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Places To Visit in Rayagada

An avatar of Goddess Durga, Majhighariani is accepted as the prime, most important deity in this region. The name originates from the placement of Shakti’s temple in the middle of the fourteenth-century Silavansi king Viswanath Dev’s palace and translates to the one seated in the central room. This temple attracts worshippers from all over the state and the country, especially Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

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Places To Visit in Rayagada

Hanging bridge, Chekaguda The hanging bridge in the Chekaguda village of Rayagada is the second of its kind in Orissa. Built in 2012, the 151 meters long suspended bridge has brought about 20,000-odd tribal villagers residing in nine panchayats located at the outskirt of the town, closer to the central city, by bridging the two shores of the Nagavali river. Also called the Jhula Bridge, given its construction, it is accessible only by pedestrians, as no vehicles are allowed to go through it. The Nagavali river has since become a tourist spot, and the bridge a tourist attraction, as families come to enjoy the serene environment of the river, the mountains around the valley, and the relative peace. The bridge is accessible all year round without any entry/crossing fee. The bridge is about 3 kms west of Rayagada railway station, and it takes about 15 minutes to reach there by road. To walk on an architectural wonder and take in Rayagada’s natural beauty, this is the place to be.

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Places To Visit in Rayagada

Chatikona is a small tribal village located around 40 kms north of Rayagada and falls under Rayagada district administration. It is surrounded by the Niyamgiri hills and offers tourists impeccable natural beauty complete with lush green foliage and a fantastic waterfall. Chatikona is a Dongria Kondh tribal village, and one can get to see marketplaces full of tribal arts and handicrafts. The Chatikona Falls attracts numbers of tourists and picnickers, and the Shiva temple near it draws pilgrims from all over Odisha, especially during the period of Shivratri, when it can be very crowded. While it is an all-weather destination, it is advised to skip the rainy seasons as well as the Shivratri month to avoid congestion. There is no entry fee to view these attractions. Reaching Chatikona is rather convenient, mainly by road, given the provision of State transport buses and taxis. Tourists can even take trains till Bissamcuttack railway station, which is the nearest to Chatikona.

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Places To Visit in Rayagada

Located 3 kms from Rayagada, this picnic spot is much visited by tourist. It is named so because the Nagavali river flows here through a deep-cut valley, and the two boulders atop these waterfalls look like elephants perched on a hill. October to February are the best time to visit these falls, as temperatures are cooler and rainy season has passed. Surrounded by dense forests, as is the foliage anywhere in Odisha, these falls make for the perfect tea-time picnic spots for family and friends. Reaching here is extraordinarily easy, as it is in the Rayagada city and taxis and private vehicles are allowed, during day time. The is no fee to visit these falls.

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Places To Visit in Rayagada

While this pilgrim and tourist spot is a little further away from rayagada town, it falls under the same district administration. Minajhola is a beautiful confluence of nature and religion. It houses a Shiva temple; at the meeting of 3 state rivers: Vamsadhara, Chauladhua, and Phalaphalia, where the idol is in the form of a fish called Minaketan, hence the name. It is a major pilgrim spot, given that Shivratri here is celebrated with much gusto. Due to its natural beauty, Manijhola attracts a lot of tourists also, to see the confluence of rivers, bathe in them, and picnic along the shore. Manijhola is 134 kms north-east of Rayagada, situated in the gudari town of Rayagada district. While getting there is not as hassle-free as any other destination, the state transport authority provides for buses from Rayagada up to Gudari and the rest 25 km from Gudari to Minajhola can be travelled by jeep or hired taxi. The road is not very friendly and isn’t all-weather. The nearest railway station is in Rayagada. There is no entry fee to visit this pilgrim and tourist spot.

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Places To Visit in Rayagada

Located 25 kms from Rayagada district headquarters, Laxminarayan Temple was built by the IMFA, the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys Ltd., near their factory in Therubali. It was built around 2004 as a place of worship of Vishnu and Laxmi, but also houses Jagannath, Hanuman, Balabhadra, and Shiva idols. Visitors abound from all over the state and from nearby states as well, especially more so for Shivratri festivities. A few kilometres further toward Paikapada, one can witness over one lakh Shivling at the Paikapada shrine. These two temples are also crowded during the Jagannath Rath Yatra season that takes place in the humid month of July. The Laxminarayan Temple is usually more crowded on Tuesdays, but there is no fee for entry at this architectural temple.

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Places To Visit in Rayagada

54 kms east of the Rayagada district headquarters, is the small village of Kenduguda, that houses the Badanalla or Kenduguda Dam, built on the Vasundhara River. The project caters to the irrigation needs of the Padampur Tehsil, which covers about 200-300 villages. About 325 meters in height and 48 meters in length, the dam is a budding tourist and picnic spot. The greenery around the Dam provides for a clean and beautiful landscape, coupled with the cold water of the dam. While its surroundings aren't developed into a proper tourist attraction, the picturesque beauty of nature around the dam in itself attracts a lot of people who come and chill with family and friends.