Jeypore, which literally means ‘the city of victory’, is a prominent center for trade and commerce in the
Koraput District of
Orissa. Glittering waterfalls and thick vegetation with colorful wildlife in the outskirts, doubles up the city as a tourist center and a suitable base for excursions. Jeypore is 25 km north-west of
Koraput.
Jeypore was the capital of the kingdom of Shri Vira Bikram Dev (1637-69). The ruins of
Maharaja’s fort and the 1.5-mile wide Jagannath Sagar, a massive tank that never dries, can still be viewed in the town. Jeypore continued to be the administrative headquarters until 1870 when the British shifted the capital to Koraput citing environmental reasons.
The commercial nerve center of the district, Jeypore’s major exports include paddy, lentils, wood, mustard and bamboo. The city is considered to have the largest gene pool for rice in the world.
Places of tourist interest include Bagara, Bepariguda Village, Papadahandi (52 km) and Duduma Waterfalls (70 km).
Nearest airport is at Visakhapatnam (220 km). Jeypore lies on the
National Highway 43 and regular bus services connect the town with
Bhubaneswar (521 km), Berhampur and other cities in the state. Jeypore Railway Station is on the Koraput-Jagdalpur line.
