Flanked by the Gandhamardan Hills in the north-west and the
Mahanadi in the north-east, the district of Balangir has its own appeal for nature-loving tourists. Known by the name South-kosala even from the time of the
Ramayana, it is a bustling commercial center in western
Orissa. Balangir is home to tribes such as Kutia, Binjhals, Khonds, and
Gandas. The region has rich mineral deposits of graphite, quartz and quartzite, bauxite, and manganese. The climate is temperate.
Oriya,
Hindi, and English are spoken.
The town of Balangir, situated 327 km away from
Bhubaneswar, is a famous tourist spot. The most important attraction is Ranipur-Jharial, located 104 km away from Balangir and housing one of the four existing hypaethral temples (temples without roofs). The temple is an archeological wonder. Other places of attraction are Gandhamardan hill,
Hirapur, Jogisarada, and Patnagarh.
