Top 5 places to visit in Koraput District (Odisha)

 ABOUT KORAPUT :

Koraput District is a District of India in Southern Odisha, with  headquarters  at Koraput. The District is located in the Eastern Ghats and is known for its hilly terrain, And diverse types of mineral deposists. important road connecting Vishakhapatnam to Raipur. Koraput is a part of the tribal belt in Sothern Odisha.as the term "Tribal" often denotes a negative connoatation, the indigenous people here prefer to be known as "ADIVASI", i.e.' original inhabitants '. many different communities live in this district.

                Most of the area covered by thick forest until relatively recently. many Adivasi communities have adopted new ways of life. there is a market known as Hat poda ot haat where adivasis are selling their organic vegetables and fruits.

                   The Dongar Festival is held Annually ostensibly to showcase  the way of life  Adivasi.in the first and second weeks of December the festival Organised by the district addminstration .many foreign tourists visit the festival.

Famous  places :

Gupteswar Cave Temple:

Gupteswar means "The Hidden god". The two cave entrance give access to a sacred cave, which is exploited as a religious show cave  dedicated to Lord Shiva. Gupteswar Shiva temple is one of the ancient temples of Odisha. you have to climbs 200 stairs to reach the Shiva temple .several other small caves surrounded in this place. The place is also popularly known as  "Gupta Kedar".The place is belived to have close links with first century AD poet Kalidas. The holly month of sravan and the annual festival is the Shiva Ratri. On this day thousands of devotes come here to worship Lord Shiva.it is believed that the cave was discovered by Rama and rediscovered in the region of Maharajah Veer Vikram Dev.

Jagannath Temple:

Koraput Jagannath temple is popularly known as "Shabara Shrikshetra".It is not only built as an altar for worship, but also as a multipurpose area for Jagannath consciousness.it is organised from the tribal culture,and it has no antagonism towards any Religion, caste or creed. Everybody  has free acess to the shrine, which virtually demonstrates the very concept of Jagannath consciousness having tribal bias.

                 The Jagannath temple here was built in 1972 and the practice of pulling  the chariots started after consecration of the temple. since then, the Trinity is taken in one chariot to Gundicha  Temple. Every year, wearing their tradional costumes, the tribals pull the chariot to Gundicha temple, which is 200 meters from the Jagannath Temple.

Opening time: morning 5am to Evening 9 pm.

DEOMALI:

 

The highest mountain peak of Odisha Deomali 1,672 meter above the sea level. High nesting in the lap of the Eastern Ghats is an idealic for Aero Gliding and trekking expeditions. Deomali is a hidden unexplored gem in the Chandragiri Pottangi sub range of the Eastern Ghats. Surrounded

by a lush green forest, the peak is rich in floral and fauna. unlike the popular Araku which can be crowded with Tourists for the most part of the year, Deomali offers solitude in Natures Lap. Alternating between hilly ranges and green plants, this place offers an ideal temperature for travellers, neither too cool or not to hot.

               

                   

Best time to visit: October to May

Travel option: Bike, car, bus....it is 60km far away from Koraput

Kolab Dam:

 Kolab Dam is one of the major river of Odisha. It source is at sinkaran hills of eastern Ghats in Koraput district. The dam is popullarly known as kolab river. Calling out all the travellers, Kolab Dam is a natures retreat in Odisha that fills the hearts of tourists with unforgettable experiences to cherish for a long. The Dam holds an unparalleled charm for tourists because of its serene surrounding and scenic beauty.at this Dam a number of visitors can also be seen picnicking with their  friends, family and list enjoying the boating.

         There is a botonical garden lies beside the incredible dam which is also a prominent place of tourists interest. these garden has over 200 species flowers, however some other attraction that can also be visited after exploring the dam are Deomali.

Tribal Museum:

This museum is behind the Jagannath Temple Koraput with collections of mines, costumers hand woven clothes, musical instrunments, caters to and educates the tourists about the culture and heritage of the tribal. when you visit here you ll have losts of idea about the tribal of Koraput, there food habits, culture, tradition, life style. but less then expectation.

OPENING TIME: Morning 9:30 to Evening 6:30

How to reach Koraput:

By Train: To travel from Bhubaneswar to Koraput by rail. The distance that needs to be covered is 679 kms.

By Bus: Direct Bus available from Bhubaneswar to Koraput time taken to reach Koraput nearly 14 to 15 hours.