Asurgarh Fort is situated on the outskirts of
Asurgarh, in
Kalahandi District of
Orissa. According to the local people, this fort was once the residence of a demon called Gosinha Daitya. The fort derives its name after this legend. Asurgarh is a combination of two words ‘asur’ means demon and ‘garh’ means house.
Asurgarh Fort, currently in ruins, was originally rectangular in shape. At present there is an entrance on each side of the fort. At the east gate there is a shrine dedicated to Goddess Ganga. Similarly the west, south and north gates also have a shrine of their own dedicated to deities Kala Pahad, Vaishnavi and Budharaja respectively. The presiding deity of the fort is Goddess Dokari (Old Lady), whose shrine is located inside the fort. At the center of the fort, the ground is elevated. This platform is believed to be the foundation of a palace that existed in the ancient times.
Asurgarh Fort is about 35 km from Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters, which is known for its numerous temples.
