History helps us to gather knowledge to know the write and wrong of life by the past experience of our ancestors.

  NAMING

      There are many records and epics about the naming of balasore [Traditionally written and heard]. The actual name of Balasore is "Baneswar". It was the capital of Demon king Baneswar. Though there are no written proof or records about it , but still people believe on the saying records of our ancestors. It is also said that the "Baman" the holy birth taken by Lord Vishnu asked king Mahabali for trifeet (Tripada) gift. When he was granted the gift by the king then covered the whole land surfaces of the world under his feet. So, there was no place to go for king Bali's son , king Bata as he had not right on  his father's property. He went to Lord Varun (Sea) and asked for help . Lord Varun gifted him a small plot beside sea and king Bata canceled the sea in his land, due to which it got filled with enormous sand. So, it was named as Balasore. From this two records names "Baneswar and Balasore" came into existence and is called as "Balasore, the city of sand on sea Shore". 

BYASA KABI FAKIR MOHAN SENAPATI:- Fakir Mohan was born in a poor family of Mallikashpur in Balasore town on 13th Jan 1843. he had lost his (father and mother) parents during his childhood. Later he was nourished and educated by his grand mother .  He started his schooling from his village school. Due to poverty he started teaching on a salary of Rs 2.50 per month.
              Day by day he became active and popular all over. He was appointed as a Headmaster of a big school on a salary of Rs 10 per month.   

At that time ,there was not a single Oriya printed book except scripts on palm leaves and ancient mythology which were not available to all students. As a result the students were reading either Parsi or  Bnegali which disheartened Fakir Mohan very much. Hence, he started writing 2 to 3 oriya small books for the importance of oriya language which was appreciated by all.
    During the period eminent poet Radhanath Roy was a teacher in Balasore Zilla school. Fakir Mohan consituted a "Sahitya Sabha" with Radhanath Roy , which discussed about the necessity of writing more oriya books and to publish it.
    At that time there was no printing press in Balasore. Motivating some rich persons , Fakir  Mohan established a printing press and published one monthly magazine named "Bodhdayini" or "Balasore Sambad Bahini" of whom he was the editor. The first history book in oriya was written by Fakir Mohan and received award of Rs 1000 /- from British Government.
    On the advice of Beam Saheb (Balasore Magistrate) Fakir Mohan quitted his school service and became the Dewan of Niligiri. He was then transferred to Dompada as Manager from Niligiri. After wards he shouldered the responsibillity of Gadjat administration of Dhenkanal, Dasapada and Keonjhar.
     During imprisonment he wrote some of his great novels and poems like:- Mamu,Lachama, Cha mann aotho Gunth, Rebati etc.   

KABIBARA RADHANATH ROY:- Radhanath Roy is one of the eminent poet of this century. He is also known as "Kabibaro" by the masses. He was born at kedarpur in Soro of Balasore district. He  was born on 28th sep. 1848. His father was Sri Sundra Naryan Roy and his mother was Jarini Devi. He lost his mother in his boyhood.                

At the age of six he started his primary schooling and got admitted in Balasore Zilla School at 10  years old. Math's was his favorite subject. At the age of sixteen he got admission in primary college Calcuttta (Kolkota), but due to financial crisis he quitted his study and joined Balasore  Zilla School as a teacher with the salary Rs 30 /- per month. Madhusudan Rao was one of his student during his service at Puri Zilla School . Both them spent their time together discussing literature. At this time he translated Meghdoot. While he was the deputy inspector in Balasore district , Madhusudan was appointed as school teacher. During this period there was a crisis of oriya literature books for the students. In order to avoid the crisis both of them wrote a poetry book named "Kabita Balli" which  was been later included in the courses of the studies for the school students.
                  During 1891 Radhanath was promoted to inspector  and in 1896 he was felicitated as "Raibahadur" by the Britishers. Radhanath Roy retired during 1903 and left this world on 16th April 1908. Among the valuabe books he had written are Meghdoot, Kedargouri, Chandra Bhaga, Nandi Kesari, Usha, Chilika, Durbar, Tulasi Stabaka, Mahajatra etc.

BAGHA JATIN:-"THE HEROES PUT THE SANGUINARY MARK ON MOTHER'S FOREHEAD " 
In this secluded field of Balasore chash-Khand on the banks of the Buri Balam,on september 9,1915.The Great  revolutionary leader Jatindranath mukhapadhyay (Bagha Jatin) and his four young followers dedicated to the cause of Indian Freeedom struggle - Chittapriya Roy Chowdhury, Nirendra nath Das Gupta,Monoranjan Sen Gupta and Jitish pal.Fought a Fronatal battle against the British police and army and created a new History of patriotism,

Heroism and self- sacrifice on that day in the battle field died "Chittapriya" and next day in Balasore Military hospital Jatindranath succumbed to his serious in juries.Nirendra and Manoranjan sacrificed themselves on the Gallwos in Balasore jail.Jatish Pal sentenced life in prisonment,went insane due to severe torture in Andaman  jail .He died a premature death later in Berahampore jail.This place sanctified by oblation of blood of Vive martyrs is known as "RAKTA-TIRTHA".People visit the place and pay their homage to Bagha Jatin and his four follwers.

THE RISE OF BRITISH IN BALASORE AND ITS FIRST COLLECTOR

    Balasore is regarded as a harbour engaged in trading for thousands of years. Before British, Balasore was ruled by Marhatta tribes. But the tribes was defeated by the British troops. On the order of Sir Martin , two big ships covering soldiers , weapons and ammunition came to balasore through the sea route of Bay of Bengal. Britishers captured Balasore on 21st sep.1803 and was controlled by a deputy Magistrate under the Cuttack Dist. Magistrate. It was in1827 that Balasore got its official position.                   

The first Magistrate of Balasore was "Henry Ricket". He was a famous Magistrate who dug a canal through niker Matas and Games to help the people for to and fro. The canal was named as Ricket canal. In 1836, his wife died and was buried Barabati Burial Ground. In the same year he was posted to the some other place in abroad. The queen rewared him the title "Sir" for his love and dedication to his job to India. He also proved some financial help for the people of Orissa  when the region was suffering from the dreaded feminine. In the year 1886,Sir Ricket died. But he was carried to Balasore to be buried near his wife in the same Barbati Burial Ground. In the bottom of his Tomb, it is written that.
                                                        "He had never forgotten Balasore nor Orissa".