Sambalpur Tourism

Sambalpur is located in the western part of Odisha, and is one of the largest and oldest cities in the state. It is the headquarters of Northern Revenue Division, Mahanadi Coalfield Limited (MCL) and one of the railway division from East Coast Railway zone. It is situated about 300 km (190 mi) west of the state capital Bhubaneswar, 550 km (340 mi) west of Kolkata in West Bengal and 278 km (173 mi) east of Raipur in Chhattisgarh. It is on the bank of the Mahanadi River.
Sambalpur derives its name from its presiding deity Sambaleswari enshrined in a temple called Samalai Gudi on the banks of Mahanadi, erected by the Chauhans in the mid 16th century. A grand fair is held here in the month of Ashwin and Chitra. A district head quarter town and an important commercial centre, it is famous for its textiles, particularly its tie-and-dye lkat work, also popular as Sambalpuri. Due to its unique pattern, design and texture, the Sambalpur is internationally famed. The folk dances like the Karama dance especially on the festive occasion of Bhardrav Ekadashi (August/September) is entertaining and a special attraction for the visitors.