Tourist Attractions of Angul

= Budhithakurani Temple, Angul =

While at Angul the visitors must see the temple of Budhi Thakurani, the presiding Goddess of this area. Angul has earned celebrity as a Saktra centre since the 8th century A.D. with the rise of the Sulkis an its soil. Goddess Budhithalurani is now enshrined at Mahanmohan Para around 1 km. from the bus stand nearby the Sambalpur road. Facing towards east the deity is worshipped in the form of a stone icon covered with vermilion. The shrine draws huge crowds throughout the year. Pilgrims from different parts of Orissa visit the place not only for a Darsan of the Mother Goddess but also to seek relief from the physical ailments from which they suffer. She is said to be the fulfiller of all desires. Animals are sacrificed and offered to her on religious occasions.

Saila Srikshetra, Angul

The gigantic temple of Lord Jagnnath, a newly-constructed monument, is situated at the Sunasagada hill top near the Budhithakurani temple. The temple is constructed in the architectural style of Lord Jagannath temple of Puri. The icons of Lord Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannath are enshrined in the sanctum of the temple. Here Mahaprasad is also available like the Puri Jagannath temple for the devotees. On the occasion of car festival a big mela is held every year. This can be visited either in the morning or in the evening. It is a prominent shrine which attracts a lot of visitors throughout the year.

Tikarapada & Satkoshia Gorge

Tikarpada is one of the most fabulous vistas of river and forest, here you will find Satkosia Gorge where the great Mahanadi River crashes with monumental force . This is a great place for white water rafting and other adventure sports for all adventure lovers.

It is about 60 kilometers from the district headquarter Angul and about 200 kilometers from Bhubaneswar. Regular bus services are available from Angul to Tikarapada, via Badakera and Jaganathpur. With improvement in better road conditions, one can take a taxi service from Angul to Tikarapada, via village Ogi, Tainsi, and Jaganathpur and probably this may be a better option. Tikarpada is probably the most important wildlife tourist attraction of the district. This place is famous for the Gharial Crocodile Sanctuary, which is situated on the bank of River Mahanadi. Wildlife lovers can have a chance to watch Tiger, leopard, elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilagai, four-horned antelope and sloth bear. Wild dogs used to be sighted often. Many resident birds frequent this place. Reptiles like the gharial, mugger crocodile, fresh water turtle and poisonous and non-poisonous snakes can also be sighted. Besides, this is also very much popular among the tourists as a trekking hotspot. Tikarapada is also famous for the Satakoshia George of river Mahanadi around lush green forest.

Bhimkund

Bhimkund is another tourist place of Anugul district, which is situated about 28 kilometers from the town of Talcher. One can see the sleeping statue of Lord Vishnu on the river bed of Bramhani.

Deulajhari Hot Spring

Deulajhari is one more important place from both religious and natural beauty point of view in Angul district. This is situated 248 km from Bhubaneswar and 70 km from the district headquarters. Deulajhari, is better known as the ancient citadel of Saivism. The legacy of traditions and worships in the temple mirrors a heritage in its past and present flowing in to eternity. The hot spring flows from the bottom (pedestal) of a Shiva 'Lingam'. The water is naturally channelised to 36 ponds on the outskirts of the Shiva temple. The hot water believed to have contain medicinal properties which may cure many skin dieases as prooved by modern medical science. Besides a bath in the spring is highly recorrended from religious point of view also. Deulajhari has been taken up by the Department of Tourism, Govt. of Orissa as tourist attraction and investing to for better tourist facilities.

External links

* [http://angul.nic.in/ Angul District official website]
* [http://angul.nic.in/deulajhari.htm Deulajhari]
* [http://www.access-india.com/orissa-wildlife-tikarpadasanctuary.htm Tikarapada]
* [http://www.angul.nic.in/ Angul]