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Bhadrak is a city 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 ...
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 Bhadrakali (IAST: Bhadrakālī; ) is an important goddess, mainly worshiped by Hindus, and is a form of Kali. She is considered to be the auspicious and fortunate form of Adi Shakti or Durga, the supreme mother who protects the good, known ...
, whose temple is on the banks of the Salandi River.


History

According to legend, Bhadrak derives its name from the Goddess Bhadrakali, whose temple is situated on the southwest outskirts of the town. It is an ancient land, dating from the age of the
Puranas Puranas (Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
(1995 Editio ...
. Bhadrak's contribution to Odisha's maritime and agrarian prosperity, trade, and commerce throughout the ages is a part of history. In the Mughal period, Bhadrak was a
subah A ''Subah'' is a term for a province or state in several South Asian languages. It was introduced by the Mughal Empire to refer to its subdivisions or provinces; and was also adopted by other polities of the Indian subcontinent. The word is derive ...
, or province, under the
Nawabs of Bengal The Nawab of Bengal (, ) was the hereditary ruler of Bengal Subah in Mughal India. In the early 18th-century, the Nawab of Bengal was the ''de facto'' independent ruler of the three regions of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa which constitute the mod ...
. When the imperial power of the Mughals waned, the area consisted of principalities such as Kanika, Nampo, and Agarapada, with administrative sub-units called chowparhies, all ruled by
Kshatriya Kshatriya () (from Sanskrit ''kṣatra'', "rule, authority"; also called Rajanya) is one of the four varnas (social orders) of Hindu society and is associated with the warrior aristocracy. The Sanskrit term ''kṣatriyaḥ'' is used in the con ...
chiefs. After the occupation of Odisha by the British in June 1804, Bhadrak constituted one of the two administrative divisions of Cuttack and Balasore. In 1828, when Balasore was made a separate district, Bhadrak became one of its sub-divisions with an assistant magistrate and deputy collector as the sub-divisional head; but the munsif's court remained in Jajpur until 1901. Bhadrak was at the forefront during the period of national struggle. In 1920, Mahatma Gandhi's non-cooperation movement was launched. In March 1921, Gandhi visited Bhadrak, after being impressed by its nationalistic fervor and fighting spirit. In 1922, he started the rebellion of Kanika which British troops stationed at Bhadrak attempted to suppress; but ultimately the tenants' movement triumphed, under the leadership of Chakradhar Behera, the doyen of Kanika. When the civil disobedience movement was launched in 1930, Bhadrak became ardent with patriotic zeal, the salt law was defied, and success achieved against the government. Harekrushna Mahatab's role in this success has become cherished in Bhadrak, and a part of the history of modern India. Gandhi, who visited Bhadrak again in 1934, staying in Mahatab's residence at Nuabazar, addressed a meeting of the Harizan workers in Jimbaran Ashram (Nuasahi, Ashram, Garadpur). It was during this time that Banchhanidhi Mohanty of Eram was by his patriotic songs shaping, stimulating, and sensitizing the national consciousness among the people. Since independence, the history of Bhadrak has been of progress in education, industry, agriculture, trade, and commerce.


Climate


Transportation

Bhadrak City is well connected with the state of Odisha, and to other parts of the country as well. The town lies on National Highway 16, northeast of
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 ...
, the state capital. Bhadrak City has three bus stop, one on NH 16(New Bus stand/Main Bus Stand), the others near Bant square and Charampa. There are frequent buses to and from
Cuttack Cuttack (, or officially Kataka in Odia language, Odia ), is the former capital, deputy capital and the 2nd largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. It is also the headquarters of the Cuttack district. The name of the city is an anglicised f ...
,
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 ...
,
Balasore 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 heal ...
, and
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 ...
. Bhadrak railway station is at Charampa, which is north of Bhadrak city. The nearest airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport, southwest, near Bhubaneswar. The nearest port is
Dhamra Port The Dhamra Port is a port in Bhadrak district, Odisha, India, on the shore of the Bay of Bengal about seven kilometres from Dhamra town. The agreement to develop the port was signed in April 1998. The Dhamra Port Company Limited (DPCL) was forme ...
, around 75 kilometers east of the city.


Demographics


Population

, Bhadrak has a population of 107,463. Males constitute 51% (55,090) of the population and females 49% (52,373). Bhadrak has an average literacy rate of 79.49%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 83.99% of males, and 74.77% of females, literate. 12% (13,138) of the population is under 6 years of age.


Politics

Bhadrak is part of Lok Sabha Constituency 3 Bhadrak(SC). The present Member of Parliament is Avimanyu Sethi, of the
Bharatiya Janta party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; , ) is a political party in India and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. BJP emerged out from Syama Prasad Mukherjee's Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Since 2014, ...
(BJP). The current MLA from the Bhadrak assembly constituency is Sitansu Sekhar Mohapatra, of the BJP, who won the seat in 2024. Previous MLAs from this seat were sanjiv Mallick (BJD), who was the MLA for two terms up to 2019; Naren Palei, of the INC, elected in 2004; Biren Palei, INC, in 2000; Prafulla Samal (BJD), who won in 1995 and in 1990; Jugal Kishore Pattanayak, who won in 1985, as a member of the INC, and in 1980, as a member of INC(I); and Ratnakar Mohanty, of JNP, in 1977.


Education

The higher education institutions of the district are the Bhadrak Institute of Engineering and Technology (BIET) and Bhadrak Autonomous College, among others. The Bhadrak Institute of Engineering & Technology (BIET) in Orissa(known as
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 ...
), India, was established in 1982. It is situated at Barapada, which is 8 km away from sub-district headquarters at Bhadrak
Rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry are typically desc ...
.
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
There are six new industrial training institutes (ITI) in Bhadrak, whose courses impart technical skill to students. There are also numerous secondary schools. Bhadrak High School, established in 1882, is one of the oldest schools in Odisha. Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab, first chief minister of Odisha, studied at this school. Schools using English as a medium of instruction include Durga Prasad Saraf Vidyapeeth, Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar School, SBD International School, Jyothi Convent School, Happy Home School, Sunshine Mission School, Carmel School, Kendriya Vidyalaya Bhadrak, and St. Xavier's School.


Tourism and culture

The
Akhandalamani Temple Akhandalamani Temple () at Aradi village, Odisha, India, is dedicated to Lord Shiva (Baba Akhandalamani). Aradi is about away from Bhadrak. The present fifty-foot cement and concrete temple structure replaced a wooden temple some time between 18 ...
, the abode of
Lord Siva 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' ...
is located on the bank of the Baitarani River, at Aradi, from the district headquarters. On the outskirts of the city, southwest, is situated Maa Bhadrakali Temple, whose deity, it is believed, gave the town its name. In the city itself one can worship and get blessing at Maa Banka Basuli Temple and Baba Lokanath Shiva Temple. Bankabasuli is the oldest temple in Bhadrak. This temple is famous for its serenity and divinity. Durgapuja is the primary function of this temple. It is situated at the heart of Bhadrak near Kacheri Bazar. Apart from that, the historical places and monuments to visit in the Bhadrak district include several Hindu temples; such as the Maa Santoshi Temple, located in Korkora village; Sri Radha Madanmohan temple; the temple of Akhandalamani; the Kali Puja held at Charampa; Prasanna Khemeswar Mahadev Temple in Anijo village, which is a Shiva temple that has existed for 150 years. Apart from above there is a famous temple situated at kharida binayakpur under basudevpur block in the name of Aankudeswari Temple.The temple is too much popular in Bhadrak district and every year on the occasion of Maha vishuba sankranti / pana sankranti / vaishakhi there is a festivals conducted by the temple authority for almost 15th days. There are also Muslim mosques such as the Sufi Saint Mujahid-e-Millat's Shrine (Mazaar) at Dhamnagar. This shrine is also known as Khanquah-E-Habibah. It is the center of an annual celebration called Eid-Miladun-Nabi, which commemorates the prophet Mohammad's birthday. Other sites in Bhadrak include the Maa Patana Mangala temple and the biggest pond in Odisha. As a religious hub, Bhadrak is also home to festivals and religious celebrations. The
Pana Sankranti Maha Bishuba Sankranti (), also known as Pana Sankranti, (), is the traditional new year day festival of Odia people in Odisha, India. The festival occurs in the solar Odia calendar (the lunisolar Hindu calendar followed in Odisha) on the first ...
held at Chhatrapada from 14 to 21 April is one of the most famous.
Dol Purnima Dol Purnima, also popularly known as Dol Jatra, Dola Jatra, Doul Utsav or Deul, is a Hindu swing festival celebrated during the Holi festival of Assam, Bengal, Braj region, Gujarat, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tripura. This festival is dedicated to ...
or Holi (Melana) is also another major festival; it is celebrated in several locations in Bhadrak. The Cart Festival (Ratha Yatra), on the other hand, is celebrated in Jharpata, Gamal, Hide, Ghanteswar, Totapada, Chhatrapada, Bhadrak, and Bhatia village Sri Jagannath matha. This last location is one of the oldest places which observes Ganesh puja (150 years).


Notable people

* Laxmikanta Mohapatra (18 December 1888 – 24 February 1953) was an Indian Odia poet, writer, performance artist, and freedom fighter. He was born in Talapada, Tihidi Block of Bhadrak District, on 18 December 1888. * Ananta Charan Sukla, was an Indian scholar of comparative literature, literary criticism, aesthetics, and philosophy.


See also

* 1991 Bhadrak riot


References

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Bhadrak district Port cities in India