Koraput

Koraput is an administrative region in Odisha, India, located in hilly terrain surrounded by dense forests and serving as a district center for various tribal communities. The area includes several rivers, waterfalls, and agricultural lands where rice, vegetables, and fruits are grown.

Koraput was ruled by local kings for centuries, experiencing expansion in the 17th century when rulers relocated their capital to the area. The British later identified the region as advantageous due to its cool mountain climate and established administrative presence there.

Koraput is home to tribal groups who maintain their own languages and traditions, celebrating festivals like the Dongar festival in December that bring communities together. The weekly markets reflect how local people gather to buy and sell produce, sharing time and space in a casual, everyday way.

Koraput is accessible by well-developed roads and rail connections, with buses and trains linking it to nearby cities like Visakhapatnam and Raipur. The best time to visit is after the monsoon season when the landscape is lush and roads are in good condition for travel.

The name Koraput may derive from a local tree called nux-vomica that once grew in the area, or from a legendary figure named Khora Naiko believed to have founded an early village. These competing explanations show how local history lives through memory and storytelling.