Baragarh District is one of the western most districts of
Orissa. It is bounded by the state of
Chhattisgarh in the north, and the districts of
Sambalpur and
Balangir in the east and south. Baragarh is spread over an area of 5,832 sq km. The town of
Baragarh, lying on
National Highway 6, is the headquarters.
Oriya is the main language spoken.
Baragarh receives south-west monsoon from mid-June to the end of September. Winter starts in November and lasts till the end of February and is followed by a hot summer. The major rivers flowing through Baragarh are the tributaries of the
river Mahanadi (Jira and Jhaun) and Ong. Agriculture is the mainstay of the people. Other occupations include diary, poultry, goatery, piggery, and handloom weaving. Rice, pulses, and oil-seeds are the main crops produced. Horticultural crops such as vegetables, mango, banana, citrus, papaya,
guava, and litchi are also grown.
The best time to visit Baragarh is from October to March. The
Dhanu Yatra Festival (world’s biggest open air theater) is held during this period. Major pilgrim spots are Nrusinghanath and Asta Sambhu. The main hill station is Debrigarh, a peak on the Barapahar hills. The Gandhamardan range is another group of hills. Other places of interest are Ambabhona (remains of an old fort), Barpali, Bhatli, Bijepur, Diptipur, and Panimura.
