Dhenkanal is the fertile ground of all the religious sects and the followers of different beliefs and philosophies. The culture of Dhenkanal is therefore dominated by Shaktaism, Saivism and Vaishnavism amalgamated with the cults of Mahima and Buddhism. This cultural tradition represented by Dhenkanal has the essence of multi-ethnicity. Rightly from the inception of the present days, testimony is eloquent that different forms of Hindu Brahmanism including Saivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism have concentrated in the core of Dhenkanal. Apart from that, the influence of Buddhism is found to have blown over the land of Dhenkanal. Moreover the Mahima cult is believed to have spread from the land.

If the historical sources are to be believed the cultural tradition of Dhenkanal is developed from the cult of Saivism in Dhenkanal.Since Saivism has the fertile ground in the district of Dhenkanal, Lord Shiva is the presiding god, worshipped with immense veneration in the region. Following the cultural tradition of Dhenkanal, Lord Shiva is worshipped here with a number of names in different temples. Primarily the Saivism dominates the cultural tradition of Dhenkanal.

Centering the Saivism, the other dominant branch of Brahmanism sprang up in the Dhenkanal district. The incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Dhenkanal had a great impact on the Vaishnav sect. Since the inception of Vaishnavism in India, this culture has got a terrible resurgence in the district of Dhenkanal. The Vaishnav kings patronized the Vaishnav culture, originated in the district.

The cultural environment of Dhenkanal is no less influenced by the cult of Shaktaism & Mahima Dharma. The cult of Shaktaism is dominated by the worship of Shakti or the mother goddess. The Mahima Dharma, unlike Brahmanism does not relate to any particular idea about God or the beliefs regarding the God. At the same time of influencing the cultural tradition of Dhenkanal, it is a unique contribution to the religious and cultural tradition of India. The Mahima dharma introduced a new edition in the cultural life of Dhenkanal. According to the Mahima Cult, there is no different caste and creed and they believe in "Alekh", the only supreme power or the omnipotent God who controls every affairs of Universe.

Since Dhenkanal is the meeting point of the different caste and creed of different sects, the cultural tradition of Dhenkanal is primarily mixed.