Balasore
Encyclopedia
Balasore (also known as Baleshwar) is a strategically located city in the state of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...

, about 194 kilometres (121 mi) north of the state capital Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital...

, in eastern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. It is the administrative headquarters of Balasore district
Balasore District
Balasore District, also known as Baleswar District or Baleshwar District, is an administrative district of Orissa state in eastern India. The lingua franca is Oriya. The coastal district is known for its beautiful mountains and famous temples. Balasore is a place of scenic beauty and a major...

. It is best known for Chandipur beach. It is also the site of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program
Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program
The Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program is an initiative to develop and deploy a multi-layered ballistic missile defense system to protect India from ballistic missile attacks....

's Integrated Test Range, located 18 km. south of Balasore. The Defence Research and Development Organisation
Defence Research and Development Organisation
The Defence Research and Development Organisation is a agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military, headquartered in New Delhi, India...

 developed many different missiles such as Nag, Brahmos
BrahMos
BrahMos is a stealth supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between Republic of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation and Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed BrahMos Aerospace...

, Agni missile among others here. The lingua franca
Lingua franca
A lingua franca is a language systematically used to make communication possible between people not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both mother tongues.-Characteristics:"Lingua franca" is a functionally defined term, independent of the linguistic...

 is Oriya
Oriya language
Oriya , officially Odia from November, 2011, is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is mainly spoken in the Indian states of Orissa and West Bengal...

.

History

The English settlement of Balasore, formed in 1642, was an early trading port for British, French and Dutch ships in the early age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...

 and became a colonial part of first Danish India
Danish India
Danish India is a term for the former colonies of Denmark, and until 1814 Denmark–Norway, in India. The colonies included the town of Tranquebar in present-day Tamil Nadu state, Serampore in present-day West Bengal, and the Nicobar Islands, currently part of India's union territory of the Andaman...

, later British India.

In 1763 Balasore became a Danish possession, governed from Tranquebar
Tranquebar
Tharangambadi is a panchayat town in Nagapattinam district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, 15 km north of Karaikal, near the mouth of a distributary of the Kaveri River. Its name means "place of the singing waves"...

, as part of Danish India
Danish India
Danish India is a term for the former colonies of Denmark, and until 1814 Denmark–Norway, in India. The colonies included the town of Tranquebar in present-day Tamil Nadu state, Serampore in present-day West Bengal, and the Nicobar Islands, currently part of India's union territory of the Andaman...

. Due to the shallowness of its bay, the trading post was abandoned, leaving behind only a small settlement in the area. On 7 November 1845, all Danish India was sold to the British, who made it part of British India. Since the beginning of the 20th century Balasore, as a strategic point, interested revolutionaries.

Geography

Balasore is a city in the North of Orissa. It is located at the south eastern part of the India. The city is surrounded by West Bengal in the north,and the Bay of Bengal to the East. Balasore is located at 21°30`N, 86°56`E. Balasore surrounds an area of 3076 km2.

Geographically, Balasore or Baleshwar comprises three distinct regions of North-Western Hill ranges, Coastal Area and inner alluvial belt.

Balasore is also known " The city of Land on Sea Shore" or " City of Sand"

Balasore is famous for its forests and mines. This district is noted for the Budhabalanga River
Budhabalanga River
The Budhabalanga River flows through the districts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore in the Indian state of Orissa.-Course:...

 and 3824 Feet high Mountain Mahagiri.

Balasore, the coastal district of Orissa is crisscrossed with perennial and estuarine rivers because of its proximity to the sea. Two important rivers of Orissa, namely :- Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha pass through this district from west to east before surging into the Bay of Bengal. The irrigation system in Balasore district is very much widespread.

Demographics

India census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

, Baleshwar had a population of 106,032. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Baleshwar has an average literacy rate of 86%, higher than the national average of 59.5%. 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. It is the most literate town of Orissa.

Overview

Balasore is a place of scenic beauty and a major tourist attraction, also because of its historical monuments, such as various temples in the area. There are a few hill ranges in the region too. It is 207 km north-east of Bhubaneswar by road.

Balasore Town has some good Hotels which provide decent accommodation with all Luxrious Facilities/amenities. (Hotel Hari Plaza, Barjorjis Bhojan, Sawarnachuda, Kalinga, Panchjania, Panthaniwas, Draupadi, Toronto, Ramya, Suraj, Dk Lodge and many more projects are in pipe line)

People in Balasore usually prefer spicy and juicy food. The speciality of Balasore is an Indian Curry that is only available in Balasore its called (Chandini). People visiting Balasore should try this dish in any of the good restaurants available in the town. Visitors can also try the Kashmiri Nan and Chena Puru/Chena Muri.

Balasore has been in use from 1989, but unlike Sriharikota
Sriharikota
Sriharikota is a barrier island off the coast of the southern state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It houses India's only satellite launch centre in the Satish Dhawan Space Centre and is used by the Indian Space Research Organisation to launch satellites using multi-stage rockets such as the Polar...

, it is not used for launching satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....

s. The rocket launching site at Balasore is situated in a place named Chandipur
Chandipur
Chandipur also known as Chandipur-on-sea is a small sea resort in Baleswar District, Orissa, India. The resort is on the Bay of Bengal and is approximately 16 kilometers from the Baleswar Railway Station. The beach is unique in that the water recedes anywhere from 1 kilometer to 4 kilometers during...

. Chandipur is located on the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...

. The Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Balasore is responsible for carrying out tests for various missiles such as Agni, Prithvi
Prithvi missile
Prithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.- Development and History :...

, Trishul, etc.

Economy

Balasore is the main town in the District of Balasore. The primary occupation of people in the district of Balasore is cultivation. Balasore district is mostly known for cultivation of paddy, since rice is the staple cereal of the local people. The district has four major revenue sources. Industries, Agriculture, fishing and Tourism.

The main market of Balasore is Nua Bazar, Motiganj, FM Square, Vivekanand Marg, Station Square, ITI Chakh, Kachehri Road, Town Hall and Nua Shahi. Multiple projects for Shopping malls are also in pipeline.

Balasore is the pride of Orissa.

Transport

Balasore Railway Station falls en route on the main line connecting Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

 to Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...

. National Highway-5 runs through Balasore, and National Highway-60, which connects Balasore to Kolkata, is a four lane express way.

Nearest Airport from Balasore is Bhubneswar and Kolkata a ride of approximately 3 and half hours.

Places of interest

Chandipur-on-sea is a sea resort famous for its mile long shallow beaches. It is a unique beach where the tide comes to the shore only four times a day, at fixed intervals. At a distance of 30 k.m. south-west, there lies Panchalingeshwar
Panchalingeshwar
Panchalingeshwar Temple is located in Balasore district of Orissa.It so named after the five Shivalinga that are enshrined inside temple is located on top of a hillock near the Nilagiri hill...

, a scenic spot high on a mountain. The presiding Siva there can't be seen, rather, one has to feel by touching the statue which is submerged under the flowing fountain. About 33 km south-west of Balasore, there is 'Santaragadia' is a semi town where 'Biseswar temple' is situated in the hill, covered by hills on its sides. Near to this place, there is 'Khulia Village' which is a settlement of aboriginal peoples staying in a scenic village surrounded by hills and fountains from all sides. Around 30 km south-east of Balasore, there is a port named 'Dhamra'.
Kshirachora Gopinatha Temple
Kshirachora Gopinatha Temple
Khirachora Gopinatha Temple is in Remuna. It is a little town 9 km east of Balasore, about halfway between Howrah and Bhubaneswar in Orissa . The name "Remuna" is from the word "Ramaniya" which means very good-looking.-Vigrahas:...

, situated at Remuna, approximately 7 km from the main town of Balsore, was built by the Great King Langula Narasimha Dev who also built the notable Temple at Konark
Konark
Konark is a small town in Puri district in the state of Orissa, India, on the Bay of Bengal, sixty-five kilometers from Bhubaneswar. It is the site of the 13th-century Sun Temple , built in black granite by King Narasimhadeva-I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is a World Heritage Site...

. Khirochora Gopinath Temple is notable for its mythological story about how it was built there. The Biranchinarayan Temple, Palia
Biranchinarayan Temple, Palia
Sri Biranchinarayan Temple is in Palia village, which is located 15 km south of Bhadrak, on the way from Bhadrak to Chandabali. It occupies a significant place in the cultural map of Orissa state of India. Today, the standing Biranchi Narayan Temple stands as evidence of the heritage of Surya...

, "AstaDurga", "Bhudhar Chandi" are some other temples located in that region.
There is a Jagannatha Temple in Nilagiri
Nilagiri
Nilagiri is a town and a notified area committee in Balasore district in the Indian state of Orissa.-History:Orissa Freedom Fighters like Banamali Das, Baishnab Patnaik and Nanda Kishore Patnaik violently fought against the local prince and forced him to surrender to newly formed Indian National...

  which is one of the prominent Jagannnath temples of Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...

. Lord Jagannath
Jagannath
Jagannath is a transcendental non-anthropotheistic Hindu god worshiped primarily by the people of Indian state of Orissa, and, to a great extent, West Bengal...

, Balabhadra and Subhadra
Subhadra
Image:Jagannath, Baladev and Subadra in Radhadesh.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=|Subhadra, flanked by her brothers Balarama and Jagannatha . Deities of the Radhadesh temple in Belgium...

 are worshiped here. Every year Ratha Yatra is observed with all the cults of the gods.




Panchalingeswara temple is scenic picnic spot in Baleswar which is located 30 km from Baleswar. This is famous both for Panchalingeswara temple and the picnic spot nearby. There is a state tourism Pantha Nivas in Panchalingeswara for the tourists coming from outside. Panchalingeswara is sorrounded by thick greenery and hillocks. Branches of the natural spring flow through the hill range which add more attraction to this place.
Bhujakhia Pir
Bhujakhia Pir
BHUJAKHIA PIRBhujakhia Pir- situated at sunhat at the heart of the city is the tomb of sufi saint Aasthana Sharif Hazrat Pir named as Hajrat Swale Mohammad better known as Bhujakhia Pir. The shrine of Baba Bhujakhira Pir of Balasore stands as a symbol of harmony between Muslim and Hindu...

, situated at sunhat at the heart of the city is the tomb of sufi saint Aasthana Sharif Hazrat Pir named as Bhujakhia Pir.The shrine of Baba Bhujakhira Pir of Balasore stands as a symbol of harmony between Muslim and Hindu. During the occasion of Urs, Crowd gathers at shrine comprises both Hindu and Muslims. This is an age-old tradition here.The legend tells that Aasthana Sharif Hazrat Pir, name afterwards as ‘Bhujakhia Pir’ had come to Orissa in the 16th century and devoted himself to the service of mankind, especially to the service of Cholera victims. The Pir was much fond of ‘Bhuja’ (Puffed rice), and he is remembered as Bhujakhia Pir. Since after his demise also he is remembered with respect and the shrine remained as place of worship for both communities since centuries.

It was the birthplace of linguist and novelist Fakir Mohan Senapati
Fakir Mohan Senapati
Fakir Mohan Senapati born on January 13, 1843, at Mallikashpur in Balasore, played a leading role in establishing the distinct identity of Oriya, a language mainly spoken in the Indian state of Orissa...

, creator of Oriya script and rebel against the British Raj, and poet Kabibar Radhanath Ray
Kabibar Radhanath Ray
Radhanath Ray is the principal architect of the era of initial modernity in Oriya poetry during the later part of nineteenth century and is honoured in Oriya literature with the title “Kabibara”...

, noted for his poems on the beauty of Chilika Lake and rebel against the British Raj. He is born in Kedarpur (soro) near to village Budei.

Colleges and universities


Schools

  • Balikhand High School
  • Balasore Zilla High School
  • DAV Public School
  • Public High School
  • Balasore Police High School
  • Town High School
  • Kendriya Vidyalaya Balasore
  • St.Vincent's Convent School
  • Christian High School
    Christian High School
    Christian High School, also known as CHS, is in O'Fallon, Missouri. The school mascot is the Eagle and the school colors are teal and black.- History :...

  • Maharshi Vidya Mandir
  • Sovarampur High School
  • Modern Public School
    Modern Public School
    Modern Public School is a private co-educational CBSE school up to +2 Science situated in Balasore, Orissa. Founded in 1997, the school has now grown up into one of the best recognised schools in Balasore and Orissa. The school hosts the annual Quest competition, participated by schools from all...

  • Modern Industrial Training Center, Sunhat
  • sahada high school,sahada
  • saipur me school

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Bagudi, Balasore

Politics

Mr. Girish Chandra Dash is president of Balasore Zilla Parishd. Current MLA from Balasore Assembly Constituency is Jiban Pradeep Dash of BJD
Biju Janata Dal
The Biju Janata Dal is a state political party of the Indian state of Orissa led by Naveen Patnaik, son of former state chief minister Biju Patnaik. It was founded on 27 December 1997.-History:...

, who won the seat in State elections of 2009. He won this seat earlier as an BJP candidate in 2000. Other previous MLAs from this seat were Arun Dey (NCP
NCP
-Politics:* National Coalition Party in Finland.* National Congress, known as the National Congress Party, a Sudanese political party* Nationalist Congress Party, an Indian political party...

) who won this seat in 2004, Gopa Narayan Das of INC
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...

 in 1985, and Kartik Chandra Rout of JNP
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...

 in 1977. Balasore is part of Balasore (Lok Sabha constituency)
Balasore (Lok Sabha constituency)
Balasore is a Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency in Orissa. Assembly constituencies which constitute this parliamentary constituency are: Baisinga, Khunta, Bhograi, Jaleswar, Basta, Balasore and Soro.-Members of Parliament:...

.

See also

  • Rocket launch sites
  • Indian Space Research Organisation
    Indian Space Research Organisation
    The Indian Space Research Organisation is an independent Indian governmental agency established in 1969 for the research and development of vehicles and activities for the exploration of space within and outside of Earth’s atmosphere. Headquartered in Bangalore...

  • Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station
    Thumba
    Thumba is a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram city, capital of Kerala, India.Thumba became well-known to the out-siders after the establishment of Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station , which was the first of that kind in India...

  • Chandipur
    Chandipur
    Chandipur also known as Chandipur-on-sea is a small sea resort in Baleswar District, Orissa, India. The resort is on the Bay of Bengal and is approximately 16 kilometers from the Baleswar Railway Station. The beach is unique in that the water recedes anywhere from 1 kilometer to 4 kilometers during...

  • studio of JHILI MILI,Gopalpur
  • Sea beach Of Roopkhand
  • sea beach Of Kheranga
  • State Bank Of India,Gopalpur
  • UCO Bank,Gopalpur
  • LCC Computer Center

External links

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