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 Ghumusar Zamindari of Bhanja dynasty whose headquarter was in 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 literary history.
On 13 March 2024, the Government of Odisha upgraded Bhanjanagar NAC to be a Municipality.[3]
According to the 2011 India census, Bhanjanagar had a population of 20,482.[5]
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.
A reservoir is located north of Bhanjanagar with a catchment area of 25 square miles (65 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.[7] 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.[8]
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 NH-157, SH-37 and SH-21 which connect Bhanjanagar to other cities and towns of Odisha. It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Brahmapur and 85 km from Phulbani and 40 kilometres from Asika.
