Bargarh Tourism Located on the western border of the state, the place was earlier a part of Sambalpur. Though limited in number, the tourist attractions gain value by the importance attached to it. Gandhamardan, one of the destinations here is associated with the period of Ramayana and it finds mention in the notes of Hieun Tsang, the famous Chinese traveler. Scenic, ancient Bargarh makes your visit memorable. Here are some tourist destinations to visit in Bargarh.
The original name of Bargarh was "Baghar Kota" as known from an inscription of the 11th Century A.D. It was called "Bargarh" probably from the time of Balaram Dev, the Chauhan Raja of Sambalpur, who made it his headquarters and constructed a big fort for its protection.The old fort walls can be traced near the 'Jira' river towards the plane of Ambapali. Narayan Singh, the last Chauhan Raja granted this place in "Maufi" (free hold) to 2 Brahmin brothers Krushna Dash and Narayan Dash, sons of Baluki Dash who was killed in action by the Gond. Another part of the district known as "Borasambar" was formerly the headquarters of the Borasambar Zamindari extending over 2178 Sq.Kms. Later, the headquarters of the Zamindari shifted to Padampur, one of the present sub-divisional headquarter.
Other unconfirmed literature claims that the name Bargarh has been derived from Balaramgarh, while some other sources point that the name is so because Bargarh was the best of the cluster of forts(Garhs). History of Bargarh suggest that buddhism played a role in defining the lifestyle of the people for a short period of time. Some ancient buddhist monasteries and sculptures can be seen along a belt starting from Bijepur block (Ganiapali) to the Paikmal block (Nrusinghanath), which has a clear mention in Huen-Tsang's literature as Po-Li-Mo-Lo-Ki-Li(Parimalagiri).
One of the historically significant places of orissa, Bargarh is also known for the Legendary Veer Surendra Sai who led his war against the British from Debrigarh, which is a peak on the Barapahad Range. Debrigarh today is a tiger sanctuary. Barabakhra(12 caves) used to be a secret meeting place during this period.
Orissa Tourism with its exotic beaches, rich flora and fauna, abundant wildlife and exquisite temples, is a traveler’s delight. The magnificent cities of this quaint state rightly speaks of its cultural past. Whether it is strolling around the majestic temple of Jagannath, lingering around the Konark Sun Temple, or exploring the ancient jain caves in Khandagiri, one can never have enough of the best tourist places of Orissa. Located on the eastern coast of India with a coastline of about 485 km, Odisha is home to mesmerising exotic beaches. The beaches of Odisha truly justifies its tourism tagline, ‘scenic, serene and sublime’. The colourful sunsets at the pristine Astaranga Beach, the surreal beach of Bhitarkanika lined with coconut and palm trees, hypnotic paradeep beach and disappearing sea of the Chandipur Beach is a splendid retreat for the lovers of sun, sand and sea. The traditional Oriya dishes satiates the taste buds with its exotic and rich local flavours. Whether it is the tried and tested age old Rasgulla, the local kora khai of Bhubaneshwar, or fresh seafood delicacies from the coastal areas, the local fare of Odisha leaves you asking for more.