Kalahandi Attractions - Tourist Places To Visit In Kalahandi

Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium is the largest stadium in Odisha owing to its field area. Many big matches like the Ranji Trophy, Kalahandi Cup and many more are organised here. The famous Kalahandi Utsav is also organised here every year.

The Kalahandi Utsav is held on January 14 and goes on for four days which showcases several fine sculptures and handicrafts done by people from all over the country. Many cultural events are held during the utsav, which adds to the attraction of Kalahandi during winter. People visiting Kalahandi in January can enjoy the Kalahandi Utsav.

Mohangiri is a quaint village in Kalahandi, which comes under the places of interest for tourists of the Shiva temple. A stream named Kali Ganga flows close to the village. On the bank of this stream lie the ruins of the ancient Shiva temple with eleven pillars of Jagmohan Hall. Though the temple has been reconstructed, the old remnants which date back to 600 AD can still be found inside the temple.

Many rock-cut sculptures have been carved out on the body of the temple along with the many stone blocks of this ancient collapsed temple making the temple worthy of a visit. A Shivalinga has been unearthed along with the temple which is now placed inside a hut for worshipping. The temple is a unique combination of the present period and the olden times.

Gudahandi is an incredible and picturesque spot that is made by three adjoining hills in Kalahandi. Home to not only naturally bounties, Gudahandi houses several evidences that are believed to be from a prehistoric age. The caves that belong to these hills bear several paintings on their bodies. These paintings are believed to have been carved out during the Indus Valley Civilisation. All the caves are more or less of the same size except the one present towards the extreme north. One can be easily mesmerised by the red and black paintings present at the entrance of the caves.

A verdant valley lies in the adjoining area of the northern and the southern hills which adds to the beauty of Gudahandi Hills. A small river named Behera flows across the hills, which houses the remains of an ancient dam believed to have been built by Bhima. Gudahandi is a favourite picnic spot for the local people, as well as for the visitors, during the winter.

Asurgarh, Fort of Asura, is near Narla in Kalahandi. This place is was once inhabited by urbanised and civilised people of 500 BC to 500 AD and served as a political and cultural hub. People travel to this place to marvel at the remnants of a fort that is located near a large tank of 200 acres named Asursagar.

It has four entrances in each direction and each entrance enshrines a different deity. The east entrance is presided by Goddess Ganga, whereas the west entrance is ruled by Kala Pahad. The Vaishnavi image is installed in the south and Lord Budharaja is worshipped in the north direction. The fort’s presiding deity is Goddess Dokari or Old Lady who is enshrined inside the fort. Locals believe that the fort was home to a demon king, Gosingha Daitya. Anyone travelling to Asurgarh Fort is guaranteed of sailing into the virtual tour of ancient times.

Rabandarh is home to a cascading waterfall that dwells amidst the dense green forest. Far away from the maddening crowd of the town, Rabandarh is a serene and tranquil location with only one sound, that is, the sound of the waterfalls. One has to cross dusty roads to reach this place. Despite the poor roads, people come to Rabandarh to spend some time in the lap of nature. It is a well-known picnic spot. Adventure lovers come here for trekking too.

The natural beauty that casts serenity and seclusion all around Rabandarh is a major tourist attraction of Kalahandi. Many tourists come here during winter when the weather remains cool and the water is chilled.