Ganjam District has played a great role in the politics of
Orissa as four of the former chief ministers of Orissa hail from the district. The literal meaning of the word 'ganjam' is 'a source of food grain,' and as the name indicates, it is blessed with fertile soil.
Chhatrapur is the headquarters.
Ganjam has an area of 8,033 sq km, supporting a population of about 3 million. It is blessed with an equable climate. The forests are famous for their wildlife diversity. Manganese, monazite, sand, and talc are the commonly found minerals. The main language spoken is Oriya. Festivals such as Holi, Danda Yatra, Makara Sankranti, and Shivratri are widely celebrated.
The Rishikulya and Mahanadi are the major rivers. Important places worth visiting are Gopalpur-on-Sea, Narayani, Jaugarh, Siddha Vairabi, Budhokhol, Byghra Devi, Berhampur, Budhi Thakurani Temple, Taratarini, and Panchama. Ganjam is also famous for horn works, a salt factory, silver works, and spinning mills.
