The stunning lines of one of the world’s longest dams, across the Mahanadi River, dominant the view. The vast lake stretching upstream from Hirakud on the river Mahanadi, surrounded by hills on either side and barraged by the dam below, covers an area of 746sq.kms. and has a shoreline of 640kms.

It is possible to drive along the dyke on a 21kms. Long roadway and survey the panoramic beauty from water tower with a revolving platform called the Jawahar Minar situated on the western end.

Hirakud is at a distance of 26 kms from Sambalpur town. Large number of migratory birds comes here during winter.