Asika

Asika or Aska (ଆସିକା)/(ଆସ୍କା) is a town and a Municipality in Ganjam district in the state of Odisha, India. Famously known as the Sugar city.

Geography
Asika is located at 19.6°N, 84.65°W. It has an average elevation of 30 metres (98 feet). It is situated at a distance of 40 km from Brahmapur on South, 35 km from Bhanjanagar on the North at the confluence of Rivers Rushikulya and Badanadi (Bara River).

Demographics
As of the 2011 Census of India, Asika has a population of more than 30, 000 as of 2024 hence make it the second largest city in terms of population Ganjam district after Brahmapur. Including Mukundapur CT more than 10,000 people are living in the satelite area of this town namely Kalasandhapur, Babanpur, Nuagam Baragam, and College Square. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Asika has an average literacy rate of 85.76%, higher than the national average of 72.87%; with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.

History
Asika (असिक) a Sanskrit - Prakrit word which means sharp dagger. The naming of this place is as such because of the nature of this land created in the shape of a dagger by the confluence of rivers Rushikulya and Badanadi. Due to its protective central location in Ganjam district earlier it was the district headquarter and had a military cantonment during British rule.

On 24 February 2024, the Government of Odisha upgraded Asika NAC to be a Municipality.

Asika ULB administratively divided into 18 Wards;
 * Ward no. 1- Raghunath Nagar
 * Ward no. 2- Bani Bihar
 * Ward no. 3- Khambeswari Patna
 * Ward no. 4- Khambeswari Patna
 * Ward no. 5- M.G. Road
 * Ward no. 6- Gopabandhu Nagar
 * Ward no. 7, 8 & 9- Sunamba Street
 * Ward no. 10- Taluka Road
 * Ward no. 11- Harihar Nagar
 * Ward no. 12- Kalinga Road
 * Ward no. 13- Binayak Bazar, Laxmi Bazar, Hatapada and Kalimukhi Street
 * Ward no. 14- Niranjan Nagar
 * Ward no. 15- UB Road
 * Ward no. 16- Lacchman Palli and Gandhi Nagar
 * Ward no. 17- Lala Sasan and Shastri Nagar
 * Ward no. 18- Pakalla Palli

Asika Sugar Factory
Asika Sugar Factory established in 1824. It is one of the oldest in India and first of its kind in Asia. It was built by Minchin Saheb during British rule. Along with the factory at Nellikuppam near Cuddalore, it was managed by Parry & Co.

The jaggery mill was started in 1848 as Asika Sugar Works and Distillery Ltd. by Parry and Co. (Madras). It met with huge losses for lack of supervision and other transport bottlenecks.

Thereafter, Fredrick Josheph Vivian Minchin, the Book Keeper of Biny & Co. purchased the factory and with the new Sugar Technology obtained from Germany, he redesigned and rebuilt the factory in 1856. Asika Co-operative Sugar Industries employ more than 35000 families.

Tourist Attraction
There are many peacock reserves found near Asika at Cheramaria, Nalabanta, Pakidi Hill, Karnoli and Khandadeuli area. Blackbucks too are frequently found in the western region of Asika. There are many mandirs situated at the top of small hills in the periphery making it a ideal spot for picnic. Maa Kankan Devi Mandir is one of them.

Religious Places
Baisakhi Jatra of Maa Khambeswari in Asika held in Hindu month of Chaitra every year. Lots of devotees come for their children's well being by donating their hairs. Many folk dances and dramas are presented in roadside during the festival.
 * Maa Khambeswari Mandir
 * Satyanarayan Mandir, Binayak Bazar
 * Maa Fulakasuni Mandir, Odia Sahi
 * Rameshwar Mandir, KS Patna
 * Jagannath Mandir, Sunambo Sahi
 * Panchamuki Hanuman Mandir
 * Jagannath Mandir, Nuagam
 * Kali Mandir, Nuagam
 * Bhagabat Mandir, Nuagam
 * Radha Krushna Mandir, Nuagam
 * Ram Mandir, Nuagam
 * Pudageswar Mandir
 * Subarneswar Mandir
 * Nilakantheswar Mandir
 * Maa Karanjei Mandir
 * Balunkeswar Mandir
 * Tirupati Balaji Mandir
 * Ram Mandir
 * Hanuman Mandir
 * Maa Kali Mandir
 * Maa Kalimukhi Mandir
 * Narasingha Mandir
 * Maa Thakurani Mandir, Gondopuli
 * Jaganath Mandir, Kalasandhapur
 * Hunuman Mandir, Kalasandhapur
 * Radha Krishna Mandir, Banibihar
 * Sai Mandir
 * Maa Kankana Devi Mandir, Bhetanai
 * Ellama Potturaj Mandir, Damodarpalli
 * Maa Rajjamma Kanekamma Mandir, Dhobapalli
 * Hanuman Mandir, Kotibadi
 * Gopinath Mandir, Raipalli
 * Radhakrishna Mandir, Chadhiapalli

Climate and regional setting
Maximum summer temperature is 34 °C; minimum winter temperature is 23 °C. The mean daily temperature varies from 33 °C to 38 °C. May is the hottest month; December is the coldest. The average annual rainfall is 1250 mm and the region receives monsoon and torrential rainfall from July to October.

Colleges

 * Aska Science College, Kotinada
 * Niranjan Govt. Women's College, Khambeswari Patna
 * Mac Mickle Sanskrit College, Niranjan Nagar
 * Nimina Brundaban Chandra College, Kendupadar

Schools

 * Harihar High School
 * A.S.I High School Nuagam
 * Kendriya Vidyalaya
 * Odisha Aadarsh Vidyalaya, Nimina
 * Saraswati Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School
 * Saraswati Sishu Vidya Mandir
 * NAC High School
 * Mac Mickle Sanskrit Vidyalaya
 * Harihar Nagar UP School
 * Bediri Sahi UP School
 * Govt. Technical High School
 * Govt. Girl's High School
 * Aryan Public School
 * DePaul School
 * Mom School of Excellency
 * Sri Aurobindo Integral Education Center, R.Damodarpalli
 * Utkal Public School, Kishore Chandrapalli
 * Ramakrushna Adarsha Vidya Mandir, Gayatri Nagar

Financial Institutions/Banks

 * State Bank of India
 * Aska Central Co-operative Bank Ltd
 * SBI Agriculture Development Bank
 * Union Bank of India
 * Axis Bank
 * ICICI Bank
 * Bank of India
 * Utkal Grameen Bank
 * Indian Overseas Bank
 * Karur Vysya Bank
 * Punjab National Bank
 * HDFC Bank
 * SBI Sme Branch

Road
Asika is connected with National Highway 59 (India) (Khariar – Brahmapur), National Highway 326 (India) and National Highway 157 (India) (Purunakatak – Asika) which connect Asika to other cities and towns of Odisha.

Rail

 * Brahmapur railway station

Air

 * Biju Patnaik International Airport
 * Berhampur Airport

Port

 * Gopalpur port

Politics
Aska (Vidhan Sabha constituency) includes Asika Municipality Asika block and 12 GPs (Subalaya, Kaniari, Barida, Paikajamuna, Sunapalli, Sialia, Nandiagada, Borasingi, Ambapua, Baliasara, Bolasara and Sunarijhola) of Kabisuryanagar block. The current MLA from Asika Assembly Constituency is Shree Saroj Kumar Padhi of BJP. Previous MLAs from this seat was Smt. Manjula Swain from 2019 to 2024 of BJD, Debaraj Mohanty of the BJD in 1914, Duti Krushna Panda of CPI in 1990, Raghaba Parida who won representing INC in 1985 and as a candidate of the Indian National Congress in 1980, and Harihar Swain of JNP in 1977.

Asika is part of Aska (Lok Sabha constituency).