Phulbani Tourism, Orissa India

Sarala Temple Belghar Sanctuary Barala Devi Temple Pabanesvara Siva Temple Chilka Wildlife Sanctuary Putudi Simlipal National Park Duduma Waterfall Mangalesvara Siva Temple Boudh Putudi Falls Chakapad

The History of phulbani is very old.Reference about this district can be traced back to the 3rd Century B.C in the rock addicts of Ashoka, when it was a part of the Atvika Country.During the military campaign of amudragupta,this part of the world was ruled by Mahakantar who was subdued by the Gupta emperor.Phulbani   district is made up with some segments of three erstwhile principalities of Boudh, Ghumsar and Khemundi , reigned by the Bhanjas and the Gangas from ancient times. Udayagiri constituted the northern fringe of Ghumusara kingdom of the Bhanjas. They occupied this state in the 9th Century and continued to rule over it till 1835. Ganjam came under the Britishers in 1765. The Bhanjas are known to have defied the authority of the British government and undertaken revolts against them frequently. The Kandhas and the Paikas forming the Ghumasar army waged relentless wars under the able leadership of Dohara Bissoyi from 1815 to 1835. Deposing Dhananjay Bhanja for his habitual recalcitrance the British occupied Ghumusar on November 3, 1835. Dhananjaya Bhanja died at G.Udayagiri in December of the same year as a fugitive.The Gangas ruled over the Balliguda region from the 10th Century and this dynasty ruled over these hilly tracts till the 19th century. British captured this area in phases from 1830 to 1880 by subjugating some hill chiefs, who were the proteges of the Gangas.Ghumusar and Balliguda regions were under the uninterrupted reign of the Bhanjas and Gangas, respectively, for about a millenium. But the Kandhamal area, which was part of Boudh, witnessed a chequered history during the same period.The present Kandhamal sub-division was an integral part of Boudh from time immemorial till 1855. The earliest history of Phulbani is gleaned from a number of copper-plate inscriptions issued by the kings of the early Bhanja dynasty that reigned over Boudh and Kandhamal in the 8th and 9th Century. Their kingdom was known as Khinjali Mandala. From the 10th Century to the advent of British in this region, Boudh, including Kandhamal, has been governed in sucecession by the following royal dynasties: the Somavansis, the Chindak Nagas/Telugu Chodas, the Kalchuris and the Bhanjas.The Britishers tried to annex the region and suppress the prevalent practice of human sacrifice by the tribal. However they met with stiff resistance by the tribal. Finally after 20 years of stiff resistance they were able to annex the regions to their kingdom in 1855. Subsequently they truncated the regions where the Kandha tribes were predominant in Feb 1855 naming it as Kandhamal.After British conquest of Uttar Ghumasar (G.Udayagiri area) and Uttar Khemundi (Balliguda area) these territories were placed under the administration of the Collector of Ganjam district. These areas remained under the control and adminstration of the British until India attained her independence. Kandhamal remained a Tahasil from 1855 to 1891 and it was adminstered by a Tahasildar under the direct control and supervision of the superintendent of the Tributary mahals of Cuttack. In 1891, it was upgraded to sub-division and tagged with Anugul district. When the new provience of Orissa was formed in 1936, and Ganjam was merged with Orissa, from the Madras presidency, Kandhamal became a sub-division of Ganjam. In the wake of the amalgamation of the princely states with Orissa in January 1948, Boudh and Kandhamal constituted the new district of Boudh-Kandhamal, with its headquarters at Phulbani. Balliguda sub-division was added to Boudh-Kandhamal district on 1.1.1949. With the secession of Boudh from Phulbani district as a separate district only Balliguda and Kandhamal sub-divisions remained with Phulbani district, which was later rechristened as Kandhamal in June, 1994.