Famous for its Berhampur silk weaving, the township lies on the National Highway No. 5 and forms the gateway to the bewitching southern zone of Orissa. The wayside shops offer an excellent selection of some of the exquisite-textiles in silk.

Approach : By road and rail.

Best time to visit : October to June

Stay

Accommodation arrangements can be done with any of the many local hotels. Hotel Mayuree, Hotel Moti, Hotel Radha, Hotel Satyasagar, Hotel Nandan etc.

Handicrafts of the region

Renowned silk fabrics of Berhampur dominate the market. Besides, brass work of Ganjam, coirmats of Gopalpur and the exquisite horn work of Paralakhemundi can be procured here. Carpets from Chandragiri, woven by refugees from Tibet, are another attractions.

Major Festivals of the Berhampur are Makar Mela, Shiva Ratri, Buda, Khambeswari Yatra, Thakurani Yatra, Tara tarini Mela, Car Festival, Ganesh Puja, Dussera, Budha Kandu Yatra.

Places to Visit

Taratarini:

The temple of Taratarini, the twin Goddesses, is situated on the top of a blue capped hill. The beauty of the place is enhanced by the encircling river Rushikulya. The shrine draws huge crowd throughout the year especially on every Tuesday in the month of Chaitra.

The place is well connected by regular bus service from Berhampur.There is a Revenue Inspection Bungalow here for accommodation whose reservation authority is Tahasildar, Chhatrapur.

Mahendragiri (185 km)

Amidst rich scenic beauty of the evergreen forests, Mahendragiri, 5,000 feet high, stands in its unrivalled glory in the Parlakhemundi subdivision of the district of Gajapati.

The hill is associated with mythological stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It finds mention in the works of poets Kalidas and Radhanath Ray. The rivulet Mahendra Tanaya flows down the hill with her usual trickling note. Archaeological remains at Mahendragiri make an interesting study for the scholars. Sivaratri is the main festival here which draws a large crowd.

Mahendragiri can be approached from Parlakhemundi which is frequented with bus service from Berhampur (125 km) via N.H. No. 5 or via Taptapani and R.Udayagiri (176 km). One can go from Parlakhemundi to Kainpur (46 km) by bus and then to Burkhat pass (5 km) by jeep and finally proceed to the Mahendragiri hill (10 km) on foot.

Aryapalli (30 km)*

30 km from Berhampur and 6 km from Chhatrapur, the district headquarters of Ganjam, the beach at Aryapalli is quiet and charming where the waves talk. Its bracing and invigorating climate adds freshness to the soul. A nature loving tourist can enjoy the sun-sand-surf among the green casuarina plantations.

Taptapani (50 km)*

50 km from Berhampur, amidst lush green forests is Taptapani where there is a hot water spring. The hot water is channelised to a pond nearby to facilitate fascinating baths. Regular bus service operates to this place from Berhampur.

A Panthanivas of the OTDC provides accommodation to the tourists. A pipeline drawn from the hot spring provides the natural hot water inside the bath rooms of this Panthanivas.

Mahendragiri (185 km)*

Amidst rich scenic beauty of the evergreen forests, Mahendragiri, 5,000 feet high, stands in its unrivalled glory in the Parlakhemundi subdivision of the district of Gajapati.

The hill is associated with mythological stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It finds mention in the works of poets Kalidas and Radhanath Ray. The rivulet Mahendra Tanaya flows down the hill with her usual trickling note. Archaeological remains at Mahendragiri make an interesting study for the scholars. Sivaratri is the main festival here which draws a large crowd.

Mahendragiri can be approached from Parlakhemundi which is frequented with bus service from Berhampur (125 km) via N.H. No. 5 or via Taptapani and R.Udayagiri (176 km). One can go from Parlakhemundi to Kainpur (46 km) by bus and then to Burkhat pass (5 km) by jeep and finally proceed to the Mahendragiri hill (10 km) on foot.

Other places of interest are Padageswar in Aska, Khambeswari Patna in Aska, Gosain Nuagaon, Panchama, Kshetribarpur, Chandragiri, Padmanavpur,

Tourist Information :  Tourist Office : New Bus Stand, 1st Floor ,Berhampur,District-Ganjam,Pin-760004.