The name of the town is “Kora–putti” or “the hamlet of the Nuxvomica” and it is derived presumably from a tree or trees that must at one time have been prominent near the site.[According to theories]
The district of Koraput derives its name from its headquarters in the present town of Koraput. In ancient times when the Nalas were ruling over this tract, Pushkari near modern Umarkot was the capital city. In the medieval period, Nandapur developed as a little kingdom under the Silavamsi kings that were later expanded by the Suryavanshi kings who arrived in the region in the 13th century from Kashmir. Later, Maharajah Veer Vikram Dev shifted his capital to Jeypore and about the middle of the 17th century, this town prospered under the British Administration. Koraput was chosen by the British in 1870 for better health prospects. The origin of the name Koraput is obscure. There are several theories, none of which are convincing.
According to Mr R.C.S.Bell the name of the town is ‘Kora-Putti’ or "the hamlet of the nux-vomica" and it is derived presumably from a tree or trees that must at one time have been prominent near the site. But today not a single tree of nux-vomica is to be found near about the town of Koraput and so the assumption of Mr Bell is open to question.
According to the second theory, Koraput is a corrupted form of ‘Karaka pentho’ Karaka literally means ‘hail-stone’. It is also believed that one ‘Khora Naiko’ laid the foundation of the village during the time of the Nandapur kings. He hailed probably from Ranpur and served under the Nandapur kings in the Militia, and for his faithful and meritorious services he has permitted to establish this village which was named after him as Khora Putu, and later on, the name has been abbreviated to ‘Koraput’.
Koraput is also a Tourism Place. The town is surrounded by mountains, thick forests and waterfalls. This town also has many old temples.
Marking a social success for others to emulate, in the past two years, around 220 tribal villagers of the non-descript Bondaguda village under Similiguda block in the district have become totally free of open defecation with each of its 45 families constructing toilets in their homes.
Koraput is a part of the tribal belt in southern Odisha. As the term 'tribal' often denotes a negative connotation, the indigenous people here prefer to be known as Adivasis, i.e. "original inhabitants".[2] Many different Adivasi communities live in this district.
The traditional culture (including languages), knowledge and subsistence of the Adivasis are closely connected with local ecosystems.[3]
Most of the area was covered by thick forest until relatively recently. As a result of deforestation, industrialization and urbanization, many Adivasi communities have adopted new ways of life. However, many Adivasis maintain a tradition of selling produce (vegetables and fruit) in Sunday markets popularly known as Hat Poda (or haat).[4]
The Dongar Festival (or Parab) is held annually, ostensibly to showcase the way of life of Adivasis, in the first and second weeks of December, organised by the district administration. Many foreign tourists visit the festival.[5] There has been criticism of the festival, with allegations that Adivasis are reluctant participants, who are paraded like "museum specimens" for the benefit of the tourism industry.
Sabara Srikhetra (Jagannath Temple)
Jagannath temple in Koraput
Koraput is mostly famous for its Jagannath Temple which is also known as Sabara Srikhetra. Srikhetra is normally referred to as Puri Jagannath, but the unique identity of the Koraput temple is because no section of society is barred entry.
Council of Analytical Tribal Studies (COATS), registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860,[6] is university–like educational institute is a successful attempt to restore and educate tribal way of life, customs, tradition, medicine, language, social structure and history. COATS has been documenting the day-today situation of poor tribals and feeding this information to the local administration in an effort to make it more efficient.
Geography
Kechala lake in KoraputTable mountain KoraputSunset in Koraput
Some major rivers of Odisha pass through the district Koraput like Machhakunda, Vamsadhara and Kolab. This district is also bestowed with waterfalls like Duduma, Bagra and Khandahati. It also contains the largest mountain of Odisha, called Deomali along with Chandragiri mountain. Koraput district is famous for the important places like Jeypur, Duduma, Bagra, Sunabeda MiG factory. Koraput holds a total area of 8,807km2. As of 2011[update] census, with a total population of 13,79,647, the district has a literacy rate of 36.20%. Koraput is dependent on agricultural activities. The district has total cultivable land of 301,000 hectares (740,000 acres). With a 157km long national highway the district is well connected to all the other districts of Odisha. Gupteswar, Neelabadi, Nandapur, Sunabeda, Duduma water fall, (Savra shrikhetra), Ankadeli forms the major interests of Koraput.
Hill stations
Being at the heart of tribal belt in South Odisha, it has also many hill stations though they are not that famous as other hill stations of India. Places like Machkund, Onukadelli, Jalaput, Chindri, Hatipathar,(Deomali) Potangi etc. are places to be visited for their scenic beauty .
Koraput has good linkage with other parts of the state as well as some major cities of neighbouring states, by means of rail and road. National highway number 26(43) passes through the town which connects it with Raipur and Visakhapatnam. Buses are plenty from Visakhapatnam and Vijayanagaram to Koraput. Buses to Jeypore, Jagdalpur, Umerkote, etc., also pass through Koraput.
Central University of Odisha (CUO), formerly Central University of Orissa, was established by parliament under the Central Universities Act, 2009 (No. 3C of 2009) by Government of India, situated at Sunabeda Town, Koraput District in the Indian state of Odisha. The territorial jurisdiction of the university is whole of the Odisha state.
As far as higher studies are concerned, Koraput has got one Woman's College and a D.A.V. College, both of which are affiliated to Berhampur University.
In 2009, a central university was set up in Koraput namely Central University of Orissa. This started functioning from August 2009 providing courses on English, Oriya, mass communication, journalism, anthropology and sociology. Prof Surabhi Banarjee was appointed as the first vice-chancellor of the university.[9]
On 4 September 2017, the new government medical college was established in Koraput and named after Saheed Laxman Nayak, a great freedom fighter of that region. Classes started in September 2017.[citation needed]
A festival of festivals PARAB [10][11] – an annual tribal festival organized by the District Council of Culture, Koraput is a gala event of the state, organized in the month of November every year all over the district. The whole month of parab witnesses events on sports culture, seminar mountain trekking, boat race and artists camp. On a third day from all over the country are staged on one platform, with crafts mela and exhibitions in the Koraput Parab ground.
Jeypore is one of the largest towns and a place of historical significance in Koraput district in the Indian state of Odisha. It was established by Vir Vikram Dev in the mid 17th century. The kingdom was defeated by the East India Company in 1777 who declared it a Zamindari or Feudatory of the British Crown and much later got acknowledged as a Princely state until its dissolution in the Dominion of India in 1947.
Koraput district is a district of India in southern Odisha, with headquarters at Koraput. The district is located in the Eastern Ghats and is known for its hilly terrain, rich and diverse types of mineral deposits and its tribal culture and traditions. The district headquarters town of Koraput and its largest city, Jeypore are major centres of trade and commerce for South Odisha and fall on an important road connecting Visakhapatnam to Raipur.
Duduma Waterfall is situated in the border of Koraput (Odisha) districts of India.
Sunabeda is an industrial town and a municipality in the state of Odisha, India, located in the valleys of the Koraput region. The Engine division and Sukhoi division of the aircraft manufacturing company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a public sector undertaking (PSU) of Ministry of Defence is in Sunabeda.
Nabarangpur district, also known as Nabarangapur district or Nawarangpur district, is a district of Odisha, India. The city of Nabarangpur is the district capital. Most of its population is tribal and the land is heavily forested. It borders Kalahandi and Koraput districts. Nabarangpur district is situated at 19.14′ latitude and 82.32′ longitude at an average elevation of 572 metres (1,877 ft).
Damanjodi is a town located in the Koraput district of Odisha, India. As of 2001 census, its population was 8,469. The town was founded as a residential area for employees of the National Aluminium Company (NALCO), a company that was established to harness the bauxite-rich deposits of the Panchpatmali Range. Damanjodi contains the NALCO Township, a residential area for NALCO employees, Mathalput, a semi-urban neighborhood with shops, and Bhejaput, a shopping complex. The population is considered cosmopolitan in nature with employees from all over India and locals from the tribal region.
Gunupur is a Municipality and one of the sub-divisional headquarters of Rayagada district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the second biggest town in Rayagada district.
Madugula is a village in Anakapalli district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It was also known as Vaddadi or Vaddadimadugula and was founded by the rulers of the Matsya dynasty. Later, it merged into the kingdom of Nandapur - Jeypore and during the British Raj it remained an independent Zamindari for sometime. Later, in 1915 the zamindaris of Madugula and Pachipenta were purchased by Maharaja Vikram Dev III and they became a part of Jeypore Samasthanam and were governed by the Maharaja of Jeypore until 1947.
Umerkote, also known as Umarkot and Amarkot, is a town of Nabarangpur district, Odisha, in eastern India. Umerkote is an urban area and the name of a Municipality declared on 3 March 2014 and a Subdivision declared by State Cabinet on 3 November 2015. The town is a prominent business place of the Nabarangpur District.
Purunagada or Purnagarh is the easternmost locality of Jeypore in Odisha, India. It is a place of historical significance as it was once the main fort of the Maharajas of Jeypore. It was constructed by Maharaja Vir Vikram Dev after he shifted the capital of his kingdom from Nandapur to Jeypore. In modern era, the place is known for its numerous ancient temples built by the erstwhile kings.
Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church is a major Lutheran Christian denomination in India. It was established in 1882. At that time, the founder of The Schleswig Holstein Evangelical Lutheran Mission Society of Germany (SHELM) in Germany was Pastor Christian Jensen, who was praying for the people of India. Pioneer missionaries Rev. Ernest Pohl and Rev. Herman Bothmann came to India and reached the Koraput district of Odisha on 31 May 1882 and started mission work.
Central University of Odisha (CUO), formerly Central University of Orissa, was established by parliament under the Central Universities Act, 2009 by Government of India, situated at Sunabeda Town, Koraput District in the Indian state of Odisha. The territorial jurisdiction of the university is whole of the Odisha state.
The Jharsuguda–Vizianagaram line is a railway line in eastern India. It connects Jharsuguda,516 km (321 mi) from Howrah on the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line, and Titlagarh, which in turn is connected with Vizianagaram, 820 km (510 mi) from Howrah on the Howrah–Chennai main line, and Raipur Junction, 830 km (516 mi) from Howrah on the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line. There are several branch lines, like the 176 km (109 mi) line connecting Rayagada with Koraput on the Kothavalasa–Kirandul line. The line traverses Western Odisha and connects the Howrah–Nagpur–Mumbai line with the Howrah–Chennai main line. It covers small portions of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
Koraput Junction railway station, located in the Indian state of Odisha, serves Koraput town in Koraput district.
Kothavalasa Junction railway station located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, serves Kothavalasa in Vizianagaram district. It is a major freight transit point with iron ore rakes travelling from mines around Kirandul and Bailadila in Chhattisgarh to Visakhapatnam Port.
Jeypore Airport, also known as Jayapur Airport, is a domestic airport serving the cities of Jeypore and Koraput in Odisha, India. It is located 3 km (1.9 mi) north-west of the city of Jeypore in Koraput District. The airstrip was constructed in 1962 along with the establishment of a Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) factory nearby at Sunabeda. In the 1980s, Vayudoot operated a daily Bhubaneswar-bound flight via Visakhapatnam. Now, the new low-cost regional airline, IndiaOne Air, operates from the airport to Bhubaneswar and Vishakapatnam.
Kothavalasa–Kirandul line belongs to Waltair railway division of East Coast Railway zone from 2003 till Feb 2019. It was under South Eastern Railway zone until 2003. Now some Part of KK line till Araku railway Station will be coming under South Coast Railway zone and East Coast Railway after Gorapur Station. It passes through three states – Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Dumuriput is a small town located in between Koraput and Sunabeda by the side of NH-43. It comes under the tahasil of Sunabeda in Koraput district of the state Odisha, India.
Jeypore Estate or Jeypore Zamindari was a Zamindari estate of the Madras Presidency in British India. Historically it was a kingdom known as Jeypore Kingdom, located in the highlands of the western interiors of the Kalinga region that existed from the mid-15th century to 1777 CE as a tributary state of the Gajapati Empire and following its decline retained various degrees of semi-independence until it became a vassal state of the British. It eventually formed a part of the linguistic Orissa Province in 1936 upon transfer from the Madras Province and became a part of the independent Union of India in 1947.
Maharaja of Jeypore was the principal title used by the rulers of the Kingdom of Jeypore until its dissolution in 1947. It was also used by the titular rulers until the removal of titles and privileges of all princely states and estates by the 26th amendment of the Constitution of India. However, due to the significance given to the traditional and religious role of a king, evidently, Vishweshwar Dev in 2013 became the Maharaja of Jeypore in pretense.
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