Subarnapur (Sonepur): Temple Town of the Mahanadi–Tel Confluence
Sonepur, the "Second Varanasi" of Odisha, sits at the Mahanadi–Tel confluence with dense clusters of medieval temples and the famous Sonepuri Ikat.
Sitting at the confluence of the Mahanadi and Tel rivers, Sonepur is often called the Second Varanasi or Temple Town of Odisha for its dense cluster of ancient shrines.
Top Places to Visit
- Subarnameru Temple — a 17th-century Shiva temple on the Tel river, tied to the legend of a rain of gold coins that gave the town its name.
- Pancharatha Temple — a chariot-shaped shrine housing five deities on one platform, echoing Konark''s form.
- Maa Sureswari Temple — one of the district''s principal Shakti Pithas.
- Kapileswar Temple, Charda — a 13th-century shrine built under Anangabhima Dev III.
- Patali Srikhetra, Hima Bhoi Samadhi Pitha, Thengo Dam and Sonepur Wildlife Sanctuary.
Festivals
The Sonepur Cattle Fair (Bali Jatra) is one of Eastern India''s largest livestock fairs. Dola Purnima, Shivaratri, Jagara, Kartika Purnima, Nuakhai and Dussehra dominate the temple calendar.
Food
Sonepur is known regionally for silk, prawns and terracotta as much as cuisine — freshwater fish and prawn dishes from the Tel–Mahanadi confluence sit alongside the usual rice, Dalma and Pakhala.
Culture & Crafts
Sonepur is one of the five core Sambalpuri Ikat districts, home to the Sonepuri sari named after the town. Historically the area saw overlapping influence of Jainism, Buddhism, Shaivism and the Ganga dynasty, whose 10th-century coin hoards were unearthed here.
Related Coverage
Priyanka Panda
District Correspondent, Subarnapur
Priyanka Panda covers Subarnapur (Sonepur), reporting on the district's temple heritage, riverine agriculture, and local civic issues.
View all articles by Priyanka →
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