Gunupur is a
Municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
and one of the sub-divisional headquarters of
Rayagada district in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
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 second biggest town in Rayagada district.
History
Gunupur was one of the important centers in the erstwhile
Jeypore Kingdom. Rajah Narasingh Dev was the third son of Maharajah Vikram Dev I (1758–1781 CE) of Jeypore and was appointed as the ruler of Gunupur and
Gudari region. Whereas, his elder brother Maharajah Ramchandra Dev II ascended the royal seat of Jeypore in 1781. Another brother called Rajah Jagganath Dev became the king of
Nabarangpur
Nabarangpur is a town, villa city and a municipality in Nabarangapur district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the headquarters of Nabarangpur district. It helps GMR Group of his Nabarangpur.
Geography and Climate
Nabarangpur is situated ...
.
Rajah Narasingh Dev ruled for a few years and was succeeded by his only son Rajah Krishna Dev who died in a few years with no progeny. Hence, Gunupur-Gudari were remerged to Jeypore kingdom. It was then ruled by the Maharajahs of Jeypore under British Administration. The state of Odisha was formed on 1 April 1936 with Koraput as one of the six districts and Gunupur came under
Koraput district as a sub-division.
On 2 October 1992, Gunupur and
Rayagada
Rayagada is a municipality in Rayagada district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the administrative headquarters of Rayagada district.
History
The city of Rayagada was founded by King Vishwanath Dev Gajapati (1527-1531 CE) of the Suryavan ...
sub-division were carved out of the erstwhile
Koraput district and formed a new district as
Rayagada
Rayagada is a municipality in Rayagada district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the administrative headquarters of Rayagada district.
History
The city of Rayagada was founded by King Vishwanath Dev Gajapati (1527-1531 CE) of the Suryavan ...
.
Demography
India
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
, Gunupur has a population of 62,870. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Gunupur has an average literacy rate of 80.4%, higher than the national average of 74.4%: male literacy is 85.56% and female literacy is 70.40%. In Gunupur, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Geography and Climate
Gunupur is located at . It has an average elevation of . It is located in the lap of the Eastern Ghat and on the banks of river Bansadhara. It has a mixed climate of mountains and Coastal Plain. Its outer region is completely covered by forests and Hills.
Earthquake zones of India
The Indian subcontinent has a history of devastating earthquakes. The major reason for the high frequency and intensity of the earthquakes is that the Indian plate is driving into Asia at a rate of approximately 47 mm/year. Geographical statis ...
places Gunupur inside
seismic zone II on a scale ranging from I to V in order of increasing susceptibility to earthquakes.
Governance
Courts
There are several Judicial courts at Gunupur under the control of District Court Rayagada. The Court of Senior Civil Judge-cum-Asst. Sessions Judge, the court of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate, the
Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class and other revenue courts like the Court
of Sub Divisional Executive Magistrate cum Sub Collector and the Court of Tahasildar
are situated here. As per the demand of the Bar Association, Gunupur and the litigant public, the Court of Additional District & Sessions Judge at Gunupur started functioning from 20 September 2014.
Politics
Current
MLA from Gunupur Assembly Constituency is Sri Raghunath Gomango of
BJD, who won the seat in State elections of 2019. Previous MLAs from this seat include Rammurthy Mutika who won the seat in 2004 (BJD), Ram Murty Gamango who won this seat in 2000 as
BJP candidate and as a
JD candidate in 1990, Akshaya Kumar Gomango of INC in 1995, and Bhagirathi Gomango who won this seat as INC candidate in 1985 and 1977 and as INC(I) candidate in 1980.
Gunupur is part of
Koraput (Lok Sabha constituency).
Transport
Gunupur is connected to other parts 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 ...
by state highway SH17(Gunupur-Digapahandi-Berhampur) and SH04(Paralakhemundi-Gunupur-Rayagada-Koraput). It is also well connected with major cities of Andhra Pradesh.
Odisha State Road Transport Corporation
Odisha State Road Transport Corporation or OSRTC is the state owned road transport corporation in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. It is acknowledged for its distinguished service for safe and lowest cost of operation with a fleet of 462 buse ...
,
Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation
Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) is the state-owned road transport corporation in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Its headquarters is located at NTR Administrative Block of RTC House in Pandit Nehru bus station of ...
, and Private buses run frequently between Gunupur to other parts 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
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
.
Gunupur
Gunupur is a Nagar Palika, Municipality and one of the sub-divisional headquarters of Rayagada district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Odisha. It is the second biggest town in Rayagada district.
History
Gunupur was one o ...
is connected by the 90 km long Naupada-Gunupur branch railway line to
Naupada
Naupada is a village located in Santha Bommali mandal of Srikakulam district near to major town palasa, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is famous for salt fields and called the "Salt Bowl of Andhra Pradesh". It is better known for its railway junction ...
railway junction on the
Khurda Road-Visakhapatnam section
Khordha is a town and a municipality area in Khordha district in the Indian state of Odisha. Bhubaneswar, is the capital of Odisha located within the Khordha district and is only 25 km from Khordha town. Odisha State Highway 1 and Nationa ...
of the
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is th ...
-
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 ...
route. The nearest airport is the
Visakhapatnam Airport at a distance of 200 km towards the south. The other nearest airport is the
Bhubaneswar 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 ...
, which is about 360 km.
Tourism
Gunupur and its vicinity have of many charms, is a thrill to the searching eyes. It has the facilities to serve as a base for visiting the nearby place of interest.
*
Minajhola
Minajhola is located near Gudari in the Rayagada district, in the Indian state of Odisha. It is famous for the Shiva temple, one of the tourist attractions of the district. The main place of attraction is a shiva temple at the confluence of t ...
is only 70 km from Gunupur. It is a beauty spot of nature, has a siva temple at the confluence of three rivers. It is situated in the heart of dense forest, rich in wildlife. Sivaratri is a popular festival of this place. Though there is no good all-weather road yet, the place is worth visiting. Regular bus service is available from Rayagada and Gunupur up to Gudari. The rest 25 km road is Jeepable.
*
Padmapur
Padampur (also known as Padmapur) is a town and a notified area in Bargarh district in the Indian state of Odisha.
Geography
Padmapur is located at . It has an average elevation of . It is almost from its district headquarters, Bargarh. It is ...
houses the shrine of Manikeswari Siva. It is identified to be the seat of Dharmakirti, the Buddhist-Logician-philosopher. It is a 7th-century temple. In one of the temple something is written in some strange language (Pali) and the temple is built using only seven stones. It is 20 km from Gunupur.
*
Chatikona
Chatikona is a small village of Rayagada district in the state of Odisha, India. It is one of the identified Tourist Centres (scenic spot) of Odisha.
Introduction
The village is surrounded by the famous Niyamgiri hills in its three directions. ...
is located about 60 km from Gunupur surrounded by a series of valleys and wooded hills of varying colours and the place is a center of pilgrimage for the temple of Mahadev. It offers picnickers gorgeous view of the waterfall. The Siva temple is the focus of hectic activities on Siva Ratri. The Dongaria Kondha of Chatikona represent the primitive section of the tribe.
*
Maa Markama Temple
Maa Markama Temple located at Bissam Cuttack village of Rayagada district is a place of tourist interest. It is the only shrine (Shakti Peethas) of Devi Maa Markama and Maa karkama in the Indian state of Odisha. The temple of Maa Karkama (believ ...
is located at Bissam Cuttack, 70 km from Gunupur. The temple got a new look and surrounded by lush green forest. Many people visit from near and far especially on Tuesdays. The town college has also been named after Goddess Markama.
*
Majhighariani Temple
Majhighariani Temple is a shrine to a goddess in the Rayagada township of Odisha. It was built by King Vishwanath Dev Gajapati of the Suryavansh dynasty of Nandapur - Jeypore kingdom. It is believed that he made Rayagada his capital and after the ...
is located at Rayagada. This temple is famous in Southern Division of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Most of the devotees come from Madhya Pradesh Chhatishgarh, Andhra Pradesh including undivided Koraput District. During Sunday, Wednesday and Friday a large number of devotees come to worship the Maa MajhiGhariani. The temple is known for Chaitra-Parba, i.e., March–April of every year.
Education
Gunupur is a tribal dominated area but the focus on education has been there from a long time. Its literacy rate is way above the national average. Gunupur had got its first high school way back in 1903 before Independence. It got it first Degree College Estd. 1972. Now Gunupur is a hub of fine educational institutions.
GIET University, Gunupur
Gandhi Institute of Engineering and Technology University (GIET University)( or, :or:ଗାନ୍ଧୀ ଯାନ୍ତ୍ରୀକ ଓ ପ୍ରୌଦ୍ୟୋଗିକ ବିଶ୍ୱବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟ, ଗୁଣୁପୁର, ଗା ...
br>
www.giet.edufamous for Engineering, Management, Agriculture, Basic Sciences education in India and abroad. It attracts students from all part of India and overseas. Maharshi gurukul +2 residential college started in the year of 2012, the college is not only for +2 it's also for +3 only for science stream. Gayatri College of Science started on 2017/07/06. Gandhi public school (CBSE Affiliated) is an eminent school of Gunupur.
Religion
*
St. Paul's Church, Gunupur
References
{{Rayagada district
Cities and towns in Rayagada district