominent legal experts by the lawyers in and around Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

The town is also a major center of education in south Orissa. The city is the home to 9 engineering colleges, 11 Polytechnic colleges, 14 ITI’s (as of 2011) and the number is growing every year. The city is also home to many tutorials and coaching institutes who prepare students for various entrance exams. Real Estate have also emerged as a big player in Berhampur urban area. Recent times have seen large scale retail chains such as Vishal Mega Mart, The Planet, Kolkata Bazar, Reliance, The World, etc. opening outlets in Berhampur.

There are many major educational institutions in Berhampur and following are some of the reputed institutions: Berhampur University, Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati (MKCG) Medical College and Hospital, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences(CPS), Khallikote Government College, Government Engineering School (Polytechnic), Parala Maharaj Engineering College(PMEC), National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), Vignan Institute of Technology and Management(VITAM), Roland Institute of Technology (RIT), Sanjaya Memorial Institute of Technology (SMIT) and Gandhi Institute for Industrial Technology(GIIT). The city has highest number of engineering colleges after the state capital of Bhubaneswar. Many students come here to prepare for engineering and medical entrance examinations especially from southern and central region of Orissa.

General Stream[link]

• De Paul School, Engineering school road, Berhampur- ICSE affiliated school and ISC (+2) in science stream.
• Berhampur University, Bhanja Bihar - The Berhampur University came into existence on 2 January 1967, being inaugurated by Dr. A. N. Khosla, the then Governor of Orissa and the first Chancellor of the University. The University was later shifted to the present site known as Bhanja Bihar, named after the celebrated poet of Orissa, Kabisamrat Upendra Bhanja. Spreading over an area of 250 acres (1.0 km²) the university is twelve kilometres and five kilometres away from the Berhampur City and sea beach of Gopalpur respectively.
• Khallikote Autonomous College- Proposed to be converted to an Unitary University
• Berhampur University Higher secondary School- Intermediate in Science & Arts, Berhampur University
• St. Vincents Convent School, K. K. College square (founded in January 1954 and is one of the oldest I.C.S.E. schools in Orissa) [1]
• Cambridge Junior College– For +2 Science Day-cum-Residential programme [2]
• Great India Institute of Technology(GIIT), Aska Road, Berhampur [3]
• Science College, Hinjilicut [4]
• Binayak Acharya College
• D.A.V Public School, Berhampur- Senior Secondary (Std. XII), CBSE affiliated school [5]
• Kendriya Vidyalaya, Berhampur- A CBSE affiliated Senior Secondary school. Classes up to std. XII in Science and Arts stream [6]
• Supriya Junior College
• Women's College, Berhampur
• K.D. Science College, Pochilima, Hinjilicut
• Takshashila Resd School, Ankuspur [7]

Professional Stream- Engineering Degree and Masters Degree[link]

• Gandhi Academy of Technology & Engineering, Golonthara Konisi, Berhampur
• Gandhi Institute of Industrial Technology (GIIT), Golanthara, Berhampur
• Kalam Institute of Technology (KIB), Berhampur
• National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST), Palur Hills, Berhampur
• Parala Maharaja Engineering College (A constituent college of B.P.U.T.) [8]
• Rahul Institute of Engineering & Technology, Thatadapalli Village, Kotharsing, Berhampur
• Roland Institute of Technology Surya Vihar (RIT), Berhampur
• Sanjay Memorial Institute of Technology (SMIT), Chandipadar, Berhampur
• Vignan Institute of Technology and Management (VITAM), Bhairavi, Mantridi village, Berhampur [9]
• IIIT Berhampur (planned)

Professional Stream- Medical, Pharmacy and Nursing College[link]

• MKCG Medical College and Hospital (Medical)- Proposed to be converted to AIIMS or Unitary University
• School of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Berhampur University.
• Biju Patnaik Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur
• Kaviraj Ananta Tripathy Sharma Ayurveda College and Hospital, Ankuspur, Berhampur
• College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mohuda (Pharmacy)- Proposed to be converted to a Unitary University (1st Pharmacy college of Orissa) or National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)
• Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ambapua(Pharmacy)
• Royal College Of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Andhapasara Road (Pharmacy)
• Om Sai College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Berhampur
• Sivananda College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, near Engineering College Square, Berhampur
• New Hope Society School of Nursing (General Nursing & Midwifery training), Berhampur
• Brundaban Nayak Medical College & Hospital, Berhampur (in progress by SMIT Group)

Professional Stream- Diploma School[link]

• Uma Charan Pattanaik Engineering School, Berhampur
• Aum Sai Institute of Technical Education, Berhampur
• Berhampur School of Engineering & Technology (BSET), Berhampur
• Sanjay Memorial Institute of Technology (SMIT), Ankuspur
• Government Polytechnic, Berhampur
• Gandhi School of Engineering, Berhampur
• Orissa School of Engineering Polytechnic, Berhampur
• Gandhi Polytechnic, Berhampur
• Kalam Institute of Technology, Berhampur
• Bharat Institute of Engineering & Technology, Berhampur
• Holy Institute of Technology, Berhampur

Professional Stream- Others[link]

• College of Fisheries (OUAT), Rangeilunda, Berhampur
• Army Air Defence College (AADC), Gopalpur, Berhampur
• J N Tata Technical Education Center, Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), Gopalpur
• Academy of Technocrats for the IT courses like BCA, BES & BBA under Berhampur University, Berhampur.
• DISHA College of Management & Technology (BCA & BBA under Berhampur University, Distance Programs under Punjab Technical University, Karnataka State Open University, Manomaniam Sundaranar University). [10]

IT Organisations[link]

Many state level software companies have set up their centres here, as Berhampur offers opportunities associated with Grade II and grade III cities for BPO and software companies. The Delhi-based IT company Perfect Infotech has operations here. Also, certain small and medium scale software organizations like TeamIn Technologies Private Limited, Integrity Infotech Private Limited, Aahwaan Infotech Odisha, Ozone Software, Auro Infotech, Tapan Infotech Limited, etc., have set up operations here to cater to the IT needs in and around Berhampur. The third software park (STPI) of the state was inaugurated recently. Due to its moderate climate and technical education infrastructure base it may become a leading IT and ITES destination of eastern India.

Work has started on establishing a second IIIT at Berhampur. The Government has allotted 100 acres (0.40 km²) for the proposed institute at Rangeilunda. Also, NID (National Institute of Design) is coming to Berhampur city as stated by the ex-MP/ Central Minister Mr. Chandrasekhar Sahu.

Sports[link]

Berhampur has produced some of the best weight-lifting and boxing players for India at the International level including present day Indian champion in Commonwealth Games (CWG) Gold medalist winner K. Ravi Kumar. Veer Hanuman Club of Berhampur has produced international weight-lifters like Bijay Kumar Satapathy, Chandra Sekhar Sahu and Tikina Gopal from the town. Bijay Kumar Satapathy, is also an Arjuna Award winner and had grabbed the Silver medal in the 1982 CWG held in Australia, and gold medal in the 1981 Mini-Commonwealth Games. Chandra Sekhar Sahu, an employee of the Railways, had clinched a Gold medal in the SAARC sports meet in 1990. Similarly, Tikina Gopal had also won Silver and Bronze medals in the Junior and Senior Asian Championship, while Ranu Mohanty, a girl from the city won medals in the International event of Power-lifting. Cricket, Volley, Basket ball and Football (Soccer) are the other popular sports.

Stadiums[link]

Berhampur has a National level stadium which has hosted several Ranji Trophy matches. The city has produced many reputed Ranji players in the recent times.

• Berhampur Stadium (Barracks)
• Khallikote College Stadium
• Veer Hanuman Circus and Physical Institute (VHCPI)- Indoor Stadium

Eminent personalities[link]

• Dr. V. V. Giri, former President of India
• Sanjukta Panigrahi, Odissi dancer
• Katulu Ravi Kumar, Weightlifter
• Vinayak Acharya, Chief Minister
• P. V. Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of India
• Prof. Dr. Rambhatla Venkata Rao, Vice-Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bangalore

Nearby Attractions[link]

• Bi-Annual Thakurani Yatra – The Festival of the Goddess : This welcomes the goddess Budhi Thakurani to her temporary abode for the biannual Thakurani Jatra (festival) late at night. The hereditary head of the festival, who is also regarded as the head of the weaver Dera community of the city, Desibehera, dressed in his traditional attire, visits the Budhi Maa Thakurani temple to invite the goddess to her parental abode at his home on Saturday afternoon. His wife also accompanies him, and they make offerings at the Kalika temple. Rituals to welcome the deity for the festival started at the temporary temple built at Desibehera street from evening with the Changudi Puja. After these rituals, flowers are carried from Desibehera's house to the Budhi Thakurani temple. Fallen flowers are carried as representative of the deity to Desibehera Street in a large decorated procession at night. The Thakurani Yatra is celebrated in different parts of Ganjam district. One such major biennial Thakurani Yatra is Lanjipalli Thakurani Yatra.

• Gopalpur Beach : This is located at a distance of 16 km from the city and the Gopalpur-on-Sea is a retreat for sun, sea and sand lovers. At one time it was a busy seaport and it still displays the crumbling walls and pillars of the jetty. There are various town buses that run from Old Bus stand to Gopalpur. It is quite convenient to drive to Gopalpur on ones personal vehicle. Gopalpur once used to be a bustling place with tourists. There are many good hotels like Oberoi Palm Beach resort. It is a lesser known fact that, Oberoi Palm Beach resort was the first property to be acquired under the Oberoi Group brand. Gopalpur has an old light house, and a small fisherman's cove. The Gopalpur Beach Festival is also held here.

• Taratarini Temple - The Shakti Pitha

This is one of the oldest pilgrimage place of mother goddess and amongst the four major ancient Adi Shakti centers in India. The mythological texts recognize four major Shakti Pithas (centers), like Bimala, Taratarini, Kamakshya and Dakhina Kalika, which originated from the limbs of the Corpse of Mata Sati in the Satya Yuga.

Rooted in the hoary past, mentioned in the Puranas, the Tantras and as the main seat of Tantric cult for thousands of years and center of Shakti worship since time immemorial, this hill Shrine is believed to be the Sthana Peetha (Breast Shrine of Mata Sati) and an important prehistoric religious center which bears an uninterrupted history of about 6000 years.

• Ballipadar : It is famous for black bucks.

• Sri Sri Sri Sidhibinayakya Pitha : This temple is centrally located in the city near Giri Road, which will be one of the largest Ganesh Temple in Orissa. The templework is completed.^[4]

• City Market Area : Has a host of different bazars (markets) chiefly among them being Bada bazar, Sana bazar, Hanuman bazar, Urban Bank Road etc.

• Mahurikalua : It is a forested hilly area where Goddess of Shakti Maa Thakurani is worshiped. It is about 30 km from Berhampur. During the time of Sankranti festival people in large numbers gather to worship.

• Kalua Jatra : The Kalua jatra festival begun in Gosani Nuagaon area of the city. This festival would continue for 15 days till next full moon's day which is celebrated as Kumar Purnima in the Orissa state.

• Dhabaleshwar beach : Dhabaleswar is a quiet and secluded beach close to Gopalpur beach, with facilities for surfing, sailing, and sun-bathing. The famous pilgrim center, Dhabaleswar, with its sand-bleached Shiva temple and the Dhabaleswar island are the nearby attractions.

• The Chatrapur Port Area

• Siddha Bhairavi: The place is named after the presiding deity goddess Maa Bhairabee at the remote village of Mantridi. Carved in crude fashion, the icon (one-legged goddess with four hands) was discovered and enshrined in a newly adorned temple in 1937. According to legend, fisherman and sailors used to worship the deity for blessings before commencement of their journey. Maa Bhairabee nowadays has become an important Shakti Pitha venerable for the fisherman community that live in nearby villages. Tourists from almost all parts of southern Orissa as well as northern Andhra Pradesh visit this holy shrine everyday. The holy days on which most of the devotees assemble before the deity to offer their prayers are on Sankranti days of the Hindu calendar and on all Tuesdays.

• Taptapani : Taptapani (Hot-Water), as the name suggests, is famous for its hot springs. Nestled at about 1,800 feet (550 m) above sea level, this spot is 56 kilometres away from the city's railway station. The sprawling Panthanivas is the only shelter for tourists at Taptapani. The cottages overlook a pristine valley, and the dining hall is strategically placed between two crests of mountain fold. A few minutes walk from here will take you to Kandimata Mandir, where the locals bathe in the spring before offering their daily prayers. There is also a deer park maintained by the forest department.

• Bala Kumari : The temple of Balakumari can be reached by climbing 1,240 steps and is dedicated to the Goddess Durga.

• Chilika Lake : Chilika is India's biggest inland lake, spread over 1,100 square kilometers stretching across the length of the three districts of Puri, Khurdha and Ganjam and finally joins the Bay of Bengal through a narrow mouth, forming an enormous lagoon of brackish water. Dotted with many emerald green islands with colourful names such as Honeymoon Island and Breakfast Island, Chilika is home to a rich variety of aquatic fauna. It is also a sanctuary and winter resort for migratory birds, some coming from as far as Siberia.

• Biranchi Narayan Sun Temple : Buguda is a small town in Ghumusar Subdivision of Ganjam district. It is famous for the temple of Biranchinarayan. The temple was built by King Srikara Bhanja, who ascended the throne of Ghumusar in 1790 CE. The image of the God Biranchinarayan which is installed in the sanctum of the temple was recovered from the ruins of Malatigarh. The temple is built in the form of a chariot driven by seven horses and is conspicuous for its remarkable wood carvings and wall paintings. At the other end of the main road facing the temple of Biranchinarayan is a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath. The temple is built in such a manner that the devotees can see the Arati of both the temples at the same time from any of these two places.

• Kulada : Kulada is famous for the Goddess Bagh Devi. It is also said to be the birthplace of the great Oriya poet Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja. It is situated in the northwest of Ganjam District, with a ruined fort, the river Mahanadi flowing in the east, and dense forest lies on the west side of the ruined fort. The original temple is at the top of the hill known as Upar Bagh Devi, with 210 steps.

• Panchama : Panchama is a small village famous for the temple of Panchama Ganesh, or Siddhi Binayaka, as it is locally known. Tradition says that the Gajapati King Purushottamadeva (15^th century) on the way to his conquest of Kanchi recovered the image in the hallow of two trees of Vara and Aswastha and paid his homage to the image after its consecration. Since then the place has become an important centre of Ganapataya worship, preserving the great tradition of Panchadevata worship of Orissa.

• Narayani : Narayani, is situated at a distance of 80  km from Berhampur, and located on the top of the Bhalleri hills. The temple of Goddess Narayani (Durga) is surrounded by captivating natural scenery of dense sal and mango grooves. It is one of the most famous Shakti peetha and Tantra peerha of the district, situated at the border of Ganjam and Khurda district. The extension of the Bhalleri is known as Narayani khola. It is believed the top of the shrine is the seat of Devi Banadurga. As per mythology, the deity in the shrine is an aavatar of Maishamardini Maa Durga. Earlier she was worshipped by the local tribes in a natural shape inside the cave. Later, the local civic bodies arranged the puja and shaped the deity as a ten armed figure. An ex-ruler of Khallikore garh built the present shrine. The construction of the temple used a unique method of cementing the stone pieces. The green jungle surrounding the temple, with its calm and quiet environment attracts a large number people. During the winter the rush of picnickers to the spot is multiplied. The enchanting view of Chilika Lake from the top of Bhalleri hills leaves a long lasting impression in the mind of a viewer that is beyond any description. Ashokasthami is the most important festival and is celebrated for three days. Following that, every year based on Hindu calendar, Mesha Sankranti and Raja Sankranti are also important festival dates. A huge number of devotees visit the temple and worship the deity during these days every year.

• Potagarh : This is a historical fort built by Britishers in the 18^th century. It is situated close to river Rusikulya and is surrounded by a moat. The remnants of majestic fort houses and a buried tunnel specks, the melody of glorious past of Ganjam city, which was cursed by a dreadful epidemic plague in the year 1815 CE. The place attracts students, scholars and history lovers. Due to its geographical location close to the confluence of Rusikulya river and Bay of Bengal, it is a favored picnic spot among the picnickers.

• Ujaleswar : The shrine of Ujjaleswar, 19 km from Digapahandi and 45 km from Berhampur, near Ghodahada Dam, was developed from a cave temple, on a hillock which is approachable by steps. A huge stone shadowing the deity forms the back side of the temple, which has been also chiseled to steps for facilitating a circumambulating around the shrine. Before reaching the unctuous site, one would come across the pleasing surroundings of Ghodahada Dam, which has submerged a fort named Vijayanagar and its temple. The reservoir shelters a herd of elephants, crocodiles, and pythons, and provides subsoil water for a horticulture farm of tube rose.

• Aryapalli : The beach at Aryapalli is 32 km from Berhampur and 8 km from Chhatrapur and Berhampur

• Mahendragiri : The hill Mahendragiri, 5,000 feet (1,500 m) high, is in the Parlakhemundi subdivision of the district of Gajapati. It is associated with mythological stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and has interesting archaeological remains. Sivaratri is the main festival.

• Sonepur : Sonepur beach is on the Orissa–Andhra Pradesh border along the river Bahuda; on the other side is the beach Pati Sonepur.

• Galleri and Baibelli : These villages belong to Ghumsar region of the Ganjam District. These villages are thought of to be the origination place for Danda Jatra. Danda Jatra are ritualistic performances held during the month of Chaitra for a period of 2 to 3 weeks. This is considered to be the one of the traditional form of worship. The performers showcase their performances in different villages. The performances are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Kali, which are symbolically represented by a Danda (a Pole), decorated with multi-coloured clothes. The participants showcase various items from their repertoire chiefly among them being Pani Danda, Agni Danda, Dhuli Danda etc. The closing ceremony is known as Meru Yatra, which is observed on the day of Maha Vishuba Sankranti.

• Bankeswari : Bankeswari is a beautiful and scenic spot located on the Kerandimala hill ranges on the Eastern Ghats. It's located about 10 km. from the junction near Digapahandi on the Berhampur - Digapahandi highway. This is mountainous area and has a dense forest cover. The view from the hills is exotic and refreshing and has many pristine streams.

Politics[link]

Current MP (Member of Parliament) of Berhampur Parliamentary Constituency is Siddhant Mohapatra (BJD), elected in the year 2009. Current MLA from Berhampur Assembly Constituency is Dr. Ramesh Chandra Chau Patnaik of BJD, who won the seat in the state elections of 2004 and 2000 and also as JD candidate in 1995.^[5] Berhampur Corporation comes under four Assembly segments i.e., Berhampur old town, Gopalpur, Chatrapur and Digapahandi. Berhampur is part of Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency.^[6]

References[link]

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