Balasore District
Encyclopedia
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 tourist attraction, also because of its historical monuments and temples. There are a few hill ranges in the region too.
It is now a launch station for sounding rocket
s on the east coast of India
in Orissa
state at 21°18' N and 86°36' E. Balasore has been in use since 1989, but unlike Sriharikota
, it is not used for launching satellite
s. The rocket launching site at Balasore is situated in a place called Chandipur
located on the Bay of Bengal
. The Interim Test Range in Chandipur, Balasore is responsible for carrying out tests for various missiles such as Agni, Prithvi
, Trishul etc.
Balasore Railway Station falls en route on the main line connecting Chennai
to Kolkata
. Road connectivity wise, National Highway-5 runs through Balasore. It is 212 km north-east of Bhubaneswar by road. Chandipur-on-sea is a sea resort famous for its mile long shallow beaches. Chandipur on sea is one of the shallowest sea beaches in the world. It is a unique beach, the tide comes to the shore only four times a day, at determined intervals. Among other tourist attractions is the 18th century kshirochora-gopinath temple, famous for its mythological story, how the temple was built there.
Birth place of linguist and novelist Fakir Mohan Senapati,considered to be the saviour of modern oriya language and an eminent freedom fighter. Also birth place of famous oriya poet Kabibar Radhanath Roy.
and later became a territory of Toshala or Utkal, till the death of Mukunda Dev. It was annexed by Mughals in 1568 and remained as a part of their suzerainty up to 1750-51. Subsequently, the Maratha
s of Nagpur occupied this part of Orissa and it came under the dominion of the Maratha Rajas. In 1803, this part was ceded to The British East India Company
through the Treaty of Deogaon and it became a part of Bengal Presidency
until 1912. But the first English Settlement came into existence in Balasore region in 1634 while Shah Jahan
was the emperor at Delhi. The region was an early trading port for British, French and Dutch ships in the early age of Enlightenment and became a colonial part of first Danish India
and later British India. The first of English factories was established in this region in 1640. During this period Dutch and Danish settlements were also found in this region.
Balasore as a separate district was created in October 1828 while it was in the Bengal Presidency. With the creation of Bihar province, Orissa was diverted along with Balasore district from Bengal to Bihar. With the creation of Orissa as a separate State on 1 April 1936, Balasore became an integral part of Orissa State. The national movement of independence surged ahead with the visit of Mahatma Gandhi
in 1921. Inchudi Salt Revolution (Lavana Satyagrah) and Srijang Satyagrah for non-payment of Revenue Tax are famous as part of the struggle for freedom movement. Praja Andolan was initiated against the ruler of Nilagiri State. In January 1948, the state of Nilagiri was merged with the state of Orissa and became a part of Balasore district. On 3 April 1993, Bhadrak Sub-division became a separate district.
In the early 17th century, Balasore was an important trading destination in the eastern coastline of India. Inhabitants of the place sailed to distant ports in south-east Asia
, especially to Lacadive and Maldives islands
for trade and culture. Copper coins excavated from Bhograi and statues of Lord Buddha
unearthed from places like Avana, Kupari, Basta & Ajodhya signify the existence of Buddhism
in Balasore which was popular during the rule of Bhoumakar dynasty. The statues of Lord Mahavira
found at Jaleswar, Balasore & Avana date back to the 10-11th century and show the existence of Jainism
in the region.
and lies between 21° 3' to 21° 59' north latitude and 86° 20' to 87° 29' east longitude. The average altitude of the district
is 19.08 metre. The district has a total area of 3634 km2. It is bounded by Midnapore district
of West Bengal
in its North, the Bay of Bengal
in the east, Bhadrak district in the South and Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar
districts on its western side.
Balasore is also known " The city of Land on Sea Shore" or " City of Sand"
Broadly the district can be divided into three geographical regions, namely, the Coastal belt, the inner alluvial plain
and the North-Western hills. The coastal belt is about 81 km wide and shaped like a strip. In this region, sand dunes are noticed along the coast with some ridges. This region is mostly flooded with brackish water of estuarine rivers which is unsuitable for cultivation. Presently this area is utilized for coconut and betel cultivation. Shrimp culture and salt manufacturing units are also developing in this area recently. The second contiguous geographical region is deltaic alluvial plain. It is a wide stretch of highly fertile and irrigated land. This area is highly populous and devoid of any jungle. The third region, north-western hilly region covers most of Nilgiri
Sub-division. It is mostly hilly terrain and vegetated with tropical semi-ever green forests. The Hills of Nilgiri has the highest peak of 543 metre above the sea level. The scheduled tribes of the district are mostly seen in this region of valuable forest resources and stone quarries.
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.
The soil of Balasore district is mostly alluvial laterite. The soil of Central region is mostly clay, clay loam
and sandy loam which is very fertile for paddy and other farm produces. Nilgiri Sub-division is mostly gravelly and lateritic soil, which is less fertile. A small strip of saline soil is also seen along the extreme coastal part of the district.
The main market of Balasore is Nua Bazar, Motiganj, FM Square, Vivekanand Marg, Station Square, ITI Chakh, Kachehri Road and Nua Shahi.
Balasore Town has some good Hotels which provide decent accommodation with all Luxrious Facilities/amenities. (Hotel Hari Plaza, Barjorjis Banjara, Sawarnachuda, Kalinga, Panchjanya, Panthaniwas, Draupadi, Toronto, Ramya, Suraj, DK Lodge)
is the district headquarters.
The district is further divided into 2 subdivisions, 12 blocks for undertaking developmental works in the rural areas, 7 tehsil
s for revenue and administrative purposes and 289 (257 old + 32 new) Gram Panchayat
s . Besides there are 4 town
s consisting of 1 municipality
and 3 NACs(Notified Area Councils). These local bodies look into civic aspects of urban areas. Also, there are 2971 village
s, out of which 2602 are inhabited.
The district has 1 Loksabha constituency and 7 vidhan sabha
constituencies.
Nearest Airport from Balasore is Bhubneswar and Kolkata a ride of approximately 3 and half hours.
Balasore runs State Buses (OTDC) which provide Point to Point Service from Kolkata to Bhubneswar (Via Balasore).
Balasore district has a population
of 2,317,419, roughly equal to the nation of Latvia
or the US state of New Mexico
. This gives it a ranking of 195th in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 609 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 14.47 %. Baleshwar has a sex ratio
of 957 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 80.66 %.
s of Orissa
. Being a coastal district salty water and normal water fish cultivation adds many Oriya fish dishes like Machha ghanta, Machha besara, Chuna machha khata, Macha bhaja, etc. There are many dessert preparations which are available in the sweet shops around the district.
The religious centers at Remuna
, Chandaneswar
, Panchalingeshwar
, Sajanagarh, Ayodya, Maninageswar Temple at Bardhanpur, Brhamani Temple at Avana, Jagannath temple at Nilgiri,Talakurunia are popular among the devotees and form major attraction for the tourists. The district also hosts as a paradise for nature lovers to explore the rich diversity availed by the hills, sea and forests. The beaches of Chandipur
, Kashapal, Chaumukh, Kharasahapur and Talsari are some of the most peaceful beaches which provide quite a distinct experience from the spoils of civilization. The Similapal Forest reserve and Nilgiri reserves provide nature lovers a natural abode for vacations. The fort of Raibania and the deshuan pokhari are among locations which are historically significant.
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...
state 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...
. 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...
. The coastal district is known for its beautiful mountains and famous temples. Balasore is a place of scenic beauty and a major tourist attraction, also because of its historical monuments and temples. There are a few hill ranges in the region too.
It is now a launch station for sounding rocket
Sounding rocket
A sounding rocket, sometimes called a research rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The origin of the term comes from nautical vocabulary, where to sound is to throw a weighted line from a ship into...
s on the east coast of 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...
in 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...
state at 21°18' N and 86°36' E. Balasore has been in use since 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 called 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...
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 Interim 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.
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...
. Road connectivity wise, National Highway-5 runs through Balasore. It is 212 km north-east of Bhubaneswar by road. Chandipur-on-sea is a sea resort famous for its mile long shallow beaches. Chandipur on sea is one of the shallowest sea beaches in the world. It is a unique beach, the tide comes to the shore only four times a day, at determined intervals. Among other tourist attractions is the 18th century kshirochora-gopinath temple, famous for its mythological story, how the temple was built there.
Birth place of linguist and novelist Fakir Mohan Senapati,considered to be the saviour of modern oriya language and an eminent freedom fighter. Also birth place of famous oriya poet Kabibar Radhanath Roy.
History
Balasore district was a part of the ancient KalingaKalinga (India)
Kalinga was an early state in central-eastern India, which comprised most of the modern state of Orissa/Utkal , as well as the Andhra region of the bordering state of Andhra Pradesh. It was a rich and fertile land that extended from the river Damodar/Ganges to Godavari and from Bay of Bengal to...
and later became a territory of Toshala or Utkal, till the death of Mukunda Dev. It was annexed by Mughals in 1568 and remained as a part of their suzerainty up to 1750-51. Subsequently, the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s of Nagpur occupied this part of Orissa and it came under the dominion of the Maratha Rajas. In 1803, this part was ceded to The British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
through the Treaty of Deogaon and it became a part of Bengal Presidency
Bengal Presidency
The Bengal Presidency originally comprising east and west Bengal, was a colonial region of the British Empire in South-Asia and beyond it. It comprised areas which are now within Bangladesh, and the present day Indian States of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa and Tripura.Penang and...
until 1912. But the first English Settlement came into existence in Balasore region in 1634 while Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
was the emperor at Delhi. The region was an early trading port for British, French and Dutch ships in the early age of Enlightenment 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...
and later British India. The first of English factories was established in this region in 1640. During this period Dutch and Danish settlements were also found in this region.
Balasore as a separate district was created in October 1828 while it was in the Bengal Presidency. With the creation of Bihar province, Orissa was diverted along with Balasore district from Bengal to Bihar. With the creation of Orissa as a separate State on 1 April 1936, Balasore became an integral part of Orissa State. The national movement of independence surged ahead with the visit of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
in 1921. Inchudi Salt Revolution (Lavana Satyagrah) and Srijang Satyagrah for non-payment of Revenue Tax are famous as part of the struggle for freedom movement. Praja Andolan was initiated against the ruler of Nilagiri State. In January 1948, the state of Nilagiri was merged with the state of Orissa and became a part of Balasore district. On 3 April 1993, Bhadrak Sub-division became a separate district.
In the early 17th century, Balasore was an important trading destination in the eastern coastline of India. Inhabitants of the place sailed to distant ports in south-east Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
, especially to Lacadive and Maldives islands
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
for trade and culture. Copper coins excavated from Bhograi and statues of Lord Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
unearthed from places like Avana, Kupari, Basta & Ajodhya signify the existence of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
in Balasore which was popular during the rule of Bhoumakar dynasty. The statues of Lord Mahavira
Mahavira
Mahāvīra is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamāna who established what are today considered to be the central tenets of Jainism. According to Jain tradition, he was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. In Tamil, he is referred to as Arukaṉ or Arukadevan...
found at Jaleswar, Balasore & Avana date back to the 10-11th century and show the existence of Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
in the region.
Geography
Balasore district is located in the northeast of the state of OrissaOrissa
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...
and lies between 21° 3' to 21° 59' north latitude and 86° 20' to 87° 29' east longitude. The average altitude of the district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
is 19.08 metre. The district has a total area of 3634 km2. It is bounded by Midnapore district
Midnapore District
Midnapore district is a former district of the state of West Bengal, India. This district was bifurcated on January 1, 2002 into the Purba Medinipur district and the Paschim Medinipur district.-References:...
of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
in its North, 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...
in the east, Bhadrak district in the South and Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar
Kendujhar District
Kendujhar District, also known as Keonjhar District, is an administrative district of Orissa state in eastern India. The town of Kendujhar or Kendujhargarh is the district headquarters....
districts on its western side.
Balasore is also known " The city of Land on Sea Shore" or " City of Sand"
Broadly the district can be divided into three geographical regions, namely, the Coastal belt, the inner alluvial plain
Alluvial plain
An alluvial plain is a relatively flat landform created by the deposition of sediment over a long period of time by one or more rivers coming from highland regions, from which alluvial soil forms...
and the North-Western hills. The coastal belt is about 81 km wide and shaped like a strip. In this region, sand dunes are noticed along the coast with some ridges. This region is mostly flooded with brackish water of estuarine rivers which is unsuitable for cultivation. Presently this area is utilized for coconut and betel cultivation. Shrimp culture and salt manufacturing units are also developing in this area recently. The second contiguous geographical region is deltaic alluvial plain. It is a wide stretch of highly fertile and irrigated land. This area is highly populous and devoid of any jungle. The third region, north-western hilly region covers most of Nilgiri
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...
Sub-division. It is mostly hilly terrain and vegetated with tropical semi-ever green forests. The Hills of Nilgiri has the highest peak of 543 metre above the sea level. The scheduled tribes of the district are mostly seen in this region of valuable forest resources and stone quarries.
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
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...
, namely :- Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha
Subarnarekha River
Subarnarekha River flows through the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa.-Etymology:As per tradition, gold was mined near the origin of the river at a village named Piska near Ranchi. This is why it was named Subarnarekha, meaning ‘streak of gold’. Legend has it that traces of...
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.
The soil of Balasore district is mostly alluvial laterite. The soil of Central region is mostly clay, clay loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
and sandy loam which is very fertile for paddy and other farm produces. Nilgiri Sub-division is mostly gravelly and lateritic soil, which is less fertile. A small strip of saline soil is also seen along the extreme coastal part of the district.
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 and Nua Shahi.
Balasore Town has some good Hotels which provide decent accommodation with all Luxrious Facilities/amenities. (Hotel Hari Plaza, Barjorjis Banjara, Sawarnachuda, Kalinga, Panchjanya, Panthaniwas, Draupadi, Toronto, Ramya, Suraj, DK Lodge)
Divisions
BalasoreBalasore
Balasore is a strategically located city in the state of Orissa, about north of the state capital Bhubaneswar, in eastern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Balasore district. It is best known for Chandipur beach. It is also the site of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defense...
is the district headquarters.
The district is further divided into 2 subdivisions, 12 blocks for undertaking developmental works in the rural areas, 7 tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s for revenue and administrative purposes and 289 (257 old + 32 new) Gram Panchayat
Gram panchayat
Gram panchayats are local self-governments at the village or small town level in India. As of 2002 there were about 265,000 gram panchayats in India. The gram panchayat is the foundation of the Panchayat System. A gram panchayat can be set up in villages with minimum population of 300...
s . Besides there are 4 town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
s consisting of 1 municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
and 3 NACs(Notified Area Councils). These local bodies look into civic aspects of urban areas. Also, there are 2971 village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s, out of which 2602 are inhabited.
The district has 1 Loksabha constituency and 7 vidhan sabha
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
constituencies.
Blocks
The names of the various blocks are given below.- Balasore subdivison - Bahanaga, Balasore, Baliapal, Basta, Bhograi, Jaleswar, Khaira, Remuna, Simulia, Soro
- Nilgiri subdivison - Nilgiri, Oupada
Transport
Balasore Railway Station falls en route on the main line connecting Chennai to Kolkata. 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.
Balasore runs State Buses (OTDC) which provide Point to Point Service from Kolkata to Bhubneswar (Via Balasore).
Demographics
According to the 2011 census2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
Balasore district has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 2,317,419, roughly equal to the nation of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
or the US state of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. This gives it a ranking of 195th in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 609 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 14.47 %. Baleshwar has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 957 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 80.66 %.
Food
There are many traditional and authentic cuisines of Baleswar district. (Gaja) from baleswar is one of the many famous PithaPitha
Pitha , or pithe is a type of cake or bread common in Bangladesh and India, especially the eastern states of Assam, Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, and the northeastern region. Pithas are typically made of rice flour, although there are some types of pitha made of wheat flour...
s 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...
. Being a coastal district salty water and normal water fish cultivation adds many Oriya fish dishes like Machha ghanta, Machha besara, Chuna machha khata, Macha bhaja, etc. There are many dessert preparations which are available in the sweet shops around the district.
Tourism
A Coastal district on the North Eastern Sea board Balasore has destination of having been called the "scenarios of Orissa" with heritages of green paddy fields, a network of rivers, blue hills, extensive meadows and extraordinary beach.The religious centers at Remuna
Remuna
Remuna is a town and a notified area committee in Baleswar district in the Indian state of Orissa.-Geography:Remuna is located at . It has an average elevation of 20 metres .-Demographics:...
, Chandaneswar
Chandaneswar
Chandaneshwar is famous for a Shiva temple located in Chandaneswar, Baleswar, Orissa. A huge annual fair in the Pana Sankranti, the first day of the Oriya calendar, is celebrated in the premises of temple...
, 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...
, Sajanagarh, Ayodya, Maninageswar Temple at Bardhanpur, Brhamani Temple at Avana, Jagannath temple at Nilgiri,Talakurunia are popular among the devotees and form major attraction for the tourists. The district also hosts as a paradise for nature lovers to explore the rich diversity availed by the hills, sea and forests. The beaches of 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...
, Kashapal, Chaumukh, Kharasahapur and Talsari are some of the most peaceful beaches which provide quite a distinct experience from the spoils of civilization. The Similapal Forest reserve and Nilgiri reserves provide nature lovers a natural abode for vacations. The fort of Raibania and the deshuan pokhari are among locations which are historically significant.
See also
- Rocket launch sites
- Indian Space Research OrganisationIndian Space Research OrganisationThe 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 StationThumbaThumba 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...
- ChandipurChandipurChandipur 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...
External links
- Official website of Balasore District
- Balasore at Encyclopedia AstronauticaEncyclopedia AstronauticaThe Encyclopedia Astronautica is a reference web site on space travel. A comprehensive catalog of vehicles, technology, astronauts, and flights, it includes information from most countries that have had an active rocket research program, from Robert Goddard to the NASA Space shuttle to the Soviet...