Meraki03 at 11:55, 10 February 2026

2026-02-10T11:55:49Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Bhanjanagar
| other_name = Russellkonda
| nickname =
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline =
| image_alt = Beleswara (Shiva) statue
| image_caption = {{convert|abbr=on|61|ft|m}} Beleshwara statue
| pushpin_map = India Odisha#India
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Odisha, India
| coordinates = {{coord|19|55|29|N|84|34|54|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| leader_title = Member of Parliament
| leader_name = [[Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi]], [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]
| leader_title1 = Member of Legislative Assembly
| leader_name1 = [[Pradyumna Kumar Nayak]], [[BJP]]
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon image|Orissa Flag(INDIA).png}} [[Odisha]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Ganjam District|Ganjam]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for = Kabi Samrat [[Upendra Bhanja]]
| government_type = Municipality
| governing_body = Bhanjanagar Municipal Council
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 = 635.80
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 69
| population_total = 20,482
| population_as_of = 2011
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |title=Urban Agglomerations/Cities having Census 2011-2020 in Orissa |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/data/town/801865-bhanjanagar-orissa.html |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]] |access-date=10 October 2014}}</ref>
| demographics_type1 = Languages
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Odia language|Odia]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = PIN
| postal_code = 761126
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 06821
| registration_plate = OD-32
| website = {{URL|odisha.gov.in}}
| footnotes = }}

'''Bhanjanagar''' is a city and [[Municipality]] in [[Ganjam district]] in the state of [[Odisha]], [[India]].

==Geography==
Bhanjanagar is located at {{Coord|19.93|N|84.58|E|}}<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/21/Bhanjanagar.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Bhanjanagar]</ref> with an average elevation of 69 metres (226 feet).

Bhanjanagar hosts the headquarters for the Bhanjanagar Sub-division, Ghumusar DFO, Bhanjanagar SDPO, Ghumusar Tahasil, Bhanjanagar Block, and Education Block. Bhanjanagar Block shares its borders with [[Surada]], [[Bellaguntha]], [[Jagannath Prasad]] Blocks of [[Ganjam district]] and [[G. Udayagiri]], [[Raikia]], Chakapada Blocks of [[Kandhamal district]]. There are 139 villages in Bhanjanagar Block while Bhanjanagar town is administered as a Municipality. The town is located beside Bhanjanagar Dam.

==History==
Bhanjanagar is a [[planned community]] situated in the confluence of rivers Loharakhandi and Badanadi. Earlier, this patch of land used to be a part of [[Bhanja dynasty#Ghumusar branch|Ghumusar Zamindari]] of [[Bhanja dynasty]] whose headquarter was in [[Kulada, Ganjam|Kulada]]. During British Raj this place became their administrative ground. The town, earlier named as Russellkonda a.k.a. Russell's Hill after George Russell (President of then Board of Revenue) was renamed later as Bhanjanagar in the memory of Kabi Samrat [[Upendra Bhanja]], a poet in [[Odia language|Odia literary history]].

On 13 March 2024, the [[Government of Odisha]] upgraded Bhanjanagar NAC to be a Municipality.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://theprint.in/india/odisha-announces-22-new-nacs-bhanjanagar-upgraded-to-municipality/1999085/|title = Odisha announces 22 new NACs, Bhanjanagar upgraded to municipality| date=13 March 2024 |publisher = The Print|access-date = 2024-03-19
}}</ref>

==Nearby villages==
* Benakunda
* Agajhola
* Kaindi
* Jilundi
* Baruda
* Golapada
* Kullada
* Turumu
* Gallery
* Sardula
* Daha
* Chhedabhumi
* Lalsingi
* Badakodanda
* Baradanda

==Demographics==
{{bar box
|title=Religion in Bhanjanagar<ref>{{cite web |title=Urban Agglomerations/Cities having Census 2011-2020 in Orissa |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/data/town/801865-bhanjanagar-orissa.html |publisher=[[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India]] |access-date=10 October 2014}}</ref>
|titlebar=#Fcd116
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Hinduism|orange|96.26}}
{{bar percent|Islam|green|2.36}}
{{bar percent|Christianity|red|1.10}}
{{bar percent|Sikh|Blue|0.01}}
{{bar percent|Buddhist|orange|0.01}}
{{bar percent|Jain|gray|0.00}}
{{bar percent|Not Stated|Black|0.25}}
{{bar percent|Other|red|0.00}}
}}
According to the 2011 India census, Bhanjanagar had a population of 20,482.<ref>{{cite web |title=Census of India |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/pca/SearchDetails.aspx?Id=458897 |website=www.censusindia.gov.in |access-date=29 November 2019}}</ref>

==Climate and regional setting==
Maximum summer temperature is 46 °C; minimum winter temperature is 14 °C. The mean daily temperature varies from 33 °C to 38 °C. May is the hottest month; December is the coldest. The average annual rainfall is 1250 mm and the region receives monsoon and torrential rainfall from July to October.
{{Weather box
| location = Bhanjanagar, Odisha
| metric first = Y
| single line = yes
| Jan high C = 26
| Feb high C = 29
| Mar high C = 34
| Apr high C = 36
| May high C = 37
| Jun high C = 34
| Jul high C = 31
| Aug high C = 30
| Sep high C = 31
| Oct high C = 31
| Nov high C = 29
| Dec high C = 27
| Jan low C = 14
| Feb low C = 18
| Mar low C = 22
| Apr low C = 26
| May low C = 28
| Jun low C = 28
| Jul low C = 26
| Aug low C = 26
| Sep low C = 25
| Oct low C = 22
| Nov low C = 18
| Dec low C = 14
| Jan rain mm = 15.50
| Feb rain mm = 17.40
| Mar rain mm = 21.70
| Apr rain mm = 21.00
| May rain mm = 40.30
| Jun rain mm = 156.00
| Jul rain mm = 310.00
| Aug rain mm = 294.50
| Sep rain mm = 204.00
| Oct rain mm = 96.10
| Nov rain mm = 30.00
| Dec rain mm = 18.60
| rain colour = green
|source= [https://www.msn.com/en-in/weather/today/Bhanjanagar,Od,India/we-city?iso=IN&form=PRWLAS&q=NH217%2C%20Bhanjanagar%2C%20Od%20761126&el=15NscJQ9Y28IIin%2BLN%2Br1g%3D%3D MSM Weather]
}}

==Educational Institutions==
===Colleges===
* Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja College
* Savitri Women's College
* Bhanja College of Computer & Management (B.C.C.M)
* Bhanja College of Nursing
* Academy of Rational Philosophy for Unanimously Agreeable and Constitutional Governance

===Schools===
* Kendriya Vidyalaya
* PT.SR DAV Public School
* Ghumusar Residential Higher Secondary School
* Upendra Bhanja High School
* Dina Bandhu Government Girls' High School
* Sribatsa High School
* P.S.B. School, RC Road
* Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandira (Dihapadhala)
* Swami Vivekananda Public School
* Government Middle English Medium School (Bari School)
* St. Xavier's English Medium High School
* St. Anne's English Medium School
* Sri Satya Sai Vidya Vihar
* Kanhu Rauta High School (Lalsing)
* Dibya Shakti English Medium School (Niladri Bihar)
* Govt. Somanath Practicing High School

===Training Institutes===
* Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja College of Teacher Education (KSUB CTE)
* Govt. Elementary Teacher Education Institution (GETEI)
* Govt. Industrial Training Institute (ITI)
* Kalam Institute of Computer Studies (Autonomous body)
* BDPS Software Training (Estd. 1997), High School Square
* ITCT Computer Institute (Khalasi Sahi)
* Bhanjanagar Computer Academy<ref>{{Cite web |title=BNC Academy – Empowering Minds, Transforming Futures |url=https://bncacademy.in |access-date=2024-12-23 |language=en-US}}</ref>
* MCC Academy
* OEIT Computer Institute, Landei sahi
* Adyaa Classes, Landei Sahi

==Industries==
Bhanjanagar has fertile lands, and a number of rice paddy processing units, or rice mills.

==Culture==
The Thakurani Yatra, [[Ratha-Yatra|Ratha Yatra]] and [[Danda nata|Danda Jatra]] festivals draw crowds to Bhanjanagar.

Apart from this, Dola Purnima, [[Durga Puja in Odisha|Durga Puja]](Dussehra), [[Sharad Purnima|Kumar Purnima]], [[Pana Sankranti]], Nurshingha Chaturthi, [[Rama Navami|Ram Navami]], [[Krishna Janmashtami|Janmashtami]], [[Danda nata|Danda Yatra]], [[Ganesh Chaturthi|Ganesh Puja]] and [[Vasant Panchami|Saraswati Puja]] are also celebrated. People with brotherhood celebrating all the festivals.

==Attractions and sites==
A reservoir is located north of Bhanjanagar with a catchment area of {{convert|25|sqmi|km2}}. The water of this reservoir irrigates land in Ghumusar (Bhanjanagar), [[Berhampur]] and [[Chhatrapur]] sub-divisions, and also supplies drinking water to Bhanjanagar and [[Berhampur]] city. Construction was completed in the year 1894.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.nuaodisha.com/Article-Inauguration-of-61-feet-height-Lord-Shiva-Statue-at-BhanjanagarGanjam-.aspx |title=Article: Inauguration of 61 feet height Lord Shiva Statue at Bhanjanagar, Ganjam |first= Rakesh Kumar |last= Pattnaik |work=nuaodisha.com |year=2013|quote=119 years old Bhanjanagar Reservoir (previously famous as the Russelkonda Reservoir) |access-date=29 June 2013}}</ref> The panoramic view of the reservoir is a popular tourist attraction. To increase further tourism, a huge park, named "Biju Patnaik Children's Park", in a natural surrounding with many Playing Instruments, a toy train, Science Park, Model Zoo, Road Train and swings for kids, boating facility, Family Train, 3D-Hall, Video Games, Aquarium, "Bhanja Doli", "Kalinga Boita" and last but not the least, an extraordinary and unique musical fountain were constructed for amusement. In April 2013, the tallest Shiva statue of [[Odisha]] (7th/8th-tallest Shiva statue in the world) was built at Beleswar Hill Top, located close to the water reservoir.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.orissabarta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12859:worlds-7th-largest-statue-siva-statue-beleswar-mahadev&catid=44:tourism&Itemid=87 |title= World's 7th largest Siva statue Beleswar Mahadev |access-date=29 June 2013}}</ref>

*Maa Soradevi Temple, College Road
*Shirdi Sai Temple, Bypass Road
*Kulada Vagdevi Temple, Kulada
*Jagannath Swami Temple, Kulada
*Vancheshwar Temple, Dhudhua
*The Divine Life Society, Bhanjangar Branch, Main Road, Bhanjanagar
*Gandhi Kailash Hill
*Vana Vihara
*Daha
*Deer Park
*Bhanja Sahitya Parishada

==Transport==
* By Road: Bhanjanagar is connected with [[National Highway 157 (India)|NH-157]], [[State Highway 37 (Odisha)|SH-37]] and [[State Highway 21 (Odisha)|SH-21]] which connect Bhanjanagar to other cities and towns of Odisha. It is {{convert|80|km|mi}} from [[Brahmapur, Odisha|Brahmapur]] and 85 km from [[Phulbani]] and 40 kilometres from [[Asika]].
* By Rail: [[Brahmapur railway station]] and [[Nayagarh]] railway station are the nearest railway halts.
* By Air: [[Biju Patnaik International Airport]] is about 170 km from the town.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ganjam district}}
{{Municipalities of Odisha}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Ganjam district]]

Bhanjanagar - Revision history

Meraki03 at 11:55, 10 February 2026