Odisha is a mixed bag of culture, art, ancient traditions & more that will captivate any traveller coming to this destination. To give you a glimpse into the art & craft of the region, Curly Tales travel junki, Bianca Saurastri explores the mini handloom capital of Odisha which is Sambalpur. Sambalpur got its name from the heavenly goddess Maa Samaleswari as her shrine was built here. Apart from visiting the handloom bazaar & having an understanding of Sambalpuri Saree’s we also visited the Hirakud Dam which is Asia’s largest man-made earthen dam. A night in Sambalpur is not complete without some cultural performances. We were hosted by the Eco Retreat in Hirakud where we enjoyed some delicious Odia cuisine along with a beautiful Sambalpuri dance performance.