Orissa
Orissa (Odisha)
Capital City:Bhubaneswar
Population:4,19,47,358
Geo Location:South-East
Area :155,820 square kms
Average Climate: Orissa has a Tropical climate where temperature goes upto 40°C in Summer (March till June), Temperature in Monsoon (July – September) lies between 18°C to 32°C and 8°C - 28 °C in Winters (October – February)
Best time to visit: Orissa is visited throughout the year although the best time is between October to March
Newly named Odisha, this particular state is on the east coast of the Indian subcontinent. It shares its boundaries with the states of west Bengal, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Telangana. The Bay of Bengal forms the coastline of Odisha. The state’s capital city is Bhubaneswar. The western and northern portions of the state are also part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau. The main rivers in Odisha are the Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani, which flow into the Bay of Bengal.
Most of the forest cover of Odisha has been denuded off late, and still the natural expanse of greenery in the state is one of the greatest attractions of this place and offers natural habitat to various wildlife species. There are many wildlife sanctuaries in the state where one can behold amazing views of the lush greenery and the flora and fauna residing there, like the Simlipal National Park and the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. Chilika Lake of Odisha is India’s largest coastal lake and it is also the second largest in the world. The Chilika Lake Bird Sanctuary offers shelter to many migratory birds from different parts of the world. A small area named Satpada, in the boundaries of the bird sanctuary is home to the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins.
Historical records for Odisha state that this state was earlier the ancient kingdom of Kalinga, which was invaded by King Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire. Odisha is also home to many famous Hindu temples like the Konark Sun Temple, Jagannath Temple in Puri, Brahmeshwar Temple, Mukteswar Temple among many others. The city of Puri is the holy city and is part of the ‘Char Dhams’ in Hinduism. Odisha is also famous for the world-renowned Rath Yatra of Puri, which is celebrated every year in the months of June-July.
The state’s proud cultural heritage is an intermingling of three religions – Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. The renowned classical dance form of Odissi originated in Orissa and is a sight to behold. Apart from Odissi, other dance forms practiced here are Ghumura Dance, Mahari Dance, Chhau Dance and Gotipua. The very new and unique form of art, called sand art, was developed in the city of Puri, where artists carve beautiful sculptures on the beaches. This art form has now spread worldwide.
Tourist destinations in Orissa
Cuttack, Konark, Jeypore, Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Patna, Lalitgiri-Udaigiri-Ratnagiri, Pipli
