Rourkela
Rourkela City - Towards the north of Sambalpur, 192 km, is a tribal heartland, the Sundargarh district and its undulating hills enriched with the deposits of valuable minerals. It remained virtually untouched of civilization till the time of setting up of the first public sector steel plant at Rourkela in 1955. Comprising of two former princely states of Gangpur and Bonai, the Sundergarh district enables one to have a glimpse of traditional tribal culture amidst the excitement of a modern settlement.
Rourkela is a large industrial town surrounded by a range of hills and encircled by rivers. The township has a beautiful park, a small zoo, a lake, aquarium, deer park and an industrial museum. The Asia's highest Human statue, about 22 m high stands within a temple complex at Hanuman Vatika. On the outskirts of Rourkela is a picturesque pilgrimage spot on the confluence of two rivers. About 28 km is the dam at Mandira offering boating facilities and one other at Pitamahal, 16 km away. There are a number of middle end and budget hotels and the basic infrastructure is reasonably good. The railway station at Rourkela is very close, just 1 km walk for the main Bisra Road.
