Samasingha is a gram panchayat in the district of Jharsuguda in the state of Odisha in India. The block office and police station of Samasingha is Kolabira, site of the Kolabira fort. It is divided into fourteen wards. The MLA constituency is Jharsuguda and the MP constituency is Bargarh. The village is situated on the bank of the Bhede river, a tributary of the Mahanadi. Two small seasonal streams flow through the village, the larger is named Badbahal and the smaller Nalia. Bhugarapali, Junadihi, Belmunda, Jalapara/Jaladihi and Kumharmal are villages are in the neighbourhood of Samasingha. Other nearby places include Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Kuchinda, Bamra and Bagdihi. The nearest place of tourist attraction is Gudguda. It is on the route between Sambalpur and Ranchi.
National Highway 200 (Raipur-Chandikhole) runs along the periphery of the village. The population of the village is around 6000. The local wine is produced from rice and the flower of Madhuca indica. The mango and cashew nut trees spread throughout the village area.
The administrative hierarchy, from smallest to largest, is Samasingha (Post office, Gram Panchayat), Kolabira (Block or Panchayat Samiti and Tahsil), Jharsuguda (district), Odisha (State), India.
The nearest airport is in Jharsuguda, Bhubaneswar, Raipur. The nearest railway station is Jharsuguda.
History
According to popular legend, the town's name is derived from the samarsing, or horn of a Samar, an animal. Historically, it was used as a gateway to the local kingdom, Haihay. When there was any invasion this samarsing horn to alert the security of the kingdom. The King's palace was situated on the bank of the Bheden river. A Shiva temple had been constructed at Mahadevpali by the king on the river bank. The king of Ratnapur (Surguja) attacked this kingdom over the marriage of the only daughter of the Haihay king. During this aggression the Haihay King was killed and his kingdom was destroyed. People say the 7 rani, the king's wives, committed suicide when the king was killed; a spot near the ancient palace on the Beden river is a tourist destination known as Rani Darah.
In the 16th century, Balram Dev, the first Chouhan king of Sambalpur, occupied this fort and there was a war between the Sambalpur king and the Ratnapur king, as a result of which the importance of the Bhogaragarh fort declined.
For a long time the Bhogaragarh fort and the surrounding temples remained abandoned. As a result, the temples near the fort decayed. A few years back, the villagers of Mahadevpali constructed a new temple at the original site. Local history is clearly linked with this temple, so it is considered to be one of the Astaswayambhus of Jharsuguda district. Every year, a fair takes place here on the day of Sivaratri.
Flora and fauna
Domestic animals and birds include cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, parrots, champa and maina. Cultivated plants include tulsi, mango, guava, banana, rose, dahlia, chauldhua, kuiler, coconut, lichi, apple, Moringa oleifera and many others. Monkeys, rabbits and elephants are commonly found in the jungle. Local vegetation is composed of sishu, kendu, Madhuca indica, Azadirachta indica, Tamarindus indica, Ficus religiosa, Ficus bengalensis, kusam, jam, palm, saguan, harda, bahara, ananla, bel, char, krushnachuda, tut, kaha, kia, semel and a wide range of other plants.
Economy, demographics and religion
The population of the village is Hindu. Most of the villagers are farmers and a significant number are teachers. Shops sell a wide variety of goods. A few people are also engaged in professions like IT, law enforcement, management, medicine, research and technical. The village produces surplus quantities of rice, potatoes, capsicum, mango, cashew nut, sugarcane, and other agricultural products. The village is divided into "pada". People from many castes (e.g. Agharia, Badhai, Bhuiyan, Brahman, Chamar, Ganda, Gauda, Ghansia, Gudia, Keunt, Kharra, Khujria, Kuilta, Kumhar, Luhura, Mali, Sunari, Sundhi, Teli) live in the village.
Local secular and religious institutions
There are a number of schools, from the elementary up to the college level, such as the Basumati Science College. There are also branches of the State Bank of India and post office and an Ayurveda Hospital, and veterinary offices. Prabhu Jagannath Temple, Maa Durga Temple, and Lord Shiva Temple are the places of worship found in the village. Various festivals are organized throughout the year but Makar Yatra organised on 26 and 27th of January is widely famous.