Angul is an industrial area. It boasts of industries such as MCL, NALCO, NTPC, etc.

The village
community of Angul is therefore naturally progressive. However old village communities such as
Bhagabat ghar, kothaghar etc. meant for community gathering, and accommodating outsiders
are still in place. The religion followed here is that of Hinduism and the worship still has a touch
of Adivasis. This can be seen in the worship of shapeless Gramdevati in many villages. The
important religious practices include worshipping Nath, Saiva and following the Mahima
Dharama.
People speak Odia and their staple diet is rice. The tribals depend on millets, pulses, beans,
sweet potatoes, etc. Men wear shirts, dhotis, gamcha, pants while women wear sarees.

The ornaments worn by women in the district are as follows.

Head – Gojikathi, Chauri mundi, Banka Deuria, Kia patra, Saru Kanthi, Champa kadhi, Suki
Hara, Adhuli Hara, Tanka Hara etc.
Ear- Phasia, Baliguna, Jaulinoli.
Nose- Dandi, Notha, Phuli, Naka Chana.
Hands- Gazara, Bataphala, Bida, Tikha, Pane, Taeta.
Leg- Goda Mudi, Bala, Pauza, Jhuntia, Mala.

Angul is a land of hill ranges and is very famous for its Satkosia tiger reserve. It is also marked
with celebrations all throughout the year. The fasts and festivals of the district are mostly of two
types i.e. Sarbajanina or community based and Gharoi or family based. Gurubara Manabasa,
Sudasa Brata, Sabitri Brata, etc. are some rituals which are family based. Hingula yatra, Akshay
tritiya, Chandan yatra, Rath yatra, Nuakhai - are some community based festivals.
The merry making of the tribal folks also includes music and dance. The Changu, a big
tambourine, the Ghagudu, a kind of drum and flute are the musical instruments found in their
community. Many folk songs are sung and the dance includes various forms - like the pigeon or
the boar dance.
Other popular dance forms are -
1. Danda Nritya - it is an ancient dance form and the composition includes weaving if
mythology with worldly life. This dance commences in between last week of March and
1st of April and ends with Mahabisuva Sankranti i.e mid of April in each year. The danda
players dress themselves with yellow cloth and sacred thread. They perform in front of
Siva-Parvati. The dance includes various phases and us offered as penance to the
Sakti-Upasana.
2. Ravana Chaya - it is a form of shadow puppetry. The shadow-puppet theatre of Odisha,
is known as Ravan Chhaya. It is titled as such because, the Chhaya or shadow is
considered inauspicious and is therefore related to the character of Ravan who is
considered with evil. It is very simple with no fight or dance sequence. With simple
movements, the full unjointed figures depict versions of the Bichitra Ramayana.
Accompanied by Khanjani (a tambourine variety of instrument) and cymbals, the
musicians sing standing in front of the screen. Though most of the puppet figures are
made out of deer skin, those of demoniac characters are made from stag skin. Each
puppet is fixed with a thin rod of bamboo for manipulation from behind a white curtain.
The light is provided by a large earthen lamp filled with castor oil. The traditional
performers of this art form are the Bhats who had received land grants from the local
rajahs of Pallahara.