Bhadrak District is an administrative district of Orissa state, lying in eastern India. Other than being a prominent district of Orissa, Bhadrak district is also a prominent tourist spot.
Bhadrak district is named for the town of Bhadrak, which is the district headquarters. This district was carved out from the Balasore District and became a separate entity on 1 April 1993. The Bhadrak district has an area of 2,677 km² and a population of 1,332,249 according to the 2001 census.
Bhadrak District , Orissa The Bhadrak town is situated at a distance of 159 km from the state capital, Bhubaneswar. The famous Bhadrakali Temple in this town is visited by thousands of pilgrims across the year. Aradi, Chandabali, Dhamanagar, Dhamara, and Guamala Nuasasan are some other places of tourist interest in Bhadrak district. The language mostly spoken by the people of Bhadrak district is Oriya, though some people speak Urdu.
Salandi River passes by Bhadrak district. Rakta tirtha Eram in Basudevpur is a historic place that narrates the incident of death of around 30 people due to the firing of British police, while fighting for Indian independence. First lady from Orissa who sacrificed her life in freedom struggle belongs to Bhadrak district. Bhadrak district is also home to FACOR, which is one of the largest manufacturers of quality ferro chrome in the country.
What is Bhadrak District of Odisha famous for?
Bhadrak District of Odisha is historically famous as the “Land of Panchasakha”, the birthplace of five great medieval Odia poets and saints. It serves as a crucial economic corridor between Kolkata and South India, renowned for its vibrant Chandaneswar Fair, centuries-old Akshaya Tritiya festival at Akhandalamani Temple, and rich agricultural lands fed by the Salandi and Baitarani rivers.
Cultural Legacy:
Known as “Panchasakha Bhumi,” the land of five great Vaishnava poets including Balarama Dasa and Achyutananda Dasa.
Religious Hub:
Home to the famous Akhandalamani Temple (Lord Shiva) and the historic Chandaneswar Temple.
Geographical Position:
Located in coastal Odisha, bordered by Balasore, Kendrapara, and Jajpur districts.
Economic Corridor:
A major transport and logistics hub on the Howrah-Chennai rail and highway corridor.
Historical & Cultural Significance:
Bhadrak’s identity is deeply rooted in its 15th-century cultural renaissance as “Panchasakha Bhumi” – where five poet-saints revolutionized Odia literature and spirituality. This legacy lives through the district’s living traditions at the Akhandalamani Temple where the annual Akshaya Tritiya festival transforms the riverbanks into a vibrant spiritual gathering, and through the legendary Chandaneswar Fair that has attracted traders and devotees for centuries.
Geographical & Agricultural Profile:
Situated in Odisha’s coastal plains, Bhadrak is blessed by the Salandi and Baitarani rivers that create fertile alluvial soil perfect for rice cultivation. Unlike neighboring districts with long coastlines, Bhadrak’s agricultural wealth comes from its intricate network of river tributaries and irrigation canals that support its position as a productive agrarian zone within the Mahanadi delta system.
Economic & Transportation Hub:
Bhadrak’s strategic location on the Kolkata-Chennai economic corridor makes it Odisha’s commercial gateway. The district thrives as a major railway junction and highway crossroads where traditional weekly markets (like the famous Bhadrak Market) coexist with modern logistics centers, creating a unique blend of age-old commerce and contemporary trade networks.
Local Traditions & Unexplored Heritage:
Beyond its famous temples, Bhadrak preserves unique cultural expressions through its traditional “Pala” musical storytelling, distinctive “Bhadrakali Pitha” culinary traditions, and lesser-known historical sites like ancient river ghats and colonial-era trading posts that reveal layers of the district’s mercantile past along the old salt trade routes.
Brahmangan is another village in Basudevpur constituency of Bhadrak district that is famous for its century old Prasanna Khemeswar mahadeva temple and its melana jatra during Holi. Durga puja and Jagar are popular festivals in this village of Bhadrak district. Banta, Basantia are places where various Melas are organised in specific days of the year. Panchuka Purnima is a pompous celebration in Bhadrak district, where people sails in the big pond of Basantia village in the memories of Oriya Sadhabas, who was going to make their business in the near islands like Java and Borneo, Indonesia for too many days. This mela also promote well-known operas. Two former Chief ministers of Orissa, Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab and Mr Nilamani Rautray belonged to the Basudevpur Legislative Assembly Constituency of this district.
Bhadrak district has several important schools, colleges and hospitals thus ensuring a developed lifestyle. The people of Bhadrak district are amicable and religious minded
