Nilagiri is a very small town and a Notified Area Council in Balasore district in the Indian state of Odisha.
Nilgiri is a very small town but replete with rich history and heritage. Its history can be traced back to paleolithic age.Its modern history is known for the growing consciousness of democracy and self-rule. At the dawn of the 20th century, peasants began to rise against the despotic king but such uprisings were crushed with brutal methods. However, those uprisings gained momentum with able leaderships and led to the first peasant movement of India.
Odisha freedom fighters like Balaram Raj, Shyamsundar Parida, Kailashchandra Mohanty, Banamali Das, Baishnab Patnaik, Brundaban Chandra Sadangi, Satish Chanrdra Das and Nanda Kishore Patnaik violently fought against the local prince and forced him to surrender to newly formed Indian National Government. This was the beginning of the process of 576 princely states joining Republic of India and thus the making of modern political India. In Odisha, people of Nilagiri celebrate this as "The Victorious Uprising of Nilagiri".
Panchalingeshwar is located approximately 10 km from Nilagiri and 30 km from Baleswar.The temple has the five Lingams of "Lord Shiva" and a waterfall on a hillside. Many tourists, nature lovers, and spiritual people flock here to enjoy the scenic beauty of the place and to the touch the Shiva Linga located in a pit under the waterfall.
There is a state tourism shelter Pantha Nivas in Panchalingeswara for the tourists coming from outside. Panchalingeswara is surrounded by thick greenery and hillocks. Branches of the natural spring flow through the hill range which add more attraction to this place.
There is a famous Jagannatha Temple in Nilagiriwhich is one of the prominent Jagannnath temples of Odisha. Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are worshiped here. Every year Ratha Yatra is observed with all the cults of the gods.
