Baripada

The Hub for Art and Culture

BBaripada is notable for its several important national wildlife parks. Baripada is also known for the ancient temples that have been established during the tenth century and represent the strong presence of art and culture during ancient times. It also regularly hosts a variety of traditional festivals, which are one of the main attractions here. Baripada is renowned for holding the second most popular Rathyatra (chariot festival) in the state of Orissa, the most popular being held in Puri. The Mayurbhanj Chhau Dance, which is an ancient martial form of dance, has originated in Baripada.

The official language spoken here is Odia. Santali, Ho and Mandari are some of the other local languages spoken in Baripada. Rangamatia is the base for the fifth battalion of the Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP). There are, along with these numerous ancient temples, some palaces built by the rulers ruling Mayurbhanj, and who had made Baripada their capital of the state, from the fifteenth century. Haripur, based at the distance of sixteen kilometres to the south-east of Baripada, is the place where many such places can be found. Some of them being the ruins of the Rasikaraya Temple, the Durbar Hall of the Bhanja Kings, the Collectorate building, the Maharaja Purnachandra College, the Maharaja Krushnachandra High School, etc.