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About Cuttack

Cuttack was the capital of Orissa before the new capital of Bhubaneshwar was built. Cuttack is situated at the head of the delta formed by the Mahanadi river and surrounded by the Mahanadi river and its tributary Kathahuri. Cuttack is one of the oldest cities of Orissa and known as Abhinaba Baranasi Kataka in medieval times. This city was founded by the Nripati Kesari who ruled from 920-935 AD and remained the administrative centre until the end of the British Raj. Today, Cuttack is a bustling commercial centre and oocupies an important strategic position in relation to the network of canals in the region. The legendary engineering skills of the ancient Orissans are not only featured in their wonderful temples but also can be seen in the 11th century AD stone embankments on the Kathjori river. This embankment was built in the 11th century by the Kesari ruler to protect the town from flooding by the Kathajuri river.

Cuttack History
Early history of Cuttack is associated with the Keshari dynasty. As stated by the distinguished historian A. Stirling, present-day Cuttack was established as a military cantonment by king Nrupa Keshari of Keshari dynasty in 989 A.D. Stirling based his opinion on Madalapanji, a chronicle of lord Jagannath temple of Puri. The reign of Markata Keshari was distinguished for the stone embank built to protect the new capital from flood in 1002 A.D. Historical evidence suggests Cuttack becoming capital of a Kingdom founded by Anangabhimadeva of Ganga dynasty in 1211 A.D. After the end of Ganga rule, Orissa passed to the hands of the Gajapati Kings (1435-1541 A.D.) of Solar dynasty under whom Cuttack continued to be the capital of Orissa. After the death of Mukunda deva, the last Hindu king of Orissa, Cuttack first came under Muslim rules and later under Mughals.

By 1750, Cuttack came under Maratha rules and it grew fast as a business center being the convenient point of contact between the Marathas of Nagpur and the English Merchants of Bengal. It was occupied by the British in 1803 and later became the capital of Orissa division in 1816. From 1948 onwards, when the capital was shifted to Bhubaneswar, the city remained the administrative headquarters of Orissa. Remnants of an old fort called Barabati still exist in the heart of Cuttack with the moat around the fort. Nearby is a modern stadium called the Barabati Stadium, host to many national and international matches. Recent growth of the city has resulted in expansion across the river Kathjori and a newer township towards the head of the delta formed between the distributary Kathjori river and the Mahanadi. Cuttack is referred to as a city with Babaan Bazaaar,Thepan gaali i.e. a city having 52 markets and 53 streets.


Place to See
Dhabaleswar
It is situated at a distance of 7 kms. from Cuttack on the bed of river Mahanadi. It is famous for the Dhabaleswar temple . A large festival is celebrated here in the Kartik(November month). Qadam- I- Rasool
Situated in the centre of the city it is sacred to the Hindus as well as the Muslims. This 18th century shrine shelters the footprints of Prophet Mohammed on a circular stone in its central mosque. There are two more beautiful mosques and a music gallery.

Paramahasanath temple
People visit the Paramahansanath of Shiva on a holy day . The temple on the outskirts of the town is famous for its water hole (Ananta garva),which floods the sanctum santorum on holy occasions.

Banki
It is situated at a distance of 60kms. from Bhubaneswar .A temple is situated on a hillock in that place dedicated to the Goddess Charchika .River Mahanadi flows through the town.

Mahavinayak
At a distance of 2 kms. from Chandikhol to the West is the seat of famous Ancient Shiva temple of Mahavinayak.

Baneswar
It is situated on the bed of the river Mahanadi and is famous for the Shiva temple and the tourists can enjoy the beauty of the nature.

Bhattarika
This charmin scenic spot on the Mahanadi valley is situated at a distance of of 90kms from Cuttack. It is famous for the temple of Goddess Bhattarika.

Niali Mahdab
Situated at a distnace of 42kms from Bhubaneswar, Niali is famous for the temple of Sobhaneswar(Shiva) and Madhab(Vishnu).


How to Reach
Air: The nearest airport is located in Bhubaneshwar, about 29 kms from Cuttack.

Rail : Cuttack is situated on the south eastern railways and is direct connected to Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Calcutta, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Road : Cuttack is connected to Puri, Bhubaneshwar and Konark by good roads.



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