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.