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Template:India state infobox Orissa pronunciationⓘ (Devanagari: उड़ीसा) is a state situated in the east coast of India.

Orissa is bounded on the north by Jharkhand, on the north-east by West Bengal, on the east by the Bay of Bengal, on the south by Andhra Pradesh and on the west by Chhattisgarh.

The relatively unindented coastline (c.200 mi/320 km long) lacks good ports, except for the deepwater facility at Paradip. The narrow, level coastal strip, including the Mahanadi River delta, is exceedingly fertile. Orissa is home to the Hirakud Dam, one of the longest dams in the world. Rainfall is heavy and regular, and two crops of rice (by far the most important cereal) are grown annually. The state is known for its temples, especially in the cities of Konark, Puri, and Bhubaneswar.

Orissa has several popular tourist destinations. Puri, with the Jagannatha's temple near the sea, and Konark, with the Sun Temple, are visited by thousands of tourists from the West every year. Along with the Lingaraja Temple of Bhubaneswar, the Jagannatha Temple and the Sun Temple of Konark are important in the archaeological history of India.

The dense population, concentrated on the coastal alluvial plain, is inhabited by the non-tribal speakers of the Oriya language. The interior, inhabited largely by the indigenous people known as Adivasis is hilly and mountainous. Orissa is subject to intense cyclones; in October 1999, Tropical Cyclone 05B caused severe damage and some 10,000 deaths.

Orissa is a littoral state with a long coastline and a storehouse of mineral wealth. Because of its mineral wealth and strategic location it attracts foreign investment in steel, aluminum, power, refineries, and infrastructure. Orissa is also emerging as a player in the outsourcing IT (Information Technology) and IT services industry. The total planned investment in the state is to the tune of 90 billion US dollars. However, there are environmental concerns and land acquisitions for some of these projects have been opposed by the local people.

Geography

The capital of Orissa is Bhubaneswar. It is famed for its magnificent temples, numbering around a thousand. The city of Puri is nearby, at a distance of around sixty kilometers on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Puri is a famous holy city and the site of the annual festival of the deity Jagannath and is one of the four Dhams (holy places) of Hinduism.

The Chota Nagpur plateau occupy the western and northern portions of the state, while fertile alluvial plains occupy the coastal plain and the valleys of the Mahanadi, Brahmani, and Baitarani rivers, which empty into the Bay of Bengal. These alluvial plains are home to intensive rice cultivation.

Although Orissa's forest cover has been denuded lately, one of the greatest benefits of Orissa is its still vast expanses of unspoilt natural landscape, that offers a protected yet natural habitat to the state’s incredible wildlife. There are many wildlife sancturies in Orissa. The Similipal Tiger Reserve is a vast expanse of lush green forest with waterfalls, inhabited by tigers, elephants, and other wildlife. The Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary has been protecting estuarine crocodiles since 1975.

Chilka Lake, a brackish water coastal lake on the Bay of Bengal, south of the mouth of the Mahanadi River, is the largest coastal lake in India. It is protected by the Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary, which harbors over 150 migratory and resident species of birds.

Culture

The official language of the state, spoken by the majority of the people is Oriya. Oriya belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is closely related to Bengali and Assamese. A few tribal languages belonging to the Dravidian and Munda language families are still spoken by the Adivasis (original inhabitants) of the state. The state has a very opulent cultural heritage, one of the richest in India, and the capital city of Bhubaneswar is known for the exquisite temples that dot its landscape. The famous classical dance form, Odissi originated in Orissa. Contemporary Orissa has a proud cultural heritage that arose due to the intermingling of three great religious traditions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The culture of the Adivasis (the original inhabitants of India) is an integral part of modern Orissan heritage.

Odissi music is usually classified as a kind of Hindustani classical music of northern India, although some aspects of Odissi are quite distinct. Odissi has a long, unbroken tradition of 2,000 years, and finds mention in the Natyashastra of Bharatamuni, possibly written circa 200 BC. However, the dance form nearly went extinct during the British invasion, only to be revived after India's independence by a few proponents, such as Guru Deba Prasad Das, Guru Mayadhar Raut, Guru Pankaj Charan Das, Guru Mahadev Rout, Guru Raghu Dutta, and Guru Kelu Charan Mahapatra. Odissi classical dance is about the divine love of Krishna and his consort, Radha, mostly drawn from compositions by the notable Oriya poet Jayadeva, who lived in the twelfth century AD.

There are many other popular cultural interests include the well known Jagannatha Temple in Puri, known for its annual Rath Yatra or Chariot Festival, the unique and beautiful applique artwork of Pipili, silver filigree ornamental works from Cuttack, the Patta chitras (silk paintings) and various tribal influenced cultures.

History

Orissa has a history spanning a period of over 1000 years. The history of Orissa is in many ways atypical from that of the northern plains and many of the common generalizations that are made about Indian history do not seem to apply to the Oriya region. The word Oriya is an anglicised version of Odia which itself is a modern name for the Odra or Udra tribes that inhabited the central belt of modern Orissa. Orissa has also been the home of the Kalinga and Utkal tribes that played a particularly prominent role in the region's history, and one of the earliest references to the ancient Kalingas appears in the writings of Vedic chroniclers. In the 6th C. BC, Vedic Sutrakara Baudhayana mentions Kalinga as being beyond the Vedic fold, indicating that Brahminical influences had not yet touched the land. Unlike some other parts of India, tribal customs and traditions played a significant role in shaping political structures and cultural practices right up to the 15th C. when Brahminical influences triumphed over competing traditions and caste differentiation began to inhibit social mobility and erode what had survived of the ancient republican tradition.

In ancient times, it was the proud kingdom of Kalinga. Kalinga was a major seafaring nation that controlled and traded with most of the sea routes in the Bay of Bengal. For several centuries, a substantial part of South Asia & Southeast Asia was under its cultural influence. The temple at Angkor Wat is a fine example of Orissan-influenced Indian architecture. Some parts of Southern and South Eastern Asia such as Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Java, Sumatra, Bali, Vietnam and Thailand were colonized by people from Orissa. In Malaysia, Indians are still referred as Klings because of this. Many illustrious Sri Lankan kings such as Nisanka Malla and Parakarama Bahu claim Kalinga origin. The king who destroyed the Sinhalese Buddhist control of Northern Sri Lanka and established a Hindu Kingdom in Jaffna was known as Kalinga Magha. One theory holds that the name of the country "Siam" for Thailand is derived from Oriya/Sanskrit Shyamadesha. The Angkor Wat in Cambodia is Orissan, with local variations. Bali in Indonesia still retains its Orissan-influenced Hindu heritage.

A major turning point in world history took place in Orissa. The famous Kalinga war that led emperor Ashoka to embrace non-violence and the teachings of Buddha was fought here in 261 BC. Ashoka's military campaign against Kalinga was one of the bloodiest in Mauryan history on account of the fearless and heroic resistance offered by the Kalingas to the mighty armies of the expanding Mauryan empire. Perhaps on account of their unexpected bravery, emperor Ashoka was compelled to issue two edicts specifically calling for a just and benign administration in Kalinga. Later on, Asoka was instrumental in spreading Buddhist philosophy all over Asia.

In the third century BC, Kalinga flourished as a powerful kingdom under the Jaina king, Kharavela. He ruled all the way down south to include parts of the Tamil country. It is he who was built the superb monastic caves at Udayagiri and Khandagiri. Subsequently, the kingdom was ruled under various monarchs, such as Samudragupta and Sasanka. It also was a part of Harsha's empire. In 795 AD, the king Yayati united Kalinga, Kosala and Utkala into a single empire. He also built the famous Jagannath temple at Puri. King Narasimha Dev is reputed to have built the magnificent Sun Temple in Konark. Although now largely in ruins, the temple may have rivaled the Taj Mahal in splendour.

The dynasties that ruled Orissa beginning since the third century BC included:

  • Murundas Dynasty
  • Matharas Dynasty
  • Nala Dynasty
  • The Vigrahas and the Mudgalas
  • Sailodbhava Dynasty
  • Bhaumakaras Dynasty
  • Nandodbhavas Dynasty
  • Somavamsis Dynasty
  • The Eastern Gangas
  • Suryavamsi Dynasty

A Muslim convert and ruler, Kala Pahada, with the help Suleman Karrani of Bengal occupied Orissa in 1568 after defeating the last Hindu king Mukundadeva.

The Moguls conquered Bengal and Orissa in 1576; however, Orissa was subsequently ceded to the Marathas in 1751.

In 1803, the British under the British East India Company occupied Orissa after the Second Anglo-Maratha War. In 1823, Orissa was divided into the three districts of Cuttack, Balasore and Puri, and a number of native tributary states. Orissa was administed as part of the Bengal Presidency. Following famine and floods in 1866, large scale irrigation projects were undertaken in the last half of the 19th century. The coastal section was separated from Bengal and made into the Province of Bihar and Orissa in 1912, in response to local agitation for a separate state for Oriya-speaking peoples. In 1936, Bihar and Orissa separated into separate provinces.

Following Indian independence, the area of Orissa was almost doubled and the population was increased by a third by the addition of 30 former princely states. In 1950, Orissa became a constituent state in the Union of India.

Ancient names of Orissa

In the Ramayana, Lord Rama's mother, Queen Kaushalya is the daughter of the king of Koshal. In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas spent the one year as 'Agyatavasa' as servants of King Virata, ruler of Matsa.

Key historic and prehistoric sites

Ranipur-Jharial

Ranipur-Jharial, in Titilagarh sub-division of Balangir district is an important archeological site. It is 104 km from Balangir and 35 km from Titilagarh. Known as 'Soma Tirtha' in scriptures, the twin villages of Ranipur-Jharial was a place which combined a cross section of religious faiths like Saivism, Buddhism, Vaisnivism and Tantrism. In ancient times these places were two very rich kingdoms. Queens were living at Ranipur and Jharial was a fort. Somavanshi keshari kings built many temples here and these temples can be dated back to the 9th/10th century AD. It is said that there were at least 200 temples covering an area of about half a mile in length and and a quarter of a mile in width. The largest stone temple is 'Someswar Siva', which stands on the banks of the river. It was constructed by a famous Mattamayura Shaivacharya Gagana Siva whose inscription can be found on the lintel of the temple.

The Hypaethral Temple

Ranipur-Jharial houses one among the four(the other three are at Hirapur near Bhubaneswar, Khajurao and Bheraghat near Jabalpur)existing rare monuments of Hypaethral temples ( temples without roofs meaning open to the sky) dedicated to 64 Yoginis in India and also some other ancient temples. While the images at Hirapur are made of black chlorite stone, the images at Ranipur-Jharial are made of sandstone. The temple of 64 Yoginis of Ranipur-Jharial is famous not only for its beautiful architecture but also for its religious significance. Three-faced Shiva embracing Parvati stands at the centre of the temple encircled by 64 images of the Yogini goddesses in various positions. Unfortunately, out of 64 Yoginis, many are missing at present. The cult of Yogini worship in Orissa began in the 9th century. Shiva Ratri mela is also celebrated in Ranipur-Jharial each year where devotees from far off places come.

The remarkable 20 m high temple of Indralath of this place is said to be the highest brick temple of ancient India.

Inchudi

Inchudi a village, situated 19 km. from Balasore town is famous for the historic Salt Satyagraha of 1930. It is said that here the success of mass civil disobedience against Salt Laws occupied the second place in India after Dandi in Gujarat where Mahatma Gandhi himself led the movement. The participation of several women in the Inchudi campaign and the spread of the campaign to other places in the coastal belt of Orissa were regarded by the then Congress High Command as the highlight of the movement.

Kaliakata

A small village in Chhendipada police-station situated north-west of Angul town in Angul subdivision. After covering 13 km.(8 miles) from Angul on Angul-Chhendipada road one has to go about 3 km. (2 miles) west to reach here. The village contains pre-historic sites discovered by Velentine Ball in 1876. A recent investigation has revealed that the sites are very important for study of pre-historic antiquities.

Kuchai and Kuliana

Kuchai is situated at a distance of 8 km north of Baripada, the district headquarter town of Mayurbhanj, on the Baripada Kolkata road. This pre-historic site on excavation yielded Neolithic possessions of man. Potteries found of this period speak of the development of Microlithic culture of the late Stone Age in this area.

Kuliana which is 18 km from Baripada is rich with palaeolithic artifices. It is located on the Baripada Kolkata road.

Vikramkhol

The cave

Located 16 miles (26 km) to the west of Jharusguda railway station, it is a cave containing pictographic inscriptions of antiquity. This pre-historic find is of remarkable importance and is yet to be deciphered.

From Belpahar one has to go four miles south-west to Grindola, and then another four miles in the same direction to Vikramkhol. The road from Grindola crosses a corner of the Gangpur State. There is a village, Titliabahal, near the rock of Vikramkhol. The inscription is in a natural rock-shelter, six feet below the top. The rock is a rough sandstone. The rock-shelter is 115 feet in length and 27 feet 7 inches in height from the floor (35 m by 8.4 m). It faces northeast.

The inscribed portion is about 35 feet by 7 feet (11 m by 2.1 m). Some of the letters are sharply cut, but the incision-marks of the majority do not show sharp cutting. It seems that an iron chisel was not used. Some of the letters are partly cut and partly painted, while some letters are only in paint, but the majority are completely cut. It is evident that all the letters were first painted before being incised, which was the method regularly employed in the period of Brahmi inscritpion. The color of the paint is red ochre, with which we are familiar in the pre-historic and historic caves and cave-buildings in India. The inscription was discovered by an educated Sadhu, Swami Jnamananda. An examination of the letters, which at first sight give the impression of having Brahmi forms, showed that the writing was a mixture of Brahmi forms and a developed type of the Mohenjodaro script.

Prehistoric cave painting sites

Gudahandi

The picturesque Ampani hills, located at a distance of 77 km from Bhawanipatna is famous for viewing colorful wildlife. 7 km away is the pre-historic cave paintings at Gudahandi hills in the close vicinity of Khaligarh, a small village. The ancient caves bear pictographic paintings of remote antiquity.

The Gudahandi hills consist of three small curved hills. The north side hill and the south side hill join each other on the east side forming a valley. Just at the foot of these hills facing the valley are a row of caves. Pictographic paintings in red and black colours appear at the entrances of some of the caves. Even though these paintings are yet to be studied throughly, it is widely believed that they belong to the period of Indus Valley civilisation.

All the three hills taken together have the appearance of a pot with a lid on it.T he name Gudahandi, meaning a pot with molasses, may have originated from this.

Simlikhol

Located 60 km from Padmapur in Bargarh district, this is an important place for the people of Jharbandh. The 13 foot (4 m) high cave is also of much interest to palaeontologists as it consists of pre-historic rock paintings and other things of obvious interest to a researcher.

In the past it provided natural rock shelter for the primitive man. Later many freedom fighters took shelter in this cave when evading arrest or detention from marauding British soldiers. Today, this historical cave at Similikhol stands isolated, even from the government records. But,even though neglected, it remains in people’s hearts as a cave which played an active part in the great struggle for Independence. Historians and even the average curiosity monger often throng the cave which has history written large on its smoked walls.

During Dussehra, the cave has many visitors. Some of them even from Madhya Pradesh. A festival is observed at the nearby Durga Temple, located on the hill besides the cave.People also perform mansika at the temple of Bana Durga, believing that this way their dreams can materialise. Locals have demanded that the government take steps to protect and develop the cave.

Ushakothi

Ushakothi, an ancient site is 70 km from Sundargarh, 20 km fromSambalpur and 170 km from Rourkela respectively. At the foot hill of Maheswar hill, in the midst of deep forests there is a rock-cut cave called Ushakothi measuring 150 feet in height and more than 200 feet in width. This cave contains primitive paintings which are yet to be deciphered.

Yogimath

Yogimath, 124 km from Bhawanipatna, is famous for the cave paintings of Neolithic age. Some 40 to 50 km away is the unique brick temple of Pataleswar at Budhikomna.

Economy

Macro-economic trend

This is a chart of trend of gross state domestic product of Orissa at market prices estimated by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with figures in millions of Indian Rupees.

Year Gross State Domestic Product
1980 37,080
1985 68,230
1990 109,040
1995 271,180
2000 387,280

Orissa's gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $18 billion in current prices.

Following India's independence, Orissa has not been a focus of investment by the central governments in New Delhi, causing its infrastructure and educational standards to lag behind the rest of the nation. For instance, about 20% of the road network is paved. In rural areas over 65% of the population have no access to safe drinking water. This has led to widespread belief among the local population that Orissa is a neglected state.

Industrial growth

Orissa has abundant natural resources and a large coastline. It contains a fifth of India's coal, a quarter of its iron ore, a third of its bauxite reserves and most of the chromite. It receives unprecedented investments in steel, aluminium, power, refineries and ports. India's topmost IT consulting firms, including Satyam Computer Services, TCS (Tata Consultancy Services), MindTree Consulting, Hexaware Technologies, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Infosys have large branches in Orissa. With IBM, Syntel, Bosch and Wipro all coming up with their development centers in Orissa. So far, two of the S&P CNX 500 conglomerates have corporate offices in Orissa viz. National Aluminium (2005 gross income Rs.51,162 million) and Tata Sponge Iron (2005 gross income Rs.2,044 million).

Orissa is notable as one of the first Indian states to have tackled its structural problems during the post 1994 Indian economic reforms. Orissa was the first state in India to begin to privatise its electricity transmission and distribution businesses. Over the period between 1994 and 2000 Orissa's former state electricity board (SEB) was restructured to form Gridco. This corporation was then divided into Transco and a collection of distribution companies. Attempts were then made to sell the distribution companies to the private sector. Like many other states, in 1996 Orissa was losing over 50% of the electricity it was delivered. The scale and importance of these reforms is notable and an important milestone in India's dramatic economic development.

Performance of Indian states in providing basic social services like education, healthcare, etc., in 2001. Darker states have done better.

Recently the number of companies who have signed Memorndum of Understandings (MoUs) to set up steel plants in the state has gone upto 50, including Posco of South Korea which has agreed to construct a mammoth $12 billion steel plant near Paradip port. It would be the largest single investment in India's history. Arcelor-Mittal has also announced plans to invest in another mega steel project involving $10 billion. Russian major Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Company (MMK) plans to set up a 10 MT steel plant in Orissa too. The state is attracting an unprecedented amount of investment in aluminum, coal-based power plants, petrochemicals, and information technology as well. In power generation, Reliance Industries (Anil Ambani Group) is putting up the world's largest power plant with an investment of US $13 billion Hirma in Jharsuguda district. Vedanta Resources’ 1.4 million tonne alumina project in Kalahandi district is the largest investment in aluminium. Vedanta has also announced a $ 3.2 billion dollar huge private University project on the lines of the Ivy League Universities, which is unprecedented in the history of education in India.

The Central Government has agreed to accord SEZ (Special Economic Zone) status to eight sites in Orissa among which are Infocity at Bhubaneswar and Paradip.

Infrastructure development

Although Paradip is Orissa's only large port, the coastal towns of Dhamra and Gopalpur are being developed into major ports as well. The government of India has selected the coastal region of Orissa, stretching from Paradip in the north to Gopalpur in the south to be developed as one of the five or six Special Economic Regions (SERs) of the country. The government of India and the state government of Orissa would work together to erect world class infrastructure in this region along the lines of the Rotterdam, Houston, and Pudong regions. This would stimulate further private investment in petrochemicals, steel, and manufacturing. A recent Morgan Stanley report forecasts that Orissa would be flooded with massive investments for manufacturing related activities in the same manner that Bangalore had atttracted software investment in the 1990s. The scale of the investments in Orissa would, however be much higher. As of July 2006, the total planned investment in the state is a whopping $90 billion. This includes some investment in research, education, hospitals, roads, ports, airports, and hotels.

Hotels & tourism

The state is rich in flora and fauna and historical sites dating back to the Stone Age. Sites like Bhitarkanika, Chilika, Nandankanan, Gopalpur and Simlipal are areas of great biological diversity. Passes and permits must be procured from the concerned authorities before entering these areas. It is also advisable to recruit a trained guide since these areas are peopled by tribals whose dialects vary widely and are very sensitive to foreign intrusion.

Historical sites such as Khandagiri, Lingaraj Temple, Cave sites in Boudh, Malkangiri and elsewhere have been developed. Many Five Star hotels have come up in Bhubaneswar and Government rest houses, circuit houses and Dak Bungalows dot the interior of the state. Puri is a favourite with tourists from West Bengal, the seafront is dotted with hotels. Many shops in Puri have hoardings in Bengali alongwith Oriya and English.

Demographics

Orissa has a population of 32 million. About 87% of the population live in the villages and one third of the rural population does not own any land other than homesteads.

The aborigines or tribes, known as Adivasis, constitute 24% of the population, belonging to 62 different ethnic communities. Their traditional way of life centers around the forest ecosystem. Over the years collection of forest produce, hunting and persuasion of other traditional ways of living have become increasingly difficult, influencing socio-cultural life. Issues with modernisation and industrial activities, such as mining, construction of dams, roads, railways have grown to become a concern affecting their very traditional livelihood and have displaced the Adivasi communities.

Religion, temples, and festivals

Perhaps the most well-known temple in Orissa is the Konark Temple. This is also known as the Sun Temple and is famous for its exquisite Orissan style of architecture. The Konark temple was built in the 13th century A.D. It includes in its decoration many vignettes of military life. The thousands of elephants marching around the base of the temple are not figments of the imagination. Rather, they demonstrate pride in the superb war elephants for which Orissa was famous.

Stone work at Konark

Another well known temple in Orissa is the Jagannath Temple, which was built in the 12th Century A.D. It is located in Puri and is associated with the Ratha Jatra (Chariot Festival) celebrated all over northern India. Every year millions of devotees come to Puri during the Ratha Jatra. It is a festival during which the three deities, Jagannatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra are brought out of the Jagannath temple in chariots to tour the streets, providing a glimpse to the thousands of devotees who throng the street.

The capital city of Bhubaneswar has some magnificent temples, including the Lingaraja temple, and the Mukteswar temple. Not surprisingly, it is called the Temple City of India.

Notable Temples

Ratha Yatra (Chariot Festival)

The most famous Orissan festival is of course the Ratha Yatra or Car Festival (June-July) which attracts pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. On the full moon day of the month of Jyestha known as 'Snana Purnima', the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are brought out and bathed on a pendal known as the SnanaMandap according to religious rites. Then they are believed to become indisposed and are confined to a solitary abode for a fortnight where they undergo 'treatment', are offered special ayurvedic medicine boli and some special liquid diet called 'sarapana'. After a rest of fifteen days, on the second day of the lunar month, the three Lords 'come out' in huge chariots to 'meet' the waiting devotees, marking the start of the Grand Festival known as 'Ratha Yatra'.

Among a series of rituals, of special mention is the 'sweeping' of the chariots by the Gajapati Maharaja of Puri with a golden broom, to proclaim that he is the first of the Lord's servants and on this particular day he performs the duty of a scavenger to demonstrate socialism in action and the dignity of labour. (Legend has it that King Purushottama Deva, Surya-Banshi King of Medieval Orissa, had to once 'suffer' because of this 'sweeper act', when he was denied princess Padmavati by her father; off course the insulted King staged a war and finally won Padmavati by the smart-wit of his minister.)

The grand Chariots are pulled by thousands of people, irrespective of caste, creed and even religion, to proclaim their universality and accessibility, to humanity at large. The deities then go to GundichaGhara (MaausiMaa Mandir) where they stall for eight days at the end of which Bahuda Yatra (the return car festival) takes place and the Lords return to their abode at ShreeMandir. One has only to see the vast sea of humanity on these occasions to convince oneself about the influence of religion on the people of Orissa, for whom Jagannath is the sole Supreme Bramhan, without beginning and without end, and the saviour of mankind.

Durga Puja(Dushhera)

Durga Puja symbolises the commemoration of good over evil. Although it started as a Bengali festival, it is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety in Orissa by primarily Oriyas. The three major Pujas of the state are the ChandiMedh of Cuttack, Shahid Nagar's Durga Puja and Nayapalli's Durga Puja.

Life comes to a stand-still in the city of Cuttack as crowds pour over the Puja Mandaps to enjoy the festivities. On the day succeeding ‘Vijaya Dasami’, the last day of Dussera, the images are taken in a spectacular procession for immersion in the river Kathajodi.

Puri Beach Festival

The Puri Beach Festival is an out and out fun lovers fest. Conducted by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO), the festival is a celebration of Orissa, in all its beauty, charm and fun-loving spirit. With events ranging from Fashion shows to rock shows, the Puri Beach festival delights visitors and locals alike. Held on the beautiful beach at Puri, it offers a unique opportunity for visitors to interact with the local populace and enjoy the many splendoured charms of Orissa.

The Puri Beach Festival is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the Department of Tourism, Government of Orissa, Development Commissioner of Handicrafts and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Center, Calcutta.

Konark Dance Festival

Described as a poem in stone, the Sun temple at Konark is the crowning glory of the temple architecture of Orissa. As a fitting tribute to the majestic monument, eminent classical dancers of India get together during the Konark Festival every year from 1st to 5th December to present live performances of their art. When the sun sets in the horizon and the stars appear in the sky, the open-air auditorium against the backdrop of the floodlit temple reverberates with the beats of Raga and Tala to fill the air. The classical extravaganza is a journey through ecstasy.

The stage for the Konark Dance Festival 2001 was celebrated with a extravaganza of much admired Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Mohiniattam, Kathakali, Manipuri, Kathak and Chhow dances - a lavish feast for the eyes and ears.

Konark Dance Festival is held in December in the beautiful backdrop of the Sun temples in Konark, Orissa. This world heritage sight formed way back in the 13 th century on the beach of Chandrabagha. The exquisite 'Natamandir' or the 'dancing hall' of this shrine is an architectural wonder. Every inch of its walls have been covered with fine artistic designs of the ancient times. Musicians playing drums, cymbals and other musical instruments adorn the sculptures in Odissi dance posses. It is blessed with changing intensity and a range of emotions.

Konark Dance Festival takes place in an open-air auditorium against the backdrop of the floodlit temples that reverberates with the beats of 'Raga' and 'Tala' to fill the air with the sounds of classical music. The classical extravaganza is a journey through eternal ecstasy.

The festival provides a platform for both to the performing artiste and the dance connoisseurs in appreciating the essence of various classical dance forms of the country and also to the new artists who are yet to make their mark on the international scale.

Bali Yatra

Bali Yatra Festival in Orissa marks the culmination of all the religious festivities held in the month of Karthik, which is considered the most auspicious month of the 12 months in a calendar year. Held on the full moon day in November - December that is celebrated all over Orissa as Karthik Purnima, Bali Yatra commemorates Orissa's ancient maritime legacy.

Karthik Purnima was considered the most auspicious day by the traders (sadhabas) of Orissa to venture on a journey to distant lands namely the islands of Bali, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Tourism of Orissa offers tours to Orissa during the Bali Yatra fair and festival so that you can get a glimpse of Orissa's rich cultural history and colorfully vibrant present on your tour of Festivals in Orissa.

Bali Yatra is a hugely popular fair held on the banks of Mahanadi River in the fort area of Cuttack city from where the traders of Orissa (sadhabas) undertook voyages, along the sea trade route, on huge boats called Boita. To celebrate the glory of the ancient times, the people in Cuttack as well as in the rest of Orissa float small boats made of cork, colored paper and banana tree barks in the river and water tanks.

The ritual of launching tiny paper boats lit by lamps placed within its hollow is known as Boita Bandana. You too can marvel at the spectacle of thousand lamps afloat in the rivers and tanks on your tour of Festivals in Orissa with Tourism of Orissa tour packages.

As images of Karthikeswar are worshipped and immersed in the waters of river Mahanadi, near the Shiva Temple, to mark the end of the month of Karthik; the banks of the river in Cuttack come alive with chants and rejoicing people. Suddenly Bali Yatra takes a life of its own.

Held over 3-4 days till the full moon day, the fair of Bali Yatra is attended by thousands of enthusiasts and is marked with fun and frolic at the riverbanks where countless shops selling food, clothes, curios and miscellaneous items and swings come up during the evenings.

Dhanu Yatra

Dhanu Yatra relating to the episode of Lord Krishna's visit to Mathura witness the ceremony of 'Bow' is colourfully observed at Bargarh a western Orissa District. The town of Bargarh becomes Mathura, the river Jira becomes Yamuna, and village Ambapalli on other bank of river becomes Gopa. Different acts of Puranic descriptions are performed in this festival.

Observed for 11 days preceding Pausha Poornima - the full moon day of Pausha in December-January, this is the spectacular Dhanuyatra of Bargarh in the western part of Orissa, about 350 kms from Bhubaneswar & 225 km from Raipur on the National Highway No.-6. Dhanuyatra is the theatrical presentation of Krishna Leela of Devaki with Vashudev till the death of Kansa as described in the scriptures. The entire episode is reenacted, blow by blow.

Incidentally, the geography of Bargarh region totally conforms to the locales of the puranic descriptions and the scenes are enacted at different places in stead of at one place. The city of Bargarh is treated as "Mathura". On the outskirts of Bargarh is the river Jeera, to serve as river "Yamuna"; on the other bank of which is small village Ambapali to become "Gopapura". Even there is a mango grove there to serve as "Vrindaban" and a pond as lake "Kalindi". A gorgeously decorated high rise stage it the heart of Bargarh is erected to serve as the Durbar of Kansa. A live elephant is engaged for the royal transport.

The entire topography of Bargarh within a radius of five kilometers turns into the zone of pay, making in the largest open air theater where the scenes are enacted at their appropriate locations, simultaneously on the appointed days which gives the festival a lively and natural look. Perhaps now here a play has been made to achieve such a vast magnitude with such naturality.

Evidently, Yatra happens to be the extra equivalent of theater that directly relates to the sphere of enactment of the histrionic arts. Depending on the worldly limitations. Yatra has four forms with one side, two side, three side & four or all side spectators, the last being the oldest. For may reasons, Yatra has remained open air though there used to be permanent Yatra halls. Dhanuyatra of Bargarh appears to be the largest open air theatre with oldest form. While elsewhere a limited, a vast field, a long street, an extended open space etc. are improvised, here in Bargarh a whole town with a village including a river is turned into the acting arena. It has also an element of modern technique which calls for the spectators' participation. There is hardly any play where one and all of the spectators are involved in the participation as they are in the Dhanuyatra.

When and how the Dhanuyatra began at Bargarh is not exactly known but it is being organized since 1948 almost regularly every year. The festival might have undergone some changes over years in pomp and ceremony but the message, "Victory of good over evil, triumph of truth over tyranny" remains.

Makaramela

Makar Sankranti is celebrated with gusto in mid-January when the Sun enters the orbit of capricon. Sun God is worshipped with great fervour and enthusiasm by one and all. The festival can be best enjoyed at Kalijai (an island in Chilika), Atri, Ghatgaon, Keonjhar, Jashipur and Jagatsinghpur.

TaraTarini Mela

The ‘Taratarini Mela’ one of Orissa’s beggest fairs, takes place on each Tuesdays of the month of ‘Chaitra’ i.e. from around mid-March to mid-April at Taratarini Pitha –30 km from Berhampur. A grand congregation takes place on the 3rd Tuesday.

Lakshmi Puja

Observed with much pomp and ceremony in Dhenkanal town, it commences from the fullmoon day of Aswin and continues for a period of one week.

Other Festivals

The Folk Tradition The festivals of the Adivasis are a part and parcel of their social life; they prepare a key to the appreciation of their beliefs in the supernatural spirits and their communal togetherness. The- same folk tradition and spirit are manifested through the numerous Vratas and Oshas, observed by the Hindus, the former having the authority of the scriptures and the latter being the product of social beliefs and practices, especially those observed by the women folk for the welfare and prosperity of their near and dear ones, for begetting sons, wishing long life of their children, recovery of their Own selves and their near and dear ones from ailments and obtaining salvation. They are associated: With the performance of rituals and recitation of a sacred verse tale connected with the occasion, usually elaborating the benefits accruing from the observance of the rites and punishments from the failure to do so. Most of these observances are marked by a spirit of sanctity even among the poorest folk. They clean up the premises, decorate their houses. Particularly the spot of worship with flowers and draw, in rice paste or multi-coloured powders, artistic designs on the floor and walls at the place.

Many of these festivals are held on the full moon and dark moon days thereby confirming the belief in the planets and stars as forces influencing human life.

The priests do not play ally part in the Vratas and Oshas; these are usually celebrated under the supervision and direction of women, which testifies to the simplicity, easy belief and tenderness characterising the folk or communal spirit. They help in augmenting the religious or spiritual life of the people enabling them to resist the temptations of the worldly spirit or materialistic way of life. The important Oshas are Jahni Osha, Bodhivamana Osha, Dutia Osha, Sasthi Osha, Khudurukuni Osha, Puajiuntia Osha, Kharkhari Osha, Dhananlanika Osha, Bhaijuntia, Nishamangalavarta Oshat and Kanjianala Osha. The important Vntiis are: Sudasa Vrata, Vinayaka Vrata, Rabinarayan Vrata, Sambaradasami Vrata, Somanath Vrata, Savitri Vrata, Nagarchuuthi and Ananta Vrata. Among them Puajuntia and Bhnijiolltia are observed: in the western region, Kharkhari in the southern region. Khudurukuni Osha which is observed by unmarried girls on the Sundays of the month of Bhadrab for the welfare of their brothers is observed in the coastal districts. Another Oriya Osha is Prathamastami the first eighth day of the month of Margasira on which a rite is held .for the long-life and prosperity of the eldest child who is offered a lighted lamp ovation by the senior Female relatives, mother, aunt, grand mother, etc. followed by elaborate rituals during which the Glory of Mahalakshmi is recited. Raja is another special Oriya festival celebrated by girls with eclat, It is observed for three consecutive days from the day preceding Jyestha Sankrati to the day following it during which Mother Earth is supposed to be in her menstrual period; it is thus a fertility rite.

The girls decked in their sartorial best away in swings and pray to Mother Earth for their welfare. It is one of the moat memorable festivals of rural Orissa along with Kumara Purnima which is held on the full-moon night of the month of Aswin, soon after Durga Puja. The latter is also celebrated by girls for the well-being of their brothers and for obtaining handsome. husbands. Makar Sankranti and Vishuva Sankranti are observed to celebrate the advent of Spring and the New Year according to the Indian almanac respectively.

Like Makar which is observed by the Adivasis and the Hindus alike though in different styles, Chaitra Parva (Chait Parab) is a popular folk festival observed all over Orissa. In western Orissa, the festival held in honour of Lord Siva is called Dandayatra. It is associated with a dance called dandanata commissioned by a household person with a wish, especially for a child. A group of 13 persons, led by their chief called pata bhoku, holding a danda or stick perform the dance. The stick symbolises Lord Siva as Ladudeswara (stick-shaped god). In the coastal region the festival held in honour of either Siva or Sakti is known as Jhamuyatra in which devotees perform penance like walking on fire or a bed of thorns.

Trivia

  • Perhaps some of the world's oldest coins were discovered in Sonepur, in western Orissa. These priceless silver punch marked coins could be as old as 1000 BC. They are preserved in the Orissa State Museum.
  • Rasgolla, the sweet delicacy enjoyed all over India, originated from Puri, Orissa. It became popular in Kolkata in the nineteenth century and eventually spread across the rest of the country.
  • The ancient people of Kalinga sided with the Kauravas during the great Kurukshetra war.
  • The city of Sambalpur in western Orissa was one of the world's most prominent centres of diamond production. Travelers from lands as far away as Greece used to visit the city.
  • Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born and grew up in Cuttack city in Orissa.
  • Bhubaneswar, the capital city, was the home of over 600 magnificent temples in medieval times. It is called the "temple city" of India.
  • Puri is one of the four Dhams – Hindu centers of pilgrimage. Every year, millions throng all over Puri to witness the famous Rath Yatra.
  • The Sinhala (people of Sri Lanka) are named after Raja Jai Sinha, an ancient Oriya king.
  • The Jagannath temple kitchen in Puri is reputed to be the largest kitchen in the world, with 400 cooks working around 200 hearths to feed over 10,000 people each day.
  • According to a recent theory, Gautama Buddha was born in the village of Kapileshwar near Bhubaneswar city.
  • Jayadeva, the poet who wrote the Gita Govinda lived in Kenduli village, Puri, in coastal Orissa.

Politics

The state is governed by a chief minister and cabinet responsible to an elected unicameral legislature and by a governor appointed by the president of India.

Education

The ruins of a major ancient university and center of Buddhist learning, Ratnagiri, was recently discovered in Orissa. Scholars from far away lands, such as Greece, Persia and China used to study philosophy, astronomy, mathematics and science at this famed University. Taxila, Nalanda and Ratnagiri are the oldest universities in the world. The ruins of Ratnagiri University have not been fully excavated yet.

Orissa is home to many colleges and universities, deemed and otherwise. Although the federal government in New Delhi has so far denied Orissa any educational institution of national importance, Orissa will be witnessing the rise of several prominent academic institutions, mainly through private participation. India's first and only world class multidisciplinary university, Vedanta University will be built along the lines of major educational institutions of the world, such as Stanford and Harvard at the cost of US $3 billion. It will have 100,000 students and employ 20,000 faculty members, making it one of the largest university in the world. The National Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhubaneswar (NISER) is another premier educational cum research institution that is being set up. It will be built along the lines of the reputed IISc, Bangalore. The idea of building a national level medical school and hospital, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), as well as an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in the state capital, Bhubaneswar have also been mooted. Even more recently, Reliance industries has expressed its intention of establishing a new Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DA-IICT), as well as in a health city for medical education and research in Bhubaneswar. IIT Kharagpur will also establish a full-fledged 300 acre campus 30 km away from Bhubaneswar for 5,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students. The Indian Ministry of Human Resources Development has also announced its intention of creating yet another IIT in Orissa, possibly by upgrading the University College of Engineering, Burla, under the 11th five year plan.

Entry to various institutes of higher education is through a centralised Joint Entrance Examination, conducted by the [Biju Pattnaik University and more recently through the Common Entrance Test (CET) conducted by Orissa Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) & Orissa Private Medical College Association (OPMCA) where seats are provided according to order of merit.

Universities

Technical & Engineering Institutions

Medical Colleges

  • Auro Institute of Medical Science (Pvt.)Ltd
  • Bhava Institute of Medical Science and Research, Bhubaneswar
  • College of Medical Technology, Bhubaneswar
  • Hi-Tech Medical College & Hospital,Bhubaneswar
  • Institute of Health Sciences, Paika Nagar, CRP Square, Bhubaneswar
  • Institute Of Integrated And Alternative Medical Science , Bhubaneswar.
  • Institute of Medical & Research Centre, Bhubaneswar
  • Institute of Medical Technology Research, Berhampur
  • Indian Institute of Medical Technology, Balasore
  • Institute of Technical Information, Jagatsinghpur
  • Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (proposed)
  • NIMMS , Bhubaneswar
  • Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Dev Medical College, Berhampur.
  • Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Dev Medical College, Berhampur
  • Orissa Institute of Mgt & Technology(OIMT), Jatani
  • Orissa Medical College of Alternative Medicines, Naharkanta.
  • S C B Medical College, Cuttack - oldest Medical College of Orissa
  • Shree Institute of Medical Technology, Berhampur.
  • Shri Ramachandra Bhanj Medical College, Cuttack
  • Vargabi Medical College, Bhubaneswar
  • Veer Surendra Sai Medical College, Burla, Sambalpur
  • Vikram Institute of Medical Technology, Bhubaneswar
  • V S S Medical College & Hospital, Burla

General Colleges

  • Adikavi Saraladas College, Tirtol, Jagatsinghpur
  • Alaka Mahavidyalaya, Anakhia, Jagatsinghpur
  • Banki College, Banki.
  • College of Basic Science and Humanities, Bhubaneswar
  • Bhadrak College,Bhadrak
  • Biju Pattanaik College, Antei, Kendrapara
  • Binayak Acharya Science College, Berhampur
  • Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar College (BJB College), Bhubaneswar [2]
  • Brindavan Chandra Mahavidyalaya, Redhua
  • Capital Law College, Bhubaneswar
  • Choudwar college (arts/comm/science),Choudwar
  • Christ College, Cuttack
  • DAV College, Titilagarh
  • Devi Kandal Nityanand College, Laxmi Nrusingha Nagar,Cuttack
  • Dharani Dhara College, Keonjhar
  • Dhenkanal Autonomous College, Dhenkanal
  • Fakir Mohan (FM) College, Balasore
  • Gangadhar Meher College,Sambalpur
  • Gokulananda Law College, Laxmisagar, Bhubaneswar
  • Govt.autonomous college Bhawanipta, Bhawanipatna
  • Government College, Sundargarh
  • Harishpur Baladev Mahavidyalaya,Borikina, Jagatsinghpur
  • Kendrapara College,Kendrapara
  • Kesinga Mahavidyalaya, Kesinga
  • Khallikote Autonomous College, Berhampur
  • Kharosrota College, Singhpur (Jajpur)
  • Nayagarh Collage Nayagarh
  • Narasingh Choudhary (NC)College(Autonomous), Jajpur
  • Rama Devi (RD) Women's Collage, Bhubaneswar
  • Rama Chandra Mardaraj Science College, Khallikote
  • Rajdhani College, Bhubaneswar
  • Redhua College, Redhua, Jagatsinghpur
  • Ravenshaw College, Cuttack [3]
  • Rayagada College, Rayagada
  • Sadhu Goureswar College, Kanikapada, East Jajpur
  • Samanta Chandra Sekhar College (SCS College), Puri
  • Sayala Vala (SV) Women's College, Cuttack
  • S.K.C.G,College
  • Stewart Science College, Cuttack.
  • Swami Vivekanand Memorial(SVM) College), Jagatsinghpur
  • Vikram Dev College, Jeypore, Koraput
  • V N College, Jajpur Road
  • Jawaharlal College,Patnagarh
  • Rajendra College,Bolangir
  • Prananath Mahavidyalaya,Khurda.

Pharmacy colleges

  • Jeypore College of Pharmacy, NH - 43, Jeypore
  • Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Berhampur
  • University College of Pharmacy, Berhampur

Rehabilitative Education

  • Chetna Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (Jewels International), Bhubaneswar
  • Institute of Health Sciences, Bhubaneswar
  • National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research, Olatpur
  • Open Learning System, Bhubaneswar
  • Shanta Memorial Rehabilitation Centre, Bhubaneswar
  • Training Centre for Teachers of the Deaf (A Joint Project of State Govt. & AYJNIHH, Bhubaneswar
  • Training Centre for Teachers of the Visually Handicapped, Bhubaneswar

Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Colleges

  • Ayurvedic College, Baripada
  • Dr. Abhina Chandra Homoeopathic Medical College, Bhubaneswar
  • Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, Puri
  • Government Ayurveda College, Balangir
  • Government Homoeopathic Medical College, Berhampur
  • Indira Gandhi Ayurvedic College, Bhubaneswar
  • K.A.T.S. Ayurvedic College, Berhampur, Ganjam
  • Nrusingh Nath Ayurvedic College, Paikmal, Sambalpur

Transportation

Orissa is connected to India and to the world through roads, railways, airports, and seaports.

Airports

Seaports

Districts

Towns and Cities

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