About Orissa
Situated on the coast along the Bay of Bengal, Orissa stands for its ancient
glory and modern endeavour. Endowed with nature's bounty, a 482 km stretch of
coastline with virgin beaches, serpentine rivers, mighty waterfalls, forest-clad
blue hills of Eastern Ghats with rich wild life, Orissa is dotted with exquisite
temples, historic monuments as well as pieces of modern engineering feat. The
land, while retaining its pristine glory, also offers the visitors modern amenities.
Places to See in Orissa
Bhubaneshwar ||
Cuttack
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Jeypore ||
Konark
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Puri ||
Rourkela
Orissa Waterfalls
Barehipani & Joranda Falls: These picturesque falls (Barehipani - 399 metres
and Joranda - 150 metres) situated in the core area of Simlipal National Park
are perfectly complementary to their surroundings and are a beautiful bonus
to the visitors of the sanctuary.
Orissa People & Lifestyle
Ancient Orissa was a confluence of racial streams. History tells us that the
Aryans entered Orissa from the north-east, subjugated the primitive people living
there and imposed on them their language and culture. The story could not be
so simple; for the people then living in the land were not perhaps all of the
primitive type, nor were they subjugated culturally. What might have happened
in all Probability was a racial and cultural amalgamation.
Orissa Wildlife
One of the greatest benefits of Orissa ‘s vast expanses of unspoilt natural
landscape has been its ability to offer a protected yet natural habitat to the
state’s incredible wildlife.There are many wildlife sancturies which are
home to a wide variety of flora and fauna ,bird life reptiles and water creatures.Some
of the most important experiments of wildlife conservation are taking place
in these natural habitat, giving the tourists an excellent opportunity to see
nature’s bounty,propagated .
Orissa Buddhist Temples
Dhauli The rock outcropping on Dhauli hill at the bank of the river Daya, is
a little away from the main road as one drives 8 km south of Bhubaneswar. It
is the site of a set of rock edicts left by the Indian emperor Ashoka in about
260 BC.
Orissa Art & Craft
Orissa boasts of a long and rich cultural heritage. Due to the reigns of many
different rulers in the past, the culture, arts and crafts of the state underwent
many changes, imitations, assimilations and new creations, from time to time.
The artistic skill of the Orissan artists is unsurpassable in the world. The
discovery that traditional artists still live and work throughout Orissa, producing
various objects in many media, is an exciting part of any visit to the state.
Orissa Beaches
Not only does the bracing and invigorating climate of Orissa add freshness to
the soul, its beaches too add a slice of serenity in environs that are conducive
to introspection and conviviality. Orissa has such beaches where the waves speak
volumes. One can spend hours soaking in the sun, surfing or just frolicing in
the lovely blue waters.
Orissa Jain Temples
Just 7 kms west of Bhubaneswar are the twin hills of Khandagiri and Udaygiri,
the next major Orissan historical monument after Ashoka's rock-cut edict. The
rocks of the Khandagiri and Udaygiri hills were carved and tunneled, to create
this multi-storied ancient apartment residence for Jain monks. They were the
work of the first known Orissan ruler, King Kharavela, and probably begun in
the first century BC.
Orissa Dance & Music
Orissa has a glorious tradition of music.The figures or dancers musicians Carved
on ancient temple walls speak of Orissa's rich musical heritage. There were
saint-poets of Orissa who composed lyrical poems to be sung. Bards usually went
from place to place singing these songs which were meant to propagate religious
ideas in various religious. instructions were usually given by the poet himself
as to how the lyric was to be sung, i.e. the raga or tune to be employed and
the tala or beat scheme to be followed.
Orissa Picnic Spots
Darjeeng Scenic Spot: 51 kms from Rourkela, on the banks of the river Bramhini,
is another of Orissa's beautiful picnic spots. The presence of the picturesque
Deodhar Gorge about 2 kms from Darjeeng is an added attraction.
Orissa Hindu Temples
Puri Jagannath Temple: The temple of Lord Jagannath ('Lord of the Universe')
at Puri is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in India, one of the four
abodes (dhamas) of the divine that lie on the four directions of the compass.
The present temple structure was built in the twelfth century by the Ganga king,
Chodagangadeva, replacing an earlier structure which probably dated to the tenth
century.
Orissa Fairs & Festivals
Orissa being a land of ancient and sacred temples, and a state where three religions
flourished, is thronged by pilgrims throughout the year. There are a large number
of fairs and festivals celebrated in the state. There are festivals relating
to each religion, tribal festivals, festivals relating to Lord Jagannath, the
presiding deity of the Puri Temple, and many seasonal exhibitions and fairs
as well as special festivals such as the Konark Dance Festival, the Rajarani
Music Festival, the Puri Beach Festival etc.
Orissa Handlooms
Orissa is a thickly tribal inhabited state, consisting of sixtytwo tribes living
in different parts of the state - in the highlands, forests, valleys and in
the foot hills. They make their own traditional ethnic cottage and live in it.
In order to proclaim the self identity intra groupwise, socially and culturally
different tribes live in different places. Each tribal community has separate
mode of living and they differ significantly in their dress, ornaments, skill
in building houses, and moreover in their way of life. This difference in their
life is clearly decernible from their material culture, art objects from the
paintings and drawings and also from the size and shapes of different objects
that they use. To the tribals, dress is a cultural need and it is also a part
of their tradition.
Orissa Lakes
Chilka Lake: Just south of Puri, the sea mixes in with the 1100 sq.km inland
Chilika Lake to create the largest brackish water lake in Asia. These shallow
waters enclose an immense area of marshes, lowlands, and islands. There are
more than 160 varieties of fish, and, in the winter season (from November through
March), the area is home to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds as well.
Orissa Handicrafts
Orissa' is famous for her handicrafts which exhibit the skill and creativity
of her artisans. Her brass work, silver work, terracotta art objects, and applique
work are unique examples of artistic excellence.
Orissa Tribals
In India there is an amalgam of 437 tribes, and in Orissa the number is sixty
two. According to 1991 Census, in Orissa the total strength of tribal population
is approximately seven million which constitutes 22.21% of the total population
of the State.
Culture of Orissa Tribals
Orissa occupies an unique position in the ethnographic map of India for having
the largest variety of tribal communities.Although they are found in all the
districts of the State, yet more than half of their total strength are found
in the districts of Koraput, Rayagada, Naurangpur, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nauapara,
Kandhamal, Baudh, Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj.
