Rourkela Travel Guide

There is a nursery rhyme in Oriya that reads: "Rourkelare Dina raati, Gadhaa hue luha kete Jati" (which means "Rourkela is busy day and night, with making of iron of many kinds"). Rourkela (in the Sundergarh district), the steel city of Orissa came into existence in the late fifties with the implementation of first five year plan of India and the tribal land culminated into a beautiful township. Rourkela boasts one of the most modern and largest steel plant of India built with a Indo-German collaboration. Rourkela Steel Plant, owned by SAIL (Steel Authority of India Ltd.) is one of the first few fully integrated steel plants.

Rourkela is well-connected to the rest of India by direct trains with excellent communication facilities to Calcutta (Kolkata), Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore. Rourkela is also connected to Bhubaneswar by air.

Rourkela, situated on the bank of river Bramhani is the second largest city of Orissa with a population of around 500 thousands. It has the distinction of having 100 per cent literacy. A lot of small and big industrial units have come up around Rourkela since its inception. Kanshbahal, Kalunga and Rajgangpur are the few other industrial towns close to Rourkela. National Institute of Technology (NIT), the erstwhile Regional Engineering College, Rourkela is one of the premier technology institution of India. Also a new Technology University called the Biju Patnaik University of Technology(BPUT) which controls technical education in Orissa has been opened up in Rourkela.

It is one of the most cosmoplitan cities of India producing some of the best talents in areas of technology and medicine. A matured education system and a congenial environment has always been its forte.

There are few places of tourist attractions near Rourkela which includes Ved Vyas and Mandira Dam. Ved Vyas is considered as a sacred place for Oriyas and is considered as the birth place of Ved Vyas, the author of The Mahabharata. The Ved Vyas is very famous for Shiva Ratri Festival. Ved Vyas temple is situated near the confluence of three rivers Shankh, Koel and Saraswati to form River Brahmani. The Indira Gandhi Park of Rourkela is the largest park in Orissa. There is a Hanumaan Batika place also in Rourkela.The height of the statue of Lord Hanuman is around 72 feet and is certainly proud of Rourkela.