History
On the bank of river Mahanadi, goddess Samaleswari is worshipped from ancient times as ''Jagatjanani'', ''Adishakti'', ''Mahalaxmi'' and ''Mahasaraswati''. The region in which the temple is situated has a rich cultural heritage. Sambalpur is popularly known as "Hirakhanda" from ancient times. Greek explorer Ptolemy described the place as ''Sambalak''. According to French traveller Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and English historian Edward Gibbon, diamonds were exported to Rome from Sambalpur.References
See also
* Samalpur {{Hindu temples in Orissa Hindu goddesses Hindu temples in Sambalpur district Shakti temples