Sambalpur Tourism (2024) - Odisha > Top Places, Travel Guide

Sambalpur Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 1 day

Best Time: September to March Read More

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Sambalpur Tourism

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.

Hirakud Dam

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Samaleswari Temple

Leaning Temple of Huma

Deer Park

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Land of Festivals and Culture

Sambalpur is a culturally rich city of west Odisha. This city named after Goddess Samaleswari is home to the Samaleswari temple located in the heart of the city. The annual Sambalpur Lok Mahotsav is a great celebration of art and music. The Sitalsasthi Carnival which celebrates Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati's marriage is another major festival of the city. It is an important commercial centre, famous for its tie-and-dye lkat work. The folk dances like the Karama dance are also very popular. It is also an important diamond trading centre.

History of Sambalpur

The history of Sambalpur dates back to prehistoric times. It is mentioned in the book of Ptolemy and records of Xuanzang. Later in the 4th century, Samudragupta defeated King Mahendra of Koshala and Sambalpur fell in his territory. Over the decades, it was ruled by multiple dynasties, including the Paduvanti, Samavanti and the Chauhans. In 1804, during the rule of the Marathas, Sambalpur was annexed by the British. It witnessed quite a few freedom struggles during the British supremacy. Post-independence, the princely state of Sambalpur was divided into four separate administrative districts called Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Deogarh.

Cattle Island

The cattle island is one of the main attractions of the place. It is basically a hill submerged in the Hirakud reservoir. It was supposedly a village initially but during the construction of the Hirakud dam, the villagers were asked to evacuate the village and move to nearby areas. When relocating, some of the villagers left behind their domesticated cattle. Over the period of time, the cattle bred in the wild vegetation and grew manifold. They underwent evolution and so are bigger in size, a lot faster and agile than the domesticated ones. They are wild and ferocious and extremely protective of their territory. Most of them are creamy white coloured and give an ethereal look to the island.

Restaurants and Local Food in Sambalpur

Some of the most loved dishes of people of Sambalpur is Bhat Pakhala which is recommended especially for summers to cure or avoid heat strokes, Basi bhat made by soaking rice overnight in an earthen pot, aaloo baingan jhol, panas tarkari, Pudala baigan, Kukra jhol, Dai baigan, Jhuri Bhaja and several others. People in Odisha savor sweets after their main course food and there are different kinds of sweets that are available and loved by the people here.
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Suggested Itinerary for Sambalpur

While you are on a trip to Sambalpur there are a few essentials that you should not miss. First off, there is Hirakud dam which is famous all over the country and is the largest earthen dam in the world creating a 35km long lake. Just near this dam, we have a wildlife sanctuary and eco cottages to spend your nights here as this might take your whole day. There are several temples in the region which are worth the visit and have historical significance.

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Tikarpada Wildlife Sanctuary

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How to Reach Sambalpur

How to Reach Overview

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.

How to reach Sambalpur by flight

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.

How to reach 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 in every fifteen minutes to Jharsuguda and Bargarh from the terminal.

How to reach Sambalpur 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.

Local transport in Sambalpur

Roads in Sambalpur are well connected. There is a state highway 10 which connects Rourkela and Sambalpur which is under construction and will be turning to a four or six lane highway from a two lane highway. Also there are regular bus services from the terminal to Jharsuguda and Bargarh and other cities.

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FAQs on Sambalpur

What is famous about Sambalpur?

Located in the Mahanadi river basin, Sambalpur provides for an amazing view of the mighty Hirakud dam.

What is not so good about Sambalpur?

The region is prone to floods caused by the river Mahanadi.

Who should visit Sambalpur?

Sambalpur is a home to many temples and hence great for people who wish to explore religious places.

What is the best time to visit Sambalpur?

Sambalpur's climactic conditions are generally extreme. This city has hot summers temperature rising to 40 degrees Celsius and very cold winters when temperature even falls to 1 degree Celsius and heavy rainfall during the rainy season. The best time to visit the town is from September-March.
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What are the places near Sambalpur?

The top places near to Sambalpur are Tikarpada wildlife sanctuary which is 127 km from Sambalpur, Puri which is located 267 km from Sambalpur, Rourkela which is located 126 km from Sambalpur, Goa which is located 1258 km from Sambalpur, Agra which is located 876 km from Sambalpur

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