Toshali Sands

General Information: Koraput
Area - 8,379.3 sq. kms
Location - between 20 3′ & 17 50′ north latitudes and 81 27′ & 84 1′ east longitudes.
Major river - Indravati, Kolab and Machhakund
Mountain - Deomali (5,486 ft height)
Altitude - 3000 ft from the sea legel forest 1,834.15 sqkm area of the district is under forest. It covers most of the hills. The most common tress are Sal, Piasal, Teak, Mahua, Mango, Rose-wood, Bamboo etc. The Mangoes are gathered, dreid and stored and provide a dish to be cooked. The Mohua flowers which may be boiled and distiled to make liqour, or be dried. After the flowers, the kernels of the mohuanut are gathered and presented to provide the cheapest cooking oil obtainable in the hills.

The district is not only rich in flora but also in fauna. Birds of various kinds - the Jungle fowl, Parrot, Pea fowl, Quail, Snipe, the Pigeon, Patridge, Green Pigeon etc. are found. The spotted deer, Sambhar, Wild bear are common.
Temperature - Max - 38.9 c, Min - 11.2c
Best Season - October to May
Clothing: In Summer - Cotton; In Winter - Heavy Woolen

Languages Spoken - Oriya, Hindi, Telugu and Tribal languages.

Distance From Koraput to
1) Bhubaneswar - 499 km
2) Raipur (Chatisgarh) - 400 km
3) Visakhapatnam (AP) - 202 km
4) Berhampur - 320 km
5) Sambalpur - 429 km
6) Titilagarh - 355 km

How to get there
Air - Nearest Airport is at Visakhaptnam (202 km) and Bhubaneswar (578km) Nearest Airstrip is at Jeypore (22km)
Rail - Koraput has direct train from Bhubaneswar, Visakhapatnam, Kokkata and Jagadalpur.
Road - The National Highway 43 passes through koraput. Public and Private buses ply from Raipur, Jagadalpur, Vishakapatnam, Sambalpur, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Kolkata, Berhampur and other places to Koraput.

Where to Stay
DNK Guest House, Koraput
Atithi Bhawan, Koraput
The well known hotels are at Jeypore i.e. Hotel Hellow Jeypore, Hotel Princess, Hotel Apsara, Hotel Madhumati and Hotel Trupti gold.

Fairs and Festivals of the region
1. ‘Parab’ Festival is observed in November
2. “Dangar” Fiar during Sivarati in February - March at Koraput and Gupteswar (50 kms).
3. Day festival of “Devi Mutyalamm a ‘ popularly known as Agnigangama is celebrated at Neelabadi 9102 kms).
4. Chaiti Prab, Baliyatra, Mandei - Tribal Festivals are celebrated at different places of the district.
5. Dasahara of Jeypore during October.
6. Ghata Yatra of Kotpad in the interval of every 3 years during April-May.
7. Bada yatra (Patakhanda) at Malamkonda near Mottu.

Things to Buy
1. Keranga Saee woven out of Keranga fibres available at Koraput and Sunabeda markets.
2. Vegetable dye based saree and dress materials of Kotpad
3. Paper mask crafts of Jeypore.

Important phone nos. of Koraput
Collector - 50700
Superintendent of Police - 50901
Govt. Hospital - 50298
District Information and Public Relations office - 51286