The rock art of Puja Dunguri, shrine of Suvarnameru lingam, shrine of Paschima Lanka, Lankeswari darha are some of the famous features of Sonapur.
The district is a haven of many ancient temples like Gopinatha temple, sureswari temple, sitalei temple and so on.
Sonepur lies in the central west portions of the state of Odisha. One of the important district headquarters of Orissa, Sonepur has a geographical location of North Latitude 20°30' to 21°11' and East Longitude 83°27' to 84°16'.
Covering an area of 2344 sq. kilometers, the Sonepur town of Orissa has a population of 4,76,815. The district has a low literacy rate of 42.62%. The population of the district headquarter is dominated by the Harijans.
The history of Sonepur dates back to the 8th century. The area has witnessed governance of different rulers like the Bhanjas, Chauhans, Marathas etc. The independent Sonepur Kingdom ruled by the Deos was included to the state of Orissa in 1948.
The city of Sambalpur is the district headquarters and it is also known as the second Varanasi for its abundance of temples. Industries contribute a large share of the city's revenue. The district town is famous for its handloom industries and handicraft products. Agriculture is also an important occupation in the town.
Sonepur is widely known as a pilgrimage center and the religious and historical sites attract thousands of tourists and pilgrims every year. Some of the most frequented tourism centers in and around Sonepur are:
- Panchratha Temple
- Papakshyaghat
- Charada
- Puja Dunguri
Last Updated on : 8 July 2013
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