At a Glance
Sundargarh is a district of industries and sports. It houses Rourkela, the "Steel City of Odisha," with one of the first steel plants in India. It is also the cradle of Indian Hockey, producing legends like Dilip Tirkey.
The Heritage Diary
Originally a princely state (Gangpur), it merged with Odisha in 1948. The district is rich in minerals like iron ore, manganese, and limestone. It has a significant tribal population (Oram, Kisan, Munda).
Local Landmarks
- ✦Rourkela Steel Plant: A massive industrial complex that modernized the region.
- ✦Hanuman Vatika: A garden in Rourkela with a colossal 75-foot statue of Lord Hanuman.
- ✦Khandadhar Falls: The other Khandadhar (different from Keonjhar's), located in Nandapani. It is a spectacular waterfall.
- ✦Vedvyas: Located at the confluence of Sankh, Koel, and Saraswati rivers. It is believed to be the place where Sage Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata.
Taste of the Land
- ✦Handia: A rice beer popular among tribals.
- ✦Modern Cuisine: Rourkela's cosmopolitan nature offers food from all over India.
Local Heroes
- ✦Dilip Tirkey: Former captain of the Indian Hockey team and a legend of the game.
- ✦Ignace Tirkey: Another hockey great.
- ✦Lazarus Barla: Hockey player. Basically, the whole Indian defense line often comes from here!