Ganjam district is a district in the Indian state of Odisha. Ganjam's total area is 8,070 km² (3,116 mi²).
Ganjam is a town and a notified area council in Ganjam district in the state of Odisha, India.
The district headquarters is Chhatrapur. Ganjam is divided into three sub-divisions Chhatrapur, Berhampur, and Bhanjanagar. The Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908 lists Ganjam, along with the Thanjavur and South Canara districts, as the three districts of the Madras Presidency where Brahmins were most numerous. As of 2011 it is the most populous district of Odisha (out of 30).
Lok Sabha constituencies
Since 2008, Ganjam district is represented in Berhampur (Lok Sabha constituency) and Aska (Lok Sabha constituency).
Berhampur seat earlier Ganjam (Lok Sabha constituency) exist in 1952 and 1957 general elections as two seat constituency and Chatarpur (Lok Sabha constituency) exist in 1962, 1967 and 1971 general elections and later Berhanpur seat exist since 1977 general elections.
Aska seat exist since 1977 general elections and earlier as Bhanjanagar (Lok Sabha constituency) seat in 1962, 1967 and 1971 general elections
People from Ganjam district
Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja, Poet
Kavisurya Baladev Rath, Poet
V.V. Giri, former President of India
Sashi Bhusan Rath, Social reformer & Politician
Biswanath Das, former Governor of Uttar Pradesh and former Chief Minister of Odisha
Binayak Acharya, former Chief Minister of Odisha
Aneppu Parasuramdas Patro: Justice Party leader and Education Minister in the Raja of Panagal Government
Naveen Patnaik : The current & 14th Chief Minister of Odisha , is also MLA(Member of Legislative Assembly) from Hinjilicut , Ganjam District, Odisha.
How to Reach
By Air
Nearest Airport is Bhubaneswar Airport- 155 Km
By Train
Nearest Railway Station is Chatrapur.
By Road
From Bhubaneswar it is 150kms on the N.H. 16.
Tourist Places
GopalPur On Sea
Melancholy and Salubrious Sea beach with blue waters and attractive back water bed in the form of cracks and sleepy
Tara Tarini Hill Top View
Tara Tarini – The manifestations of Adi Shakti
It is a famous religious place in Southern Odisha where the twin sister Goddess i.e. Tara & Tarini adorn
Aquatic Birds in Chilika
Chilika (Rambha)– A brackish water lagoon
Nestling in the heart of coastal Orissa, Chilika is Indias biggest inland lake. Spread over 1,100 square kilometers stretching across
Panchama temple entrance
Panchama – Siddhi Vinayak Temple
It is a small village of Ganjam District. Here Lord Ganesh is worshipped in the groove of a large Pipal
108 Temples at Bhairabi
Bhairabi Temple
The place is named after the presiding deity Goddess Bhairabi at remote village Mantridi.
Olive Ridley turtle at RushiKulya
Lakhs of endangered Olive Ridley turtles flocked the Rushikulya river mouth for their annual mass nesting in Odisha’s Ganjam district
Narayani Temple famous Shakti peetha
Narayani devi Temple
The scenic splendor of Narayani on the lap of the celebrated Vallery Mountain is a famous place in the eastern
taptapani hot spring
TAPTAPANI – A Hot Water Spring
It is famous for a perennial hot spring of Medicinal Sulfuric Water which is located on the State Highways.
BuddhaKhol Ganjam
Buddhakhol – Panchu Mahadeva Temple
At a distance of about 3 kms towards the north of Buguda is Buddhakhol, which is a scenic spot frequenty
Mahuri kalua
Mahurikalua – Shakti Peetha
Visitors usually negotiate the site while traveling on the road that connects Berhampur with Western Orissa.
Ganjam Fort/Potagarh Fort
The Ganjam Fort Map
Located at 19.22°N 85.49°E, the Ganjam Fort (also called Potagarh Fort) is the main spot for tourists in Ganjam. This star fort is located 8 km from Chatrapur. The fort of Potagarh was the first Collectorate complex of Ganjam. Later on it was shifted to Berhampur in 1815 and subsequently to Chhatrapur in 1835, where it is still is.
Potagarh or the "buried fort" is named as such since it is buried. It is situated at present near a village named Ganjam on the mouth of the river Rushikulya. The fort is in ruins and still it stands as the mute witness to many rulers, who have used it as their administrative Headquarters to rule over this region named in different periods as Kalinga, Kalinga, Dandapat, Ganjam, Chichacole Circar etc. It is not a single fort, rather a cluster of forts erected by different governments, the remnants of which tell the stories of their administrative procedures. Thus the history of Potagarh is the history of the Ganjam Collectorate that involves the history of Ganjam, Northern Circars, French Government, Madras Presidency, Bengal Presidency and the history of the East India Company as a whole.
Potagarh fort in Ganjam town
It is said that the construction of Potagarh fort was commenced in 1768 by Edward Costford, the first Resident of Ganjam. But the star-shaped design of the fort and a very old Masjeed standing near it attest more of its Mahammadan origin than British. During the Kutabsahi rule in 17th century Ganjam was extended from Chilika to Chicacole and designated as Chicacole Circar which was the Northern-most Circar of the Northern Circars and was controlled from Golconda. In 1641 a Faujdar named Mahammed Khan was appointed in Srikakulam for the first time by Abdul Kutab Shah, the ruler of Golconda. He constructed some fine mosques at Srikakulam and Icchapuram. The old Kalinga Dandapat (Ganjam) was then divided into two divisions namely Chicacole (Srikakulam) and Icchapuram. Most probably it was Mahammed Khan who erected a fort at the present site of Potagarh for administration of Icchapuram division. Some scholars are of the opinion that the fort was erected by the Fourth Sultan Ibrahim Kutabshah.
In 1753 the Northern Circar was granted to the French and Monsieur De Bussy, the French Commander took control over Ganjam and functioned from Potagarh. He must have erected a fort there for him as well as his French people. The presence of the French people is proved by two tombs erected in the cemetery close to Potagarh in honour of two souls of French origin. in 1765, the Northern Circars were granted to English by an imperial farman. French power ended and Edward Costford was appointed as the British Resident of Ganjam in 1766 and took direct charge of Ganjam in 1768. He constructed there another fort. The fort is spread in a vast area close to the river in star-shape. Inside the compound there are three residential buildings of three different architectural designs, most probably assigned to the Mahammadans, French and British. The first one probably of Mahammadan or Kutabshahi origin is completely in ruined state. The other two are also not in so good condition. Besides, two magazine houses are there. Two passages are there in the eastern side of the compound wall opening to the river.
One was probably used as a secret passage to escape into the sea and the other for the queen to go to the river to take bath. The compound wall is about 8' thick with a moat encircling it. The fort has two nicely designed doors, one is in the front side the other one is in the back side, close to the river. The fort of Potagarh is described by the celebrated historian W.W.Hunter having towers in the star angles except in the east front where there is a large gateway, the walls neither under 18 nor above 22 feet in height and a ditch running in three sides in many parts with deep water and in the fourth side defended by a thick wood which runs to 150 yards from the walls". Potagarh tells many stories of horror relating to the wrath of the fort-goddess on the ancient village of Ganjam and the escape of the king through the secret passage into the Bay of Bengal by a boat at the time of attack. The fort Potagarh is an archaeological asset of the state and deserves preservation.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganjam_district
