Paralakhemundi
Paralakhemundi, shortly known as Parala, is the district headquarters of Gajapati district and one of the oldest municipalities established in 1885, in the Indian state of Odisha. The majority of the people in the town speak Odia. The city and the district share its boundaries with Andhra Pradesh. The adjacent town of Pathpatnam is separated by the River Mahendra Tanaya. In the later medieval period, it became the capital of the Paralakhemundi Estate of the Eastern Ganga dynasty kings of the Khemundi branch. The town is well known for being an ancient cultural center of Odisha and the birthplace of noted personalities including poet Gopalakrusna Pattanayaka, statesman Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo, lexicographer Gopinatha Nanda Sharma, and historian Satyanarayana Rajguru. This town is also known for its century-old temples, monasteries, palaces, and heritage buildings. Read more
Gajapati district has been named after Maharaja Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev, the Raja Sahib of Paralakhemundi estate. He was honored as the 1st Prime Minister of the State of Odisha after it was created on 1 April 1936, remembered for his contribution to the formation of a separate Odisha State and the inclusion of Paralakhemundi estate in Odisha. Gajapati district came into being with effect from 2 October 1992. Prior to this, it was a part (Sub-Division) of Ganjam district. Read more
