Kalahandi

Kalahandi is situated on the south-west region of Orissa, on the confluence of rivers Tel and Uttei. Located along the tributaries of Mahanadi, the region is spread across a land area of 7,920 sq km. The region is divided into plain and hilly terrains.

The district of Kalahandi is surrounded by Balangir and Nuapada districts in the north and Nabarangpur, Koraput and Rayagada districts in the south.  It is believed that the district was a part of the Mahakantara territory. Known as Karunda Mandal, the region had treasures of precious stones, which include Red Stone, Blue Stone and Alexandra.

The district also witnessed the rule of the Gangas for a long period. The tradition of Durbar of Kalahandi provides evidence of the rule of Nagas over Kalahandi from Vikram sambat 1062 or 1005 A.D.   Kalahandi merged with Orissa and emerged as a district on 1st January, 1948.

The historic testimonies of the destination include ruins of forts and bridges that date back to the 12th century. The ruins of Amathguda Fort is one of the chief attractions of Kalahandi owing to architectural and historical significance.

There is a small museum in Kalahandi that preserves ruins and articles of historical importance belonging to Belkhandi. Gudahandi hills are another tourist attraction in the vicinity, known for ancient caves bearing pictographic paintings. The name of the district is also believed to have been derived from Gudahandi Caves as Kalahandi literally means ‘pot of arts’.

South Orissa and Western Orissa along with tribal and non tribal populace have made Kalahandi a land of rich culture.  Kalahandi is also popular for the various types of dance forms including tribal and non-tribal dances such as Dalkhai, Jaiphula, Rasarkeli and Sajani.
 
Travelling to Kalahandi is easy with the availability of flights, trains and buses. The closest airbase to the destination is at Raipur, which is connected with domestic destinations. Besides, the nearest railhead to Kalahandi is at Kesinga that has connections with major cities of the country. State owned and private buses operate to Kalahandi from places like Koraput, Bhubaneswar and Berhampur.

The best time to visit Kalahandi is during the winter months of November to March as the weather is pleasant.