Asika or Aska is a town and a Municipality in Ganjam district in the state of Odisha, India.[1] Famously known as the Sugar city.
Asika
Sugar City | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 View of Satya Narayan Temple before Rain | |
| Nickname: The Sugar City | |
  Asika Location in Odisha, India, Asia, World  Asika Asika (India)  Asika Asika (Asia) .svg) Asika Asika (Earth) | |
| Coordinates: 19°36′N 84°39′E / 19.6°N 84.65°E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Odisha |
| District | Ganjam |
| Sub-division | Bhanjanagar |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Body | Asika Municipal Council |
| • Chairperson | Bineta Swain (BJD) |
| • Member of Legislative Assembly | Saroj Kumar Padhi(BJP) |
| • Member of Parliament | Anita Subhadarshini (BJP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 8 km2 (3 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 4th in Ganjam District by Population |
| Elevation | 30 m (100 ft) |
| Population (2022)Rural: 1,43,770 | |
• Total | 30,545 (Including Mukundapur CT) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Odia |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| PIN | 761110 |
| Telephone code | 06822 |
| Vehicle registration | OD-07 (Ganjam) OD-32 (Bhanjanagar) |
Geography
editAsika is located at 19°36′N 84°39′E / 19.6°N 84.65°E.[2] It has an average elevation of 30 metres (98 feet). It is situated at a distance of 40 km from Brahmapur on South, 35 km from Bhanjanagar on the North at the confluence of Rivers Rushikulya and Badanadi (Bara River).
Demographics
editAs of the 2011 Census of India,[3][needs update] Asika has a population of more than 30, 000 as of 2024 hence make it the second largest city in terms of population Ganjam district after Brahmapur. Including Mukundapur CT more than 10,000 people are living in the satellite area of this town namely Kalasandhapur, Babanpur, Nuagam Baragam, and College Square. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Asika has an average literacy rate of 85.76%, higher than the national average of 72.87%; with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
editAsika (असिक) a Sanskrit - Prakrit word which means sharp dagger. The naming of this place is as such because of the nature of this land created in the shape of a dagger by the confluence of rivers Rushikulya and Badanadi. Due to its protective central location in Ganjam district earlier it was the district headquarter and had a military cantonment during British rule.
On 24 February 2024, the Government of Odisha upgraded Asika NAC to be a Municipality.[5]
Asika ULB administratively divided into 18 Wards;
- Ward no. 1- Raghunath Nagar
- Ward no. 2- Bani Bihar
- Ward no. 3- Khambeswari Patna
- Ward no. 4- Khambeswari Patna
- Ward no. 5- M.G. Road
- Ward no. 6- Gopabandhu Nagar
- Ward no. 7, 8 & 9- Sunamba Street
- Ward no. 10- Taluka Road
- Ward no. 11- Harihar Nagar
- Ward no. 12- Kalinga Road
- Ward no. 13- Binayak Bazar, Laxmi Bazar, Hatapada and Kalimukhi Street
- Ward no. 14- Niranjan Nagar
- Ward no. 15- UB Road
- Ward no. 16- Lacchman Palli and Gandhi Nagar
- Ward no. 17- Lala Sasan and Shastri Nagar
- Ward no. 18- Pakalla Palli
Industries
editAsika Sugar Factory
editAsika Sugar Factory established in 1824. It is one of the oldest in India and first of its kind in Asia. It was built by Minchin Saheb during British rule. Along with the factory at Nellikuppam near Cuddalore, it was managed by Parry & Co.
The jaggery mill was started in 1848 as Asika Sugar Works and Distillery Ltd. by Parry and Co. (Madras). It met with huge losses for lack of supervision and other transport bottlenecks.
Thereafter, Fredrick Josheph Vivian Minchin, the Book Keeper of Biny & Co. purchased the factory and with the new Sugar Technology obtained from Germany, he redesigned and rebuilt the factory in 1856. Asika Co-operative Sugar Industries employ more than 35000 families.
Tourist Attraction
edit
There are many peacock reserves found near Asika at Cheramaria, Nalabanta, Pakidi Hill, Karnoli and Khandadeuli area. Blackbucks too are frequently found in the western region of Asika. There are many mandirs situated at the top of small hills in the periphery making it an ideal spot for picnic. Maa Kankan Devi Mandir is one of them.
Religious Places
edit- Maa Khambeswari Mandir
Baisakhi Jatra of Maa Khambeswari in Asika held in Hindu month of Chaitra every year. Lots of devotees come for their children's well being by donating their hairs. Many folk dances and dramas are presented in roadside during the festival.
- Satyanarayan Mandir, Binayak Bazar
- Maa Fulakasuni Mandir, Odia Sahi
- Rameshwar Mandir, KS Patna
- Jagannath Mandir, Sunambo Sahi
- Panchamuki Hanuman Mandir
- Jagannath Mandir, Nuagam
- Kali Mandir, Nuagam
- Bhagabat Mandir, Nuagam
- Radha Krushna Mandir, Nuagam
- Ram Mandir, Nuagam
- Pudageswar Mandir
- Subarneswar Mandir
- Nilakantheswar Mandir
- Maa Karanjei Mandir
- Balunkeswar Mandir
- Tirupati Balaji Mandir
- Ram Mandir
- Hanuman Mandir
- Maa Kali Mandir
- Maa Kalimukhi Mandir
- Narasingha Mandir
- Maa Thakurani Mandir, Gondopuli
- Jaganath Mandir, Kalasandhapur
- Hunuman Mandir, Kalasandhapur
- Radha Krishna Mandir, Banibihar
- Sai Mandir
- Maa Kankana Devi Mandir, Bhetanai
- Ellama Potturaj Mandir, Damodarpalli
- Maa Rajjamma Kanekamma Mandir, Dhobapalli
- Hanuman Mandir, Kotibadi
- Gopinath Mandir, Raipalli
- Radhakrishna Mandir, Chadhiapalli
Climate and regional setting
editMaximum summer temperature is 34 °C; minimum winter temperature is 23 °C. The mean daily temperature varies from 33 °C to 38 °C. May is the hottest month; December is the coldest. The average annual rainfall is 1250 mm and the region receives monsoon and torrential rainfall from July to October.
| Climate data for Asika, Odisha | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 27 (81) |
30 (86) |
34 (93) |
36 (97) |
37 (99) |
34 (93) |
32 (90) |
31 (88) |
32 (90) |
32 (90) |
30 (86) |
28 (82) |
32 (90) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16 (61) |
19 (66) |
23 (73) |
27 (81) |
29 (84) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
27 (81) |
26 (79) |
23 (73) |
20 (68) |
16 (61) |
23 (74) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 12.40 (0.49) |
17.40 (0.69) |
18.60 (0.73) |
15.00 (0.59) |
40.30 (1.59) |
150.00 (5.91) |
282.10 (11.11) |
272.80 (10.74) |
180.00 (7.09) |
93.00 (3.66) |
33.00 (1.30) |
18.60 (0.73) |
1,133.2 (44.63) |
| Source: MSM Weather | |||||||||||||
Education
editColleges
edit- Aska Science College, Kotinada [1]
- Niranjan Govt. Women's College, Khambeswari Patna
- Mac Mickle Sanskrit College, Niranjan Nagar
- Nimina Brundaban Chandra College, Kendupadar
Schools
edit- Harihar High School
- A.S.I High School Nuagam
- Kendriya Vidyalaya [2]
- Odisha Aadarsh Vidyalaya, Nimina
- Saraswati Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School
- Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir
- NAC High School
- Mac Mickle Sanskrit Vidyalaya
- Harihar Nagar UP School
- Bediri Sahi UP School
- Govt. Technical High School
- Govt. Girl's High School
- Aryan Public School[3]
- DePaul School
- Mom School of Excellency[4]
- Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Center, R.Damodarpalli
- Utkal Public School, Kishore Chandrapalli
- Ramakrushna Adarsha Vidya Mandir, Gayatri Nagar
Financial Institutions/Banks
edit- State Bank of India
- Aska Central Co-operative Bank Ltd
- SBI Agriculture Development Bank
- Union Bank of India
- Axis Bank
- ICICI Bank
- Bank of India
- Utkal Grameen Bank
- Indian Overseas Bank
- Karur Vysya Bank
- Punjab National Bank
- HDFC Bank
- SBI Sme Branch
Transport
editRoad
editAsika is connected with National Highway 59 (India) (Khariar – Brahmapur), National Highway 326 (India) and National Highway 157 (India) (Purunakatak – Asika) which connect Asika to other cities and towns of Odisha.
Rail
editAir
editPort
editPolitics
editAska (Vidhan Sabha constituency) includes Asika Municipality Asika block and 12 GPs (Subalaya, Kaniari, Barida, Paikajamuna, Sunapalli, Sialia, Nandiagada, Borasingi, Ambapua, Baliasara, Bolasara and Sunarijhola) of Kabisuryanagar block. The current MLA from Asika Assembly Constituency is Shree Saroj Kumar Padhi of BJP. Previous MLAs from this seat was Smt. Manjula Swain from 2019 to 2024 of BJD, Debaraj Mohanty of the BJD in 1914, Duti Krushna Panda of CPI in 1990, Raghaba Parida who won representing INC in 1985 and as a candidate of the Indian National Congress in 1980, and Harihar Swain of JNP in 1977.[6]
Asika is part of Aska (Lok Sabha constituency).[7]
References
edit- ^ aska, nisami (26 April 2023). "Enhancing Image Quality: A Deep Learning Approach for Image Processing". doi:10.31219/osf.io/w98hm. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Asika
- ^ "Census of India 2011: Data from the 2011 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
- ^ "Urban Agglomerations/Cities having Census 2011-2020 in Orissa". Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Odisha creates 39 urban local bodies for socio-economic development". The Print. 24 February 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ "State Elections 2004 - Partywise Comparison for 68-Aska Constituency of Odisha". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 25 September 2008.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Assembly Constituencies - Corresponding Districts and Parliamentary Constituencies of Odisha" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2008.