Jajpur

Jajpur,^[6] the place of the ancient Biraja Temple, was originally known as Biraja. Other names of the town in the ancient texts include Viranja, Varanja-nagara, Varaha-tirtha.^[7] The Bhauma-Kara kings established their capital city of Guhadevapataka (or Guheshvarapataka), identified with modern Gohiratikar (or Gohiratikra) near Jajpur.^[8] The later Somavanshi kings moved their capital from Yayatinagara (modern Binka) to Guheshvarapataka, and renamed the town Abhinava-Yayatinagara ("the new city of Yayati").^[7]

Later, the Jajpur^[9] town came to be known as Yajanagara. According to one theory, this name is a corruption of "Yayatinagara". Another theory is that it derives from the Brahmanical sacrifices (Yajna) that became popular during the Ganga-Gajapati period (11th-16th century).^[10] In the Muslim chronicles such as Tabaqat-i-Nasiri and Tarikh-i-Firuzshahi, the town's name was mentioned as "Jajnagar". Later, the suffix "-nagar" ("town") was replaced with the equivalent "-pur", and the town's name became "Jajpur".^[7]

Jajpur was the capital of Keshari King Yayati Keshari in 473 CE.^[11] Accounts by Chinese travelers mention Jajpur as capital in 7th century. It has been a center of Tantrism. It was the capital of the Buddhist kingdom of Bhauma Karas in the 8th century CE. Many Buddhist structures have been unearthed in and around Jajpur including in Ratnagiri,Udayagiri and Lalitagiri that point to the Buddhist past of the town.^[5][12]

Show zoomed out

Show zoomed mid

Show zoomed in

Jajpur is located at 20.85°N 86.33°E / 20.85; 86.33^[14] and has an average elevation of 8 metres (26 ft). The climate of Jajpur District is normal as per Indian standards. All the seasons arrive in the District at their usual time. The District's average height from the sea level is 331 m and its average rain fall is 1014.5 mm. The average maximum and minimum temperatures are 40 degree C and 10 degree C respectively. Overall, the climate of the District is neither hotter nor cooler. The summer season is from March to June when the climate is hot and humid. Thunderstorms are common at the height of the summer. The monsoon months are from July to October when the town receives most of its rainfall from the South West Monsoon. The annual rainfall is around 1014.5 mm. The winter season from November to February is characterised by mild temperatures and occasional showers.

As of 2011 Indian Census, Jajpur municipality had a population of 37,458, of which 19,216 were males and 18,242 females. The population within the age group of 0 to 6 years was 3,823. The total number of literates in Jajpur was 29,975, which constituted 80.0% of the population with male literacy at 83.5% and female literacy at 76.4%. The effective literacy rate of 7+ population of Jajpur was 89.1%, of which male literacy rate was 92.9% and female literacy rate 85.1%. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes population was 6,363 and 565 respectively. Jajpur had 8198 households in 2011.^[3]

• Chari Kshetra