CUTTACK

Early history of Cuttack is associated with the Keshari dynasty. As stated by the distinguished historian A. Stirling, present-day Cuttack was established as a military cantonment by king Nrupa Keshari of Keshari dynasty in 989 CE. Stirling based his opinion on Madala Panji, a chronicle of Jagannath temple of Puri. The reign of Markata Keshari was distinguished for the stone embank built to protect the new capital from flood in 1002 CE. Historical evidence suggests Cuttack becoming capital of a Kingdom founded by Raja Anangabhimadeva of Ganga dynasty in 1211 CE After the end of Ganga rule, Odisha passed to the hands of the Gajapati Kings (1435-1541 CE) of Solar dynasty under whom Cuttack continued to be the capital of Odisha. After the death of Raja Mukunda deva, the last Hindu king of Orissa, Cuttack first came under Muslim rules and later under Mughals. By 1750, Cuttack came under Maratha rules and it grew fast as a business centre being the convenient point of contact between the Marathas of Nagpur and the English Merchants of Bengal. It was occupied by the British in 1803 and later became the capital of Orissa division in 1816. From 1948 onwards, when the capital was shifted to Bhubaneswar, the city remained the administrative headquarters of Orissa. Remnants of an old fort called Barabati Killa still exist in the heart of Cuttack with the moat around the fort. Nearby is a modern stadium called the Barabati Stadium, host to many national and international cricket matches. Recently the stadium was upgraded with floodlights for facilitating Day and Night matches. The introduction of the Sharadiya Utsav tradition in the city dates back to the visit of Saint Chaitanya in 16th century when the consecration of the idol of Durga by using the mask pattern was conducted in his presence at Binod Behari Devi Mandap. Recent growth of the city has resulted in expansion across the river Kathjori and a newer township towards the head of the delta formed between the tributary Kathjori river and the main river Mahanadi has come up by the name of Markat Nagar (popularly known as CDA by the local residents) which is spread across 2000 acres. CDA has 11 residential sectors & has population around 1,50,000. Jagatpur & Mahanadi vihar are two other township in the City. Mahanadi Vihar is the first satellite city project in Odisha. Cuttack is referred to as a city with Baaban Bazaar, Teppan Galee i.e. this is the city of 52 markets and 53 streets which is told by people of Odisha for the largeness of this city. Naranpur is another satellite township coming up near Trishulia near Bhubaneswar

Cuttack is located at 20.5°N 85.83°E[2] and has an average elevation of 36 metres (118 ft). Located at the apex of the Mahanadi delta, the city is surrounded by the river Mahanadi and its tributaries from almost all the sides. The tributaries include the Kathjori, the Kuakhai and the Birupa. Cuttack features a tropical wet and dry climate. The summer season is from March to June when the climate is hot and humid. Thunderstorms are common at the height of the summer. The monsoon months are from July to October when the city receives most of its rainfall from the South West Monsoon. The annual rainfall is around 144 cm. The winter season from November to February is characterised by mild temperatures and occasional showers. Temperatures may exceed 40°C at the height of summer and may fall to below 10°C in winter.

Air

The nearest airport is the Biju Patnaik Airport at Bhubaneswar, about 28 km away. A domestic airport, it has flights to almost all major Indian cities. The Charbatia Air Base located in Cuttack is for the exclusive use of the Indian Air Force.

Rail

Cuttack is an important station on the Howrah-Chennai mainline of the East Coast Railway and falls under the Khurda Road division. A branch line to Paradeep starts from Cuttack. It is connected to all parts of India through trains run by the Indian Railways.The Cuttack Railway station is selected to be developed as a multi-functional railway station with food courts shopping plaza, theaters to be developed . Other railway stations in the city are Balikuda, Kathjori, Kendrapara road, Nirgundi, Manguli-Choudwar and Naraj.

Road

National Highway 5 passes through the city. A part of the Golden Quadrilateral project, this highway runs from Chennai to Kolkata. Feeder state highways connect Cuttack to Jajpur, Paradeep, Talcher, Angul, Kendrapara and nearby towns in Cuttack district. Intra city transport is primarily through Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws. Nowadays DTS city buses ply in two routes in the city to join different places in the city and the state capital Bhubaneswar. Cuttack is a major junction connecting all the major parts of the state. The bus terminus at Cuttack is known as Badambadi, and is one of the largest bus terminus in India, and thousands of private and government buses ply to hundreds of destinations everyday.