Best Tourist places to Visit in Ganjam District, Odisha

Jaugada Jaugada is situated at a distance of 10 kms from Purushotampur. The place is of great historical importance as one of the famous rock edicts of Ashok is located here. Jaugada or Jatudurga (Lac fort) as it was known in classical times, is said to be associated with Mahabharta episode. Tradition ascribes that the fort of Jaugada was built by Duryodhana of Mahabharata fame. Its name jau or Lac is from a tradition that it was made of Lac and was therefore impregnable as no enemy could scale the walls as they were smooth and slippery.

Jaugada stands as the symbol of all the historical heritage connected with the Rushikulya Valley civilisation. From the bank of this river, silver coins of the pre Mauryan age have been discovered. The Ashokan inscription at Jaugada is incised on a rock face some 30 feet long and 15 feet high elevated about 12 feet on a mass of granitic gneiss. The fort of Jaugada was rectangular in shape, the opposite sides being 858 yards by 814 yards respectively. The earthen bank at places is 18 feet high and 148 1/2 feet across at the base and has two entrances on each side. The fort was surrounded by a wide and deep moat which was not continuous slips being left for ingress and egress. The walls and towers were made of earth whose remnants still exist in high shapeless mounds. Jaugada is a part of the Malati hill range

How to Reach: It is 40 Kilometer from Berhampur By Road Best Time: October-March

Kulada: Kulada is famous for Goddess Bagh Devi which is the presiding deity, Kulad is said to be birth place of great Oriya Poet Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja. It is situated to the north west of Ganjam District with a ruin fort, river Mahanadi flowing in the east and dense forest in the west side of the ruined fort. Legend speaks that during 12th century a Bhanja ruler had joined hands with a tribal leader KULA to be eradicating the foreign invasion. Seeing the danger from the tribe he stained the tribal leader KULA and on the same place, constructed a fort which was later known as Kulad / Kulargad.

The original temple is at the top of the hill known as Upper Bagh Devi with 210 steps. Upendra Bhanja spent his term in meditation at this place. As the steps are yet to be made and the route is very tough for climbing another temple of Goddess Bagh Devi has been constructed near the road where people in large number gather to worship. Kulad has many other temples also. The other important temples of Kulad are Temple of Lord Jagannath, Mausimaa temple, Ratneswar Mahadev temple etc. Sankranti day of every month. Thakurani Yatra every three years. Rathyatra and Dola Purnima, Dashahara (4 days) and Ashoka Ashtami.

How to Reach: It is 88 Kilometers from Berhampur By Road Best Time: September-March