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Orissa(Odisha)-At a Glance

Presentation · October 2017

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18746.29126

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 Orissa(Odisha)-At a Glance

Welcome to the state of Orissa(Odisha)

(A Video Documentary Script)

By
Prof. A. Balasubramanian*
Centre for Advanced Studies in Earth Science,
University of Mysore ,Mysore
*(Former Director: -Culture and Cultural Relations-Pondicherry University,
*(Former Director-Educational Multimedia Research Centre-University of Mysore)
2013

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Introduction

India is one of the mostly preferred destinations for international tourists.

Tourism is a very promising industry in India. India is a country with a large number of
tourist spots and attractive features. India is a country known for its culture, heritage, history
and natural resources. All the states and union territories have a good number of locations
catering to the domestic and international tourists.

State Profile

Orissa is located on the east coast of India. The state covers an area of 155,820 km2 With
41,947,358 inhabitants. The state is bordered by Jharkhand in north, West Bengal in the
north-east, Bay of Bengal in the east, Chhattisgarh in the west and Andhra Pradesh in the
south. The capital city of the Orissa state is Bhubaneshwar. Oriya is the official and most
widely spoken language, spoken by three quarters of the population. Other languages that are
spoken here are Hindi and Bengali. The state has the quality of life in the county with
excellent physical infrastructure and it has 73.45% literacy level.

Physiography (Mountain and Forest)

On the basis physiographical characteristics, Orissa has been divided into five major regions:

1. The coastal plains

2. The middle mountainous and highlands region

3. The central plateaus

4. The western rolling uplands, and

5. The major flood plains

Almost one-third of Orissa is covered by forests which make up about 37.34% of the total
land area of the state. These forests cover most of southern and western Orissa.

Climate

Orissa has tropical monsoon type of climate like most other parts of the country. The average
temperature in the summers can be as high as up to 40° C. The winters are quite enjoyable
with minimum temperature being almost around 16° C. During the monsoon season Orissa
gets an approx. 1450 mm. of rainfall. The best time to visit the state is during the months of
October to April.

Short History

Several Kingdoms, namely, Kalinga, Utkal, Udra/Odra, Kosala, Tosali and Kangoda had
flourished in the region currently known as "ORISSA". Orissa pronounced "ODISA", comes
from the Sanskrit "ODRA DESHA" or "ODRA VISHAY". After changing hands from the
Marathas, the Mughals and the British, up to 1912 it was a part of Bengal and till 1936 a part

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of Bihar. The state was officially born on 1st April, 1936. In 1950 it became an independent
state incorporated into the union republic of India and continues to remain so.

State is Known or famous for what?

The state is famous for temple, fort, eco-tourism and handcrafts.

Accessibility – Road, Railways, Airways, Sea routes

Orissa, being the one of the most important cites of India, is well connected to most of the
other Cities of the Country, by highways, railways, airways and sea routes.

Airways

Bhubaneshwar Airport is the major Airport of the state that connects it to other parts of the
country. There are regular flights from Orissa to Kolkata, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Mumbai,
Delhi and Raipur. Besides this there are three domestic airports in Rourkela, Jaypore and
Jharsuguda. Air India, Sahara India and Kingfisher fly their flights regularly to Orissa.

Railways

Orissa has a very good network of rail. The approx. length of the railway track is 2,284
kilometers that connects the state capital Bhubaneshwar to Calcutta, Madras, Delhi, Bombay,
Bangalore, Guwahai, Hyderabad, Tirupati and Trivandrum by some express or super express
trains.

Roadways

The traveling through road is a great option. Apart from this the state capital Bhubaneshwar
is located on the National highway that links the state to Kolkata and Chennai. National
Highway No 5,6,23, 42, 43 also runs through the state that allows easy access of Orissa by
road.

Time Zone, Currency and No Of Districts

Throughout the India, the time zone is same of all the States i.e. Indian standard Time +5:30

The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the
currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The new Indian rupee symbol
INR is derived from the Devanagari. The first series of coins with this new rupee symbol was
launched on 8 July 2011.

The modern rupee is subdivided into 100 paise though this division is now theoretical; as of
30 June 2011, coin denominations of less than 50 paise ceased to be legal tender. Bank notes
are available in nominal values of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 2000 rupees. Coins of the rupee
are available in 1, 2, 5 and 10. Paise coins of the rupee have nominal values of 50, and lower
denominations have been officially withdrawn.

There are 30 districts in Orissa. They are Angul, Boudh, Bhadrak, Bolangir, Bargarh,
Balasore, Cuttack, Debagarh, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, Gajapati, Jharsuguda, Jajpur,
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Jagatsinghpur, Khordha, Keonjhar, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Kendrapara,
Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Nayagarh, Puri, Rayagada, Sambalpur,
Subarnapur, Sundargarh.

Hill stations

The most famous hill stations of Orissa are Taptapani, Mahendragiri, Olasuni Hill and
Dumuriput.

Taptapani is well-known during the hot seasons and is about 1,800 feet high. This place is
only 56 kilometers away from Behrampur. Kandimata Mandir a famous temple in Orissa
could also be reached through few minutes walking from this hill.

Mahendragiri is an evergreen forest and looks gorgeous especially in the rainy seasons. This
hill is 5,000 feet high and is famous for its mythological stories.

Olasuni Hill is nearer to the River Gobari and it is on the border of Cuttack and Jaipur
districts of Orissa. A tomb of Saint Arakhita Das and a temple of Goddess Olasuni are the
famous deities of this hill.

Dumuriput is situated in between Koraput and Sunabeda and is of 1000 feet high from the
sea level and is very popular for the famous temple of Sri Ram which possesses the highest
kneeling Hanuman Statue in Orissa.

Zoo/Parks/Jungles/Gardens

Nandankanan Zoo is the most famous zoo of Orissa and a biggest zoo in Orissa. This zoo is
located twenty kilometers away from the capital city, Bhubaneswar and it was built in the
year 1960 of 29th December.

Cactus garden is the major attraction spots for the tourists and is located at Bhubaneswar.
The garden has a large collection of cacti, roses and many rarely found trees. Cactus present
in this garden is the most amazing factor of the garden and it is very pleasant to watch. The
garden has nearly 1,050 species of cacti and is grown in an area of 20,000 square feet.

National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries

Some of the most famous National Parks in Orissa are Chandka Elephant Reserve, Nandan
Kanan National Park and Simlipal National Park.

Chandka Elephant Reserve is situated at the capital city of Orissa and gives residence to
many varieties of species like elephants, sambar, bears, wild dogs, pea fowls and pythons.

Nandan Kanan National Park is situated at a distance of twenty kilometers from

Bhubaneshwar. The name of this park stands for the meaning ‘Garden of Pleasure’. This park
is very famous for the white tigers that are found abundant in the park.

Simlipal Tiger Reserve was declared as a tiger reserve in the year 1956. It was given the
grade of National Park in the year 1979. The park is located at Mayurbhanj.

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Palace/Forts/ Museums/Art Galleries

Orissa is a state filled with many adorable palaces, forts, museums and art galleries. The most
famous forts and palaces of Orissa are Barabati Fort, Brundaban Palace, Chudanga Gada
fort and Sisupalgarh fort.

Barabati Fort is located at Cuttack. The interior design of this fort looks amazingly beautiful
and is worth visiting.

Brundaban Palace is located at the district of Gajapati which is close to Paralakhemundi.

This palace is a piece of beauty and is bordered by wide teak trees which add extra credit to
this palace.

Chundanga Gada was earlier known to be Sarangagarh and is one of the most visited places
of Orissa.

Sisupalgarh is located at the district of Khurda and is one of the largest and highly preserved
historic fortifications of India.

Tourist Spot: Trekking, Boating / Spots / Race course /Golf clubs

The most famous tourist spots in Orissa are Konark Sun Temple, Chandipur Beach and
Puri.

Konark Sun Temple was constructed in the thirteenth century and is at a high of 30 meters
and will be standing on 12 massive wheels. The carvings of this temple is the most amusing
factor and has a peaceful atmosphere.

Chandipur Beach is a gorgeous beach which contains Casuraina trees and sand dunes.

Puri is another popular place in Orissa and is famous for its temples.

Some of the famous trekking in the state are Gandhamardhan Trek, Mahendragiri Trek
located at a distance of 125 km from Berhampur, and Nilagiri Trek situated at the district of
Balasore.

Some of the most famous water sports in Orissa are Barkul Water Sports located at the
south of Puri, and Dhabeleswar Water Sports available in the river Mahanadi.

Temples/Pilgrimage Centers/ Mosques/ Churches/ Jain etc.

Some of the famous pilgrimages of Orissa are Atri, Bhubaneswar, Deulajhari,

Dhabaleswar and Jagannath Puri

Atri is located at the Khurda region of Orissa and is at a distance of 42 kilometers from the
principal city. This city is well known for the hot water sulfur springs.

Bhubaneswar is loaded with many temples. This city is one of the best cities of India and is
worth visiting.
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The Ashokan Rock is located at Dhauli and covers a distance of eight kilometers and it is at
the southern side of Bhubaneswar.

Deulajhari is covered with emerald velvety forests and is a famous place in Orissa. This is
visited for its religious values too.

Dhabaleswar is in the heart of the famous River Mahanadi and the residing deity of this
place is the Lord Dhabaleswar which is the personification of Lord Shiva.

Puri Jagannath is located at a distance of sixty kilometers from Bhubaneshwar and is

considered one of the most famous places of the state.

Some of the most famous temples in Orissa are Gundicha Mandir, Lord Jagannatha
Temple, and Saksi Gopala Temple.

Handicraft/ Dress Materials/Whole sales products

The most famous handicraft works of Odissa people are Applique works, Lacquer works,
Horn work, Papier Mache, Brass & Bell Metal and Silver Filigree.

 Applique Work is a kind of decorative work obtained from many colorful fabrics.

 Lacquer Work is very famous among the young girls of Orissa and some of the
lacquer works include bangles, necklaces and toys.

 Horn Work of Orissa spiritual and are very fashionable. Some of the articles made
out of this Horn work are combs, flower vases and pen-stands that are made out of the
horn of cattle.

 Papier Mache is practiced by the craftsperson of the state.

 Brass & Bell Metal are the most important aspects of Orissan art and some of the
works include beautiful lamps and lamp-stands.

 Silver Filigree is very popular among the people of orissa and some of the articles
made out from this silver filigree are different forms of animals and birds and many
silver wires.

Celebrations/Festivals/ Dance/ Music

Some of the famous Celebrations of the state are Ratha - Yatra Festival, Snana – Yatra,
Chandana – Yatra, and Anavasara Festival.

Ratha - Yatra Festival is a very famous festival during which all the Lords of the temple
would be taken out for a bath and will be taken back again. This will be celebrated for many
days and each day of the festival will be called with different names.

Snana - Yatra is a festival in which all the chief deities of the temple will be taken out for a
bath and will be taking place on the occasion of ‘Jyestha Purnima’.

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Chandana - Yatra is celebrated on the month of April and is celebrated for 42 days and the
first twenty one days of this festival is called as ‘Baha Chandana’.

Anavasara Festival is a famous festival and people believe that celebrating this festival
would be curing their disease.

Some of the popular dances and music of Orissa are were Sangitamava Chandrika, Gita
Prakasha, Sangita Kalalata and Natya Manorama.

dhruvapada, chitrapada, chitrakala and panchal is the four classes of Odissi sangita and
is very popular among the Odissi music.

Some of the chief ragas of Odissi are Kalyana, Nata, Shree Gowda, Baradi, Panchama,
Dhanashri, Karnata, Bhairavee and Shokabaradi.

Other popular dance of the state are Danda Nata, Animal Mask Dance, Ghoomra Dance,
Karma Dance, Puppet Dance, Jhoomar Dance, Changu Dance, Ghanta Patua, Kela
Keluni Dance, Dasakathia, Chaiti Ghoda Dance, Dalkhai Dance and Dhanu Jatra.

Educational hubs/ Industrial hubs

The universities are widely spread across the state and it is located at Berhampur,
Bhubaneshwar, Puri and Burla are the most famous universities in Orissa.

Some other educational hubs located in the state are Berhampur University, Kalinga
Insitute of Industrial Technology, Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Fakir Mohan
University, North Orissa University, Utkal University, Sambalpur University,
Ravenshaw University and National Insitute of Technology.

The most famous industrial hubs located are located at Bhubaneswar, Jajpur Road,
Bhadrak, Khurda and Rourkela. The names of the popular industries are Suinsys
Management Consultants, Job Excel Hr, Utkaljobs, Pinnacle Human Resource, H P
Placement and Consultancy Services, Almighty Groups, Dream Job Sure, World Wide
Manpower Resources, Pacific Semi-infra Limited, Technotroika, Mpx Technologies, Ra
Management Services, and Ravelin Consultancy Services.

Hotels (Five star, Four star, three star) and facility.

Hotels offer a wide range of choice for accommodation. A variety of hotels are located in any
tourist destination within the state. Be it five star deluxe category hotels or medium sized
boutique hotels with a distinct character, or an economy class hotel with basic amenities, a
comprehensive list of hotels in Orissa cater to every budget and taste.

Some of the most famous hotels are

 puri hotels
 bhubaneswar hotels
 cuttack hotels

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  balasore hotels
 jharsuguda hotels
 gopalpur on sea hotels
 paradeep
 sambalpur

Tourist Dept. Office / Conducted Tourist operators / Guide facility.

Choosing the tour operators is in the hands of the tourists and may choose any one of the
following tour operators.
The most popular tour operators are

 Grass Routes Pvt Ltd., located at Puri

 Jaysen Holidays located at Bhubaneswar
 Go Holidays situated at Bhubaneswar
 Adventure Holidays and Treks located at Bhubaneswar
 Caravan Tours and Travels located at Puri
 And Heritage tours situated at Bhubaneswar.

Hospitality
Orissa provides worthy hospital facilities and are categorized as District Hospitals, Area
Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Specialty Hospitals and civil dispensaries.
The names of the most popular hospitals are Ashwini Hospital located at Cuttack, Cuttack
Nursing Home pvt., Ltd., Deepak Clinic -N-Nursing Home located at Bhubaneshwar,
Kalinga Hospital Limited located at Chandrasekharpur, Kar Clinic located at
Bhubaneswar, Vivekanand Medical Mission Limited situated at Bhubaneswar.
Shopping Center/ Malls / Business Centers
Shopping malls are spread across the state. They are famous for its wonderful handicrafts.
Since Orissa is a place for many temples, the Images of Gods are available in plenty and can
be shopped from the states of Orissa like Puri, Bargarh and Cuttack.
Orissa is also famous for its ancient art and adorable garments which can be shopped at the
malls and also these are available according to the varied budget of the visitors.

Some of the most famous shopping malls in Orissa are

 Big Bazaar Store

 Vishal Mega Mart

 Metro Bazaar

 Pal heights

 Spencer’s

 And Syndicate Jewelers.

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 Cinema Halls /Film Cities
The state has numerous cinema halls which serve as an entertainment factor for the people.
Most of the cinema halls are located at the hot spots and the halls are well preserved and
spacious. The Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are the incredible places for cinema halls.
Some of the most popular cinema halls in Bhubaneswar are Keshari Cinema Hall, Stutee
Cinema Hall, Maharaja Talkies, Pagla Dashu Cinema Hall, Shriya Cinema Hall,
Ekamra Talkies, Kalpana Talkies, Ravi Cinema Hall, and Keshari Cinema Hall.
Among all other cinema halls in Bhubaneswar, Keshari Cinema hall is the most popular one
and it is located at Sahid Nagar. The hall is very spacious and provides a pleasant atmosphere
for watching the movies.
Some of the popular cinema halls in Cuttack are Durga & Devi Cinema Hall, Grand
Cinema Hall, Jayshree Cinema Hall, and Nishamani Cinema Hall
Food Habits
Cuisine of the state are very simple and yet delicious. The foods available in this state will be
no different to the neighboring states due to the similar geographical conditions.
The major food is the Rice and the Vegetables form an integral part of their food. Since the
state believes in tradition and religion, most of the people follow vegetarianism. But then, a
very small proposition of people relies on non-vegetarian habits and the foods famous among
those people are fish, prawns, crabs and lobsters.
People of the state have a strong bond with Curd and coconut milk and they are consumed in
a large numbers. Sweets also play an important role among the food habitats.

Safety And Precautions

There are many important features of vacation. It is not an option but a compulsory measure
that has to be taken while travelling anywhere. General safety and precautions are,

 First aid tool kid is the most important one that everyone has to carry while
travelling.

 Travelling at night is unsafe.

 Keep a photocopy of your passport and all other important documents in a safe
place.

 Don't share taxis with strangers.

 Make a note of emergency exits, stairwells, fire escapes and emergency plans at
hotels.

 And always have local police and ambulance number to make emergency call.
Orissa has plenty of such tourist locations. Each location speaks in volume almost its
uniqueness. The pride of India lies in every tourist spot.

Thank you

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