Anugul district General information
Angul is a district of Orissa state in India. The city of Angul is the district headquarters. Angul is considered the industrial capital of Orissa.
Angul, situated at the heart of the Orissa is an integral part of the state contributing towards the rich culture, tradition and socio-economic development of the state of Orissa. This district was formally formed out of the former undivided [Dhenkanal] district on the date of April 1, 1993 by the late Chief Minister of Orissa, Mr. Biju Patnaik. Angul district is located in the center of the state of Orissa and lies between 20° 31 N & 21° 40 N latitude and 84° 15 E & 85° 23 E longitude. The attitude is between 564 to 1187 mtrs. The district has a total area of 6232 km². with a population of 11, 39,341 as per 2001 census (Males - 5, 86,903, Females - 5, 52,438) with a population density of 179 per km². It is bounded by Dhenkanal and Cuttack districts in the east, Deogarh, Kendujhar and Sundargarh in north, Sambalpur and Sonepur in west and Bauda and Nayagarh in the south side. The district is abundant with natural resources, which ultimately help the district to contribute maximum amount of revenues to the state government. Angul, The district headquarters is about 150 kilometers from the state capital Bhubaneswar. It is situated on the National Highway No 42, making it well accessible from all parts of the state.
History
Angul is like a bridge between western and coastal areas of Orissa where the prehistoric and protohistoric relics are found in village Bhimakund, Kankili, Kulei, Samal, Sanakerjang , Kaliakata, Paranga, Kerjang, Ogi, Tikarapara and Pallahara. The geographical location of Angul made the Bhanjas of Angulaka-pattana, the Sulkis of Kodalaka Mandala, the Nandodbhavas of Airavatta Mandala, the Tungas of Yamagartta Mandala rule over it. But all through the rules of different dynasties, Angul has retained her cultural identity which is much more prominent than its political establishments.
The Bhaumakaras declined by the middle of the 10th Century A.D. when the eastern part of Orissa including the Dhenkanal region passed to the hands of the Somavamsis of South Kosala. The Somavamsis in their turn, were ousted by the Gangas and Orissa was occupied by Chodagangadedva some time before 1112 A.D. The Ganga rule lasted as long as till 1435 A.D. when a new Solar dynasty founded by Kapilendradeva came to power. About the year 1533-34, Govinda Vidyadhar put an end to the Suryavamsi rule and started the rule of Bhoi dynasty, which lasted up to 1559 when Mukundadeva, belonging to the Chalukya family, forcibly occupied the throne. In 1568, the Afghans of Bengal invaded Orissa, and defeated and killed Mukundadeva after which Orissa came under their occupation. During all this period of dynastic changes, Angul played no remarkable role in history and this territory simply passed from one political authority to the other. During the rule of Suryavamsis and the Bhois & subsequently some new feudal states developed as self-contained political units. These are Angul, Talcher, Pallahara and Athamallik. Somanath Singh was the last king of Angul and he ruled for a long period of 33 years from 1814 to 1847 when he was deposed by Government. He was a spirited and a head-strong ruler and although ruled his territory with considerable efficiency, he incurred displeasure nor only among the neighbouring Feudatory Chiefs of Dhenkanal, Hindol, Daspalla, Baudh, and Athmallik but also among the British Officers by his head-strong dealings and outspoken nature. His State was confiscated by the Government in their Resolution, dated 16 September, 1948. Angul thus passed under the direct rule of the British and was administered by the Superintendent of the Tributary Mahals, through the agency of an officer known as Tehsildar, who collected revenue and administered justice, until in 1891 when Angul was constituted a separate district.
Industry
NALCO : This is a blue chip company in the Indian Aluminium sector. National Aluminium Company Limited is the largest integrated Bauxite-Alumina-Aluminium complex in Asia. Nalco's 2.18 lac tpa capacity Aluminium Smelter and its 720 MW Captive Power Plant are located in Angul. Nalco's Smelter came up in 1984 and since then the district has developed economically and socially. Nalco's manufacturing plants and township called Nalco Nagar are located at 5 km from Angul town, by the side of National Highway NH-42. Nalco manufactures primary Aluminium metal in the form of Ingots, Wire Rods, Sow moulds, Billets and strips. Nalco's Aluminium is exported to over 30 countries around the world and it also has a share of 30% of the domestic Aluminium market.
NTPC : The National Themal Power Corporation, India's leader in power generation has its 1500 MW super thermal power station at Kanhia, in Angul. The capacity has been planned to be raised to 3000 MW in coming days. The beneficiary states from the power generation are Orissa, Bihar, Sikkim, Damodar Valley Corporation, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Southern States. Coal for the power generation is sourced from the Talcher Coal Field and water for the thermal power is taken from Samal Barrage Reservoir. The location of NTPC, Talcher is at Kanhia which is 60 km from Angul. NTPC Kanhia has its own township for its 1500 employees.
MCL : Mahanadi Coal Field Limited is located in Talcher (20 km from Angul), a well known mining centre of coal. A unit of Coal India Limited, MCL was previously under SECL (South Eastern Coal Field Ltd.). The major mines under MCL are the Dera colliery & Balanda colliery.
FCI : The Fertilizer Corporation of India has its unit in Talcher, Angul. One of the oldest industries of this area, FCI Talcher has faced problems in its viable operation. Hence, the plant has faced a closure since 1998. The township & plants do exist, waiting for much needed revival. As per a recent report RCF (Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers) plans to revive the FCI plant in Talcher with a capital outlay of about Rs. 3000 crores.
HWP : The Heavy Water Plant is located in Talcher (20 km from Angul), is a Govt.of India organisation under the aegis of Ministry of Atomic Power & Energy. This plant is involved in production of Organic Solvents like TBP, D2EFHA, TAPO & TOPO etc and other allied chemicals required as a part of the Nuclear Power Programme of the country.
TTPS : Talcher Thermal Power Station was the one of the oldest power generation plant of the Govt. of Orissa. with a capacity of 460 MW power generation and it is located in Talcher. Coal for the power generation is sourced from the Talcher Coal Field and water for the thermal power is taken from nearby Brahmani river. It faced problems in its operations and was in the reds. The company was taken over by NTPC and its operation has once again become economically viable. The power plant is run efficiently by NTPC since 1998.
JSPL : Jindal Steel and Power Ltd is another major industry which has come up in Angul district with a capital investment of Rs. 20,000.00 crores for setting a steel producing facility and a 1500 MW power generation unit. JSPL plans to commission the first phase of its 6 million tonne per annum (MTPA) steel plant in Angul district by October 2010. In the first phase, it will have a capacity of 3 mtpa.
BSSL : Bhushan Steel and Strips Ltd is in the process of setting up a power plant and an advanced hot rolling plant on 1,618 acres (6.55 km2) at Angul, at a cost of Rs. 5,200 crores. It is also in talks with the State Government for the allotment of additional 3,500 acres (14 km2) to enable it to triple the planned capacity of 2.2 million tonnes (mt) in about five years. The Angul plant has already started producing 110 MW, sponge iron and billets production is close to 0.5 million tonnes
Religion
As mentioned in the population details majority of the inhabitants of the district are Hindus. The Hinduism here has a touch of the worship method of the adivasis. The example of shapeless Gramdevati smeared with vermilion in different villages is a pointer towards this.
A curious feature of the religious observance of people in Angul is the worship of miniature tanks, especially during the ceremonies called Dwiti Baman Puja. It is performed by married women for children and longevity of the husband. They do not take any food through out the day and in the evening they go to a tank and plant Coconut and Tulsi plants there. A Brahmin performs the puja with rice, milk, tumeric and flowers and at the end the story of Dwitibaman is recited. During Naga Chaturthi milk is offered near the ant-hills with the expectation that it will be accepted by the Snake. This worship is supposed to give the worshipper protect against eye diseases.
Another important religious practice in the district is Mahima Dharma. It is more visible in the Dhenkanal district. The religion believes in one Param Brahma. The founder of the religion is Mahima Gosain and the famous blind poet Bhim bhoi is one of the most important preachers. The religion has no casteism. There are many sects of sanyasis like Ashritas, Bairagis, Apara sanyasis and Para sanyasis. Each group wears a distinctly different type of clothing.
The important festival of the district are Durge puja, Dipavali, Shiva ratri, Holi etc. The other festival include Amb Nua (fresh mango eating), Raja, Gamha Purnima, Pus Punei which owe their origin to the tribals.
Culture
Like many other region of the State of Orissa, a village administration was in place in olden days. The village was headed by a Pradhan, who usually was from inside the village and acted as village chief. Some people worked as washer men, smith, watchmen, barber for the whole village community. The pradhan allotted land for cultivation and accepted a part of the produce in return. With the intervention of the British Govt. gradually outsiders replaced the insiders as pradhans but their role was limit to collection of revenue. He became a Govt. servant and not a community leader.
Old village community institution like Bhagabat ghar, kothaghar etc. meant for community gathering, and accommodating outsiders are still in place in many villages. The maintenance of these places are met by the village community. The village community system has again generated a lot of interest now. Successive governments are trying to adopt many of the system followed in the past by the village community.
Fairs & Festivals
Angul is not only a land of magnificent hill ranges, old monuments, virgin and long river beds, downy flakes melodious jungle streams, healing hot springs, luxuriant forests, picturesque landscape, industrial houses but also a land of exciting and exuberant fasts and festivals. All the seasons of the year are marked with a variety of colourful celebrations. The fasts of folk-life and modernity of an industrial society. The traditions and customs, rites and rituals, dances and delicacies of the district are just precipitous, In these occasions people are seen in best of their attire, costumes and pageantry.
The fasts and festivals of the district are mostly of two types i.e. Sarbajanina or community based and Gharoi or family based. The Gharoi or family festivals are those, which are mostly observed at the level of families as per the traditions of their Kula, Gotra and Varna. A group of families consisting of same kinship or lineage also observe them in common. The Gurubara Manabasa, Sudasa Brata, Sabitri Brata, etc. are some such fasts.
The Sarbajanina festivals are celebrated with pump and ceremony by the people in general at the community level. Some major fasts and festivals of the district are described below.
Hingula Yatra
Hingula Yatra is celebrated with pump and ceremony in Talcher sub-division of the district at the temple of Hingula Thakurani near Gopalprasad. It is regarded as the most significant festival of the district, which draws people from different corners of the state. This is celebrated on Bishnu Damanaka Chaturdasi tithi as per oriya Pajika.
Akshaya Trutiya
This festival is considered as the most ceremonial and auspicious day for sowing of paddy for the current agricultural season. Oblation is offered to Goddess Laxmi. It is also the beginning day of the construction work of Ratha of Lord Jagannath for the ensuing Car Festival.
Chandan Yatra
This starts from Akhaya trutiya and ends on Chandan Purnima. A smaller replica of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken to the sacred tank for boating. This is aimed for providing comfort and coolness to the Lords from summer. This is celebrated in the Jagannath temples of the district located at Angul, Talamul, Bagedia, Papsara, Khamar and Boinda.
Ratha Yatra
World famous Car festival of Lord Jagannath at Puri is celebrated as one of the most significant festival of the state. Accordingly, Ratha Yatra is also celebrated with full ceremonial approach at Talcher,Angul, Pallahara and Athamallik with all traditional rites and rituals.
Ganesh Puja
The festival is celebrated on the 4th Day of the bright fortnight of lunar month of Bhadrab. Besides different schools, colleges, business houses Ganesh Puja is celebrated with full gaiety and traditional rituals at Talcher. The festival continues to be celebrated for a period of around 11 days, which attracts people from the whole district. Different prominent cultural troops and musical parties from the neighbouring states participate on this occasion. Talcher Ganesh Puja occupies a prominent position in the state for its colourful and ceremonial observance.
Nuakhai
This is the festival of offering the first rice harvested from the agricultural fields to the God/Goddess before human consumption. It is observed on Bhadraba Sukla Panchami Tithi. Specially in Athamallik sub division, this festival is celebrated with care and courage.
Viswakarma puja
This is the puja of Lord viswakarma, the main architect of the universe who had fabricated the universe as per the direction of Brahma, the lord of creation. Mostly this puja is observed in Factories, industrial houses, workshops and other related fabrication houses, Engineering establishments. The important celebration of Biswakarma Puja of the district includes, TTPS (Thermal), NALCO, F.C.I., Rengali and M.C.L. areas.
Durga Puja
Being the most colourful festival of the state, Durga Puja is celebrated with rites and rituals throughout the district. The Mahanadi Coal Field areas observe Durga Puja in a big-way with more than 20 numbers of Puja Mandapas. Besides at Angul on the day of Dusahara the famous ‘Ravanpodi’ Utsav is also observed to mark the victory of truth over the evil power.
LaxmiPuja / Kumarotsav
Gaja Laxmi puja starts from the day of Kumar Purnima and continues till the next 10 days at Angul. Beautiful images of Goddess Laxmi are prepared in clay and worshiped on brightly decorated puja pendals. This is the most popular and colourful function of the district observed with much pump and ceremony. Besides Angul town, Laxmi puja is also celebrated at Banarpal, Koshala, Athmallik and Pallahara.
Kumarostsav is the day of great pleasure, ecstasy and enjoyment for maiden girls falls on the full moon day of Aswina Purnima. The Moon God is worshiped by the maiden girls on this occasion for a bright future married life.
Kartika Purnima
This is observed on the last day of the lunar month of Kartika. This is specially regarded as the most sacred purnima of the Hindus. Rasa Ustav is also observed to pay honour to Lord Krushna and Radha. To mark the great tradition and cultural heritage of Orissa’s trading community, Boita Bandan is celebrated symbolically through out the district by floating decorative toy boats in the nearby rivers and ponds.
Sripanchami (Saraswati Puja)
This is observed on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha. Devi Saraswati is worshiped by the students as the Goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Besides, clubs, cultural houses and other institutions also celebrate the puja in the district.
Binkei Yatra
This festival is held on the 10th day after the Dolapurnima in the lunar month of Chaitra. This observation is made in the honour of Mother Goddess Binkei who is the saviour of virtuous and killer of vicious people. A great fair is also arranged for three days with a large no. of shops of variety items. People from far off villages gather for offering prayer to the Goddess and marketing for their household items.
Language
The language used by the people is Oriya. It has many variants with slight alterations. Some of the tribal use their own language.
Food
The people of the district predominantly use rice as their staple diet. The daily meals consists of boiled rice, dal and vegetables. Chuda (flattened rice), Mudhi (pop rice), Pakhal (watered rice) also are popular food in the district. The tribals consume millet, pulses, beans, sweet potatoes etc.
Dress
Now a days mostly people are using European garments like trousers and shirts .These garments have found their ways even to the remotest village. Elder males of middle class in many cases wear Dhoti and Shirt or Kurta . Poor males wear only Dhoti And use Gamuchha (napkins) on their upper part of the body.
Women irrespective of caste and social condition wear Saree. Most of them wear Blouse with Saree. The mode of wearing saree varies slightly with the class.
River
1. MAHANADI 26 MILES
2. TIKARA (Tributary of Brahmani River) 125 MILES
3. LINGARA (Tributary of Brahmani River) 110 MILES
4. SINGADA (Tributary of Brahmani River) 72 MILES
5. BAULI (Tributary of Lingara River) 30 MILES
6. NANDIRA (Tributary of Brahmani River) 35 MILES
7. AAUNLI (Tributary of Tikara River) 45 MILES
8. MATELIA (Tributary of Lingara River) 28 MILES
9. BADAJORA (Tributary of Mahanadi) 25 MILES
10. MATALA (MANDAKINI) (Tributary of Lingara River) 15 MILES
11. MADALA (Tributary of Aaunli River) 12 MILES
Hill
1. MANDARA GIRI 1160 FT. TUMUNI & MUSAPAPULI VILLAGE (CUTTACK-SAMBALPUR ROAD)
2. KHALA-AMBA 2578 FT. MANIKAJODI VILLAGE
3. SUMITRA 2072 FT. TALAGADA MOUZA
4. ESARADA 2142 FT. PAMPASARA VILLAGE
5. SARISUA 2010 FT. HANDIGODA MOUZA (ANGUL-ATHAMALLICK BORDER)
6. KALAPATA 2000 FT. PURUNAGADA MOUZA
7. TANGARI 1912 FT. DERANG MOUZA
8. JHARANA 1320 FT. KANALOI MOUZA
9. SALAMI 1272 FT. TIKARPADA
10. KUKUTA GHAT 1000 FT. MANIKA GARH MOUZA
11. SORISAPAL GHAT 540 FT. PURUNAGADA MOUZA
Water Resources
Water is a precious resource. It is vital for realizing the full potential of agricultural sector. Optimum development and efficient utilization of water resources both surface and ground water, therefore assumes great significance. The district has 2,16,403 hectares of cultivable land. 49,907 Ha. of irrigation potential has been created through different sources
Electricity
Energy is a basic necessity of life. It is otherwise known as power & one of the prime movers of any development economy. Adequate & reliable availability of power is indispensable for sustained growth of economy. The state of Orissa has carried out reforms in power sector to provide consumers cheap, reliable & assured supply of power. In order to achieve this objective, the Orissa Electricity Reforms Act came into effect from Ist April, 1996. With the enactment of Orissa Electricity Reforms Act, the erstwhile State Electricity Board was restructured & the functions of OSEB were entrusted to GRID Corporation of Orissa & Orissa Hydro Power Corporation . The distribution function of GRIDCO was privatized in the year 1999 & was entrusted to 4 private distribution companies. Central Electricity Supply Company of Orissa (CESCO) Limited looks after distribution of electricity in Angul district.