Location :
East Of India
Capital of
Orissa : Bhubaneshwar
Travel
Attraction : Golden
Triangles ( Bhubaneshwar, Puri,
Konark )
Language
Spoken : Oriya |
Tourism in
Orissa
Perpetually washed by the blue waters of the
Bay of Bengal, Orissa lies on the east coast
of India with a 482-km-long coastal stretch.
It is bounded by West Bengal and Bihar on
the north, Andhra Pradesh on the south, the
Bay of Bengal on the east and Madhya Pradesh
on the west . The state's history is
divisible into the same four periods in
which Indian history is usually analysed,
i.e., the Hindu period, the Muslim period,
the British period and the post-Independence
period.
Orissa's main attractions are the temples of
the capital Bhubaneswar, - the long sandy
beach at Puri, the Sun Temple at Konark and
Simlipal and Nandankanan sanctuaries of
Cuttack. The renowned Jagannatha temple
dominate the landscape at Puri as does the
Lingaraja temple of Bhubaneswar. 10 kms west
of Bhubaneshwar are the Udayagiri Caves,
which were occupied by the Buddhist monks as
early as the 2nd century BC.
History of Orissa
It's hazy past is linked to the fortunes of
Kalinga of which it was once a part.
Ashoka's carnage of Kalinga made the emperor
foreswore war and till 2nd century AD,
Buddhism and Jainism alternately held sway
in Orissa. Fast forward to 1514: the time of
the European arrival here. After the British
conquest in 1804, Orissa was divided into
three districts: Cuttack, Puri and Balasore.
After independence, Orissa became a state of
India in 1950.
Capital of Orissa
Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, famous
as a temple town and a handicraft centre,
has, over the last decade, become an
upcoming business centre. While the city
itself boats of no giant industrial plants,
showcased in its main bazaars are craftwork,
such as the traditional tie and dye
technique of ikat, that date back over
several thousand years.
Handicrafts of
Orissa
Shopping in Orissa is a joy. You don't look
there for what the modern industry can give
you, but for unique and exquisite
handicrafts, made by those fingers whose
forerunners had with such dexterity and
skill created the magnificient Orissa
temples. The handicrafts of Orissa include
silver filigree, horn work, folk paintings (Pattachitra),
metalware, applique work, stoneware, silk
and cotton handloom etc.
Culture in Orissa
Another expression of Oriyan culture is
Odissi, one of the finest forms of Indian
classical dance. Evolved out of spiritual
consciousness, it formed an essential part
of the ritualistic services in the important
shrines of Orissa. Devotional in spirit, it
is marked for its elaborate grace and
lyrical charm, revealed through rounded
movements. Orissa also has a rich body of
literature with Sitakant Mahapatra being one
of the major voices in contemporary Oriya
poetry
Festivals of Orissa
Makar Sankranti in January; Magha Mela and
Konark Dance Festival in Febraury; Maha
Shivratri and Holi in March; Basant Panchami
in Febraury / March; Chaitra Parba or Chhow
Festival in April; Rath Yatra or the Car
Festival of Puri and Raja Sankranti in June
/ July; Durga Puja in September / October;
Kartika and Kumar Purnima in
October-November; Lakshmi Puja in December
-January.
CLIMATE OF ORISSA
Temperature (deg C): Summer - Max.38,
Min.27.1
Winter - Max.28.2, Min.15.2.
Rainfall : Mid June-September 60 inches (152
cms).
Best season : October to March
Population in
Orissa: 35 million
Tourism Offices in
Orissa:
Tourist office, Barkul - Dist. Khurda, Puri,
Orissa - 752030,
Tourist office, Berhampur - New Bus stand
(1st floor), Puri, Orissa - 760004
Tourist Counter - Railway station, Puri,
Orissa - 760004.
Tourist Office - VIP chhak, station road,
Puri, Orissa - 752002.
Tourist Office, Government of Orissa, 55
Lenin Sarani (Beside Wellington Square),
Calcutta.
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India
Travel Guide / States / Orissa Travel Guide
