Subarnapur district
Subarnapur District, also called Sonepur District or Sonapur District is an administrative district of Odisha state in eastern India. The town of Sonepur is the district headquarters. Many loosely call the people of Sonepur region as Sonepuria.
History
According to historians the Subarnapur district was known as Paschima Lanka or Western Lanka around the 10th-11th centuries.The evidence comes from a copper plate charter issued in the late 10th century by a Somavamsi prince named Kumara Someswaradeva of Subarnapur district. The Prince had identified himself as the king of Paschima Lanka. It was further found that the Mahada copper plate grant of Kumara Someswaradeva was registered on the bank of river Chitrotpala and near to the province of Lanka. The presiding deity of Paschima Lanka was goddess Lankeswari.
This district earned the name “Subarnapur” during the time of Somavamsi ruler.
The district was established in 1993.
Economy
In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Subarnapur one of the country's 250 most backward districts. It is one of the 19 districts in Odisha currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.Divisions
- Sub-divisions: Sonepur and Birmaharajpur
- Tehsils: Sonepur, Binika, Rampur, Birmaharajpur, Tarbha, and Ullunda
- Blocks : Sonepur, Binika, Tarbha, Dunguripali, Birmaharajpur and Ullunda
- Municipality : Sonepur
- N.A.C. : Tarbha and Binika
Demographics
The district has a population density of . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 20.35%. Subarnapur has a sex ratio of 959 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 74.42%.
At the time of the 2011 Census of India, 99.00% of the population in the district spoke Odia as their first language.
Culture
Subarnapur District is known for its influentially rich cultural heritage, arts and crafts. For instance, textiles and terracotta of Sonepur, Brass metal works and Philigri crafts of Tarbha and Binka, Stone carving of Ullunda and Paddy crafts of Dunguripali are recognized all over the state and also in country. In addition, the great poet and prophet of Mahima Dharma, Santh Bhima Bhoi was from this district. Besides, Subarnapur area is famous for 'Danda-nata', a religious folk tradition generally performed in the month of Chaitra. Historically Sonepur region was known as Paschima Lanka.Temple town, Sonepur
- Paschima Lanka
- Lanka Podi
- Sasisena Kavya
- Sasisena Temple
- Sureswari Temple
- Subarnameru Temple
- Lankeswari Temple
Tourist attraction
- Mahima pitha, Khaliapali
- Gyaneswar Baba Shiv temple and dwadasa jyotirlinga at Kenjhiriapali village near ghungi river.
- Metakani Temple, Ullunda
- Patali Srikhetra, Kotsamlai
- Rushyashrunga hill, at Goudgad jungle
- Papakshya Ghat, Binka
- Kapileswar temple, Charda
- Nabagrahakunda
- Rameswar Shiva Temple at the Sangam of river Mahanadi and Tel.
- Lord Sri Sri Swapneshwar Temple, Goudgad of BirmaharajPur Block.
- Thengo Irrigation Project of Birmaharajpur Block.
- Maa Umadevi Temple and Siddheswar Temple
- Maa Ramachandi & Baba Raneswar Temple, Telanda.*godhaneswar shiv temple*sunaribeni shiv temple.
- Gupteswar Baba Temple, Gailmura-ULUNDA
- Bhimtangar, Gailmura-ULUNDA
- Baunsa Bana, Dunguripali
Saree
- Sambalpuri Pata Saree
- Sonepuri Saree
Eminent Persons
- Kailash Chandra Meher, Eminent Painter awarded Padma Shri by Govt. of India.
- Nila Madhab Panda, film maker and director of I Am Kalam.
- Sabyasachi Mohapatra, Odia film director and producer.
- Jitamitra Prasad Singh Deo
- Kapileswar Prasad Mohapatra, Eminent writer of Sala Budha series.His two stories has been made into feature films.Both the films were selected in Indian Panorama section.Sala Budha had been awarded 6 Odisha State Film Awards including Best Film.He has also been awarded Best Social Worker in Jan 26 parade by Sonepur Administration prompting the Odisha Govt to recommend for Padmasri that he didn't get from Center.
- Chaturbhuj Meher, awarded Padmasri for Sambalpuri Handloom weaving or Sambalpuri Baandha.Sambalpuri sarees, dress materials are famous for its rich colour values and softness.
Education in Subarnapur district
- Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya,Tarbha
- Sri Aurobindo Shikshyakendra, goudgad, po- amarpali
- Ganapati Adarsha Shikshya Niketan, Biramaharaj Pur
- Swami Vivekananda Adarsha Vidyalaya,Khandahata
- Maa maheswari college,Khambeswaripali
- Anchalik Uchha Vidya Pitha, Kenjhiriapali.
- Centurion Public School, Dunguripali
- Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Dunguripali
- Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Rampur
- Sahara Trust High School, Sonepur
- Vishwabharti Chintan Shikshya Niketan, Sonepur
- Sonepur College, Sonepur-Raj
- Model Degree College, Subarnapur
- Shree Ram College, Rampur
- Maharaja High School, Sonepur
Politics
Vidhan Sabha Constituencies
The followings are the two Vidhan sabha constituencies of Subarnapur district and the elected members of that areaNo. | Constituency | Reservation | Extent of the Assembly Constituency | Member of 14th Assembly | Party |
64 | Birmajarajpur | SC | Ulunda, Birmaharajpur, Binka, Binika | Padmanabh Behera | BJD |
65 | Sonepur | - | Sonepur, Tarabha, Tarabha, Sonepur, Dunguripali, Binka | Niranjan Pujari | BJD |