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Odiapediaଓଡ଼ିଆପିଡ଼ିଆ
central Odishaଓଡ଼ିଆରେ ପଢ଼ନ୍ତୁ

Nayagarh district

ନୟାଗଡ଼ ଜିଲ୍ଲା

Nayagarh is a district of central Odisha formed in 1993 from four former princely states, known for Kantilo Nilamadhab, chhena poda and Kanteimundi brinjal.

Headquarters
Nayagarh
Population (2011)
962,789
Area
3,890 sq km
Villages
1,742
Literacy (2011)
80.4%
Towns (2011)
9

Nayagarh (ନୟାଗଡ଼) is a district in central Odisha, lying between the Mahanadi valley and the hills of the Eastern Ghats west of Bhubaneswar. Its headquarters is the town of Nayagarh. The district is known for its temples, especially Kantilo Nilamadhab and the Raghunath temple at Odagaon. It is also known for chhena poda, the baked cheese sweet that local tradition says was first made here.

Nayagarh district was created on 1 April 1993, when the old Puri district was divided into Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh. It brings together four former princely states, or garjats: Nayagarh, Ranpur, Khandapara and Daspalla.

The district covers 3,890 sq km. It had 962,789 people at the 2011 Census, a literacy rate of 80.42% and a sex ratio of 915 females per 1,000 males. It has four Assembly seats. Nayagarh and Ranpur fall in the Puri Lok Sabha constituency, Khandapada in Cuttack and Daspalla in Kandhamal.

People of Nayagarh district

Census 2011 counted 9,62,789 people in 2,28,315 households in Nayagarh district. 8.3% lived in towns, and the literacy rate (age 7 and over) was 80.4%. The census recognised 9 towns in the district.

Population
9,62,789
5,02,636 male · 4,60,153 female
Households
2,28,315
about 4.2 people each
Literacy (age 7+)
80.4%
men 88.2% · women 72.0%
Females per 1,000 males
915
Girls per 1,000 boys (0–6)
855
People per km²
248
  • Rural8,83,051 (91.7%)
  • Urban79,738 (8.3%)
Scheduled Castes
1,36,399 (14.2%)
Scheduled Tribes
58,691 (6.1%)

What the 3,43,633 workers did

  • Cultivators68,996 (20.1%)
  • Agricultural labourers59,247 (17.2%)
  • Household industry9,553 (2.8%)
  • Other work91,280 (26.6%)
  • Marginal workers1,14,557 (33.3%)

Marginal workers worked less than six months of the year.

Source: Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (district, sub-district and town level). Figures are from 2011, the most recent census with published district, town and village figures.

Facilities in the villages of Nayagarh

How many of the 1,541 inhabited villages of this district had each facility within the village itself, from the Census 2011 Village Directory. Together the 1,692 villages cover 2,453 km², 55% of it sown with crops and 17% forest.

Education

  • Primary school1,069 of 1,541
  • Middle school563 of 1,541
  • Secondary school281 of 1,541
  • Senior secondary school44 of 1,541
  • Degree college20 of 1,541

Health

  • Primary health centre2 of 1,541
  • Health sub-centre141 of 1,541
  • Anganwadi centre1,043 of 1,541

Water & power

  • Treated tap water0 of 1,541
  • Hand pump1,472 of 1,541
  • Electricity for homes1,454 of 1,541

Roads & transport

  • All-weather road977 of 1,541
  • Public bus230 of 1,541
  • Mobile phone coverage1,148 of 1,541

Services

  • Post office or sub post office226 of 1,541
  • Commercial bank1 of 1,541
  • Ration (PDS) shop321 of 1,541
  • Weekly haat93 of 1,541
Primary schools
1,261
Middle schools
615
Secondary schools
358
Degree colleges
21
Primary health centres
6
Health sub-centres
141

Main crops named by villages: Black Gram (1,600), Paddy (1,483), Vegetables (264), Sugar Cane & Vegetables (128), Maize (65), Pulses (63), Sugar Cane (63), Mustard (24). Handicrafts: Leaf Plates (7), Incense Sticks (4), Bamboo Products (4), Wool Products (1), Iron Furniture (1), Bidi (1), Ornaments (1), Wooden Furniture (1).

Source: Census of India 2011, District Census Handbook: Village and Town Directory (Odisha). The facilities were recorded for the 2011 census (reference year 2009 for most items); many places have changed since. Facilities in towns are not included.

Towns of Nayagarh

2 statutory towns (municipal corporation, municipality, notified area council or industrial township) and 7 census towns — places the census counted as urban but which are governed by gram panchayats.

TownTypePopulationLiteracyWards
NayagarhNotified Area Council17,03093.3%13
ItamatiCensus town10,31785.9%–
RanapurgadaCensus town10,00184.5%–
KantiloCensus town9,18185.2%–
KhandapadaNotified Area Council9,03888.7%13
KunjabangarhCensus town6,90686.3%–
RajasunakhalaCensus town6,29988.5%–
ChandapurCensus town5,56583.4%–
OdagaonCensus town5,40187.9%–

Population of the town itself; for towns with outgrowths, the town page also gives the figure including them. Ward counts are the census wards of 2011.

Census sub-districts: town and country

Sub-districtPopulationRuralUrbanLiteracy
Gania38,50638,506079.3%
Dasapalla77,56070,6546,90676.8%
Banigochha26,34826,348062.5%
Nuagaon44,03644,036077.5%
Khandapada96,21477,99518,21980.3%
Fategarh1,25,6161,25,616081.8%
Nayagarh60,03643,00617,03087.4%
Itamati71,64161,32410,31784.9%
Nayagarh Sadar48,97748,977079.1%
Odagaon1,16,0271,10,6265,40178.9%
Sarankul1,06,9091,06,909079.1%
Ranapur1,50,9191,29,05421,86583.1%

Odisha's census sub-districts are police-station areas, not revenue tahasils.

History

According to the district administration, the Nayagarh state was founded by Suryamani, a prince of the Baghela dynasty of Rewa in present-day Madhya Pradesh. Tradition says he came to Puri on pilgrimage, stayed on, built a fort and took a tiger's head as his emblem. Wikipedia dates the founding to the 13th century.

The ninth ruler, Baghel Singh (1480–1510), moved the capital to the present site, which became known as Baghua Nayagarh. During the reign of the twelfth ruler, Raghunath Singh (1565–1595), the kingdom expanded after the Odia king Mukunda Deva was defeated in 1565. Nayagarh took Ranpur's territories of Odagaon, Sarankul and Baunsiapara. Before his death Raghunath Singh divided his lands. Harihar Singh received Nayagarh, and Jadunath Singh received four khandagrams, which became the state of Khandapara.

Ranpur had earlier been a vassal of the Suryavamsi Gajapati kings of Odisha and came under British control in 1803. Like Daspalla to the west, it was one of the tributary Garjat states of Orissa under the British.

The 1930s saw strong Praja Mandal (people's association) movements in these states. In Nayagarh, people protested a monopoly on the betel trade by almost entirely giving up betel. On 5 January 1939, at Ranpur, a crowd killed Major R. L. Bazalgette, the British Political Agent for the Orissa States, as reported to the British Parliament. Ranpur remembers its local Praja Mandal martyrs, Raghu and Dibakar. After independence the four states merged with Orissa, and they later formed part of Puri district until Nayagarh district was created in 1993.

Nayagarh also has a place in the tradition of Jagannath. According to legend, the deity was first worshipped as Nilamadhaba by the forest chief Viswavasu before King Indradyumna brought him to Puri. Kantilo is one of the places associated with this story, although other places also claim it.

Places to visit

Kantilo Nilamadhab

The Nilamadhaba temple at Kantilo stands on twin hills above the Mahanadi, about 33 km from Nayagarh and about 100 km from Bhubaneswar, according to the district administration. Its rituals follow the pattern of the Jagannath temple at Puri. A stream of water is said to flow constantly from the deity's feet. A Siddheswar (Shiva) temple stands nearby, and the annual Magha Saptami festival draws large crowds.

Odagaon Raghunath Temple

The temple of Raghunath (Rama) at Odagaon, about 27 km from Nayagarh, is built in the Kalinga style and topped by three golden kalasas. It is a major pilgrimage centre, especially at Rama Navami.

Maninag Temple, Ranpur

Ranpur, about 28 km from Nayagarh, lies at the foot of the Maninag hills. The temple of Goddess Maninageswari (Maninag) on the hilltop is revered as a living Shakti shrine. Ranpur also has the Asurakumari temple near a waterfall and a Jagannath temple whose Ratha Yatra draws many visitors.

Dakshinakali Temple and Sarankul

The Dakshinakali temple, about 1 km from Nayagarh town, houses the town's presiding goddess. The Shiva temple of Ladukeshwar at Sarankul, about 13 km away, is crowded at Maha Shivaratri.

Daspalla and Kuanria Dam

Daspalla, about 40 km from Nayagarh, is a forested area with the Kuanria dam, a reservoir popular for picnics, and an adjoining deer park. The district administration recommends November to February for a visit.

Baisipalli and Satkosia

The Mahanadi forests of Baisipalli form the southern part of the Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Visits are usually arranged through the forest department's nature camps.

How to reach

  • By air: The nearest airport is Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar. The district administration gives Nayagarh as about 90 km from Bhubaneswar.
  • By rail: Nayagarh Town station, opened on 19 June 2017, is on the Khurda Road–Balangir line. Khordha Road junction, about 69 km away, is on the main east-coast line.
  • By road: NH-57 passes through the district, and regular buses run from Bhubaneswar and other Odisha towns. Kantilo is reached by state highway from Bhubaneswar, and Daspalla lies on the Bhubaneswar–Phulbani route.

For neighbouring districts, see Khordha, Cuttack, Kandhamal and Ganjam.

Temples (8)

  • Bautidevi Temple
  • Chandesvara Temple
  • Dutikeshwar Temple · ଦୂତିକେଶ୍ୱର ଦେଉଳ
  • Jagannath Temple, Nayagarh
  • Ladoo Baba Temple · ଲଡୁବାବା ମନ୍ଦିର
  • Nilamadhav Temple · ନୀଳମାଧବ ମନ୍ଦିର
  • Nilamadhava Temple
  • Odogaon Raghunath Temple

Photos and map links in the temple directory. Today's tithi, sunrise and Rahu Kala here.

Railway stations

5 stations and 0 halts inside the district, as mapped on OpenStreetMap; some on new lines may not yet have regular trains.

Culture and festivals

The temple festivals of Nayagarh draw pilgrims from across the state: Magha Saptami at Kantilo, Rama Navami at Odagaon, Maha Shivaratri at Sarankul and the Ratha Yatra in Nayagarh, Ranpur and other towns. Daspalla is known for its Lankapodi festival, according to the district administration.

Kantilo is known for its brass and bell-metal craft. The district shares in Odisha's wider festival calendar, including Raja Parba, Durga Puja and Makar Sankranti.

The district is proud of its scholarly tradition: the astronomer Pathani Samanta, who combined traditional Indian astronomy with his own careful observations, was born at Khandapara in 1835.

Food

  • Chhena poda: the baked, caramelised cheese sweet of Odisha. Local tradition credits its invention to a sweet-maker of Daspalla, usually named as Sudarshan Sahu, and sources differ on the date. Itamati and Machhipada are among the places known for good chhena poda.
  • Kanteimundi brinjal: a small, thorny local brinjal from villages such as Badabanapur and Ratanpur in Khandapara block and several villages in Bhapur block. It received a Geographical Indication on 2 January 2024, the first brinjal from Odisha to do so (see Odisha GI tags).

Geography and climate

Nayagarh is a district of low hills, forests and paddy-growing valleys. It is bordered by Khordha to the south and east, Cuttack to the east and north, Angul to the north, Boudh to the north-west, Kandhamal to the west and Ganjam to the south-west.

The Mahanadi runs along the north of the district, where it cuts through the Eastern Ghats near Satkosia. Kantilo stands on its bank. In this stretch the Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary (168.35 sq km, created on 6 May 1981) protects mixed deciduous and sal forest with elephants, leopards, bears, sambar and spotted deer. Since 2007 it has formed part of the Satkosia Tiger Reserve with the neighbouring Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary (see the Satkosia travel guide).

FeatureDetail
Area3,890 sq km
Main riverMahanadi
Protected areaBaisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary (part of Satkosia Tiger Reserve)
ClimateTropical savanna (Köppen Aw): hot summers, monsoon rains, mild winters
RainfallAbout 1,449 mm a year

Economy

Nayagarh is mainly agricultural. Besides paddy, farmers grow vegetables, including the Kanteimundi brinjal, and sugarcane. The Kanteimundi brinjal GI was obtained through a farmers' organisation with support from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Nayagarh, and the brinjal sells at a premium over ordinary varieties.

Sugarcane farming once supplied the Nayagarh Sugar Complex, set up in 1980 to crush about 1.2 lakh tonnes of cane a year. Odisha TV reported in 2023 that the mill had been closed since 2015, leaving cane growers without a local buyer. Other livelihoods include sweet-making (chhena poda is sold across the state), brass and bell-metal work at Kantilo, forest produce and small trade.

Climate of Nayagarh

In Nayagarh district (at 20.13°N, 85.10°E), the hottest month is May (average highs of 37°C) and the coolest nights come in Jan (16°C). About 1430 mm of rain falls in a year, most of it in the monsoon; Jul is the wettest month.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high (°C)273135373734313131302826
Average low (°C)161822252727262525231916
Rainfall (mm)15162629592073423282341193221
Rainy days1133416232320922

Averages for 1995–2024 at that point (137 m above sea level), from the Open-Meteo historical weather API (ERA5 reanalysis by ECMWF/Copernicus, CC BY 4.0) — modelled values on a ~25 km grid, not station readings from the India Meteorological Department. A rainy day has 2.5 mm or more.

Notable people

  • Pathani Samanta (Samanta Chandrasekhar, 1835–1904): astronomer who made his observations with simple instruments and wrote the Siddhanta Darpana. He was born at Khandapara, and the planetarium in Bhubaneswar is named after him.

Blocks, sub-districts, panchayats & villages

Choose a block, sub-district or town to see its details and its gram panchayats and villages. Open any village for its own page.

Counts below: Local Government Directory, December 2022 snapshot (LGD villages, which can differ from the district administration's revenue-village count).

Blocks
8
Sub-districts
12
GPs
194
LGD villages
1,742

Community development block

Bhapur

Gram panchayats
20
Villages
126
LGD block code
3523
District
Nayagarh
Open full block page

Villages (…)

All blocks in Nayagarh

BlockGPsVillagesVillage pop.LiteracyST share
Bhapur201261,05,53281.8%3.1%
Dasapalla2042496,76372.3%26.2%
Gania811638,50679.3%12.3%
Khandapara2220398,07979.4%3.0%
Nayagarh291531,42,17383.6%0.5%
Nuagaon2224295,52277.6%11.6%
Odagaon362251,59,82378.9%1.4%
Ranapur372531,46,65382.1%5.0%

GPs and villages: Local Government Directory (Dec 2022). Village population, literacy and Scheduled Tribe share: sum of the block's villages in Census of India 2011, Primary Census Abstract (village level).

All census sub-districts

Towns (urban local bodies)

  • Dasapalla · Notified Area Council · no matching Census 2011 town
  • Khandapada · Notified Area Council
  • Nayagarh · Notified Area Council
  • Odogaon · Notified Area Council · no matching Census 2011 town
  • Ranapur · Notified Area Council · no matching Census 2011 town

Assembly constituencies in Nayagarh

Source: Local Government Directory (lgdirectory.gov.in), Government of India — data dump of December 2022 via github.com/planemad/india-local-government-directory. Sub-districts follow the Local Government Directory, which for Odisha uses the Census sub-districts (police-station areas) — these are not the same as revenue tahasils. Boundaries and names change over time; check the district administration for current status.

Frequently asked questions

When was Nayagarh district formed?

Nayagarh district was created on 1 April 1993, when the old Puri district was divided into Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh districts.

Which princely states form Nayagarh district?

The district was formed from four former princely states (garjats): Nayagarh, Ranpur, Khandapara and Daspalla. They merged with Orissa after independence.

Is chhena poda from Nayagarh?

Yes, by local tradition. Chhena poda is usually credited to a sweet-maker of Daspalla in Nayagarh district, and the district remains well known for it.

How far is Nayagarh from Bhubaneswar?

The district administration gives the distance as about 90 km by road. Nayagarh Town also has a railway station on the Khurda Road–Balangir line.

What is Kantilo famous for?

Kantilo, on the Mahanadi about 33 km from Nayagarh, is known for the hilltop temple of Nilamadhaba, linked in tradition with the origins of the Jagannath cult, and for its brass and bell-metal crafts.

Sources & references

  1. 1Nayagarh district — Wikipedia
  2. 2History — District Administration, Nayagarh (NIC)
  3. 3Kantilo Nilamadhab — District Administration, Nayagarh (NIC)
  4. 4How to Reach — District Administration, Nayagarh (NIC)
  5. 5Nayagarh District: Census 2011 data — Census2011.co.in (compiled from Census of India 2011)
  6. 6India (Murder of Major Bazalgette) — Hansard, UK House of Commons, 6 February 1939
  7. 7Nayagarh Kanteimundi brinjal — Wikipedia
  8. 8Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary — Wikipedia

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