In the year 1956, one saint came to Angul and visited the Sakti Pitha and became fascinated by seeing the Bigraha of the Goddess. Curiosity aroused in his mind to know what was inside the Bigraha. He then tried to dig the back side of the Bigraha to find something. But he could not get anything and returned. Over time, people filled the holes and placed a Lion’s statue there.
History:
Angul came into existence on April 01, 1993. The late Chief Minister of Odisha, Mr Biju Patnaik, formally formed this district out of the former undivided Dhenkanal district. The district covers a geographical area of about 6232 square km and has a population of about 11.40 lakhs. Angul, a centrally located district in the State of Odisha, is rich in flora and fauna, being covered by dense green forests and hosting various specimens of wildlife. The river Mahanadi passes through this district, forming a 22 km long narrow gorge, which ranks among the mightiest gorges in India. It contains great natural resources and beauties like the Satakosia Gorge over the river Mahanadi, which provides an ideal habitat for a variety of crocodiles. The concept of the boulders in the Talcher area has mystified geologists for centuries. The famous “Ravan Chhaya,” “Budhi Thakurani,” and Lord Jagannath Temple, which resembles the Jagannath Temple at Puri but retains its natural charm, help glorify the tradition and culture of this district.
Presently, this district has grown industrially, with the help of an abundant stock of manpower and raw materials. It earns the honour of providing the highest revenue to the Government due to the vast coal mines located in its area, and it can also be called the most advanced district, even though it is relatively new. Some big names in the industry sector, like National Aluminium Company (NALCO), Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Heavy Water Plant, Talcher, Indian Aluminium Product Ltd., etc., operate in this district.
The cottage industry plays an important role in the rural economy of the Angul district. Besides handloom, people also engage in other important cottage industries such as carpentry, brass and bell-metal works, shoe making, etc.
Geographical Location:
Area: 6,232 sq. Km.
Population: 1,271,703 (2001 Census)
Altitude: Varies from 564 m. to 1,187 m.
Rainfall: 170 Cms.
Climate: Maximum Temp. 33.3 °C and Minimum Temp. 19.6 °C
Clothing: Light cotton in summer and woollen in winter
Language spoken: Odia, Hindi, English, and Tribal dialects
Best season: Winter
Major Cities:
Nalco
Talcher
Fairs and Festivals:
Angul is not only a land of magnificent hill ranges, old monuments, virgin and long river beds, downy flakes, melodious jungle streams, healing hot springs, luxuriant forests, picturesque landscapes, and industrial houses, but also a land of exciting and exuberant fasts and festivals. People celebrate all the seasons of the year with a variety of colourful events. They observe the fasts of folk-life alongside the modernity of an industrial society. People actively maintain the traditions and customs, perform rites and rituals, dance, and prepare the delicacies of the district. On these occasions, they appear in the best of their attire, costumes, and pageantry.
The fasts and festivals of the district mostly fall into two types, i.e., Sarbajanina or community-based and Gharoi or family-based. Families mostly observe the Gharoi or family festivals at their level, following the traditions of their Kula, Gotra, and Varna. A group of families sharing the same kinship or lineage also observes them together. The Gurubara Manabasa, Sudasa Brata, Sabitri Brata, etc., are some such fasts.
The Sarbajanina festivals are celebrated with pomp and ceremony by the people in general at the community level. Some major fasts and festivals of the district are described below.
People in general celebrate the Sarbajanina festivals with pomp and ceremony at the community level. Below, we have described some major fasts and festivals of the district:
- Hingula Jatra: People celebrate Hingula Jatra with pomp and ceremony in the Talcher sub-division of the district at the temple of Hingula Thakurani near Gopal Prasad. People regard it as the most significant festival of the district, and it draws visitors from different corners of the State. People celebrate this festival on Bishnu Damanaka Chaturdasi Tithi as per Odia Panjika.
- Akshaya Trutiya: People consider this festival the most ceremonial and auspicious day for sowing paddy for the current agricultural season. Devotees offer oblations to Goddess Laxmi. People also begin the construction work of the Ratha of Lord Jagannath for the ensuing Car Festival on this day.
- Chandan Jatra: This festival starts from Akshaya Tritiya and ends on Chandan Purnima. Devotees take a smaller replica of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra to the sacred tank for boating. This festival aims to provide comfort and coolness to the Lords in summer. People celebrate this festival in the Jagannath temples of the district located at Angul, Talamul, Bagedia, Papsara, Khamar, and Boinda.
- Ratha Jatra: People celebrate the world-famous Car festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri as one of the most significant festivals of the State. Accordingly, devotees also celebrate Ratha Jatra with a full ceremonial approach at Talcher, Angul, Pallahara, and Athamallik, performing all traditional rites and rituals.
- Ganesh Puja: People celebrate the festival on the 4th Day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Bhadraba. Besides different schools, colleges, and business houses, devotees celebrate Ganesh Puja with full gaiety and traditional rituals at Talcher. People celebrate the festival for a period of around 11 days, which attracts visitors from the whole district. Different prominent cultural troops and musical parties from the neighbouring States participate in this occasion. Talcher Ganesh Puja holds a prominent position in the State for its colourful and ceremonial observance.
- Nuakhai: People offer the first rice harvested from the agricultural fields to the God/Goddess before human consumption in this festival. Devotees observe it on Bhadraba Sukla Panchami Tithi. Especially in the Athamallik sub-division, people celebrate this festival with care and courage.
- Viswakarma Puja: This is the puja of Lord Viswakarma, the main architect of the universe, who fabricated the universe as per the direction of Brahma, the lord of creation. People mostly observe this puja in factories, industrial houses, workshops, and other related fabrication houses and engineering establishments. The district celebrates Viswakarma Puja with great importance at TTPS (Thermal), NALCO, F.C.I., Rengali, and M.C.L. areas.
- Durga Puja: Being the most colourful festival of the state, people celebrate Durga Puja with rites and rituals throughout the district. The Mahanadi Coal Field areas observe Durga Puja in a big way with more than 20 Puja Mandaps. Besides, people also celebrate the famous ‘Ravan Podi Utsav’ at Angul on the day of Dussehra to mark the victory of truth over evil power.
- Laxmi Puja / Kumar Utsav: Gaja Laxmi Puja starts from the day of Kumar Purnima and continues for the next 10 days at Angul. Devotees prepare beautiful images of Goddess Laxmi in clay and worship them on brightly decorated puja pandals. This is the most popular and colourful function of the district, and people observe it with much pomp and ceremony. Besides Angul town, people also celebrate Laxmi Puja at Banarpal, Koshala, Athmallik, and Pallahara.
Kumar Utsav is a day of great pleasure, ecstasy, and enjoyment for maiden girls that falls on the full moon day of Aswina Purnima. Maiden girls worship the Moon God on this occasion for a bright married life.
- Kartika Purnima: People observe this on the last day of the lunar month of Kartika. Devotees especially regard this as the most sacred purnima of the Hindus. People also observe Rasa Utsav to pay honour to Lord Krishna and Radha. To mark the great tradition and cultural heritage of Odisha’s trading community, people celebrate Boita Bandan symbolically throughout the district by floating decorative toy boats in the nearby rivers and ponds.
- Binkei Jatra: People hold this festival on the 10th day after the Dola Purnima in the lunar month of Chaitra. Devotees observe it in honour of Mother Goddess Binkei, who protects virtuous people and punishes vicious people. People also arrange a great fair for three days with a large number of shops offering a variety of items. People from far-off villages gather to offer prayers to the Goddess and to market household items.
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