Due to an unusually dry summer and receding water levels, the ruins of an 11th-12th century temple complex have become visible in the Hirakud Reservoir. The temples, which were submerged during the construction of the dam in the 1950s, belong to the Somavamshi style and were once part of a thriving religious center near Sambalpur.
Local historians and heritage enthusiasts have documented the visible spires (shikharas) and stone carvings, urging the government to conduct a detailed survey before the monsoon rains submerge them again. The emergence has drawn thousands of devotees and tourists to catch a rare glimpse of this lost heritage.