Kalahandi is one of the significant districts of Orissa state of India. At various times people gave names to this Kalhandi district. Like in the primitive period, people identified Kalahandi as Mahakantaar, which signifies huge forest. Karuna Mandal is another alternative name. It signifies wealth of valuable stones namely Garnet (red stone), karandam (Manik), Beruz, Neelam (blue stone), Alexandra and many more.
Historians have traced out a wonderful story of its origination. According to them, today`s Kalahandi district was a princely state of the earlier days. Only after India`s Independence on January 1, 1948, Kalahandi became an integral part of the Union of India. Later on November 1, 1949, Kalahandi was incorporated with Orissa state.
Magnificent monuments, forts, temples etc add to the splendor of this Kalahandi district thereby attracting tourists from far off places. The former capital of the State of Kalahandi, Junagarh, erstwhile capital of Kalahandi princely state, lying about 26 kilometers from Bhawanipatna houses a strongly built fort. Multiple Hindu temples are built with sculptures bearing proof of the heinous Sati rite.
Kalahandi covers an area of 8,364.89 sq kms and has occupied 7th position in area amongst 30 Orissa districts.
For carrying on conversation people mainly use `Sambalpuri language chain`. They do not converse in Orissa language.
The strategic location of Kalahandi is quite significant. It has occupied Orissa`s southwestern portion, surrounded by the Districts of Balangir and Nawapara on the north , on the southern portion the District of Rayagada is built . Also on the west the Nawarangpur and Raipur (Chhatisgarh) districts and on the east Rayagada and Boudh districts are found. The District Headquarters is at Bhawanipatna Town, which stands almost to the eastern border.
As far as the occupation of the entire district is concerned, agriculture is widely practiced with a wide range of areas covering with dense forests. Industrial development has hardly occurred here.
For attracting tourists from all over India, a number of tourist spots have developed. Karlapat, Phurlijharan, Thuamul Rampur (Tea park), Ampani (Budharaja Temple), Jaipatna and Mukhiguda (Indravati dam/lake, Hydroelectricity Power Generator), Bhawanipatna (Maa Manikeswari Temple and many other old temples), Gudahandi, Dharamgarh (Bhimkhoj) and Tangri Dangar, Asurgarh, Junagarh deserve to be worth mentioning.
The residents of Kalahandi get enthralled with various dancing forms that are quite popular here. Singlia dance is a special type of dance, which is performed along with a musical instrument. Other dance forms include Dalkhai dance, Ghumra dance, Parja dance, Kandha dance, Badikhel dance, Ushkuusha dance and many more. Music also is part and parcel of Kalahandi folk. For instance Nat is a musical composition similar to that of a theatre or Gitinatya. Ramlila is also popular. A special treat is Dannat which is desi musical composition reminiscing the romantic saga of Lord Krishna and his consort Radha. It was composed in Kalahandia dialect.
