Cuttack (, or officially Kataka ) in
Odia is the former capital and the second largest city in the Indian state of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. It is the headquarters of the
Cuttack district. The name of the city is an anglicised form of ''Kataka'' which literally means ''The Fort'', a reference to the ancient
Barabati Fort around which the city initially developed. Cuttack is known as the ''Millennium City'' as well as the ''Silver City'' due to its history of 1000 years and famous silver filigree works. The
Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court is the High Courts of India, High Court for the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Odisha.
The then Bengal Presidency was a vast province including present day Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and West ...
is located there. It is the commercial capital of Odisha which hosts many trading and business houses in and around the city. Cuttack is famous for its
Durga puja
Durga Puja ( bn, দুর্গা পূজা), also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and is also celebrated ...
which is one of the most important
festivals of Odisha
This article lists the traditional festivals and other cultural events in the Odisha region of India. Odisha celebrates 13 festivals in 12 months as the saying goes ''Bāra Māsare Tera Parba'' ().
Major festivals
This section lists festivals wh ...
. Cuttack is also the birthplace of Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose. The city is categorised as a
Tier-II city as per the ranking system used by
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
.
The old and the most important part of the city is centred on a strip of land between the
Kathajodi River
Kathajodi River is an arm of the Mahanadi River in Odisha, India. It branches off at Naraj, then immediately is bifurcated. The southern branch, known as Kuakhai, which means ''Crow's pool'', and flows into the Puri district. Its mouth is clos ...
and the
Mahanadi River
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
, bounded on the south-east by Old Jagannath Road. The city, being a part of the
Cuttack Municipal Corporation
Cuttack Municipal Corporation is the municipal corporation governing Indian city of Cuttack which was earlier established as a municipality on 4 June 1876. Municipal Corporation mechanism in India was introduced during British Rule with format ...
consisting of 59 wards. Cuttack stretches from Phulnakhara across the
Kathajodi
Kathajodi River is an arm of the Mahanadi River in Odisha, India. It branches off at Naraj, then immediately is bifurcated. The southern branch, known as Kuakhai, which means ''Crow's pool'', and flows into the Puri district. Its mouth is close ...
in the south to
Choudwar in north across the Birupa River, while in the east it begins at Kandarpur and runs west as far as Naraj. Four rivers including
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
and its distributaries
Kathajodi
Kathajodi River is an arm of the Mahanadi River in Odisha, India. It branches off at Naraj, then immediately is bifurcated. The southern branch, known as Kuakhai, which means ''Crow's pool'', and flows into the Puri district. Its mouth is close ...
,
Kuakhai, Birupa run through the city. Further Kathajodi is distributed into
Devi and Biluakhai which often makes the geographical area look like fibrous roots.
Cuttack and
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
are often referred to as the Twin-Cities of Odisha. The metropolitan area formed by the two cities has a population of 1.862 million in 2018.
Cuttack, an unplanned city, is characterized by a maze of streets, lanes and by-lanes which have given it the nickname of a city with ''Bauna Bazaar, Tepana Galee'' and i.e. 52 markets and 53 streets.
Etymology
The name ''Cuttack'' is an anglicised form of ''Kataka'' (
Odia: କଟକ) which is derived from
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
meaning capital, fort and military establishment or a cantonment.
The city was known as Bidanasi Katak (meaning Bidanasi Military Base) during the days when
Barabati Fort was in existence. Bidanasi is now one of the localities of the city.
History
The earliest written history of Cuttack may go back to the
Keshari dynasty.
As stated by the historian Andrew Stirling, present-day Cuttack was established as a military cantonment by king Nrupa Keshari of Keshari dynasty in 989 CE. Stirling based his opinion on the
Madala Panji The Madala Panji is a chronicle of the Jagannath Temple, Puri, Odisha, India. It describes the historical events of Odisha related to Lord Jagannath and the Jagannath Temple. The ''Madala Panji'' dates from the 12th century.
Madala Panji's role in ...
, a chronicle of the
Jagannath
Jagannath ( or, ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, lit=Lord of the Universe, Jagannātha; formerly en, Juggernaut) is a deity worshipped in regional Hindu traditions in India and Bangladesh as part of a triad along with his brother Balabhadra, and sister ...
temple of
Puri
Puri () is a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is also known as '' ...
. The reign of Maharaja Markata Keshari was distinguished for the stone embank built to protect the new capital from flood in 1002 CE.
Historical and archaeological evidence suggests Cuttack becoming capital of a kingdom founded by Raja Anangabhimadeva III of
Ganga dynasty in 1211 CE.
After the end of Ganga rule,
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
passed to the hands of the
Suryavamsi Gajapati dynasty (1434–1541 CE) under whom Cuttack continued to be the capital of Odisha.
After the death of Raja Mukunda deva, the last Hindu
king of Orissa, Cuttack first came under Muslim rule and later under
Mughals
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
, who made Cuttack the seat of the new
Orissa Subah (imperial top-level province) under
Shah Jahan.
By 1750, Cuttack came under the
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Sh ...
and it grew fast as a business centre being the convenient point of contact between the
Bhonsale
The Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) are a prominent group within the Maratha clan system of kunbi origin. They claimed descent from the Sisodia Rajputs but were likely Kunbi tiller-plainsmen.
History Earliest members
The earliest ac ...
Marathas of
Nagpur
Nagpur (pronunciation: aːɡpuːɾ is the third largest city and the winter capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the 13th largest city in India by population and according to an Oxford's Economics report, Nagpur is projected to ...
and the
English merchants of Bengal. The term "Attock te Cuttack" (
Attock
Attock ( Punjabi and Urdu: ), formerly known as Campbellpur (), is a historical city located in the north of Pakistan's Punjab Province, not far from the country's capital Islamabad. It is the headquarters of the Attock District and is 61st lar ...
to Cuttack) was first used to describe the extent of the
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Sh ...
after they conquered Cuttack in 1750 and Attock in 1758. It was occupied by the British in 1803 and later became the capital of Odisha division in 1816. From 1948 onwards, when the capital was shifted to
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
, the city remained the administrative headquarters for the state of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
.
The introduction of the Sharadiya Utsav tradition in the city dates back to the visit of Saint Chaitanya in the 16th century when the consecration of the idol of
Durga
Durga ( sa, दुर्गा, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars.
Durga's legend centres around c ...
by using the mask pattern was conducted in his presence at Binod Behari Devi Mandap.
The remains of the old moated
Barabati Fort still exist in the heart of Cuttack.
Geography
Cuttack is located at and has an average elevation of . The city is spread across an area of . The city, being a
Cuttack Municipal Corporation
Cuttack Municipal Corporation is the municipal corporation governing Indian city of Cuttack which was earlier established as a municipality on 4 June 1876. Municipal Corporation mechanism in India was introduced during British Rule with format ...
which consists of 59 wards. The city stretches from Phulnakhara in south to Choudwar in north and Kandarpur in east to naraj in west while main city is located at the apex of the
Mahanadi River
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
delta. Apart from Mahanadi, four of its distributaries also run through the city. The distributaries include Mahanadi, Kathajodi, Kuakhai and Birupa where Kathajodi further has two distributaries; the right being Devi while the left is Biluakhai. Mahanadi runs through the city on the northern side separating the main city from the Jagatpur Industrial Area. The Kathajodi river forms a riverine island of Bayalis Mouza (42 Wards) after separating the main city from Gopalpur. The Kuakhai river separates the southern part of the city into two-halves, namely Pratap Nagri and the new township of Naranpur. The Kuakhai runs throughout the south of the city along Phulnakhara before entering Bhubaneswar. The Birupa river runs through the north of Jagatpur Industrial Area separating it from Choudwar. There are numerous ponds known as (''pokharis'') in the city that store rain water. The Mahanadi provides much of the drinking water to the city. Recent growth of the city has resulted in expansion across the
Kathajodi River
Kathajodi River is an arm of the Mahanadi River in Odisha, India. It branches off at Naraj, then immediately is bifurcated. The southern branch, known as Kuakhai, which means ''Crow's pool'', and flows into the Puri district. Its mouth is clos ...
and a newer township towards the head of the delta formed between the tributary Kathajodi river and the main river Mahanadi has come up by the name of Markat Nagar (popularly known as CDA by the local residents) which is spread across 2000 acres. CDA has 15 sectors out of which 11 are residential & has population around . Jagatpur & Mahanadi Vihar are the other two townships in the city.
Mahanadi Vihar is the first satellite city project in
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. Cuttack is referred to as a city with ''Baaban Bazaar, Teppan Galee'' i.e. this is the city of 52 markets and 53 streets which is told by people of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
for the largeness of this city. Naranpur is another satellite township coming up in Trishulia, on the other side of
Kathajodi River
Kathajodi River is an arm of the Mahanadi River in Odisha, India. It branches off at Naraj, then immediately is bifurcated. The southern branch, known as Kuakhai, which means ''Crow's pool'', and flows into the Puri district. Its mouth is clos ...
.
Climate
Cuttack experiences a
tropical wet and dry climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
. The summer season is from March to June when the climate is hot and humid. The temperature around this season is 35 °C to 40 °C Thunderstorms are common at the height of the summer. The monsoon months are from July to October when the city receives most of its rainfall from the South West Monsoon. The annual rainfall is around . Temperatures are considerably lower during the rainy season, averaging around 30 °C. The winter season from November to February is characterised by mild temperatures and occasional showers. The winter months feature chilly northerly winds which bring down the temperature to around 15 °C, though the bright sunshine helps maintain the pleasant weather. Temperatures may exceed 45 °C at the height of summer and may fall below 10 °C in winter. The highest recorded temperature is recorded on 2 May 1957, and the lowest is recorded on 7 January 1986.
Due to the proximity to coast, the city is prone to cyclones from the
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line betwee ...
. One such cyclone struck Cuttack in
1971, resulting in more than 10,000 deaths in the state. The
Bureau of Indian Standards
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standar ...
places the city inside
seismic zone III on a scale ranging from in order of increasing susceptibility to earthquakes.
The
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
reports that there is "very high damage risk" from winds and
cyclones.
The
1999 Odisha cyclone
The 1999 Odisha cyclone ( IMD designation BOB 06, JTWC designation 05B) was the most intense recorded tropical cyclone in the North Indian Ocean and among the most destructive in the region. The 1999 Odisha cyclone organized into a tropic ...
caused major damage to the city claiming many lives.
Culture
Pilgrimage sites
Cuttack Chandi Temple
Dedicated to the Goddess
Chandi
Chandi ( sa, चण्डी, ) or Chandika () is a Hindu deity. Chandika is another form of Mahadevi, similar to Durga. Chandika is a powerful form of Mahadevi who manifested to destroy evil. She is also known as ''Kaushiki'', '' Katyayan ...
, the presiding deity of Cuttack. The
Cuttack Chandi Temple
The Kataka Chandi Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Chandi, the presiding deity of Cuttack, Odisha, India. The temple is located nearby the banks of the Mahanadi River. It is famous for the annual Durga Puja and Kali Puja fest ...
is located in proximity to the banks of the Mahanadi River. It is famous for its annual Durga Puja and Kali Puja festivals. The Durga Puja festivities are prominent in Maa Katak Chandi temple which takes place for 16 days starting from dark fortnight of Ashwina Krishna Ashtami till Ashwina Shukla navami and Vijayadashami. The Goddess popularly called as
Maa Kataka Chandi, sits and rules on the heart of the ancient city. Gada Chandi Temple situated within the premises of the
Barabati Fort is one of the oldest temples in Cuttack and is believed to be the older temple of Cuttack Chandi before her shift to the present Cuttack Chandi Temple.
Dhabaleshwar Temple
Dedicated to the worship of Lord Shiva
Dhabaleswar Temple is situated on an exotic island in the
Mahanadi River
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
and is embellished with stone carvings that date back to the early 10th and 11th century. The island is connected to the mainland on the other side by a suspension bridge which is the first and only of its kind in the state.
Paramhansa Nath Temple
![Dhabaleswara Cuttack](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Dhabaleswara_Cuttack.jpg)
Paramhansa Nath Temple, Biribat built, 11th A.D. 4 km from the Cuttack - Paradeep Road. Approach from OMP square, towards Nuabazar and keep going until you see a sign board of the temple to take a right. This is situated right on banks of River Kathajodi. The other approach would be from the Panchamukhi Hanuman temple at Khapuria. Road along the river bank will lead you to the temple Another hidden Gem of Katak, and it is still standing upright 80 ft for 1000 years. This is a five-chambered rekha and pidha shrine. The
Vimana
Vimāna are mythological flying palaces or chariots described in Hindu texts and Sanskrit epics. The "Pushpaka Vimana" of Ravana (who took it from Kubera; Rama returned it to Kubera) is the most quoted example of a vimana. Vimanas are also men ...
is of
Pancharatha
A Hindu temple is a ''pancharatha'' when there are five '' ratha'' (on plan) or ''paga'' (on elevation) on the tower of the temple (generally a ''shikhara''). The rathas are vertical offset projection or facets.
The name comes from the sanskri ...
rekha style. The doorjambs of the vimana and the bhogomandapa portray sculptures of the navagraha and dvarapalas. The Plinth of the temple exhibits sculptures portraying war scenes, elephants and horses in procession, decorated swans. In the sanctum is a Patal-Phuta Shiva Linga. There is a wooden canopy and possibly added sometime in the mid-15th or 16th century. Other deities around the temple are Parvati, Kartikeya and Ganesh. A big bull figure and a Rama-abhisekha images are found on the northern wall of the temple. Two Vishnu images are found on the outer walls of the temple. Built by Somavanshi Dynasty.
Baba Ramdev Temple
![Baba Ramdev Temple, Bhubaneswar - Cuttack Highway, Odisha](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Baba_Ramdev_Temple%2C_Bhubaneswar_-_Cuttack_Highway%2C_Odisha.jpg)
The temple is located beside the Cuttack – Bhubaneswar national highway. It is built entirely of white marble.
Ramdev Pir
Baba Ramdev (or Ramdevji, or Ramdeo Pir, Ramsha Pir (1352–1385 AD; V.S. 1409–1442) is a Hindu deity of Gujarat and Rajasthan, India. He was a fourteenth-century ruler, said to have miraculous powers, who devoted his life uplifting the d ...
is a Hindu folk deity of Rajasthan in India. Ramdev is considered to be an incarnation of Krishna. He was said to have had miraculous powers, and his fame reached far and wide. Legend has it that five Pirs from Mecca came to test Ramdev's powers.
Qadam e Rasool
Believed to be for the veneration of
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
. It comes from the belief started early in
Islam that when
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
stepped on a rock his footprint left an imprint. This belief was not accepted by
Wahabbi
Wahhabism ( ar, ٱلْوَهَّابِيَةُ, translit=al-Wahhābiyyah) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist and fundamentalist movement associated with the reformist doctrines of the 18th-century Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, a ...
influenced sub-sects of Islam. However, the idea was disseminated widely and led to the creation of many shrines around such imprints one of them being situated in Cuttack.
Jama Masjid
Built during the
Mughal era. Earlier there used to be a
Madrasa
Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , pl. , ) is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whether for elementary instruction or higher learning. The word is variously transliterated '' ...
in this mosque. However, since a decade, the Madrasa is shifted out. The neighbourhood surrounding the Jama Masjid is inhabited predominantly by Hindus.
Gurdwara Guru Nanak Daatan Sahib
A holy historical Sikh shrine, the Daatan Sahib
Gurdwara
A gurdwara (sometimes written as gurudwara) (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਾ ''guradu'ārā'', meaning "Door to the Guru") is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths ...
is where the first Sikh Guru,
Shree Guru Nanak, halted on his way to
Puri
Puri () is a coastal city and a municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is also known as '' ...
. It is believed that a tree branch planted by him after using it as a tooth cleaner still flourishes here, hence the name Daatan Sahib.
Bukhari Baba Dargah
Bukhari Baba
Dargah
A dargah ( fa, درگاه ''dargâh'' or ''dargah'', Turkish: ''dergâh'', Hindustani: ''dargah'' दरगाह درگاہ, bn, দরগাহ ''dorgah'') is a shrine or tomb built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often ...
, one of the well known dargahs in the silver city, draws a huge crowd, especially on Thursdays. People from diverse religions come here to offer prayer to get their wishes fulfilled. The ancient dargah of
Sufi saint Sayeed Ali Saheed Bukhari, popularly known as Bukhari Baba's majjar, is situated near
Barabati Fort in Cuttack. The structure with a white dome is an example of
Mughal architecture built in 1468. It attracts devotees from across the state. Not only Muslim but even people of other religions are regular 'Murid' of the 'dargah'. Around two lakh devotees visit the sacred shrine annually.
Digambar Jain Mandir
There are four Jain temples in Cuttack City which were established by
Digambar
''Digambara'' (; "sky-clad") is one of the two major schools of Jainism, the other being '' Śvētāmbara'' (white-clad). The Sanskrit word ''Digambara'' means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing ...
and
Swetambar Jain
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
Sects who had migrated to Cuttack from
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
and
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...
. These are situated at Choudhury Bazar, Jaunliapatty, Alamchand Bazar and Kaji Bazar, Tirthankara images have been installed in these temples. Digambar Jain temple at Choudhury Bazar was constructed during the second half of the 20th century and is remarkable for its artistic design.
The Church of Epiphany
Although there are several churches in Cuttack, the oldest among them all is the Church of Epiphany on the Cantonment Road built in the year 1865. This iconic brick structure is an example of the
British era colonial architecture.
![Chaudhury Bazar Chandi Medha](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Chaudhury_Bazar_Chandi_Medha.jpg)
Other famous temples in Cuttack are Gada Chandi Temple, Khannagar Sai Mandir, Amareswar Temple, Raghunath Jew Temple,
Ramakriskna Mission, Maa Jhanjhirimangala Temple, Dolamundai Jagannath Temple, Chahata Ram Mandir, Badambadi Siddhivinayak Temple, Khannagar Kali Mandir, Kalia Boda Shani Temple, etc. Cuttack also houses many churches including Holy Rosary Church and Oriya
Baptist Church.
Festivals
*
Durga Puja
Durga Puja ( bn, দুর্গা পূজা), also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and is also celebrated ...
: Cuttack is famous throughout the nation for its Durga puja celebrations. Nearly 200 earthen idols of Goddess Durga are prepared by the different Puja Committees of the city to worship Goddess Durga The speciality Cuttack Durga Puja are its Durga puja Suna Medha, in which the idols are adorned with huge amounts of gold and silver, with localities trying to outsmart each other by constructing more attractive idols. Cuttack celebrates Durga Puja with full energy on Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and on
Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra by burning an effigy of the demon
Ravana
Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations.
In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. ...
. People from all of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
and nearby states visit Cuttack during this period observe the famous festival.
*
Boita Bandana
Boita Bandāna ( or, ବୋଇତ ବନ୍ଦାଣ ''boita bandāṇa'') also known as Dangā Bhasā ( or, ଡଙ୍ଗା ଭସା ''ḍaṅgā bhasā''), is a traditional Odia maritime and naval festival celebrated annually throughout Odisha ...
: This festival is celebrated on the last day of the holy Hindu month of
Kartik. On this auspicious day people flow miniature boitas or model boats in the Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers to pay homage to the ancient merchants of
Kalinga Kingdom. This day also marks the beginning of
Bali Jatra
Bāli Jātrā, () , is the major Boita Bandana festival held at Cuttack on Kartik Purnima. It is considered to be one of Asia's largest open trade fair. The festival is held in Odisha (a state in eastern India), in the city of Cuttack at ''Gadaga ...
. This festival is similar to the ''Masakapam Kepesih'' festival of
Bali, and to the ''
Loi Krathong
Loy Krathong ( th, ลอยกระทง, , ) is a Thai festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and in nearby countries with significant South Western Tai cultures (Laos, Shan, Mon, Tanintharyi, Kelantan, Kedah, and Xishuangbanna) ...
'' festival of
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, both of which involve ritualistic floating of model boats around the same time of year
*
Bali Jatra
Bāli Jātrā, () , is the major Boita Bandana festival held at Cuttack on Kartik Purnima. It is considered to be one of Asia's largest open trade fair. The festival is held in Odisha (a state in eastern India), in the city of Cuttack at ''Gadaga ...
: The festival which the people of Cuttack await the most is the
Bali Jatra
Bāli Jātrā, () , is the major Boita Bandana festival held at Cuttack on Kartik Purnima. It is considered to be one of Asia's largest open trade fair. The festival is held in Odisha (a state in eastern India), in the city of Cuttack at ''Gadaga ...
. Bali Yatra is supposedly the second largest trade festival in Asia and the largest in India. The name Bali Jatra literally means A Voyage to Bali. In olden times, merchants used to trade with South-East Asian Island Countries of
Bali,
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
,
Sumatra,
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
. Whatever items they brought from those places after trading Oriya goods used to be put up for sale in the capital (which was then Cuttack). People from all over the state and beyond used to come to Cuttack to buy these items.
Bali Jatra
Bāli Jātrā, () , is the major Boita Bandana festival held at Cuttack on Kartik Purnima. It is considered to be one of Asia's largest open trade fair. The festival is held in Odisha (a state in eastern India), in the city of Cuttack at ''Gadaga ...
is the festival of continuing this ancient tradition. It is held every year in November on the banks of the
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
. Many stalls are set up selling both local and exotic goods. People from all over Odisha come to the Bali Jatra to buy items, as was the custom back in those days.
*
Kali puja
Kali Puja, also known as Shyama Puja or Mahanisha Puja, is a festival originating from the Indian subcontinent, dedicated to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Kali. It is celebrated on the new moon day (Dipannita Amavasya) of the Hindu calendar month ...
: This festival is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess
Kali
Kali (; sa, काली, ), also referred to as Mahakali, Bhadrakali, and Kalika ( sa, कालिका), is a Hindu goddess who is considered to be the goddess of ultimate power, time, destruction and change in Shaktism. In this tra ...
and is celebrated on the new moon day of the Hindu month of Kartik. It coincides with the pan-Indian festival of
Diwali amidst the bursting of
firecrackers
A firecracker (cracker, noise maker, banger) is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang, usually for celebration or entertainment; any visual effect is incidental to ...
.
![Balijatra cuttack](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Balijatra_cuttack.JPG)
*
Kartikeshwar Puja: The puja in Cuttack is organized by the puja committees of Cuttack. This festival is observed to worship
Kartikeya
Kartikeya ( sa, कार्त्तिकेय, Kārttikeya), also known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmukha (), and Murugan ( ta, முருகன்), is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, the brother of Ganesh ...
, the eldest son of
Lord Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
. Nowhere else except
Sabarimala is the Kartikeswar puja carried out with so much elan.
* Bada Osha: This is unique to Dhabaleswar Temple. Special Bhoga namely Gaja and Tarana are prepared on this day for the worshippers.
*
Manabasa Gurubara
Mānabasā Gurubāra is a festival celebrated by Odia Hindus in the Indian state of Odisha. It is also celebrated by Odias living in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, South Jharkhand and South West Bengal. In this festival Goddess Mahalaxmi is the p ...
was unique of Cuttack Odisha later celebrated by east Odisha, west Odisha is worship to goddess
Laxmi.
*
Kite
A kite is a tethered heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create lift and drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. Kites often have a bridle and tail to guide the fac ...
flying is also celebrated with much enthusiasm and energy in the city. Kite-flying culminates with the Makar Sankranti, with kite-flying competitions being held all over. Cuttack is the first city in the
Eastern India to introduce kite-flying.
All the other regular Indian festivals like
Ratha Yatra
Ratha Yatra (), or Chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. The term particularly refers to the annual Ratha Yatra in Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and other East Indian states, particularly the Odia festival that involve a ...
,
Raja
''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested f ...
,
Ganesh Chaturthi,
Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami, also called Saraswati Puja in honor of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated in Indian religions in different ways depending on the region. ...
,
Holi
Holi (), also known as the Festival of Colours, the Festival of Spring, and the Festival of Love,The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...". is an ancient Hindu religious festival ...
,
Diwali,
Chhath,
Eid,
Good Friday, Christmas, and the numerous festivals are celebrated here.
Cuisine
![Cuttack dahibara aludum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Cuttack_dahibara_aludum.jpg)
Cuttack is the ''street food'' capital of Odisha. It is famous for its
Dahibara Aludam
Dahibara Aludum (; ) is a variant of Dahi vada and originated from Cuttack of the state Odisha. It is a type of '' chaat'' (snack) from Cuttack and is popular throughout India. The dish is prepared by soaking vadas (fried flour balls) in light ...
, a local delicacy made using black gram (a cousin of the mung bean) and potato curry.''
Chhena poda'' and
''Rasagulla'' from
Salepur
Salepur (also known as Salipur) is a town in the district of Cuttack, and the headquarters of the Salipur block. It is situated near the bank of holy river ''Chitrotpala'' mother of Ganga, 25 km from the city of Cuttack and 55 km fr ...
by
Bikalananda Kar
Bikalananda Kar ()is an Indian confectioner from Salepur, Odisha and founder of "Kar & Brother" which is known for popularising the rasagola, an Indian desert. Kar laid the foundation of his shop in last of 1922. The rasagolas prepared by the ...
are local desserts made of unripened curd cheese made from buffalo or cow milk. Apart from Dahibara Aloodam: Chaat, Gupchup (puchuka/panipuri) and samosas rule the streets. The city has major food joints like Chandini Chowk, Bidanasi, Stadium Road, Buxi Bazar, Dolamundai, Choudhary Bazar, etc. Thunka puri is a famous delicacy available only during Baliyatra. Traditional Oriya food such as ''
Dahi-Pakhal'' (rice soaked in water with yogurt and seasonings) is considered a body coolant, accompanied by ''Badi chura'' or ''saga'' are consumed during the months of April–June.
Due to the quantity of Muslim households in the city, traditional Islamic and Mughlai cuisines like
Biriyani
Biryani () is a mixed rice dish originating among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It is made with Indian spices, rice, and usually some type of meat (chicken, beef, goat, lamb, prawn, fish) or in some cases without any meat, and so ...
,
Tandoor
A tandoor ( or ) is a large urn-shaped oven, usually made of clay, originating from the Indian Subcontinent. Since antiquity, tandoors have been used to bake unleavened flatbreads, such as roti and naan, as well as to roast meat. The tandoo ...
and
Sheer kurma are also popular among the denizens. Due to its close proximity to Paradip and Mahanadi catchment area, Cuttack is one of the major producer and consumer of fish.
Fish curry Fish curry may refer to:
* Malabar matthi curry, an Indian dish
* Fish head curry, a Singaporean dish where the head of an ''Ikan Merah'' (red snapper, literally "Red fish") is used
* Machher Jhol (also called ''"Machher Ghonta"'') a traditional ...
is a popular dish among Odia households.
Art and literature
Cuttack has been the home to many notable personalities who have contributed a lot towards the culture and history of modern Odisha. It is rightly called the Cultural capital.
Drama and theater culture
Cuttack had been the centre of art and literature in the past.
Annapurna Theatre is considered as the pioneer of Oriya theatre company. The B-Group of the Annapurna theatre, situated in Buxi Bazar is also one of the oldest theatres of Odisha. Kala Vikash Kendra in Cuttack is another premier institution for dance, drama and music in Odisha. It organizes international theatre olympiads annually where artists from different countries participate along with the local artists. Sarala Sahitya Sansad, Utkal Sahitya Samaj and Marwari Yuva Manch are some other organisations contributing to the rich culture of Odisha.
Libraries, Art Galleries and Auditoriums
Cuttack has been the seat of various literary activities and many notable writers and poets lived and worked here. There are many old libraries in Cuttack including the first library of the state Kanika Library at Ravenshaw University, Biswanath Pandit Central Library, Odisha Urdu Library, Madhusudan Library, PK Padhihari Pathagara, Bakul Library, Biren Mitra Library etc. CMC Sahid Bhawan has a big art gallery for exhibitions. Town Hall, KVK, Sahid Bhawan, Satabdi Bhawan, Sarala Bhawan etc. are the prominent auditoriums in the city.
Odia film industry
The
Odia Film Industry has its base in Cuttack. The Oriya film industry is popularly known as Ollywood, the name is a portmanteau of the words Oriya and Hollywood. In 1974, the
Government of Odisha
The government of the Indian state of Odisha and its 30 districts consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Odisha, a judiciary, and a legislative branch.
Like other states in India, the head of state of Odisha is the Governor, appoi ...
declared film making and construction of cinema theatres as industry in the state, and two years later in 1976, it established the
Orissa Film Development Corporation in Cuttack. One of the regional offices for
Central Board of Film Certification
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is a statutory film-certification body in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India. It is tasked with "regulating the public exhibition of films under the provision ...
is situated in Cuttack.
Movie theatres
The city has several cinemas playing movies in Odia, Hindi and English languages. Historically, Cuttack accounted for almost half of the number of cinema halls in the state but eventually, those numbers declined. Presently, Cuttack hosts five single-screen movie theatres name Grand, Brindaban, Samrat, Nishamani and Jayashree. It also houses two multiplexes namely
Inox and Sangam; the former being the state's second four-screen multiplex after its Bhubaneswar branch. Odisha's First Cinema Hall marks its beginning from Cuttack. In 1926 a Mobile Cinema Hall named Chameria Cinema Company showed films. Thereafter Annapurna Theatre came into existence. In 1932 Hallmuk Cinema Hall marked its beginning at Tinkonia Bagicha. Movies like Harischandra and Odia First movie Sita Bibah screen from this cinema hall in 1934. Another cinema hall named Capital Cinema was also built in Tinkonia Bagicha in 1936. Second Odia film ''Lalita'' release from this Hall. Similarly, in 1944-45 Pravat Cinema Hall near Baropathar, in 1951 Hind Cinema was built. In 1962 United Talkies Came into existence in Saheed Bhawan. Thereafter Parvati Talkies also built in Kalyanmandap of CUTTACK Municipality. In 1969 Grand Cinema and Suraj Talkies, 1972 Jyoti Cinema which renamed as Laxmi Hall came into existence. 1979 Durga Hall, 1980 Nisamani Hall, Samrat Hall, 1982 Brundaban Hall, Sagar Sangam Hall, Devi Cinema, 1983 Rajtarangini, 1985 Jaysree Talkies Came into existence.
Inox Multiplex opened in 2018, as Odisha's second after Bhubaneswar Inox.
Demographics
Population
According to the 2011 census of India, the population of Cuttack City in 2011 was 606,007: 331,246 male and 302,477 female. Its urban / metropolitan population was 658,986 of which 331,246 males and 327,740 are females. There were 48,585 children aged 0–6, 8.02% of total population of Cuttack City: 25,358 boys and 23,227 girls. The gender ratio of Cuttack City was 997 per 1000 males, for children 916 girls per 1000 boys.
Literacy
Cuttack has an average literacy rate of 91.17% with male literacy at 97.87% and female literacy at 84.49%. The Cuttack ranks high in literacy rate among Top Cities of India.
Religion
Around 89.65% of the city's population are
Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
while
Muslims
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
account for 8.23% and the rest constitute 2% of the total population. Cuttack has the largest population of
Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
in the state.
Languages
Odia is the primary language used in the city, besides which English and There are people who also speak
Santali,
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
,
Marwari,
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
,
Gujarati
Gujarati may refer to:
* something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India
* Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat
* Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them
* Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub ...
,
Punjabi,
, etc. English is widely used for commercial purposes. Most of the banners are written in
Odia and English .
Civic administration
Political and municipal administration
The City of Cuttack is administered by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation.
CMC was established as a municipality on 4 June 1876 and was named as a corporation on 15 August 1994. This corporation covers an area of 192.5 km
2.
The CMC is in charge of the civic and infrastructure needs of the Metropolitan City.
The Municipal Commissioner is the chief executive officer and head of the executive arm of the Municipal Corporation. All executive powers are vested on the Municipal Commissioner who is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer appointed by the State Government.
Cuttack City is divided into three constituencies which are represented at the State Legislative Assembly viz.
Barabati-Cuttack,
Choudwar-Cuttack and
Cuttack Sadar. Cuttack-Sadar is represented by Chandra Sarathi Behera (BJD) whereas Barabati-Cuttack is represented by Er.Mohammad Moquim (INC) while Choudwar-Cuttack is represented by Souvic Biswal (BJD).
Police and judicial administration
Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Police Commissionerate, under the control of Commissioner of Police, looks after the law enforcement in Cuttack. Cuttack has 25 Police Stations in the city. The headquarters of the
state police are situated in Cuttack. Cuttack is the judicial capital of Odisha as the High Court is situated here. Apart from it many other courts and tribunals have their offices in the city. Cuttack also houses circle jail at Choudwar.
Utilities, NGOs and charitable organisations
Electricity is supplied by the state-operated
Central Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha
TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL) (earlier Central Electricity Supply Utility of Odisha (CESU)) is responsible for medium voltage power transmission and distribution across 9 districts of Odisha. Originally, the licence to opera ...
, or CESU. Fire services are handled by the state agency
Odisha Fire Service
Odisha Fire Service (OFS) is the state owned service that attends firefighting/rescue calls throughout the Indian state of Odisha. It was established in 1944 during World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbrevi ...
. Drinking water is sourced from the underground wells and Mahanadi river.
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavors or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes. Public water supply systems are crucial to properly functioning societies. Thes ...
and
sewerage are handled by the
Public Health Engineering Organisation
Public Health Engineering Organisation (PHEO) is a public agency formed in 1956 by the Government of Odisha, under the administrative control of Housing and Urban Development Department assigned with task of providing water supply and sewerage ...
. State-owned
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
Bharat, or Bharath, may refer to:
* Bharat (term), the name for India in various Indian languages
** Bharata Khanda, the Sanskrit name for the Indian subcontinent (or South Asia)
* Bharata, the name of several legendary figures or groups:
** Bhar ...
, or BSNL, as well as private enterprises, among them
Vodafone
Vodafone Group plc () is a British multinational telecommunications company. Its registered office and global headquarters are in Newbury, Berkshire, England. It predominantly operates services in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania.
, Vod ...
,
Bharti Airtel
Bharti Airtel Limited, commonly known as (d/b/a) Airtel, is an Indian multinational telecommunications services company based in New Delhi. It operates in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa, as well as the Channel Islands. Currently, ...
,
Jio
Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, doing business as Jio, is an Indian telecommunications company and a subsidiary of Jio Platforms, headquartered in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It operates a national LTE network with coverage across all 2 ...
, and
Idea Cellular
Idea Cellular
(commonly referred to as Idea, and stylised as ''!dea'') was an Indian mobile network operator based at Mumbai, Maharashtra. Idea was a pan-India integrated GSM operator and had 220.00 million subscribers as of June 2018. Id ...
are the leading telephone, cell phone and
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider (ISP) is an organization that provides services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. ISPs can be organized in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise privat ...
s in the city.
Cuttack has the largest number of NGOs, charitable organisations, orphanages, old age and destitute homes than anywhere else in the state. Famous ones include Matrubhaban, Josoda Sadan, Daya Ashram, Basundhara orphanage, Odisha Children's Orphanage, Leprosy Home, Regional Institute of Mental Health, etc.
Economy
Cuttack is widely known as the commercial capital of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. It is believed to have the largest GDP among all cities in
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
due to its large business houses and a wide range of industries ranging from ferrous alloys, steel and logistics to agriculture and traditional industries like textiles and handicrafts. There are many trading houses in the city renowned nationally and internationally. The
Paradip Port
Paradip Port is a natural, deep-water port on the East coast of India in Paradip, just from Jagatsinghpur city in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. It is at the confluence of the Mahanadi river and the Bay of Bengal, south of Kolkata a ...
which is around 85 km from the city facilitates this process.
Traditional Industries
![Cuttack Tarkasi (silver filigree) pendant & ear rings](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Cuttack_Tarkasi_%28silver_filigree%29_pendant_%26_ear_rings.jpg)
The city is one of the largest hub for textiles in eastern India. The city's annual textile trade generates over a billion dollars of revenue. A large textile park is planned, giving a facelift to the erstwhile Orissa Textile Mills in city outskirts. Cuttack is famous for its silver filigree works and only because of these works it is also known as the silver city of India. Cuttack is also famous for its handicraft works using cow and mostly Buffaloes horn. Cuttack has only one retail store for horn items named Utkal Gaurab Madhusudhan Horn Work. It was greatly contributed by Late Kalandi Charana Behera. Generally, the horn of dead cattle is used and it is performed by licensed craftsmen only. This peculiar artefact is limited to Cuttack only and anything of such kind is found nowhere else in the world. These fine and unique handicraft works add significantly to the local economy.
Industrial corridor and Special Economic Zone
There are 11 large-scale industries in and around Cuttack mostly in
Choudwar and
Athagarh and many more in the pipeline. These industries include steel, power, automobile, alloys, fireclay, etc. Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys (IMFA), the country's largest producer of
ferrous
In chemistry, the adjective Ferrous indicates a compound that contains iron(II), meaning iron in its +2 oxidation state, possibly as the divalent cation Fe2+. It is opposed to " ferric" or iron(III), meaning iron in its +3 oxidation state, suc ...
alloy
An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductilit ...
s is in Choudwar, Cuttack. A mega-auto complex is in implementation stages on the city's outskirts. Cuttack occupies a very significant place in the logistics map of the country. The number of medium- and small-scale industries concentrated around Cuttack is by far the largest among the cities in the state. The industrial estates in and around Cuttack numbers around eight.
Jagatpur and Khapuria are industrial estates inside the city. A large chunk of these serve as ancillary industries for the big industrial houses in
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
and other states.
Service sector
Being the former capital and now the partial capital of the state and a big business hub, many central and state government and corporate offices are in Cuttack. The service sector is quite large. The people of nearby districts are heavily depended on the city for their livelihood, contributing to the service sector and, thus, the floating population. The presence of Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), the largest rice research institute in Asia, adds to the importance of Cuttack in the agricultural map of the country. The presence of
Odisha High Court and the
SCB Medical & College, the largest medical institution in the state, further nourishes the service sector. Education is a major industry due to large number of universities, colleges, schools and coaching centres and caters to the neighbouring districts. The proximity to
Paradip Port
Paradip Port is a natural, deep-water port on the East coast of India in Paradip, just from Jagatsinghpur city in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. It is at the confluence of the Mahanadi river and the Bay of Bengal, south of Kolkata a ...
comes as an added advantage. OSL Group, one of the leading stevedore firms of the country is headquartered in Cuttack. Cuttack, being the largest business hub of the state is the nodal point of trade and transport. It also has the largest wholesale commodities market of the state at Malgodown and Chhatra Bazaar catering the whole state.
Media
![The Samaja Office Cuttack](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/The_Samaja_Office_Cuttack.JPG)
Cuttack has a Doordarshan centre which telecasts Odia programs. The Cuttack station of
All India Radio
All or ALL may refer to:
Language
* All, an indefinite pronoun in English
* All, one of the English determiners
* Allar language (ISO 639-3 code)
* Allative case (abbreviated ALL)
Music
* All (band), an American punk rock band
* ''All'' (All ...
started post-independence in 1948 and broadcasts programs in
AM as well as
FM bandwidth catering the whole
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
.
At present Cuttack has
six local radio stations broadcasting on
FM, including two from AIR. The private FM stations include 91.9 Sarthak FM, BIG 92.7 FM, RED 93.5 FM and Radio Choklate 104 FM.
Among several print media houses located at Cuttack, the Oriya newspapers published here includes ''
The Samaja
''The Samaja'' is an Odia daily newspaper published in Cuttack, Odisha, India; started in 1919, it is one of the oldest papers in India. Gopabandhu Das, a prominent freedom fighter and social worker started it as a weekly from Satyabadi in Puri ...
'' (founded by Utkala Mani Gopabandhu Das), ''Prajatantra'' (founded by Harekrushna Mahatab, former Chief Minister of Odisha and former Governor of
Maharashtra), ''
Sambad
Sambad is an Indian newspaper of Odia language which is published daily from Bhubaneswar, Odisha. It is one of the largest circulated Odia newspapers in Odisha. It is published from the capital city of Bhubaneswar, as well as from Cuttack, Berha ...
, Dharitri'' and the ''Matrubhasha'' to name a few.
Healthcare
![Shishu Bhaban Main Building](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Shishu_Bhaban_Main_Building.JPG)
Cuttack is the healthcare hub of Odisha. Millions of people from different parts of Odisha and other states throng to the city with the hope of better medical facilities.
Shri Ramachandra Bhanj Medical College (SCBMCH), the largest medical college of the state is located in Cuttack. The
Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC), the only one of its kind in Eastern India, carries out high-end research and treatment in cancer. The
Regional Spinal Injury Centre (RSIC) is also situated in the S.C.B. Medical College Campus which provides rehabilitation measures to persons with disabilities especially spinal injury. Swami Vivekananda
National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research
Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research is an autonomous institute functioning under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment of India. It is located in Olatpur, 30 km from Cuttack.
History
Th ...
(SVNIRTAR) is the most prestigious institution in the field of rehabilitation located at Olatpur, 30 km from Cuttack. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel PG Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPIG), popularly known as Sishu Bhawan is an annex hospital of SCBMCH. It is the largest hospital of its kind in eastern India. Leprosy Home and Hospital near Nuabazar is over 100 years old and is still serving the people.
Major hospitals in and around Cuttack are District Headquarters Hospital (City Hospital), Shanti Memorial Hospital, HCG Panda Cancer Hospital, Ashwini Hospital, Sun Hospital, Sabarmati General Hospital,
Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital, Heritage Healthcare Hospital, Rotary Eye Hospital and Melvin Jones Lion's Eye Hospital among others.
Education
Schools and colleges in Cuttack
Schools in Cuttack are either run by the
Cuttack Municipal Corporation
Cuttack Municipal Corporation is the municipal corporation governing Indian city of Cuttack which was earlier established as a municipality on 4 June 1876. Municipal Corporation mechanism in India was introduced during British Rule with format ...
or by private trusts and individuals. The Odia medium schools in Cuttack are affiliated to the
Board of Secondary Education, Odisha
The Board of Secondary Education, Odisha (abbreviated BSE) is a board of education for public and private schools under the state government of Odisha, India.
History
The BSE was formed under the Odisha Education Act 1953. The board controls and ...
whilst the English medium affiliated to either
ICSE or the
CBSE. Apart from English and Odia medium schools, certain Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati, Bengali and Telugu medium schools are also present in Cuttack.
Ravenshaw Collegiate School
Ravenshaw Collegiate School is the oldest High School of Odisha which was established in 1851 by Thomas Edward Ravenshaw in the District of Cuttack in Odisha, India. It was one of three institutions founded by Ravenshaw, the other two being th ...
, the oldest school of Odisha which proudly boasts many eminent personalities in its alumni including
Netaji Subash Chandra Bose
Subhas Chandra Bose ( ; 23 January 1897 – 18 August 1945
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*) was an Indian independence movement, Indian nationalist whose defiance of British raj, British authority in India made him a hero among Indians, but his warti ...
,
Biju Patnaik
Bijayananda Patnaik (5 March 1916 – 17 April 1997) was an Indian politician, aviator and businessman. As politician, he served twice as the Chief Minister of the State of Odisha.
Early life
His parents lived in Bellaguntha, Ganjam dist ...
, Harekrushna Mahatab, etc. is situated in Cuttack. Some of the other prominent Odia medium schools of the city include
Secondary Board High School
The Secondary Board High School, Cuttack is an Indian Government high school in Cuttack, Odisha. It is situated at the Bajrakabati Road of Cuttack on the same campus as the Board of Secondary Education, Odisha (BSE). Established in 1959 by th ...
,
Jobra High SchoolJobra High School, Ravenshaw Girls High School, Ranihat High School, Nua Bazar High School, Odisha Police High School, Christ Collegiate School, Kamalakanta Vidayapitha, Peary Mohan Academy, Badambadi New Colony High School,
Matrubhaban School & College, CuttackMatrubhaban school & college, Buckley Girls School, CRRI High School.
The city has a number of Saraswati Shishu Mandirs and CBSE schools. The prominent public schools are
Sai International Residential School (SIRS),
D.A.V. Public School, Sector-6, CDA, L.R.D.A.V Public School, Gandarpur, D.A.V. Public School, Rajabagicha,
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) is a system of central schools for talented students predominantly from rural areas in India. They are run by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Noida, an autonomous organization under the Department of School Educa ...
, Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1, Kendriya Vidyalaya No.2, Mahanadi Vihar, Kendriya Vidyalaya No.3, Kendriya Vidyalaya Arc Charbatia,
Stewart School, New Stewart School, Delhi Public School Kalinga, St. Xavier's High School, Sri Sathya Sai School, St. Joseph's Girls High School, S.C.B. Medical Public School, Cambridge School, Joharimall High School, Modern Public School, Queen Mary's School etc. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose studied at Stewart School briefly before moving to Ravenshaw Collegiate School.
Under the 10+2+3/4 plan, students complete ten years of schooling and then enroll for two years in junior college, where they select one of three streams: arts, commerce, or science. This is followed by either a general degree course in a chosen field of study, or a professional degree course, such as law, engineering, and medicine. Most of the colleges in the city are affiliated to the Council of Higher Secondary Education. Some of the prominent colleges include
Ravenshaw College, Stewart Science College, Christ College,
Choudwar College, Choudwar women's college, Cuttack College, Jatiya Kabi Bira Kishore (J.K.B.K.) College, Netaji City College, Raghunathjew College, Sailabala Women's College, Emarti Devi Women's College, Indira Gandhi Women's College, City Women's College, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Higher Studies & Research, Kishore Nagar College, Kandarpur College. Sailabala Women's college established in 1913 is the oldest women's college in Odisha.
Universities and institutes of higher education and research
The ''Twin Cities'' account for around 100 engineering colleges. Cuttack is home to several technical institutions which include
Institute of Management and Information Technology (IMIT), Bhubananda Orissa school of Engineering(BOSE), Institute of Textile Technology (ITT),
Dhaneshwar Rath Institute of Engineering & Management Studies (DRIEMS),
Image Institute of Technology & Management (IITM),
Ajay Binay Institute of Technology (ABIT), Institute of Professional Studies and Research (IPSAR), Jagannath Institute of Engineering and Technology, Barabati Institute of Management Studies etc.
Some of the other institutes include Biju Pattnaik Institute of Film and Television and the
Madhusudan Law College
Madhusudan Law University formerly Madhusudan Law College is the oldest Law Institute (now a university) of the State of Odisha. The college is situated at Municipal Colony in Cuttack in the Indian state of Odisha. It offers 3 years LL.B.(Hons ...
. Madhusudan Law college has been declared to be upgraded as a university.
Established in 1869 as Cuttack Normal School, converted to Cuttack Training School in 1875 and later in 1923 as Secondary Training School, later renamed as Radhanath Training School, after the eminent teacher and poet
Radhanath Ray, now known as Radhanatha Institute of Advanced Studies in Education (RNIASE) offers various teaching Courses, is located adjacent to the campus wall of Ravenshaw Collegiate School and in front of
Swaraj Asrama in Bakharabad is the oldest institute in the State. Also in 1912, Odisha's only Urdu teacher training school was established in Sheikh Bazar Which is now only the Muslim Minority Govt Elementary Teacher Education Institution in Odisha where every year 100 pupil teachers complete their elementary teacher training.
National Law University Odisha (NLUO)
Cuttack is the home to the
National Law University Odisha, one of the 14 NLU's in India, which was established under the National Law University Odisha Act of 2008, the
National Law University(NLU Cuttack). It is one of the institutes for legal education in India funded by the Central as well as the State government. Housed in a sprawling campus the university sees a host of legal luminaries who impart education to the students.
Madhusudan Law University (MLU)
Cuttack houses Odisha's oldest law college,
Madhusudan Law College
Madhusudan Law University formerly Madhusudan Law College is the oldest Law Institute (now a university) of the State of Odisha. The college is situated at Municipal Colony in Cuttack in the Indian state of Odisha. It offers 3 years LL.B.(Hons ...
. In 1869 the law course was introduced in the Ravenshaw Collegiate School, thereafter it continued in the Ravenshaw College. That time the Bachelor of Law course was under the University of Calcutta and after the foundation of
Utkal University in 1943 the Madhusudan Law College was also established in the same year. This college is named after National Leader and politician
Madhusudan Das
Madhusudan Das (28 April 1848 – 4 February 1934) was an Indian lawyer and social reformer, who founded Utkal Sammilani in 1903 to campaign for the unification of Odisha along with its social and industrial development. He was one of the main ...
. With effect from June 2020, Madhusudan Law College has been upgraded to Madhusudan Law University. As per the notification from DHE Odisha, "
l the existing government and private law colleges, except the constituent law colleges of different universities of the state shall be affiliated and cease to be affiliated from their respective universities from that date and direct that the said University shall have jurisdiction, save as aforesaid, over all law colleges of the state."
Ravenshaw University
Ravenshaw University
Ravenshaw University, formerly known as Ravenshaw college, is a co-educational state university situated in Cuttack, Odisha on the eastern coast of India. Founded as Ravenshaw College in 1868, the institution became a university in 2006. The un ...
is one of the oldest institutes of India and the oldest college of the state which was founded by Thomas Edward Ravenshaw in 1868 and was granted University status on 15 November 2006. Ravenshaw University came into existence on 15 November 2006. It was an up-gradation of Ravenshaw College established in 1868, one of the oldest and largest colleges in India which subsequently became an autonomous college with CPE status by UGC and 'A' grade by NAAC.
Sri Sri University
Sri Sri University
Sri Sri University is an Indian university established on 26 December 2009. The university came into operation in the year 2012. At present, the university is offering different courses in areas of management, architecture, humanities, agricul ...
established by
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar (born 13 May 1956) is an Indian Modern yoga gurus, yoga guru, a spiritual leader. He is frequently referred to as Sri, Sri Sri (honorific), Guru ji, or Gurudev. From around the mid 1970s, he worked as an Apprenticeship, apprentic ...
and
Art of Living is situated at the far end of the city in Naraj. It came into operation in the year 2012.
National Rice Research Institute (NRRI)
Asia's largest rice research institute, the
Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) is situated in Cuttack. In 1945, the Government of India decided to establish a central Institute for rice research. As a result, the Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) was set up on 23 April 1946 at Bidhyadharpur, Cuttack, Odisha with an experimental farmland of 60 hectares provided by Government of Orissa. The CRRI is one of the Institutes of the ICAR under the Division of Crop Sciences. The institute has two research stations- Central Rainfed Upland Rice Research Station (CRURRS), Hazaribagh, in Jharkhand, and the Regional Rainfed Lowland Rice Research Station (RRLRRS), Gerua, in Assam. These research stations were established to tackle the problems of rainfed uplands, and flood-prone rainfed lowlands, respectively. Two Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) also function under the CRRI and guided by the DDG (Agril. Extension). These KVKs are located at Santhapur, Cuttack and Jainagar, Koderma.
Srirama Chandra Bhanja Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH)
Shri Ramachandra Bhanj Medical College (SCB), the largest medical college of the state is located in Cuttack. The S.C.B. Medical College also has a dental wing which offers bachelor's degree in dental sciences.
Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC), the only one of its kind in Eastern India, carries out high-end research and treatment in cancer. The Regional Spinal Injury Centre (RSIC) is also situated in the S.C.B. Medical College Campus. RSIC is an autonomous organisation under the administrative and financial control of Department of Health & Family Welfare,
Government of Odisha
The government of the Indian state of Odisha and its 30 districts consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Odisha, a judiciary, and a legislative branch.
Like other states in India, the head of state of Odisha is the Governor, appoi ...
and is headed by the director of the RSIC which provides rehabilitation measures to persons with disabilities especially spinal injury.
Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR)
Svnitar is an institute in the field of rehabilitation. Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR) is an Autonomous body under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DIVYANGJAN), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Govt. of India. It provides total medical rehabilitation for the Persons with Locomotor Disabilities. It also conducts three bachelor's degree courses in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, three Postgraduate courses of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Prosthetics and Orthotics affiliated to Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. It also has an accreditation for DNB in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of National Board of Examination (NBE), New Delhi.
Sardar Vallabhbahai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (SVPPGIP)
SVPPGIP also known as Shishu Bhawan is the largest Paediatrics hospital in eastern India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Paediatrics (Sishubhawan), Cuttack, Orissa is based on manifold historic backgrounds situated on the bank of river Kathjori amidst the lush greenery. This palatial building was the center of administration during Mugul, Maratha and British regime from 1568 A.D. till independence. After independence this building was known as "Rajbhawan" where Governor of Orissa used to stay.
Biju Pattnaik Film and Television Institute of Odisha (BPFTIO)
The government of Odisha has established an autonomous Institute in the name and style of Biju Pattnaik Film & Television Institute of Orissa (BPFTIO) under World Bank assisted scheme to meet the emerging demand of well trained technical manpower in the field of television network and film production activities. Situated on the bank of river Mahanadi, BPFTIO occupies an independent space in the sprawling campus of Bhubanananda Orissa School of Engineering (BOSE), Cuttack the oldest Engineering School of the State. Funded by Government of Odisha, Department of Employment and Technical Education & Training, the institute offers diploma courses in 3 disciplines such as Cinematography, Sound & TV. Engineering and Film & Video Editing.
Transport
Air
Cuttack has an Air Base named
Charbatia Air Base
Charbatia Air Base is located approximately 12 km north of Cuttack, Odisha in eastern India. It is an aerial reconnaissance post of the intelligence agency's aviation unit, the Aviation Research Centre (ARC). The Research and Analysis Wi ...
for the exclusive use for light exercises and on and off training purposes of the
Indian Air Force. The nearest commercial airport is the
Biju Patnaik International Airport
Biju Patnaik International Airport is an international airport serving Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha. It is situated around south-west from Bhubaneswar Railway Station and from the city center. Named after the former chief minist ...
at
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
, about 28 km away but the establishment of an Airport in Cuttack, at
Choudwar or Naraj to serve such a large population in and around the city is needed.
Road
On 28 April 2010, the
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is a ministry of the Government of India, that is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and laws relating to road transport, transport research and in als ...
officially published a new numbering system for the National highway network in the Gazette of the Government of India. As per the new numbering
National Highway 16
Route 16, or Highway 16, can refer to:
International
* Asian Highway 16
* European route E16
* European route E016
Australia
- Thompsons Road (Victoria)
- South Australia
Canada
;Parts of the Trans-Canada Highway:
*Yellowhead H ...
(
former National Highway 5) runs from North to South of the city. As a part of the
Golden Quadrilateral
The Golden Quadrilateral ( hi, स्वर्णिम चतुर्भुज, Svarnim Chaturbhuj; abbreviated GQ) is a national highway network connecting several major industrial, agricultural and cultural centres of India. It forms a ...
project, this highway runs from
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
to
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
.
National Highway 55 (
former National Highway 42) connects Cuttack with
Sambalpur
Sambalpur () is the fifth largest city in the Indian State of Odisha. It is located on the banks of river Mahanadi, with a population of 335,761 (as per 2011 census). Prehistoric settlements have been recorded there. It is the home of the Sam ...
. Also Asian Highway 45 passes through the city. Feeder State Highways connect Cuttack to
Jajpur,
Paradeep
Paradeep, also spelt Paradip (originally Paradweep, also spelt Paradwip), is a major seaport city and municipality, from Jagatsinghpur city in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. Paradeep Municipality was constituted as an NAC on 27 Sep ...
,
Talcher
Talcher is one of the 4 sub-divisions of Angul district in the Indian state of Odisha.
History
During the British Raj Talcher was the capital of Talcher State, one of the princely states of the Eastern States Agency.Malleson, G. B.: ''An his ...
,
Angul,
Kendrapara
Kendrapara is a Town and a municipality in the Kendrapara district of the Indian state of Odisha. It is the headquarters of Kendrapara district.
Geography
Kendrapara is located at . It has an average elevation of . It is surrounded by Bhadrak, ...
and nearby towns in
Cuttack district. Intra city transport is primarily through
Auto rickshaws
An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj ...
. Nowadays DTS city buses ply in the city to join different places in the city and the state capital. Cuttack is a major junction connecting all the major parts of the state. The bus terminus at Cuttack is located at Badambadi, and is one of the largest bus terminus in India, and thousands of private and government buses ply to hundreds of destinations every day. A new Inter-state bus terminus (ISBT) at Balikuda is under construction to relieve pressure off the Badambadi Bus Terminus. Cuttack is now more strongly connected to Bhubaneswar and Dhenkanal due to the addition of two new bridges namely
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Setu on Kathjodi and
Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Setu on Mahanadi. The former is the longest road bridge in Odisha.
Rail
Cuttack Junction is one of the stations on the
Howrah-Chennai main line of the
East Coast Railway
The East Coast Railway (abbreviated ECoR) is one of the 19 railway zones of Indian Railways. It came into existence on 1 April 2003. The headquarters of the zone are at Bhubaneswar, Odisha
History
Consequent upon the parliament's approval, Ea ...
and falls under the Khurda Road division. A branch line to
Paradeep
Paradeep, also spelt Paradip (originally Paradweep, also spelt Paradwip), is a major seaport city and municipality, from Jagatsinghpur city in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. Paradeep Municipality was constituted as an NAC on 27 Sep ...
starts from Cuttack. It is connected to all parts of India through trains run by the
Indian Railways
Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a tota ...
. The Cuttack Railway station is selected to be developed as a multi-functional railway station with food courts shopping plaza, theatres to be developed . Other railway stations in the city are
Barang Junction railway station
Barang Junction railway station is a railway station on the East Coast Railway network in the state of Odisha, India. It serves Barang town. Its code is BRAG. It has four platforms. Passenger, MEMU, Express trains halt at Barang Junction railwa ...
, Balikuda, Matagajpur, Kandarpur,
Katha Jori, Kendrapara Road, Kapilas Road, Manguli, Nergundi and Naraj. The Mahanadi Rail bridge is the 5th longest rail bridge in India.
Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS)
The Government of Odisha has proposed a rapid transit system for the cities of
Cuttack and Bhuabneswar. On 23 August 2014, Government of Odisha's Housing and Urban Development Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Balaji Railroad Systems Ltd (BARSYL) for preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) for mass rapid transit system (MRTS) between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. The Balaji Railroad Systems Ltd (BARSYL) would get Rs 25 million for preparation of DPR for approximately 30 km within a period of ten months. The government officials said it would be a testing for them to evict encroachments for expansion of roads in the twin cities.
The Government of Odisha is working on introduction of
Monorail
A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and " rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam.
Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurat ...
service in Cuttack. The Housing and Urban Development Department has taken up the issue for exploring Monorail system in Cuttack to make it the first city in the state to have Monorail service. A study on the viability of launching the monorail over an eight to 10 km stretch in the city is expected to be carried out soon. The Engineering Projects (India) Ltd would conduct a comprehensive survey of the city's capacity to host the system as well as the traffic and congestion problems and submit a proposal. The initially proposed route of circular Ring Road has been ruled out as it was not considered feasible on traffic considerations. While Badambadi-Madhupatana Link Road stretch is the most congested with traffic density crossing 300 per minute, thoroughfares like Choudhury Bazar College Square, Mangalabag, Buxi Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, CDA Square see peak flow of over 100 vehicles per minute are more likely to be taken into consideration.
Sports
Cuttack is the sports hub of Odisha. It is the host to the famous Barabati Stadium as well as many other stadium and grounds. Cuttack has a branch of Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centres, which was established on 26 March 1987 under Sports Hostel Scheme in the Barabati Sports Complex. The authority is responsible for training in Athletics, Basketball, Football, Volleyball, and Gymnastics.
Barabati Sports Complex
Cuttack is the home to the Barabati Sports Complex. The
Barabati Stadium
The Barabati Stadium is an Indian sports stadium used mostly for cricket and association football, and also sometimes for concerts and field hockey, located in Cuttack, Odisha. It is a regular venue for international cricket and is the home gro ...
is an important venue for international cricket and football matches. The Barabati Sports Complex hosts the head offices of most of the sports bodies of the state. Apart from cricket and football, the sports complex also has facilities for Lawn Tennis, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming. The sports complex also houses an indoor hall christened as Sachin Tendulkar Indoor Hall, dedicated to legendary cricketer
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (; ; born 24 April 1973) is an Indian former international cricketer who captained the Indian national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the all time highest run-sco ...
. The construction of the indoor hall was a joint venture of the
Odisha Cricket Association
Odisha Cricket Association (abbreviated OCA) is the governing body of the Cricket activities in the Odisha state of India and the Odisha cricket team. It was formed in the year of 1961 and its headquarters is in Cuttack Barabati Stadium Complex. ...
and the
Board of Control for Cricket in India
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the national governing body for cricket in India. Its headquarters are situated at Cricket centre, Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The BCCI is the richest governing body of cricket in the world ...
which was formally inaugurated on the auspicious occasion of
Utkal Divas. The centrally air-conditioned 185 feet long, 65 feet wide and 44 feet high four-storied complex has been built primarily to provide practise facility to cricketers during off season. The complex is also used to stage competitions in different indoor sports including basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, fencing, judo, weight-lifting and wrestling.
Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium
East India
East India is a region of India consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha
and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The region roughly corresponds to the historical region of Magadh ...
's second and Odisha's only indoor arena, Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium is situated in Cuttack. The indoor arena is primarily used for Gymnastics and Martial Arts. It has hosted many international and national sporting events in the past. It is also used to host musical concerts and award shows. It hosted the 21st edition of the
Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships The Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships was born at a meeting of Commonwealth delegates in Munich at the 1969 World Championships. Prior to inclusion in the Commonwealth Games proper in 2002, 15 Commonwealth Championships have taken place since ...
from 17 to 21 July 2019. It will host the
BWF World Tour
The BWF World Tour is a Grade 2 badminton tournament series, sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF). It is a competition open to the top world ranked players in singles (men's and women's) and doubles (men's, women's and mixed). The competi ...
tournament
Odisha Open
The Odisha Open is an annual badminton tournament held in India. The tournament is a part of the BWF World Tour tournaments and is leveled in BWF Tour Super 100. The inaugural edition was held in 2022 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Cut ...
from
2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
Onwards.
Satyabrata Stadium
This is situated inside the fort area and is primarily used for athletics and soccer. It has a concrete track used for athletics and synthetic basketball courts. It is used by the locals for jogging and morning exercises too.
Jagatpur Water Sports Complex
Cuttack is also the only hub in Odisha for
Water Sports
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a s ...
. The Rowing & Sculling Association of Odisha is situated in Cuttack at Jagatpur. The water sports events are facilitated in the River Birupa.
The
DRIEMS
DRIEMS is a group of technical and professional institution located in Tangi Cuttack district of Odisha, India, India. It has been affiliated to the Biju Patnaik University of Technology since 2004. From 1999 to 2003 it was affiliated to Utkal ...
Stadium at Tangi has also hosted international cricket matches and is a regular venue for
Ranji Trophy matches. Cuttack also has some very good sporting grounds like Nimpur Grounds, Bidanasi Grounds, Sunshine Grounds, Ravenshaw Grounds, SCB Medical Grounds, BOSE Grounds which are the venues for annual state cricket and football championships and some of which are often used as additional venues for
Ranji Trophy and
Santosh Trophy matches.
Cuttack along with
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
has hosted the
2013 Women's Cricket World Cup. Apart from it, Cuttack has also hosted matches in
1987 Cricket World Cup
The 1987 Cricket World Cup (officially known as the Reliance Cup 1987 for sponsorship reasons) was the fourth Cricket World Cup. It was held from 8 October to 8 November 1987 in India and Pakistan – the first such tournament to be held outside ...
and
1996 Cricket World Cup
The 1996 Cricket World Cup, also called the Wills World Cup 1996 after the Wills Navy Cut brand produced by tournament sponsor ITC, was the sixth Cricket World Cup organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was the second World C ...
. The 18th and 24th
National Games were held in Cuttack in 1958 and 1970 respectively.
Historical places of interest
Barabati Fort and Cantonment
![Barabati Fort Main Entrance](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Barabati_Fort_Main_Entrance.jpg)
The
Barabati Fort is a 10th-century castle built by the
Somavamshi dynasty
The Somavamshi (IAST: Somavaṃśī, "Lunar dynasty") or Keshari (IAST: Keśarī) dynasty ruled parts of present-day Odisha in eastern India between the 9th and the 12th centuries. Their capitals included Yayatinagara (modern Binka) and Abhina ...
lineage ruler Maharaja Markata Keshari. The ruins of the fort still remain with its moat, gate and the earthen mound of the nine-storied palace, which evokes the memories of past days. The ruins of the fort still remain on the right bank of the Mahanadi, in the western part of the city with its moat, gate and the earthen mound of the nine-storied palace, which evokes the memories of past days.
Chudangagarh Fort
Chudangagarh otherwise called Sarangagarh is located near the
Barang Junction railway station
Barang Junction railway station is a railway station on the East Coast Railway network in the state of Odisha, India. It serves Barang town. Its code is BRAG. It has four platforms. Passenger, MEMU, Express trains halt at Barang Junction railwa ...
and is 8 km. south-west of Cuttack city on a fair-weather road. Like
Barabati Fort this fort also played a significant role in the medieval history of Orissa. Chodagandadeva of Ganga dynasty selected this site and built the fort for effective safeguard of his vast empire. Remains of fort walls, stepped wells, dilapidated temples, tanks with stone revetments, granary house, watch towers and dressed stones are abundantly noticed within the fortified area. A ruined palace containing sixteen rooms called Solapura Uasa is located inside the fort. The granary of the fort is indicated at a place called Chaula Ghara Banks. Chudangagarh is now a protected monument of the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexand ...
, New Delhi.
Netaji Birthplace Museum
Cuttack takes pride in being the birthplace of Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose, the prominent Indian freedom-fighter and founder of
Azad Hind Fauj
The Indian National Army (INA; ''Azad Hind Fauj'' ; 'Free Indian Army') was a collaborationist armed force formed by Indian collaborators and Imperial Japan on 1 September 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II. Its aim was to secure In ...
. The birthplace of Netaji is situated in Oriya Bazar known as Janakinath Bhawan, behind Big Bazaar. The place has now been converted into a museum named Netaji Birth Place Museum. The museum showcases the original letters written by Netaji along with other important materials used by Netaji.
Madhusudan Sangrahalaya
Cuttack is the birthplace of Utkala Gaurav
Madhusudan Das
Madhusudan Das (28 April 1848 – 4 February 1934) was an Indian lawyer and social reformer, who founded Utkal Sammilani in 1903 to campaign for the unification of Odisha along with its social and industrial development. He was one of the main ...
. His former residence and workplace Madhusmruti was converted to Sailabala Women's College in 1952. A small hall within the college premises has been preserved as Madhusudan Sangrahalaya, that contains works and memoirs of the great architect of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
.
Anand Bhavan Museum and Learning Centre
Anand Bhavan, the ancestral house of
Biju Patnaik
Bijayananda Patnaik (5 March 1916 – 17 April 1997) was an Indian politician, aviator and businessman. As politician, he served twice as the Chief Minister of the State of Odisha.
Early life
His parents lived in Bellaguntha, Ganjam dist ...
at Tulsipur, was converted into a memorial museum in 2016. Chief Minister of Odisha
Naveen Patnaik
Naveen Patnaik (born 16 October 1946) is an Indian politician serving as the current and 14th Chief Minister of Odisha. He is also the president of the Biju Janata Dal, a writer and has authored three books. He is the longest-serving chief min ...
's grandfather Laxmi Narayan Patnaik had built Anand Bhavan. Biju Babu was born there on 5 March 1916. Biju Babu's iconic Dakota DC-3 aircraft used to rescue Indonesian prime minister
Sultan Sjahrir is scheduled to be showcased near his ancestral home.
Odisha State Maritime Museum
![Odisha State Maritime Muesuem](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Odisha_State_Maritime_Muesuem.JPG)
The Odisha State Maritime Museum was inaugurated by the Odisha chief minister Shri Naveen Pattnaik on 1 April 2013. It has been set up at the erstwhile Jobra workshop on the banks of river
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
near Jobra. It has 10 number of galleries and an aquarium. In 1882 the East India Irrigation Company build an anicut (Jobra Anicut) (6349 ft. long) across the river Mahanadi near jobra and the Jobra Khunti (Pillar) to serve as a lighthouse to boats and cargo vessels passing through the river and the Taladanda canal.
Old Jail Complex and the Freedom Fighter's Memorial
This location was inaugurated by
Hon.
''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' (American English; American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific Style (ma ...
Chief Minister of Odisha
The chief minister of Odisha, an Indian state, is the head of the Government of Odisha. As per the Constitution of India, the governor is the state's ''de jure'' head, but ''de facto'' executive authority rests with the chief minister. Followin ...
Mr.
Naveen Patnaik
Naveen Patnaik (born 16 October 1946) is an Indian politician serving as the current and 14th Chief Minister of Odisha. He is also the president of the Biju Janata Dal, a writer and has authored three books. He is the longest-serving chief min ...
on 23 January 2010, on the occasion of Netaji Jayanti. It is situated at the Old Jail complex. The old jail complex of Cuttack near Ganga Mandir tank and Dargha Bazar was a colonia-period jail cellular jail where many notable freedom fighters were imprisoned during the
Swaraj movement.
Swaraj Ashram
The Swaraj Ashram at Telengabazar is synonymous with
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
's relationship with Odisha, Cuttack in particular. The double-storey Ashram, located opposite the banks of the
Kathajodi River
Kathajodi River is an arm of the Mahanadi River in Odisha, India. It branches off at Naraj, then immediately is bifurcated. The southern branch, known as Kuakhai, which means ''Crow's pool'', and flows into the Puri district. Its mouth is clos ...
. was in the thick of the Non Cooperation Movement in the 1920s. This is where Gandhi stayed during his visits to
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. The ashram that spreads over 1100 sq ft area has been converted into a protected monument by the
Government of Odisha
The government of the Indian state of Odisha and its 30 districts consists of an executive, led by the Governor of Odisha, a judiciary, and a legislative branch.
Like other states in India, the head of state of Odisha is the Governor, appoi ...
. There are around 200 photographs in the ashram that captured Gandhi's visit to Odisha beginning with the one in 1921, the first of his seven trips to Odisha's 69 sites till 1946. Historians say that Cuttack was the seat of the Freedom Movement in Odisha and the Swaraj Ashram played a pivotal role in paving the way for Swaraj Movement
Maratha barracks
The Marhatta barracks are medieval era structures in Chauliaganj, presently used as headquarters of the 6th battalion of the Odisha State Armed police Force (OSAPF), were used as armoury both during the Marhatta and British rule. These iconic long barracks are one of the oldest surviving buildings of Odisha and are widely perceived as original remaining structures and a unique example of the synthesis of Maratha and Odishan architecture. Rajaram Pandit started the work in 1775 and it was completed by Sadasiva Rao in 1795. Spread across a vast patch of forest land on the outskirts of the city, the place was infested by tigers, panthers, snakes and other wildlife. The forest was cleared except for some ancient trees, which are still standing tall. The domed structures were solidly built with local materials. Kiln baked bricks and lime mortar was used. There were big wells in the compound and underground cells. Separate stables for their horses and elephants, magazines for storing gunpowder, living quarters etc. were made. The barracks housed the artillery, cavalry and infantry forces. The Marathas had as many as 2,000 soldiers in the barracks. There was a thick wall around with watchtowers, none of which now exist.
Salt House
Britishers had built the Salt House in 1847–48 and the Collectorate was functioned from this house till new building was built. River 'Kathajodi' was the main transit source for the commercial commodities. The length of the buildings is 190' with 66 pillars. Presently the building is used as Courts of Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrates. The building had an aristocratic look with 3 guns standing as guards. Unfortunately, the architecture of the building has been completely disfigured with many brickworks and structures.
Lal Bagh Palace
Situated on the bank of the
Kathjodi, the Lal Bagh Palace at Cuttack has a long and colourful history. This building witnessed the rise and fall of several rulers who controlled the fortune of Odisha. It was constructed by the Mughal Subedar stationed at Cuttack. Subsequently, the property passed into the hands of the Marathas. Over the years the premises have undergone several alterations and modifications.
William Bruton visited Cuttack in 1633, when the Lal Bagh Palace was under construction. In 1741, Saulat Jung, the Naib Nazim, fixed his residence in the palace. The building was occupied by the Naib Nazims till 1751 and by the representatives of the
Bhonslas of Nagpur from 1751 to 1803. Lal Bagh came into the possession of the British in 1803 when Colonel Harcourt's men defeated the
Maratha
The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as ...
soldiers. The Lal Bagh Palace was apparently leased out but again came into the possession of Government, who sold it in January 1862, and the purchaser sold the estate along with the building to the East India Irrigation Company. In 1863, the building came into the possession of the Government when they took over the irrigation works from the company. Since 1868 the building was occupied by Commissioners and sometimes by Collectors. In 1896, Shri R.C. Dutt, the then Commissioner, who was also a well-known historian, lived in this building. In a letter to his daughter, he describes the building as "the best-situated Commissioner's house." The building which was still under the Irrigation Branch was transferred to the Buildings and Roads Branch of the Government in 1914. In 1941, Shri K.C. Gajapati Narayan Deo, Maharaja of Parlakimedi and
Premier of Orissa, fixed his residence at the Lal Bagh palace for a time. On 18 July 1942, the Lal Bagh Palace became the new Government House. Sir Hawthorne Lewis was the first Governor to live in the Lal Bagh Palace. This historic building, which stood witness to countless political and social upheavals during
Mughal,
Maratha
The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक) or Marathis are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are indigenous to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-Aryan language. Maharashtra was formed as ...
and
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
rule in Odisha, became the center of administration. The Lal Bagh Palace continued to serve as the residence of the Governor till 1960. During the tenure of Shri Sukthankar in 1960, the
Raj Bhavan
Raj Bhavan () is the common name of the official residences of the governors of the states of India and may refer to:
List of Raj Bhavan
See also
* Raj Niwas
*Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan (, rāsh-truh-puh-ti bha-vun; ; o ...
was shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar. Shri Sukthankar generously donated the building to the
Indian Red Cross Society
The Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) is a voluntary humanitarian organization to protect human life and health based in India. It is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and shares the Fundamental Principles of the Inter ...
to utilize it as a children's hospital. The Government of Orissa
ow, Odishatook over this hospital in 1966 and made it an independent institute for post-graduate training and research. At present, the institute is known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Post Graduate Institute of Pediatrics, and is popularly known as Shishu Bhavan.
Kanika Rajbati
It is a palace built by Raja Bahadur Rajendra Narayan Bhanjdeo in Cuttack. Once a high-profile area and favourite homestay of Rajkanika rajas as well as British era guest house, this historic structure now lies in a dilapidated state.
Gora Kabar Cemetery
The Gora Kabar was set up in an area of five acres by the banks of the Mahanadi on the outskirts of the city by the East India Company in 1822. The presence of the English officials and their families had become significant after the occupation of Cuttack in 1803. The site already had graves of a few Englishmen before it was walled in and designated as a graveyard. Initially it was a cemetery for all Christians, but later on it was used only by the Baptists.
Shree Gopal Krishna Goshala
The antiquity of this old complex is not exactly known. Old timers of Cuttack call it the
Goshala
Gaushalas or Goshalas ( hi, गौशाला, gauśālā) are protective shelters for stray cow in India. Stray cows are unproductive. Government grants and donations are the primary source of income of the cow shelters in India. Since 2014, when ...
, but it was originally a Dharamshala for the pilgrims of the old Jagannath Sadak. Just 100 metres from the Nayabazar Chhak, on the far end of the city, it lay right by the side of the old road. This stretch of the Jagannath Sadak, from the Mahanadi till the Kathjori Ghat was once a 100 feet wide road. During the monsoons, when the Mahanadi was often in spate, pilgrims often had to camp for days to make the crossing; the Dharamshala was built well away from the flood plain, right between the two rivers. The place was originally set up as a Dharamshala by one ''Seth Jagannath Halan'' of Calcutta. It was a huge complex with rooms and halls for the pilgrims. There was a big tank and wells dug inside the complex and a large pond, which still exists. It was the largest Dharamshala of the old road and could house a thousand pilgrims. There was a separate accommodation block for the ''Sadhus'' and ''Mahants'' who traveled on the old road. Many of the pilgrims camped under the huge trees. In 1905, two benevolent Marwaris of Salkia in Howrah District, ''Seth Bishen Dayal'' and ''Seth Hari Dayal'', took over the abandoned Dharamshala and transformed it into a Goshala. There is a marble plaque which says that the ''Victoria Gorakhini Sabha'' opened the Goshala in the place in 1905. They made some alterations and repairs to the old building and made it into a charitable institution rendering service for old and infirm cattle.
Lalitgiri
Lalitgiri also known as Naltigiri is a major
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
Mahavihara
Mahavihara () is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a great vihara (centre of learning or Buddhist monastery) and is used to describe a monastic complex of viharas.
Mahaviharas of India
A range of monasteries grew up in ancient Magadha (modern Bihar ...
complex in the Indian
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
comprising major
stupas, 'esoteric' Buddha images, and monasteries (
viharas), one of the oldest sites in the region. Together with the
Ratnagiri and
Udayagiri sites, Lalitgiri is part of
Puspagiri University
Pushpagiri ( Odia: ପୁଷ୍ପଗିରି) was an ancient Indian mahavihara or monastic complex located atop Langudi Hill (or Hills) in Jajpur district of Odisha, India. Pushpagiri was mentioned in the writings of the Chinese traveller X ...
located on top of hills of the same names. The three complexes are known as the "Diamond Triangle". Significant finds at this complex include Buddha's relics. Tantric Buddhism was practiced at this site.
Olasuni Hill
Olasuni hill stands on the border of Cuttack and Jajpur district, adjacent to the Daitari- Paradip Express Highway. The saint Arakhita Das after travelling widely, finally chose Olasuni hill as his ''Sadhana Pitha''. There he meditated in a cave for a long period and finally attained salvation. The hill is dotted with temples, among which the temple of Goddess Olasuni, the presiding deity and the tomb of Saint Arakhit Das are famous. The sleepy Olasuni hill wakes up to the delight of the devotees, on ''Magha Ekadasi'' every year, who throng the place in large numbers to witness the nine-day Gumpha Yatra. The Yatra commemorates the death anniversary or Shradha Mahostav of the saint Arakhita Das who lived here 200 years ago.
Apart from these Odisha High Court Museum, Odisha Government Press Museum, Odisha Police Museum, Mahanadi River Boating Jetty, Jobra Lovers Point or Suicide Point, etc. are some newest attractions.
Parks and gardens
Ocean World water park
The city has the state's only water park named Ocean World. Due to the strategic location of the water park being situated on the midway of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, it is a popular outing location for the people of both cities.
CMC Deer park
A deer park is situated beside the Mahanadi Ring Road at Madhusudan Nagar, overseeing the Mahanadi River. The park has about 200 deer. The Park is maintained by the
CMC.
Recreational parks
The city is filled with numerous social parks. Biju Pattnaik park, Birenmitra Park, Gouri Shankar park, Kathajodi river view park, Khannagar park, Jobra park Jayprakash Narayan park are some of the prominent existing parks.
Nandankanan Zoological Park and Botanical Gardens
Nandankanan is a 400-hectare (990-acre)
zoo
A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes.
The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoo ...
and
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
near Baranga between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Established in 1960, it was opened to the public in 1979 and became the first zoo in India to join
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the "umbrella" organization for the world zoo and aquarium community. Its mission is to provide leadership and support for zoos, aquariums, and partner organizations of the world in animal ca ...
(WAZA) in 2009. It also contains a botanical garden and part of it has been declared a sanctuary. Nandankanan, literally meaning ''The Garden of Heaven'', is located in the environs of the
Chandaka forest, and includes the 134-acre (54 ha)
Kanjia lake.
Chandaka Elephant Sanctuary
Chandka Elephant Sanctuary is a wildlife reserve located in the northwestern fringe of
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
in the Indian state of
Odisha
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...
. Nestled on Khurdha uplands of the
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats pass through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka as well as Telangana. They are eroded and cut ...
biotic region, Chandaka forest is spread over 175.79 square kilometres (67.87 sq mi) of rolling table land and small sprawling hillocks of Khurdha and Cuttack Districts. It was designated as an elephant reserve in December 1982.
Naraj Peacock Valley
Situated at Talapada village a few minutes drive from Naraj bridge and hardly 15 km away from Cuttack is a forest famous for herds of peacocks. 16yrs back when super-cyclone plunked Odisha with its formidable appearance, 3 peacocks from Chandaka reserved forest popped up to this area, where a man named Panu Behera, serving as a forest range caretaker for the cashew nut forest took responsibility to feed them. Since then it has been more than one and half decade now and the flock has been raised to 48. Without any Govt support, Behera has pledged to take care all of these birds till his death thereby earning the name "Peacock man". A few local youngsters took over the charges of present-day peacock herd of 150 male and female.
Mahanadi River Boating
Jetty has been constructed on Mahanadi near Jobra to facilitate tourists for river cruise ride to Dhabaleshwar or motor boating on Mahanadi. NCC has an exclusive jetty for naval cadet training.
Lakes and reservoirs
Deojhar WaterFalls, Narasinghpur, Cuttack
Considered as the one & only waterfall in the entire district this waterfall is around 100 km from Cuttack's main city & can be reached Via Athagada & Badamba.
Anshupa Lake
Anshupa lake is a 141-hectare horseshoe-shaped
fresh water lake on the left bank of the
Mahanadi river
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
. It is 40 km from the city and acts as a shelter for the migratory birds in the wintry weather season. This small lake holds a prominent position in the tourist map of Odisha for its natural environment and proximity to both Cuttack and
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar (; ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. The region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as ''Ekamra Kshetra'' (area (''kshetra'') adorned with mango trees (''ekamra'')). Bhubaneswar is ...
. Some bamboo cottages are made on the top of Saranda hill for tourist refreshments. Boating facilities are available.
Jobra Barrage
Jobra
Barrage or Jobra Anikut as widely called is a major source of water for the Mahanadi delta region. Taladanda canal, a major irrigation and flood canal in coastal area starts from here.
IOCL
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL; d/b/a IndianOil) is a central public sector undertaking under the ownership of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India. It is headquartered in New Delhi. It is a public sector unde ...
's
Paradip Refinery has its water intake point from this barrage.
Naraj and Mundali Reservoirs
Situated at the bifurcation point of
Mahanadi
The Mahanadi is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around and has a total length of . Mahanadi is also known for the Hirakud Dam. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha and finally merged with Bay ...
and
Kathajodi
Kathajodi River is an arm of the Mahanadi River in Odisha, India. It branches off at Naraj, then immediately is bifurcated. The southern branch, known as Kuakhai, which means ''Crow's pool'', and flows into the Puri district. Its mouth is close ...
rivers, it marks the westernmost tip of Cuttack city. It is a major
irrigation dam on Kathajodi river that ensures the water level in Mahanadi river and thereby preventing flood situations in Cuttack. Near to the Naraj Barrage is the Mundali barrage that is the starting point of Puri Canal. Naraj is a major railway station apart from
Cuttack railway station
Cuttack railway station is a railway junction and serves Cuttack in the Indian state of Odisha.
History
During the period 1893 to 1896, of East Coast State Railway was built and opened to traffic. It necessitated construction of some of t ...
. The area surrounding Naraj has many industries.
Stone revetment on Mahanadi
Idea of Embankment and fund contribution given by Cuttack Raksaka Baimundi to Maharaja Markata Keshari to save Cuttack from Flood. The King then constructed the Historic Embankment and named as Baimundi Embankment.
Notable people
The following notable people were born in, or have spent a major part of their life in, Cuttack.
See also
*
Cuttack (Lok Sabha constituency)
Cuttack Lok Sabha Constituency is one of the 21 Lok Sabha (Parliamentary) Constituencies in Odisha state in Eastern India.
Assembly Segments
Assembly Constituencies which constitute this Parliamentary Constituency, after delimitation of Parlia ...
*
Cuttack Development Authority
References
External links
Cuttack Municipal CorporationCuttack Development Authority (CDA)Official website of Cuttack district*
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Cuttack district
989 establishments
Former capital cities in India
10th-century establishments in India