Places to Visit in Balasore
Balasore offers diverse sights for the tourist to visit and enjoy. It is a place majorly known for its beaches, temples and historical places. Chandipur Beach is one of the finest beaches in the country. The weather at the beach is cool and romanticizing. You are definitely going to be mesmerized by the sand-dunes that look really majestic and beautiful, with a lingering smooth breeze creating the perfect mood to enjoy the beach. There are other beaches too like the Kashapal Beach, which is a lovely fishing harbor that serves as a good spot for picnicking as well; the Kharasahapur Beach that is a beautiful coastal village by itself; and the Talasahari known for its sandy beaches surrounded by the casuarinas groves. A lot of tourists who have visited the place have been delighted by the variety Balasore offers.
Just 30 kilometers to the Southwest of Chandipur Beach, there is the famous Panchalingeshwara, a beautiful spot high up on the mountains that is visited by the tourists. Close by is a semi town known as Santaradia, a little below of where you can see the famous 'Biseswar Temple' which is also located atop a hill. The 'Khulia villagi' is also a famous settlement known for aborigines who stay in the hillside. It is also one of the most beautiful places in the district.
At the heart of Balasore, you can see Bhujakhia Pir, the tomb of Aasthana Sharif Hazrat Pir. During the festival of Urs, people gather in a symbolic reverence as a mark of harmony and unity between the Muslims and Hindu; this has been for years. It is said that Bhujakhia Pir actually came to the present state of Orissa during the 16th century and devoted himself to humanity during the time of Cholera epidemic. After his demise, he has been revered with respect and his shrine that has been frequented by both Hindus and Muslims are also a favorite among tourists. Apart from Bhujakia Pir, you can also visit the temple of Khirochora Gopinath, located about seven kilometers from the main town of Balasore. This temple was built by the great king Langula Narasimha Dev, who also built the famous Konark Temple. The other temples that are famous here include Bhudhar Chandi and Asta Burga.
If you go 30 kilometers to the east of Balasore, you will see the port town of Dharma, this is the birthplace of the celebrated novelist and linguist Fakir Mohan Senapati, who created the Oriya script and rebelled against the British Rule. This beautiful place is also known to be the birthplace of Kabirbar Radhanath Roy, who is known for his beautiful poetry especially dedicated to the beauty of the Chilika Lake.
Balasore is also the place of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defense Program's Integrated Test Range, which is situated nearly 70 kilometers south of the Chandipur Beach. It is an initiative to deploy and launch a multilayered Ballistic missile defense system that can prevent India from missile attacks. Though not a city of metropolitan city that is all the time buzzing with activity, Balasore has its own world charm and beauty that has always attracted tourists.