page_title: Kalahandi district
section_title: Tourism around Bhawanipatna
hierarchical_section_title: Kalahandi district / Tourism around Bhawanipatna
caption_attribution_description: English: Manikeshwari Temple (Panoramic View)
context_page_description: Kalahandi is a district of Odisha in India. The region had a glorious past and great civilisation in ancient time. Archaeological evidence of Stone Age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilised, cultured and urban human settlement about 2000 years ago in the region. In South Asia it is believed that the lands of Kalahandi district and Koraput district were the ancient places where people started cultivation of paddy. In ancient time it was known as Mahakantara and Karunda Mandal, which means treasure of precious stones like karandam, Garnet, Beruz, Neelam, and Alexandra etc. Manikeswari is the clan deity of Kalahandi may also signify its historical name.
  It was a princely state in British India and in post independence period it merged with Odisha state in India as Kalahandi district comprising current Kalahandi district and Nuapada district. In 1967, Kashipur block from Kalahandi district was transferred to Rayagada district for administrative reason.
context_section_description: Maa Manikeshwari Mandir and Chatar jatra
  There are two Manikeshwari Mandir located in Kalahandi district of Odisha, one is in Bhawanipatna and other at Thuamal Rampur. The temple is located in the centre of Bhawanipatna. The main deity here is Goddess Manikeshwari. The main devotees are from the fishermen community. During Dussehra festival, animal sacrifice is offered at this temple which is a festival also known as Chatar jatra where lacs of people gather in the city to get the blessings from their beloved goddess . A film is also documented showing the ritual of animal sacrifice, before Goddess Manikeshwari.
  Phurlijharan
  Phurli Jharan is a tourist spot in Kalahandi. 15 km (9.3 mi) from Bhawanipatna, Phurlijharan is a perennial water fall about 30 ft (9 m) in height.
  Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary
  Present on SH-44 Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary (Odia: କର୍ଲାପାଟ୍;Hindi: कर्लापाट्) is a wildlife sanctuary located in Kalahandi district and a tourist attraction of Odisha. Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary is 12 km (7.5 mi) from Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters of Kalahandi district.
  The sanctuary covers an area of 255 km² (98 sq mi). It lies within the Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forests ecoregion. Major plant communities include mixed deciduous forests and scrublands. It has also high mineral deposit like bauxite and manganese etc.
  This sanctuary is home to many wildlife species like tiger, leopard, gaur, sambar, nilgai, barking deer, mouse deer, a variety of birds and reptiles.
  Jakham
  Jakham is a tourist destination on SH-44 (20 km away).
  Rabandara
  Rabandara is a tourist spot near Bhawanipatna. 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from city, Rabandara is a perennial water fall about 13 ft (4 m) in height.
  Sospadar Waterfall
  Sospadar is a location for picnickers and adventurers is yet to be placed on tourist map of Odisha (although many other places from Kalahandi are pending in their list)
  It is situated about 17 km towards east from Bhawanipatna under Gunduri panchayat via Icchapur, (Lanjigarh block).
  Gadagada Twin-Waterfall
  Zilla Sangrahalaya
  Zilla Sangrahalaya or the District Museum, Bhawanipatna has different artifacts, manuscripts, paintings and many rare items from pre-historic age (Asurgarh coins, Gudahandi paintings etc.) depicting ancient history of Kalahandi Redition.
  Place: Near New Bus Stand, NH-26, Bhawanipatna.
  Permunji
  Permunji is a nursery situated at the foot of great mountain, a place for picnics. Elephants are commonly seen near the nursery crossing roads.
  Hello Point
  Hello Point is a picnic spot and valley view point 75 km (47 mi) from Bhawanipatna. It is present on the top of the eastern ghats from where half of the Kalahandi district is visible including Junagarh, Kalampur block etc. One can receive signal from all telecom services for mobile, therefore it is named as Hello Point.
  Indravati Dam
  Indravati Dam or Upper Indravati Hydro Power Project is one of the largest Dam in India as well as Asia. It is the largest dam in eastern India which produces 600MW of electricity. The Upper Indravati Project envisages diversion of water, of the indravati river in its upper reaches into the Mahanadi valley for power generation and irrigation.
  The project involves construction of 4 dams across the Indravati and its tributaries 8 dykes and two inter-linking channels to form a single reservoir with a live capacity of 1,435.5 million m³ (50.69 billion cu ft), 4.32 km (2.68 mi). tunnel, a power house with installation of 4 units of 150 MW each turbines, 9 km (5.6 mi) tail race channel and an irrigation barrage across Hati river with the associated irrigation canals i.e., Left Canal and Right Canal.
  Irrigation from left canal is done in Kalampur, Koksara, Junagarh and Dharmagarh Block where Asia's longest aqueduct is made on Tel River near Odisha border. And right canal is done is Junagarh (Nandol area) and Bhawanipatna Block, the construction work is under process in Karlapada block where it merges with Ret River. The water comes from mainly Indravati River, Pet fula Naal etc.
caption: Manikeshwari Temple (Panoramic View)
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