Balasore, also known as Baleswar, is a city in the state of

Odisha Odisha (), formerly Orissa (List of renamed places in India, the official name until 2011), is a States and union territories of India, state located in East India, Eastern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by ar ...

, about from the state capital

Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar () is the capital and the largest city of the States and territories of India, Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the Khordha district. The suburban region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Chakra ...

and from

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

, in

eastern India East India is a region consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The states of Bihar and West Bengal lie on the Indo-Gangetic plain. Jharkhan ...

. It is the administrative headquarters of

Balasore district Balasore District, also known as Baleswar District, is an administrative district of Odisha state, in eastern India. Balasore is one of the coastal districts of Odisha and lies on the northernmost part of the state. Etymology Baleswar is sa ...

and the largest city as well as health and educational hub of northern Odisha. It is best known for Chandipur beach. It is also called 'missile city'. The

Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defence system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks. It was launched in 1999 after the Kargil War by the Atal B ...

's Integrated Test Range is located 18 km south of Balasore.

History

Excavation at villages near Balasore has given evidence for three distinct cultural phases of human settlements, viz.,

Chalcolithic The Chalcolithic ( ) (also called the Copper Age and Eneolithic) was an archaeological period characterized by the increasing use of smelted copper. It followed the Neolithic and preceded the Bronze Age. It occurred at different periods in di ...

(2000–1000 BCE),

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

(1000–400 BCE) and early historic period (400–200 BCE). Baleswara district was part of the ancient Kalinga kingdom which later became a territory of Utkal, till the death of

Mukunda Deva Mukunda Deva or Mukunda Harichandana (1559-1568 A.D) was the founder of "Chalukya dynasty" in ancient Orissa (now Odisha). He traced his descent from the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. He was the sole monarch of his dynasty and the last independ ...

. It was annexed by the

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...

in 1568 and remained as a part of their suzerainty up until the 1700s. The British

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

(EIC) established a

factory A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...

at Balasore in 1633. In 1719, the Trieste Company merchants established a trading post there. As

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

rose in importance, Balasore became the center for

river pilot A maritime pilot, marine pilot, harbor pilot, port pilot, ship pilot, or simply pilot, is a mariner who has specific knowledge of an often dangerous or congested waterway, such as harbors or river mouths. Maritime pilots know local details s ...

services for vessels seeking to ascend the

Hooghly River The Hooghly River (, also spelled ''Hoogli'' or ''Hugli'') is the westernmost distributary of the Ganges, situated in West Bengal, India. It is known in its upper reaches as the Bhagirathi. The Bhagirathi splits off from the main branch of the G ...

. The city was bombarded by forces of the

during the

Anglo-Mughal War Anglo-Mughal War (1686–1690) was a war fought between Mughal Empire and British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was fo ...

in 1686, however, the company was repulsed by the

Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...

forces. The old

Pipili Pipili is a town and a NAC of Puri district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is famous for designing beautiful Applique handicrafts. It is a town of artisans famous for their colourful fabrics. Geography Pipili is located at . It has an avera ...

port was located near Baliapal, north of Balasore, along the coast near river Subarnarekha. The Portuguese arrived for trade and commerce, exporting Orissa products like rice, cotton and butter from

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

Borneo Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...

, and bringing Chinese products and spices from

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

. Balasore gave its name to a type of cotton muslin. The

Marathas The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern India, early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent List of Maratha dynasties and states, Ma ...

, then occupied this part of

and it became a part of the dominion of the

Bhonsle The Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) are a prominent group within the Maratha clan system of India. History Earliest members The earliest accepted members of the Bhonsles are Mudhoji Bhonsle and his kin Rupaji Bhonsle, who were the vi ...

Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...

Rajas of

Nagpur Nagpur (; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Nāgapura'') is the second capital and third-largest city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is called the heart of India because of its central geographical location. It is the largest and most populated city i ...

. They ceded this part through the

Treaty of Deogaon Second Anglo-Maratha War (from 1803 –1805) was a large conflict within the Maratha Empire involving the British East India Company. It resulted in major loss of territory for the Marathas, including regions around Delhi and in present-day Guj ...

in 1803 and it became a part of

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Bengal Presidency The Bengal Presidency, officially the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal until 1937, later the Bengal Province, was the largest of all three presidencies of British India during Company rule in India, Company rule and later a Provinces o ...

until 1912. Balasore as a separate district was created in October 1828 under the

. On 7 November 1845, all of

Danish India Danish India () was the name given to the forts and Factory (trading post), factories of Denmark (Denmark–Norway before 1814) in the Indian subcontinent, forming part of the Danish overseas colonies. Denmark–Norway held colonial possessions ...

was sold to the British to form a part of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

. With the creation of

Bihar Province Bihar Province was a province of British India, created in 1936 by the partition of the Bihar and Orissa Province. History In 1756, Bihar was part of Bengal. On 14 October 1803, Orissa was occupied by the British Raj. On 22 March 1912, both Bih ...

, Odisha, along with Balasore district, was transferred from Bengal to Bihar. But with the creation of Odisha as a separate state on 1 April 1936, Balasore became an integral part of Odisha State. The national movement of independence surged ahead with the visit of

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2October 186930January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist, and political ethics, political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful Indian ...

in 1921. Similarly, Praja Andolan was initiated against the ruler of Nilagiri State. The state of Nilagiri merged with state of Odisha in January 1948 and became a part of Balasore district. On 3 April 1993,

Bhadrak Bhadrak is a city of Odisha state in eastern India. The city is the district headquarters of Bhadrak district. According to legend, the city derives its name from the Goddess Bhadrakali, whose temple is on the banks of the Salandi River. Hi ...

sub-division became a separate district and from this day, Balasore remains a district of Odisha with two Sub-divisions namely Balasore and Nilagiri having eight

Tehsils A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluk, or taluka () is a local unit of administrative division in India and Pakistan. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administrative ce ...

, namely Balasore, Soro, Simulia, Nilagiri, Jaleswara, Basta, Baliapal and Remuna and 12 blocks namely Bhograi, Jaleswar, Baliapal, Basta, Balasore, Remuna, Nilagiri, Oupada, Khaira, Soro and

Bahanaga Bahanaga, a small village, is the block headquarters of the Bahanaga block in Balasore district of the Indian state of Odisha. It's one of the major business spots in the Balasore district. Overview Bahanaga block consists of 21 grampanchaya ...

. The name of the district is being derived from the name of the town. Balasore is where the famous Indian independence activist Jatindranath Mukherjee, also known as

Bagha Jatin Bagha Jatin (; ) or Baghajatin, born Jatindranath Mukherjee (); 7 December 1879 – 10 September 1915) was an Indian independence activist. He was one of the principal leaders of the Jugantar party that was the central association of revolu ...

, was injured and died fighting the British.

Geography

Climate

Balasore has a tropical climate characterised by high humidity and hot temperatures throughout the year. The summers, which last from March to May, are particularly hot, with temperatures often reaching up to 40 °C. May is typically the hottest month of the year in Balasore. The winter season, which runs from December to February, is relatively cooler with an average temperature range of 16 °C to 27 °C. Monsoon season starts in June and lasts until September, bringing heavy rainfall to the city. Balasore's proximity to the Bay of Bengal makes it vulnerable to cyclonic storms during the monsoon season. The average rainfall in the district is around 1568.4 mm, which is largely due to the monsoon season. Balasore has been ranked 7th best “National Clean Air City” under (Category 3 population under 3 lakhs cities) in India.

Demographics

According to 2011 Indian Census, Balasore (municipality + overgrowth) had a total population of 144,373, of which 73,721 were males and 70,652 were females. Population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 14,773. The total number of literates in Balasore was 113,418, which constituted 78.6% of the population with male literacy of 81.7% and female literacy of 75.3%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Balasore was 87.5%, of which male literacy rate was 91.0% and female literacy rate was 83.8%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 15,812 and 9,291 respectively. Balasore had 30460 households in 2011.

Religion

Languages

The official language of Balasore is Odia which is also the most commonly spoken language of the city. It is followed by

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

, Santali and

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

in the descending order per the number of speakers.

Government and politics

The MP from Balasore Parliamentary Constituency is

Pratap Chandra Sarangi Pratap Chandra Sarangi (born 4 January 1955) is an Indian politician from Balasore, Odisha. He serves as a National Executive Member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a member of parliament from the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency in Odis ...

of BJP, who won the seat in the Indian general elections of 2019. The MLA from Balasore Vidhan Sabha Constituency is

Manas Kumar Dutta Manas Kumar Dutta is an Indian politician. He was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly from Balasore as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the tw ...

of BJP, who won the seat in the 2024 legislative election. Previous MLAs from this seat were Swarup Kumar Das (BJD), who won in the 2020 bye-elections; Madanmohan Dutta (BJP), who won the seat in 2019; Jiban Pradip Das ( BJD), who won this seat in 2009, Arun Dey ( CPM) in 2004, Gopa Narayan Das of INC in 1985 and Kartik Chandra Rout of JNP in 1977. Balasore is part of

Balasore (Lok Sabha constituency) Balasore is a Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency in Odisha. Assembly Segments Assembly Constituencies which constitute this Parliamentary Constituency, after delimitation of Parliamentary Constituencies and Legislative Assembly Constitue ...

Civic Utility / Amenities / Services

Healthcare

Balasore government hospital was the city's first hospital. Also, it has a newly established Government Medical College at Remuna named after Fakir Mohan Senapati (FM Medical College).

Economy

Balasore is the main city in the District of Balasore. The district has four major revenue sources – industries, agriculture, fishing and tourism with its base in Chandipur. Many small and large scale industries are located both within the city limits as well as the outskirts. Balasore Alloys Limited,

Emami Emami Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Kolkata. The company caters to a number of niche categories in the personal care and healthcare segments. The company's products are sold across 60+ nations and are availabl ...

Paper Mills, Oriplast, and

Birla Tyres Birla Tyres is an Indian company engaged in the manufacture of tyres for automobiles, motorcycles, commercial vehicles, farm vehicles and heavy earth-moving machinery. It was first established in 1991 as a division of Kesoram Industries. In 202 ...

are some of the major industries based in Balasore. It is one of the richest cities of Odisha. The main markets of Balasore are Nua Bazara, Motiganj, FM Square, Vivekananda Marga, Station Square, ITI Chhaka, Kachehri Road, Town Hall and Nua Shahi.

Industry

In an effort to bring industry, trade and commerce to a common meaningful platform, the

Confederation of Indian Industry The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is a Non-governmental organization, non-governmental business and industry organisation and advocacy group headquartered in New Delhi, India, founded in 1895. CII is a membership-based organisation. ...

, with local chambers like North Orissa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, serve as an interface to fight for the rights and issues concerning the industrial scenario so as to contribute to the development of the state as a whole. Members from both public and private sectors work closely with the government for the expansion of business opportunities, enhancing efficiency and competitiveness and to work on policy issues. Located in Januganj, Balasore, NOCCI is essentially a business park with a massive exhibition hall, a separate residential block with hotel and restaurant facilities and an extended building called the industry facilitation center specifically for industrial training. NOCCI comprises about 100 member units and six affiliated associations of the industrial units. NOCCI is instrumental in the promoting the initiative of the Department of Industrial Promotion and Policy, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India (GoI) through a scheme of Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation. The

Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program The Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defence system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks. It was launched in 1999 after the Kargil War by the Atal Bi ...

's Integrated Test Range is located 18 km south of Balasore. The

Defence Research and Development Organisation The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, head ...

developed many different missiles such as Nag,

BrahMos The BrahMos (also designated as PJ-10)Agni Missile The Agni missile (Sanskrit: अग्नि; lit. ''Fire'') is a family of medium to intercontinental range ballistic missiles developed by India, named after one of the five elements of nature. Agni missiles are long-range, nuclear weapons ...

among others here.

Culture/Cityscape

Balasore culture is a blend of traditional festivals, food, and music. The city offers a cosmopolitan and diverse lifestyle with a variety of food, entertainment, available in a form and abundance comparable to that in other cities. Balasore residents celebrate both Western and Indian festivals.

Diwali Diwali (), also called Deepavali (IAST: ''Dīpāvalī'') or Deepawali (IAST: ''Dīpāwalī''), is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions such as Jainism and Sikhism. It symbolises the spiritual v ...

Holi Holi () is a major Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love and Spring.The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...".Yudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World ...

, Eid,

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

Navaratri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and aga ...

Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...

Dussehra Vijayadashami (), more commonly known as Dassahra in Hindi, and also known as Dashāhra or Dashain in Bhojpuri, Maithili and Nepali, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Durga Puja and Navarahtri. It is observed o ...

Muharram Al-Muharram () is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year when warfare is banned. It precedes the month of Safar. The tenth of Muharram is known as Ashura, an important day of commemoration in ...

Ganesha Chaturthi Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: ), also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi () or Vinayaka Chavithi () or Vinayagar Chaturthi (), is a Hindu festival celebrating the birthday of Hindu deity Ganesh. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's ''mu ...

Durga Puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...

Raja Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. T ...

and

Maha Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated annually to worship the deity Shiva, between February and March. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival is observed on the fourteenth day of the first half (night start with darkness - ...

are some of the popular festivals in the city. The akhada Arts Festival during durga puja is a unique culture of Balasore. Wedding ceremony of Lac Coated Dolls (also known as Jaukandhei) which has a rich ethical and ritual values in maintaining peaceful conjugal relationship in the family while bringing the health, wealth and prosperity to an individual's home is an important part of Balasore's folk culture.

Festivals

Durga puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...

, the festival of goddess Durga, is very popular in Balasore. Idols are worshipped in many streets and localities. In this city, Durga puja is famous for its idols, with localities trying to outsmart each other by constructing more attractive idols. Indeed, the whole city comes to a standstill on

Ashtami Ashtami (अष्टमी ''aṣṭamī'') is the eighth day ( Tithi) of Hindu lunar calendar. Festivals Krishna Janmashtami Krishna Janmashtami or Gokul Ashtami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, an avatar of Hindu dei ...

Navami Navami () is the Sanskrit word for "ninth", and is the ninth day in the lunar fortnight ('' Paksha'') of the Hindu calendar. Each month has two Navami days, being the ninth day of the "bright" (''Shukla'') and of the "dark" (''Krishna'') fortnight ...

and on

Dashami Dashami () is the Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor ...

, burning of effigy of the demon

Ravana According to the Mahakavya, Hindu epic, ''Ramayana'', Ravana was a kingJustin W. Henry, ''Ravana's Kingdom: The Ramayana and Sri Lankan History from Below'', Oxford University Press, p.3 of the island of Lanka, in which he is the chief antag ...

(the eighth, ninth and tenth days of Durga puja), as people travel all over the city appreciating all the idols, is put forth by the neighbourhoods. *

Kali Puja Kali Puja (ISO: ), also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali. It is celebrated on the new moon day (Dipannita Amavasya) of the Hindu calendar month o ...

, Just after Durga puja gets over, Balasore gears up with all it's vigour to celebrate Kali puja on the auspicious day of Diwali, amidst the bursting of

firecrackers A firecracker (cracker, noise maker, banger) is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang, usually for celebration or entertainment; any visual effect is incidental to ...

. *Kartikeshwara/Kumara puja: Kartikeshwara/Kumara is the eldest son of

Lord Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism. Shiva is known as ''The Destroyer' ...

. *Kite-flying is also celebrated with much enthusiasm and energy in the city. Kite-flying culminates with the

Makara Sankranti Makar(a) Sankrānti (), () also referred to as Uttarāyana, Makara, or simply Sankrānti, is a Hindu observance and a mid-winter harvest festival in India and Nepal. It is typically celebrated on 14 January annually (15 January on a leap yea ...

, with kite-flying competitions being held all over the city. *All the other regular Indian festivals like

Vasanta Panchami Vasant Panchami , also rendered Vasanta Panchami and Saraswati Puja in honour of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated in Indian religions in different ways ...

Eid ul-Fitr Eid al-Fitr () is the first of the two main festivals in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the ...

Ratha Yatra Ratha Yatra (), or chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. They are held annually during festivals in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The term also refers to the popular annual Ratha Yatra of Puri that involves a public process ...

and the numerous Hindu festivals are also celebrated.

Places of interest

Chandipur-on-sea is a seaside resort famous for its mile long beach. It is a unique beach – the tide comes to the shore only four times a day, at fixed intervals. At a distance of 30 km south-west is

Panchalingeshwar Panchalingeswar Temple is in Balasore district of Odisha, India. It is named after the five Shivalinga that are enshrined inside. The temple is on top of a hillock near the Nilagiri hill. The Shivalingas are said to have been enshrined by Sita, ...

, a temple and scenic spot high on a mountain. The presiding deity there, Shiva, cannot be seen. One has to touch and feel the statue as it is behind (submerged under) a waterfall. About 33 km south-west of Balasore, the town Santaragadia has the Bisweswara temple situated on a hill. The town is surrounded by hills on all sides. Nearby is Khulia village, a settlement of aboriginals. Around 30 km south-east of Balasore is a port named Dhamara. * Kshirachora Gopinatha Temple, situated at Remuna, approximately 7 km from the main town of Balasore, was built by King Langula Narasimha Deva, who also built the famous temple at

Konark Konark is a medium-sized town in the Puri district in the state of Odisha, India. It lies on the coast by the Bay of Bengal, 65 kilometres from the state capital Bhubaneswar. It is the site of the 13th-century Konark Sun Temple, Sun Temple, also ...

a. Khirochora Gopinatha Temple is notable for its mythological story about how it was built there. The prashad of Krishna – the khira – is famous. *The Biranchinarayana Temple, Palia, AstaDurga, and Bhudhara Chandi are some other temples located in the region. *Jagannatha Temple, Remuna is a newly built temple in the area, the architecture of which is influenced by the famous Jagannatha Temple of Puri. It is the recent favourite tourist spot concerning the region. Jagannatha Temple Nilagiri

Bhusandeswara Temple Chandaneswara Baleswara

*There is a Jagannatha Temple in

Nilagiri Nilagiri is a town and a Notified Area Council in Balasore district in the Indian state of Odisha. History Nilgiri is a very small town but replete with rich history and heritage. Its history can be traced back to the Palaeolithic age. I ...

which is one of the prominent Jagannatha temples of

. Lord

Jagannath Jagannath (; formerly ) is a Hindu deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India as part of a triad along with (Krishna's) brother Balabhadra, and sister, Subhadra. Jagannath, within Odia Hinduism, is the supreme god, '' Purushot ...

Balabhadra In Jainism, Balabhadra or Baladeva are among the sixty-three illustrious beings called '' śalākāpuruṣas'' that are said to grace every half cycle of time. According to Jain cosmology, ''śalākāpuruṣa'' are born on this earth in every ...

and

Subhadra Subhadra (, ) is a character in the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She is a princess from the Yadava clan and the sister of Krishna and Balarama. Subhadra married Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers and had a son named Abhimanyu. Sub ...

are worshipped here. Every year,

is performed with all the deities. * Panchalingeswar Temple is a temple near a picnic spot in Baleswara which is located 30 km from Balasore. There is a state tourism Pantha Nivas in Panchalingeswara for tourists. Panchalingeswara is surrounded by hills and forests. * Bhujakhia Pir, situated at sunhat at the heart of the city is the tomb of Sufi saint Aasthana Sharif Hazrat Pir named as Bhujakhia Pir. The most interesting thing is that both Muslims and Hindus jointly worship pir baba. * Baba Bhusandeswar Temple is one of the largest Shiva Lingams in the World is in Bhogarai village of Balasore district, Odisha which is located 100 km from Balasore. The 12 feet long and 14 feet width lingam is carved out on a black granite and only half of the lingam is visible. The other half has remained buried for years. The diameter of the lingam is 12 feet and has three parts. The middle portion of the lingam is octagonal in shape, about 12 feet in diameter and nearly four feet in height. The Lingam slightly leans towards the right side. *Mitrapur Jagannath Mandir is known as second Puri temple in Odisha. *Dublagadi Sea Beach is a recently explored gem near the city where one can observe a magnificent dawn turning the white sands of the beach, red. In winter time, especially after or before two days of the new moon, you can watch the fluorescent sea waves under the bright open sky. Recently, many camps have been opened in this area by the local villagers to enjoy a stay in the lap of mother nature. The villagers maintain the area's cleanliness and the well-being of the environment.

Transport

Air

The nearest airport is

Biju Patnaik Airport Biju Patnaik Airport is an international airport serving Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, India. It is situated around south-west of Bhubaneswar Railway Station and from the city center. Named after Biju Patnaik, the former Chi ...

which is 200 km from Balasore.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport () is an international airport serving the city of Kolkata and the Kolkata metropolitan area, the capital metropolis of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the primary aviation hub for eas ...

is 254 km from Balasore.

Rail

Balasore railway station Balasore, also known as Baleswar, is a city in the state of Odisha, about from the state capital Bhubaneswar and from Kolkata, in eastern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Balasore district and the largest city as well as health ...

is an important station on the Howrah-Chennai main line of the South Eastern Railway. The distance to Kolkata is approximately 254 km, while the distance to Bhubaneswar is about 206 km. A branch line to

Baripada Baripada () is a city and a municipality in Mayurbhanj district in the state of Odisha, India. Located along the east bank of the Budhabalanga river, Baripada is the cultural centre of north Odisha. In recent years, it has emerged as an e ...

starts from Rupsa, near Balasore. Balasore is connected to different parts of India through trains. There are frequent trains to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Brahmapur, Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati, Bangalore, Puri, Pondicherry, Ernakulam. BLS station n GZB WAP-7

Road

Balasore has well developed roadways. National Highway 16 and National Highway 18 pass through the city. A part of the

Golden Quadrilateral The Golden Quadrilateral (; abbreviated GQ) is a network of National Highway (India), national highways connecting major cities of India. It roughly forms a quadrilateral with major cities – Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Mumbai (west) and ...

project, this highway runs from

Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...

. Intra-city transport comprises

cycle rickshaw The cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport. It is a type of tricycle designed to carry passengers on a vehicle for hire, for-hire basis. It is also known by a variety of other names such as bike taxi, velotaxi, pedicab, bi ...

s and

auto rickshaw An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many other terms in various countries, including three-wheeler, Adaidaita Sahu, Keke-napep, Maruwa, auto, ...

s. City bus services commenced in Balasore on 15 August 2017. The bus terminus is at Sahadev Khunta and thousands of private buses ply to hundreds of destinations every day. Many luxurious A.C buses ply to Bhubneswar, Kolkata and other nearby cities daily.

Education

Balasore is the main education hub of Northern Odisha with many engineering schools and colleges and the

Fakir Mohan University Fakir Mohan University (FM University) is a state university located at Nuapadhi, Balasore, Odisha, India. It is named after Odia writer Fakir Mohan Senapati. History This university was established by the Government of Odisha, under Section ...

, named after novelist

Fakir Mohan Senapati Fakir Mohan Senapati (13 January 1843 – 14 June 1918), often referred to as Utkala Byasa Kabi (''Odisha's Vyasa''), was an Indian writer, poet, philosopher and social reformer. He played a leading role in establishing the distinct identity of ...

who hails from this town of Odisha. Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital was established in 2018 to boost the medical facility in Balasore and Northern Odisha.

Technical colleges/institutions

* Balasore College of Engineering and Technology

Universities/colleges

* Balasore Law College * Fakir Mohan Medical College and Hospital *

* Jhadeswar Institute of Engineering & Technology * Sagar College of Science

Schools

D.A.V. Public School The D.A.V. College Managing Committee, commonly known as DAVCMC, is a non-governmental educational organisation in India and overseas with over 900 schools, 75 colleges and a university. It is based on the ideals of Dayananda Saraswati and Ar ...

, Samalpur, Balasore * Maharishi Vidya Mandir * Modern Public School, Kuruda

Sports and entertainment

Cricket is the most popular sport in the city. The city is also represented by the Balasore Baghas in the Odisha Premier League. Apart from cricket, people here love the game of football, volleyball and other sports.

Permit Field

It is a mini stadium located in front of District Hospital in the heart of the town known to host District and State level Cricket and Football matches. Many people come here for an early morning walk or doing yoga. This place has given birth to many sports personalities of Balasore. This place is maintained by Balasore Athletic Association.

Reserved Police Line Ground

It is a big ground which belongs to the Balasore Police Department and is maintained by them. It is used as a parade ground during various occasions. Many athletes come here for training purpose. General Public is allowed for morning walk.

Zilla School Stadium

It is a mini stadium which is situated near the Balasore Zilla School and is known to host various events such as Trade Fairs, District's Annual Fest and games like Cricket or Football. The stadium remains open for general public and is a popular spot for locals to engage in outdoor activities such as jogging, walking and playing cricket.

ITI Field

It is a very popular ground which is widely known for hosting mega events such as the famous EXPO and Pallishree Mela Balasore, which are popular events in the town. In addition to these events, ITI Field also plays host to several other government-sponsored events throughout the year. One of the standout features of ITI Field is its cleanliness and well-maintained appearance, which has helped to establish it as a go-to place for outdoor events in Balasore. With its versatile facilities and prime location, ITI Field is poised to continue as one of the town's most popular event venues for years to come.

Entertainment

Balasore has several cinemas playing films in Odia, Hindi, and English languages.

Notable people

Gopanarayan Das Gopanarayan Das (1 March 1948 – 15 September 2022) was an Indian advocate and politician who served in the Orissa Legislative Assembly from 1985 to 1990. Das represented the Balasore Assembly constituency as a member of the Indian National Con ...

(1948–2022), MLA *

Manoj Das Manoj Das (27 February 1934 – 27 April 2021) was an Indian author who wrote in Odia and English. In 2000, Manoj Das was awarded the Saraswati Samman. He was awarded Padma Shri in 2001, the fourth-highest Civilian Award in India, and Padm ...

(1934-2021), novelist, short story writer and

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

awardee * Reela Hota,

Odissi ''Odissi'' (''ଓଡ଼ିଶୀ'') also referred to as ''Orissi'' in old literature, oldest surviving classical dance of India, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the Hindu temple, temples of Odisha – an eastern ...

dance performer, educator and producer *

Radhanath Ray Radhanath Ray (28 September 1848 – 17 April 1908) was an Odia writer of initial modernity era in Odia poetry during the later part of nineteenth century. He was born in a Zamindar Karan family in Baleshwar (Bengal Presidency), now in Odi ...

, Ddia poet *

, Odia writer and poet

References

External links

Online Information Center of BalasoreBaleswar District website
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Balasore district Port cities in India Danish India Hindu–German Conspiracy