Kalahandi
Kalahandi, a district of Orissa, India, was known as Mahakantara (Great Forest) in ancient India. It is also known as Karunda Mandal, which means treasure of precious stones like karandam (Manik), Garnet (red stone), Beruz, Neelam (blue stone), and Alexandra etc. Kalahandi was a feudatory of earstwhile Kalinga-Utkala empire of Gajapati rulers of Orissa. Maharaja Pratap Keshari Deo, the Ex-Maharaja of Kalahandi, in one of his articles expressed his view that the historical significance of naming Kalahandi as Karunda Mandala is based on the availability of Corundum in this region.Tour Incredible India with Indian Travel agent.

Maa Manikeswari (the goddess of Manikya), the clan deity of the Naga kings of Kalahandi may have also necessitated the adoption of the name.

The present District of Kalahandi was a former princely state. After Indian Independence, Kalahandi joined with the Union of India on January 1, 1948, and was subsequently merged with Orissa on November 1, 1949. The former capital of the State of Kalahandi, Junagarh, located 26 kilometers from Bhawanipatna has a well-built fort and a number of temples of Hindu pantheon, with sculptural evidence of the rite of sati.
Tour Incredible India with Indian Travel agent.The language spoken by the people of Kalahandi is Sambalpuri-a dilect of Oriya language.

Places To Visit
AMATHAGUDA
Amathguda is a fort, situated on the right bank of the river Tel to the place where the road leading towards Balangir crosses the river. It is now incomplete ruins.Nothing is definitely known about this fort as its remains have not yet been investigated. All tour and Travel needs for India by Indian travel agent.The fort, presumably, was of considerable strategic importance in view of the fact that it stood close to the point where the river was fordedd since ancient time.Theroad which spanned the river by a low bridge ran almost on the old route.Another bridge was constructed abo9ut a few metres away from the old ruined bridge. Portions of this new bridge have been washed away by the highfloods in river Tel that occured in 1977.

ASURGARH
Between the tank and the river Sandul lie the ruins of a fort called Asurgarh. The fort in its original shape was rectangular covering a wide extent of land encircled by a boat. It has four entrances one each on the East, West, South and North where the deities Ganga Devi, Kala Pahad, Vaishnavi and Budharaja are respectively being worshipped. Inside the fort, there is a small halmets where Goddess Dokari (Literally means "Old Lady"), the presiding deity of the fort is worshipped.All tour and Travel needs for India by Indian travel agent. The central part of the fort has a higher elevation with a round on it, which is supposed to be the ruins of a palace. Local people believe that the fort was the seal of a demon kind called GOSINHA DAITYA

AMPANI
Ampani hills present a panoramic view of nature. A frolicking vally called "Haladigundi" in thishill range exhibits some peculiar features due to the reflected rays on the sun. In the morning and evening the objects of vision appear yellow. The whole area abounds in spotted deer, Sambar and Black Panthers who can be seen at the Behera reservoir. 5 K.Ms away are the pre-historic cave paintings at Gudahandi.All tour and Travel needs for India by Indian travel agent.

JUNAGARH
The old Capital of the Ex-State of Kalahandi. Junagarh was a well built fort, the fortified area has a number of temples with Oriya incriptions. This is a place which has sculptural evidence of the "Sati-Rite" which was prevalent in medieval India and was stopped during the British Rule by Lord William Bentick.Explore Incredible India with Special Holidays. The sculptures are identified as Sati Pillars which can make interesting study. Junagarh is 26 K.Ms from Bhawanipatna. Maa Lankeswari is the Aaradhy Devi.

KARLAPAT
Karlapat is a small village in Th.Rampur Police Station area. Nearby, there is a Water fall called "Khandual" fall at the foot of a hill the top of which is the abode of a female deity called "Khandua". The fall was formerly utilised in some indigenous manner of operating a crushing mill. At Karlapat there is a temple dedicated to "MANIKESWARI".Explore Incredible India with Special Holidays.

MOHANGIRI
Mohangiri is a village in Madanpur-Rampur Police Station close to Boudh-Kandhamals District border in the North-East corner of the district. It is 35 K.Ms from Madanpur Rampur.Incredible India Tours with Indian Travel agent. The village is near a hill stream called Kali Ganga. A dilapidated Siva Temple stands on the Bank of the stream. There are a few short epigraphic records on its walls and pillars.

PHURLIJHARAN
Fifteen Kilometres fromBhawanipatna, Phurlijharan is a perennial water fall about 30 Ft in height and has a special charm of its own. Themulticoloured rainbow created by the sunrays falling on the scattered water particles of the fall is an amusing sight to be seen. The evergreen forests around the fall provide ample opportunities to group picnickers. http://kalahandi.nic.in/tourist/places.Incredible India Tours with Indian Travel agent.