The Gandhamardhan hills run along the southern border of Bargarh district, rising to around 1,000 metres and forming a compact wooded massif that has been sacred for as long as people have lived in western Odisha. The hills are remarkable for their density of medicinal plants — hundreds of species are found here, many of them rare — and for the two major temple complexes on their flanks: Nrusimhanath on the eastern side and Harishankar to the west. For most visitors, one slope makes for a full day; committed travellers do a circuit of both over two days.
The eastern approach via Paikmal leads to the Nrusimhanath temple, where a 13th-century stone shrine dedicated to the cat-faced incarnation of Vishnu sits at the head of a cool valley with waterfalls (Kapildhar, Bhimdhar, Gadadhar, Chaldhar) cascading behind it. The western approach from Titilagarh reaches Harishankar, a popular pilgrimage site where the Paikamara stream falls through a series of natural rock pools surrounded by sal forest. Both valleys are noticeably cooler and greener than the surrounding plains, and both are active pilgrimage sites throughout the year, peaking at the spring Nrusimha Chaturdashi festival in April–May.
The hills are also visited for forest walks and birdwatching; the canopy here is among the least disturbed in southern Bargarh district. Accommodation is available at forest department guesthouses near both main shrines; arrange permits in advance through the district forest officer in Bargarh or Bolangir.