Youtube: https://youtu.be/WAwPYro8zN8
Reference: https://odishatour.in/chatikona-waterfall-chatikona-rayagada/
Location:
“Chati
Kona, Odisha 765019”
“GADGADA WATERFALL, FCPW+WWF, Chatikona Shiv
Temple, Ranibandha, Odisha 765019”
Rayagada district is a district in the
southern Odisha state in India.
Rayagada became a separate district in October 1992. Its population consists
mainly of tribes,
primarily the Khonds and
the Soras.
In addition to Odia, Kui and Sora are
spoken by the district's indigenous population. It was founded by Biswanatha Deba Gajapati of the Surjyabansha dynasty
of Jeypore.
In the third century BC, during the
reign of Ashoka,
Odisha was part of the Kalinga empire.
The hilly track between the Vamshadhara and Nagavali
Rivers was known for its spices. Rastriks were defeated
by Kharvela,
the emperor of Kalinga, during the battle of Chawpagada.
Vishwanath Dev Gajapati (1527 -
1571 CE), the suryavanshi king of Nandapur (later Jeypore)
established his capital on the bank of Nagavali and
named it Rayagada or Rai-gadh. Under his rule the place flourished economically
which proved beneficial to the vast kingdom that stretched from the confines
of Jharkhand and West
Bengal to River Godavari in south. During his reign he fought a war with Quli Qutb
Mulk, the first Qutb Shahi Sultan of Golconda and successfully stopped his advance towards his kingdom.
However, he had to surrender the rich fertile land located in the middle of
Godavari-Krishna Delta to execute a peace treaty which made Godavari the border
of the two kingdoms. Rayagada remained under the Kingdom of Jeypore until
the dissolution act of 1947.
Chatikona is a small village
of Rayagada district in
the state of Odisha. The place is situated around 48
KMs from Rayagada city. Surrounded by the Niyamgiri hills
in its three directions, Chatikona is famous for Pataleshwar temple (Shiva),
Chatikona and the nearby Gadagada Falls. Apart from this there are numerous
falls and streams flowing surrounding the area.
Nothing much I could find about the
temple. The entire area is covered by beautiful lush green forest comprising of
numerous trees all around with the beautiful stream and water fall at the back
of the temple, makes it a beautiful tourist spot and a must visit. It is also a
place for picnic for many. VIsting the place and spending a good 2-3 hours with
family along with numerous other places around like the museum, waterfalls
nearby, would make one’s family outing perfect.
The Chatikona Mahadev temple and
Waterfall are located around 48 KMs from Rayagada town, and is surrounded by a
series of valleys and wooded hills of various colors. It is a center of
pilgrimage of Chatikona Mahadev temple.
Nearby places to visit:
1)
Maa Markama Temple
2)
Laxmi Narayan Temple at Theruballi
3)
Paikapada Shiva Temple complex and
Paikapada Joy Durga Temple
How
to Reach:
By
Air: Nearest
airport is at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) 200 KMs away which is well
connected with New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Nagpur by going flights.
Bhubaneshwar Airport is around 353 KMs.
By
Road: Nearest bus stop is Muniguda, around 23 KMs from
Gadagada waterfalls. Convenient road transport facilities available as NH-43 is
passing through Koraput, i.e. 109 KMs from Rayagada. Direct Express bus
services are available from Vishakhapatnam, Vizianagarm, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack,
Puri, Jeypore, Koraput, Malkangiri, Phulbani.
By
Train: Nearest railway station is Rayagada around 40 KMs from
Chatikona Mahadev temple, which is well-connected from other parts of India
like Delhi, Chennai, Allepy, Bokaro, Raipur, Gujrat, Nagpur, Kolkata,
Hyderabad, Bilaspur and Bhubaneswar.
Stay Options:
The best way to visit
the places is to plan a stay at Rayagada and plan for this temple and other
places around. We stayed at Sai Residency A/C at Rayagada, which is at a very good
location and at very descent rate too. The rooms are really good and the stay
is very good. There are other good hotels available at Rayagada too, if one
would like to explore.
Parking and Photography:
There is no issue with
parking. Ample space is available for parking.
There is no restriction
on photography. Drones can be easily used, just take care of tree right in
front of the temple.
Major Festival:
Mahashivaratri
Timings:
Monday to Sunday: 7 am
to 6 pm