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 IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF

INDIA.

VOLUME

II.

—

Balasor. District in Orissa, under the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, lying between 20° 43' 50" and 21° 56' 30" n. lat., and between 86° 18' 40" and 87° 31' 20" e. long.; area, 2066 square miles; population, according to

the Census of 1881, 945,280

souls.

It is

bounded on the north by Midnapur District and the Tributary State of Morbhanj on the east by the Bay of Bengal on the south by Cuttack District, the Baitarani river forming the boundary line; and on the west by the Tributary States of Keunjhar, Nilgiri, and Morbhanj. The administrative head-quarters are at Balasor town, on the Burabalang Balasor derives its name from Bal-eswara, ‘The Young Lord,’ river. or Lord of Strength,’ i.e. Krishna or perhaps from Ban-eswara, The Forest Lord,’ i.e. Mah^deva. The administrative head-quarters of the



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‘





District are at Balasor town.

Physical Aspects

.

— Balasor

District

consists

of

a strip of alluvial

between the hills which rise from the western boundary and the sea on the east. This strip varies in breadth from about 12 to 44 miles, and is divided into three well-defined tracts the Salt Tract, nearest the coast; the Arable Tract, which constitutes the largest part of the District ; and the Submontane or Jungle Tract. The land, lying

—

Salt Tract extends along the coast, forming a strip a few miles broad,

traversed by sluggish streams of brackish water, and clothed here and

Near the sea, the land rises into ridges and the western portion of the tract is covered with coarse long grass, which harbours large numbers of wild animals. Inland, the plain spreads out into prairies of coarse long grass and scrub jungle, which harbour numerous wild animals but throughout this region there is scarcely a hamlet, and only a patch of rice cultivation there with scrubby vegetation.

from 50 to 80

feet high,



VOL.

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