Sambalpur is situated in the eastern region of India at a distance of 320 k.m. from the Odisha State capital Bhubaneswar.Shree Shree Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur, is a strong religious force in western part of Odisha and Chhattisgarh state of India. On the bank of the river Mahanadi the mother goddess Samaleswari is worshipped from ancient times as Jagatjanani, Adishakti, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati. The region in which the temple is situated has a rich cultural heritage. Sambalpur region is popularly known as Hirakhanda from ancient times. Ptolemy has described the place as Sambalak, Acording to Tavernir, the French traveller, and Edward Gibbon, the English historian, diamonds were exported to Rome from Sambalpur.
The temple is of Sandhara order. It is built of a kind of stone durable as granite, cemented with lime mortar, the whole building is plastered, but in the course of time the surface has become mouldy. The temple comprises of two separate structures. The square sanctum sanctorum enshrining the deity is four step below the 10’ feet wide covered circumbulation, which is supported by 12 stone pillars. Eleven parswa devis (side Goddness), are embedded on the outer wall of the sanctum, so that the devotees can worhsip those deities during parikarma thourgh the vaulted circumbulation.
How to get there
Sambalpur is situated in the eastern region of India at a distance of 320 k.m. from the Odisha State capital Bhubaneswar.It has direct train links with New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Bokaro and Bombay though Jharsuguda Junction. Calcutta- Bombay National High way No.6 passes through the town while Sambalpur-Cuttack N.H. 42 starts from here which is linked with Kolkata - Chennai N.H. No.5 at Cuttack. Sambalpur is linked with N.H.200 at Jharsuguda (50 Kms.). Sambalpur has easy link with all places of the country. Nearest Airport is Raipur of Chhattisgarh (270 K.M.) and Bhubaneswar (320 K.M.) Air strips for small air craft are also available at Jamadarpali (15 K.M.) and Jhharsuguda (50 KM). For accommodation there are several Guest Houses, hotels (Govt. & Non. Govt) and Dharmsala in Sambalpur.