SDC GROUP PROJECT

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION

IFIM COLLEGE
Bengaluru - (560100)
Year 2019-2022

By

VURIMI VEERA VENKATA NAGA SAI BHUVANESWARE- 192FC26091

AYILAM VARDHANI PRATYUSHA - 192FC26015

ISHAAN JOSHI - 192FC26028

PRIYA SHUKLA - 192FC26060

SAGI PRUDHVI RAJU - 192FC26095

Under the guidance of Dr. Vidhya Pillai

ODISHA- The land of Lord Jagannath
 TABLE OF CONTENTS:
s.no Particulars
1 About Odisha
2 The Rock Caves
3 Paintings
4 Dance Forms
5 Music Scape and Musical Instruments
6 Poets
7 Temple Architecture
8 Literature
9 Films
10 Theatres
11 Monuments
ODISHA- The land of Lord Jagannatha

ABOUT ODISHA

Land People
Situated on the coast along the Bay of Bengal, Odisha 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 wildlife,
Odisha 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. Its lush green countryside and fertile plains, tiny hamlets fringed with palm,
coconut trees and mango groves offer the charm of rural beauty while the urban pockets, the
four cities, with the splendour of modern technology provide the amenities necessary for a
comfortable stay. This wonderful land of fascinating beauty boasts of colourful festivals
round the year. Odisha is also the land of unique handicrafts and other excellent art and
Crafts.

CAPIITAL- BHUVANESHWAR

LANGUAGE-ODIA

NUMBER OF DISTRICTS-ODISHA
 The Rock Caves

Udayagiri Caves

The name Udayagiri means Hill of Sunrise. There are 18 caves in Udayagiri. The Rani
Gumpha or the Queen’s Cave is the largest, most majestic cave here. It is a two storied
monastery supported by many columns and terraces. The cave contains beautiful sculptures
of dancing women, royal entourage, and musical instruments. Other important caves in this
hill are the Alakapuri Gumpha, a double storied cave with columns which contains sculptures
of elephants and heavenly creatures apart from ornaments and treasures.

The Ganesa Gumpha is one of the rare caves with multiple dwellings and terraces. It is best
known for the sculpture of Ganesha that is inscribed on the rear wall of the cave. It also
shows a Jain Tirthankara at worship and contains sculptures of elephants. The entrance to the
Vyagraha Ghumpa is also noteworthy for its splendid sculpture over the entrance.
Hathi Gumpha Inscription

The main inscription that supplies us insight into the reign of King Kharavela of the 1st
century BC Kalinga is the one found in the Udayagiri cave called Hathi Gumpha. The
Elephant Cave inscription speaks of the glories of the king. It starts with the Namokar Mantra
– a sacred chant of the Jains and goes on to describe the king in these terms – “the
worshipper of all religious orders, the repairer of all shrines of gods.” The inscription
consists of seventeen lines cut out in the Brahmi script. What is poignant about this
inscription is that it faces rock edicts of King Asoka at Dhauli, some six miles away. The two
kings were enemies and Asoka succeeded in conquering Kalinga. Following this, the
patronage of the Jain religion slowly fell away and Buddhism found ascendancy in these
parts. Apart from the Hathi Gumpha inscription, there are several minor inscriptions in other
caves in these complexes

Khandagiri Caves
The Tatowa Gumphas have parrot carvings over the entrance arches. These caves also bear
some inscriptions of the time, and the use of natural colour pigments is evident. The Ananta
Gumpha is a very interesting cave in this complex and in this cave, there are ancient Jain
motifs such as Swastikas and serpents. The Navamani Gumpha carries sculptures depicting 9
Jain Tirthankaras or seer-sages. This cave depicts several Digambara Jains at prayer. The
Barabhuji Gumpha came to be named after two sculptures with 12 arms each. This cave has a
relief depicting several Hindu deities.

Paintings
Folk painting- patachitra

‘Pata’ indicates ‘vastra’ or clothing, and ‘Chitra’ means painting. This special painting on
cloth is a special art form of Odisha. To make the canvas, the painters use fine gauze-like
cloth, which they fortify with tamarind paste, chalk powder and gum. After drying the
canvas, the patachitra painters draw the most intricate designs on it and colour it with natural
dyes. The patachitra paintings adorn the stories of the epic Ramayana and the Mahabharata,
and those of the local deity Lord Jagannath.

Patachitra can be dated back to the 5th century BC. It is an art form developed lovingly by
the locals of Raghu Rajpur, Puri, Sonepar, etc. The appearance of the paintings became more
widespread with the construction of the great temples of Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar. A
plethora of paintings appeared in temples and maths around the 18th century, and the Patt
style of painting patachitra developed with the setting up of the Jagannath temple.

Tribal/Cave Painting- SAURA

Saura Art on the Mud Walls of a Village Home

Saura painting is a style of wall mural paintings associated with the Saura tribals of the state
of Odisha in India. These paintings, also called ikons (or ekons) are visually like Warli
paintings and hold religious significance for the Sauras.

• The Sauras are one of India’s oldest tribes, inhabiting the southern part of Odisha.
With a history that has been mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the
Sauras are known for their distinct tribal culture and their art. A tribe that is deeply
connected to nature, their art on the surface seems to be a simplistic depiction of
everyday village life. But the art of the Sauras is rich with symbolism and meaning,
and it is through these images and their interpretation that the Saura people hold on to
their customs and culture. For the Sauras, whose language does not have a script, their
art is a record of their history, their philosophy and religious practice.
• Saura art is traditionally made on the red or brown clay walls of the homes of the
villagers, with natural dyes made from rice, white stone, and flower and leaf extracts,
using a brush that is made from tender bamboo. The paintings are usually dedicated to
the deity of the Sauras, known as Idital, and are made during special occasions like
harvest, childbirth, marriage etc, during which they are also worshipped.
• The figures in Saura artworks are called icons or ikons and many of them are
recurring motifs and symbols, such as people, the tree of life, the sun and moon,
horses, and elephants, which all hold their own symbolism. Traditionally, it was only
priests who could make these wall-paintings. They would also explain their meanings
to the village-folk, passing on their tribal customs and culture in a unique oral
tradition.

The Saura figures are less angular than the Warli ones, where the human body is depicted by
two sharp triangles conjoined at the apex. The Saura forms are also larger and more elongated
than the ones seen in Warli art, with no physical differentiations between male and female
shapes.
Another distinct characteristic of Saura art is the ‘fishnet’ approach with which all the
artworks are made. Every Saura artwork begins with a carefully drawn border and then the
patterns close in on the centre to form the intricate compositions.

Saura Motifs on a Tussar Silk Saree,

Saura artists have started experimenting with newer mediums too, like acrylics and pen and
ink, on more mobile materials like canvas and paper. Another interesting development in
Saura art, and this is a trend seen in other Indian tribal artforms too, is the subtle entry of
modern elements in the imagery and subjects depicted. It is indeed a wonderful thing to look
at a primitive artform that remained unchanged for ages, and then notice a bus in the painting,
drawn in the style of the art, looking perfectly in place.

Saura Painting on Silk Depicting Buses

With its eye-catching imagery and cultural significance, Saura art is not just beautiful to look
at, it is also fascinating, as the voice of a tribe that is telling its own story in a way that is
honest and unique. One of India’s most intriguing tribal artforms, Saura is a treasure that adds
so much richness to the tapestry of India’s cultural diversity.
Dances & Music of Odisha

• The eastern Indian state of Odisha has a rich heritage of dance and music that is a
delight for all arts and culture lover. Odissi music is a classical style of music that
includes all the essential elements, such as talas and ragas, common to Carnatic and
Hindustani Music. Jaya deva was the first Odia poet to compose musical lyrics that
were meant to be sung and he also suggested the classical ragas existing during that
time in which the lyrics were to be sung.
• From the 16thCentury, musical treatises, named Natyam Manorama, Sangita Kalalata,
Gita Prakash and Sangitamava Chandrika, were written and compiled in the state. In
the 19thCentury, two treatises Sangita Narayana and Sangita Sarani were written.
Odissi Sangita is a combination of four classes of music Chitrakala, chitrapada,
Dhruva pada and Panchal. The main ragas in Odissi Sangita are Bhai Ravee, Baradi,
Dhanashri, Kalpana, Karnata, Nata, Panchama, Shree Gowda and Shokabaradi.
• Odisha is famous dance forms Odissi, Chau, Gotipua, Danda Nata, Sambalpuri,
Dalkhai, Chaitighoda, and Medha Nacha.Odissi is an Indian classical dance and
archaeological evidence shows that it is the oldest surviving dance form in the
country. As per literature from 200 BC, the history of Odissi dance dates to 2,000
years. Chau is a semi classical Indian dance with tribal, martial, and folk origins.
Gotipua dance is a folk dance that originated from Raghu Rajpur village in Puri
District.
• The Danda Nata is the most ancient folk dance in which devotees do penance by
piercing their skin or tongues with iron nails, standing on sharp-edged swords, and
walking on red hot charcoal. The Sambalpuri folk dance originated from the vibrant
Sambalpur district in which the performers sing Dalkhai to the beats of timkis, drums
and Nissans. Chaitighoda is a folk dance of fishermen in which a dancer inside a
horse costume gallop like a horse and is accompanied by two other characters the
Rautani and the Rauta. Medha Nacha is a folk dance in which a performer puts a
paper machie mask and dances to the beats of music in a procession. There are some
tribal dances such as Karma and Changu that are performed by Gonds, Binjahal,
Kharia, Oraon, Kisan, Kol and Juang tribes.
• Konark Festival, organized by Odisha Tourism from December 1-5, highlights Odissi
as well as other Indian classical dance performances. Muktheshwar Dance Festival,
usually organized from January 14-16, focuses only on Odissi dance and stages
various Odissi performances. Rajarani Music Festival, organized from January 18-20,
features Odissi and Hindustani music performances. Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav,
organized from February 6-8, features a combination of martial arts with classical and
folk dances. Konark Music and Dance Festival, organized from February 19-23,
features classical dance and music performances.
 VARIOUS DANCE FORMS OF ODISHA
CLASSICAL DANCE OF ODISHA- ODISSI

• Renowned as the most revered classical dance form in Odisha, Odissi Dance is a
typical dance form where religious and mythical stories and poems emoted by the
dancers through expressions, body movements, and gestures.
• Guru Pankaj Charan Das (1919-2003) was an Indian classical dancer, choreographer
and the Ādi Guru of Odissi dance. He is known as the 'Father of Odissi dance'.
• It celebrated around the world for its lyricism, sensuality and emphasis on bhakti
bhava (attitude of devotion and surrender).
• One of the first performances of Odissi dance on stage was presented by Laxmipriya,
choreographed in the mahari style by Pankaj Charan Das, with Kelucharan Mohapatra
accompanying as percussionist, for the opening of Ashwini Kumar Ghose’s play
Abhisheka in 1946.

FOLK DANCES OF ODISHA:

CHHAU DANCE : A traditional dance form in Odisha, which is used to enacts the episodes
from the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, is Chhau Dance. The indigenous dance
forms are integrated with martial arts to form this dance form.
CHAITI GHODA: Chaiti Ghoda dance, also known as the Horse Dance, is performed during
the festivities related to the fishing communities of Odisha. This interesting-to-watch dance
form is only performed by Kaibarta Caste.

DANDA NATA: One of the most popular folk dances of Odisha performed in the Ganjam
district is Danda Nata. In this form of dance, devotees undergo a penance to appease Lord
Shiva by physically touring their body.
Medha Nacha is another type of mask dance performed in the coastal districts of Odisha.
Oversized masks of kings, queens, and devils made by paper pulp are used by dancers to
perform this beautiful dance form in India.

CHANGU DANCE: Performed by all the regional tribes of Odisha, Changu Dance is a rural
variety of the tambourine. This dance is performed by women however men only sing songs
and groove with female dancers with simple steps.
KARMA DANCE: PERFORMED during the festival of Karma Puja by the people of Gond
and Oraon tribes, the tribal dance of Karma is presented in front of Karam Tree that
represents the God of Fate.

MUSIC SCAPE OF ODISHA:

Music is intertwined with the social fabric in Odisha. The dainty danseuse & musicians
depicted in the temple architecture are a testament of glorious musical traditions, whose
legacy is an essential element in our cultural heritage. Be it any function, activity or social
gathering, music is omnipresent. Diverse lifestyles and social customs have shaped the
musical scape of Odisha which is distinct yet soulful.
Tribal Music

The indigenous tribes of Odisha are the architects of the state’s vibrant culture. The echo of
their soulful music brightens up the hills and forests. Earthy lyrics and traditional instruments
are the distinctive hallmarks of the tribal music in Odisha.
Odissi Music

Modern day Odissi music owes a lot to great poet Jayadeva and his epoch-making lyrical
poem Gita Govinda. Ingredients of lyrical composition of Gita Govinda like raga (tune),
tala(beat) etc. were introduced in the temple music which in turn over a period came to be
known as Odissi music, as we know today. The intimate relationship between poetry and
music is the foundation on which Odissi music is based. Another important feature is the
lyrics – which is sung without fragmentation or distortion. All these ingredients combine to
give Odissi music its distinct identity.
Folk Music

Energetic beats, raw lyrics and feet tapping music are typical of the Folk Music of Odisha.
The lyrics draw inspiration from the incidents of day-to-day life and nature establishes a
strong connect with the listeners, which has in turn helped the folk music scene in Odisha to
evolve and survive the onslaught of modern music.

ODISSI MUSIC INSTRUMENTS:

 • Pakhawaj.
• Bansuri.
• Manjira.
• Sitar.
• Tanpura.

POETS:
The beginning of Odia poetry coincides with the development of Charyapada, the literature
thus started by Mahayana Buddhist poets Ashokan inscriptions at Dhauli hills near
Bhubaneswar (3rd Century B.C) supply specimens of Magadhi sub-dialect The language of
Charya was Prakrit.
Ancient Poetry: The first great poet of Odisha is the famous Sarala Das who wrote the
Mahabharata. Sarala Mahabharat has 152.000 verses compared to 100,000 in the Sanskrit
version of Mahabharata. It is, however, an established fact that Odia appeared as a separate
and independent language around the tenth and eleventh AD. with a standard Odia script.
In the 16th century, five poets known as Panchashakhas emerged. These are Balaram Das,
Ananta Das Jagannath Das, Achyutananada Das and Jasobanta Das. They believed in the
same school of thought, Ut Kaliya Vaishnavism. The Panchasakhas are very much
Vaishnavas by thought and preaching The Bhakti literature in Odia also flourished during
time.
LITERATURE:

Literature was developing under pattorn of local leaders and later with the arrival of British,
the first Oriya printing typeset was cast in 1836 by the Christian missionaries The first Oriya
Magazine of BodhoDayini was published in 1861 from Balasoreto promote Odia literature
and to draw attention to the lapses in government policy. Later the first Odia paper. The Utkal
Deepika published in 1866.

Modern Poetry
This started with British occupation of Orissa in 1803 AD. The western impact was felt in
every aspect of Odia literature. The Odia writers took interest in new genera like poetry,
fiction, essays, drama, etc. Traditional Odia poetry was replaced by elegy, ode, lyric, sonnet
etc
Fakir Mohan Senapati's considered the father of modern Odia literature. Fakir Mohan had a
unique style of his own, using colloquial Odia language replete with humour and satire.
These Literary creations remain unsurpassed even today. The foundation of modem Odia
short story was also laid by Fakir Mohan in late nineteenth century. His first short story was
Rebati published in 1898. He wrote scores of short stories covering the then Odia village life,
society, urban centers etc.

Other modern Odia literature during the late 19th and early 20th century periods were
Radhanath Ray. Madhusudan Rao and Gangadhar Meher. Currently "The
OdishaSahityaAkademi, the apex literary organization of the State of Odisha, was established
in the year 1957 by the Govt of Odisha. Education dept, with an autonomous status to work
actively for the development of Oriya literature and to set high literary standards, to foster
and coordinate literary registered in the year 1970 under the Society Registered Act of 1860.
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE:
• The main architectural features of Odisha temples are classified in three orders, i.e.,
rekhapida, pidhadeul and khakra.
• Most of the main temple sites are in ancient Kalinga—modern Puri District, including
Bhubaneswar or ancient Tribhuvan Svara, Puri and Konark. The temples of Odisha
constitute a distinct substyle within the nagara order.
• In general, here the shikhara, called duel in Odisha, is vertical until the top when it
suddenly curves sharply inwards. Duels are preceded by mandapas called
Jagamohana in Odisha.

• The ground plan of the main temple is always square, which, in the upper reaches of
its superstructure becomes circular in the crowning Masataka.
• The exterior of the temples is lavishly carved, their interiors quite bare.
• Odisha temples usually have boundary walls.
Shree Mandir (Lord Jagannath Temple)
The world-famous Jagannath temple is known in many names like Puri Dham, Srikshita, Sri
Mandira, Bada Deula, Sankha Kshetra, Nilachala Dham, Purshottama Khestra, Bhauma
Vaikuntha, Narashima-Kshetra etc. The temple of Jagannatha is one of the tallest monuments
in the entire. sub-continent of India and its height is about 214 feet from the ground level.
The temple is bounded by two compound walls, the outer one known as Meghnaad Prachita
& the inner one known as Kurma Prachira. The present temple was built in the 12th century
AD. The temple structure is full of excellent carvings and lovely pieces of sculpture and is a
fine specimen of Kalinga style of architecture.
Asta Sambhu Temple
Asta Sambhu temple is a small temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Tiadi Sahi of Puri.
In the local language Asta means Eight and Sambhu is another name of Lord Shiva. Asta
Sambhu temple houses a cluster of eight Shiva lingas made of precious stones. Each one of
them is of a different colour. Some are white while some are red and black. Thus, they are
very attractive to devotees. The Shivalinga appear different in colour when looked at from
different directions.
Temple of Narasimha
It is an ancient temple, with local stating that Lord Narasimha manifested here before Lord
Jagannath and His temple. There are two images of Lord Narasimha inside the temple, one
behind the other. The image in front is called Santa Narasimha. In the local language Santa
means Calm or Sober. Anyone who sees this image of Lord Narasimha will have his anger,
frustration and anxiety will vanish. The Deity in the back is called Ugra Narasimha. In the
local language Ugra means Angry. He is the internal mood of Narasimha.
Temple of Vimala
Goddess Vimala is regarded as the tantric consort of Lord Jagannath and is therefore believed
to be another form of Goddess Laxmi. It is believed that she guards the temple complex and
devotees should pay a visit to Goddess Vimala before seeking blessings of Lord Jagannath.
The Vimala Temple is one of the most Shakti Pithas.
Temple of Lakshmi
The Lakshmi temple is one of the most famous temples of Puri. It is situated very close to the
Jagannath temple. It is one of the busiest temples around the year. Lakshmi Temple plays a
very important role during Rath Yatra and the rituals of the main Gundicha temple. On the
fifth day of Rath Yatra, known as Hera Panchami, Goddess Lakshmi, in the form of Subarna
Mahalakshmi, is carried in a palanquin and priests carry her to Gundicha temple to meet her
Husband.
Mukti Mandap
Mukti Mandapa is a combination of two words Mukti and Mandapa. In Odia language Mukti
means salvation or freedom and Mandapa means platform, so Mukti Mandapa means
Platform for salvation or freedom. Mukti Mandapa is situated in front of Adi Nrusingha
temple and by the southern side of Lord Jagannath Temple of Puri. Madala Panji, the
chronicle of Jagannath Temple, mentions that it was built in the 15th century at the request of
queen Gauri Mahadevi, the consort of King Mansingh of Jaipur who was the commander-in-
chief of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
Kalpa Bata
There is a huge banyan tree in the inner enclosure which is called Kalpa Bata. It has been
described in the Puranas that when the entire earth sank underwater, this tree was there. It is
believed that if the devotee expresses his/her desire standing under the tree, the tree fulfils it.
The image of Sri Jagannath installed in a subsidiary shrine to the south of Kalpa Bata, the old
Banyan Tree of the Grand Temple is adored and worshiped as Bata Jagannath. The age-old
Banyan tree is worshiped in the Temple as Kalpa Bata. It is also known to devotees under the
names of Banchha Bata, Akhyaya Bata, Bedanasan Bata, Bansi Bata and so on.
Rohini Kunda
Rohini Kunda is one of the Pancha Tirthas of Puri. This place is located inside Lord
Jagannath temple and in front of Goddess Vimala temple. On the holy spot, there is a symbol
of Wheel and a Crow of four feet. The water of the origin of the creation is known as Karana
Water. This water is secretly stored in this Rohini Kunda. Another incident is also spoken by
people about Rohini Kunda. After constructing the temple of Lord Jagannath King
Indradyumna invited Brahma for its full-pledged stature. At that time King Galamadhava
possessed the temple and demanded that the temple belonged to him. On the presence of
Brahma, the dispute ended. Both the crow and the wheel witnessed on the side of King
Indradyumna and stayed there forever. King Galamadhava remained on the holy water and
prayed Lord Jagannath forever.
Temple Kitchen
Puri temple kitchen is considered as the largest and the biggest kitchen in the world. It is
situated south-east direction of the outer compound of Shree Mandir. The length of the
kitchen is 150 feet, breadth is 100 feet and height are about 20 feet. It consists of 32 rooms
with 250 earthen ovens within these. Around 600 cooks(Suaras) and 400 assistants serve here
every day for preparing Lord's food. There are three types of hearths in the kitchen of Shree
Mandir such as Anna Chuli, Ahia Chuli and Pitha Chuli.
Four types of cooking are prepared in the kitchen of Shree Mandir. Those are Bhimapaka,
Nalapaka, Souripaka and Gouripaka. The unique feature is that clay pots are placed in a
special earthen oven, five in numbers, one of the tops of another. Yet the one on the top is
cooked first.
Koili Baikuntha
It is situated near the north gate. Here Lord Krishna had appeared in the form of a Cuckoo
bird to Sri Radha and hence this place is known Koili Baikuntha. It is otherwise known as
Deba Nirbanabhumi. Here the Pandavas has buried the sapphire like the body of Lord
Krishna after his demise. There is an age-old Salmali creeper here. The woods for
Nabakalebara are kept hidden here.
Ananda Bazar
Ananda Bazar is the marketplace near the temple where you can purchase traditional
sweets(bhoga) and Maha prasad for lunch and dinner. You can sit and eat there also. From
history it comes to limelight that may be Ananda Bazar was facilitated from the 18 th century.
Snanabedi
Snana Bedi is the place where deities are taken for a bath. There is a bathing festival
celebrated in Puri, which is the first important festival in Hindu Calender for Jagannath
devotees. It is the birthday of Lord Jagannath. On the full moon day Snana Yatra festival has
been celebrated where all lords of Jagannath temple were taken for ceremonially bath and
decoration.

Gundicha Mandir
Gundicha temple is one of the most renowned temples in Puri. Being another sacred place of
Puri, this temple is the key segment of the well-known Rath Yatra festival of Puri.
Next to the Great Jagannath temple, the most important sanctuary of Lord Jagannath is the
Shree Gundicha temple, the abode to which Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are driven
each on his or her wooden car once in a year, during the car festival. Except for these few
days, it is unoccupied. The distance between the gates of Jagannath temple and the Gundicha
temple is exactly 2,688.0696 meters (8,327 feet). The Car Festival of Puri is also known as
Shree Gundicha Yatra.
Sun Temple

• At Konark, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, lie the ruins of the Surya or Sun
temple built in stone around 1240.
• The Sun temple is set on a high base, its walls covered in extensive, detailed
ornamental carving.
• These include twelve pairs of enormous wheels sculpted with spokes and hubs,
representing the chariot wheels of the Sun god who, in mythology, rides a chariot
driven by seven horses, sculpted here at the entrance staircase.
• Its shikhara was a colossal creation said to have reached 70m, which, proving too
heavy for its site, fell in the nineteenth century.
• The vast complex is within a quadrilateral precinct of which the Jagamohana or the
dance-pavillion (mandapa) has survived, which though no longer accessible is said to
be the largest enclosed space in Hindu architecture.
• On the southern wall is a massive sculpture of surya carved out of green stone.
Sri Loknath temple:

Sri Lokanath temple is one of the most important Shaiva shrines of Odisha. The temple is
situated near the Jagannath temple of Puri. As per local people this temple was established by
Lord Ramachandra. From the architectural point of view, the temple is not so important but
from the religious point of view, it occupies a critical position in the cultural history of
Odisha. The legend says that Lord Rama on his way to Lanka for searching Sita reached Puri.
At that time Sabras (a native of the village) presented him a Lau or Lauka(Pumpkin) looking
like a Siva Linga, Lord Rama installed that as the replica of Siva Linga at that place and
prayed Siva to fulfill his desire. From that day this Siva Linga was called Laukanatha. It is
believed that the word Lokanatha is a later innovation from the original word Laukanatha.

Alarnath Temple
Located in Brahmagiri, The Alarnath Temple is a revered shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu or
Lord Alaranth as he is known locally. The present temple is a 14th-century shrine attributed to
Rajputs from Alwar. The Rajputs settled in Western Odisha between 1300 AD & 1400 AD.
The name Alarnath is derived from Alwarnath. According to the legend, Lord Alarnath is the
form of Vishnu- carved out of black stone-as prescribed by the Lord himself to Brahma.

It is believed that those who cannot worship Lord Jagannath during his stay in the sick
chamber can get the blessings of the deity if they visit the Alarnath temple. This legend has
its roots in Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya claimed that he visualized the appearance of
Lord Jagannath in Lord Alarnath and spent a lengthy period of worshiping the deity here.

Sakhigopal Temple

One of the sacred tourist destinations of Odisha, Sakhigopal is a village of historical

importance which is situated 19 km. north of Puri. The name Sakhi Gopal means witness
Gopal (Srikrishna). The temple of Sakhigopal is 60 ft height & the image of Shri Krishna and
Radha is 5 ft & 4ft height, respectively. It is surrounded by Sasanas or Brahmins settlements
and is the center of trade of coconuts. Anla Navamee is the biggest festival of the center,
which attracts a large crowd every year to witness Radha Pada (feet of Goddess Radha
Ramachandi Temple

Ramachandi Temple is on a beautiful spot on the banks of the Kusabhadra River where it
flows into the Bay of Bengal. It is only 5 km away from Konark in the Puri District of
Odisha. Ramachandi is popularly believed the presiding deity of Konark and the most
benevolent Chandi known. It is certainly more ancient than the Sun temple at Konark. From
the architectural point of view, the temple of Ramachandi is not important but from the
religious point of view.

Wooden Sun Temple

Famously called as the wooden Konark, this wooden masterpiece of temple architecture is
dedicated to Biranchi Narayan – the Sun god. The temple was built by the Ghumusar King
Srikar Bhanja after he ascended the throne in 1790.
The temple is built like a chariot drawn by seven horses. The exquisite wood carvings and
paintings on the walls are the high points of the temple. One peculiar aspect of the temple is
that it is West facing unlike other sun temples which are east facing. The temple is designed
in such a way that the last ray of the sun falls on the temple.
Parashurameswar Temple

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Parsurameswar temple is one of the ancient Hindu temples of
Bhubaneswar city in Odisha. It is believed that the temple was constructed in around 650
ADS, in Nagara style. Tourists from all parts of the globe come to unravel the mystery behind
the temple.

Rajarani Temple

Rajarani Temple in Bhubaneswar boasts of distinctive charm. It was constructed in the 11 th

century from reddish and yellow sandstone called Rajarani in the local dialect. Also, the
shrine is famous amongst the natives as the Love Temple because of the erotic carvings of
couples and women in the sanctum sanctorum. The temple was initially known as Indreswara
temple devoted to the worship of Lord Shiva.
Lingaraj Temple

The Lingaraj Temple is an ancient temple situated in the city of Bhubaneswar and is the
largest one situated in the city. Dedicated to Lord Shiva as the name suggests, the temple was
built in the 7th century by King Jajati Keshari. It is highly revered because the Linga here,
which is the phallic form of Lord Shiva, is believed to have appeared naturally. It rises to a
massive height of 8 inches above the floor level and is about 8 feet in diameter as well.
Mukteswar Temple

Built-in the 10th century, Mukteswar temple belongs to the Somavamshi Dynasty and is
believed to be sculpted by Yayati-I. Mukteshvara Temple also appeared as a popular religious
tourist attraction in Odisha for its architecture which symbolizes the innovation in Kalinga
style of architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Vital Temple

Vaital Deula or Baitala Deuḷa is an ancient Hindu temple situated on the banks of Bindu
Sarovara in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Locally known as Tini Mundia Mandira, it is one of the
oldest temples in Bhubaneswar.
The Vaital Temple is an 8th century temple of the typical Khakara style of Kalinga School of
architecture. This is one of the rare temples in India that was used as a shrine devoted to the
tantric cult. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Chamundi, the tantric form of Goddess
Durga.

Ananta Basudeva Temple

Constructed in the 13th century, this Ananta Vasudeva temple Bhubaneswar is a perfect
platform for Lord Krishna, who is a well-known avatar of Lord Vishnu. A perfect dedicated
temple to Lord Krishna, Ananta Vasudeva temple is situated in Bhubaneshwar, in India. It
was constructed in the 13th century, which was built by Queen Chandrika. She was the queen
of the Eastern Ganga dynasty and was the first person to prompt and construct this temple.
ODISHA FILM INDUSTRY:
The Odia film industry, colloquially known as Ollywood, is the Odia language Film
industry based in Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack in Odisha, India. In 1974, the Government of
Odisha declared film making and construction of cinema theatres as an industry in the state,
and in 1976 it established the Odisha Film Development Corporation in Cuttack. Odisha has
a history of filmmaking, starting from 1936.
The first Odia film is Sita bibaha made by MOHAN SUNDAR DEB GOSWAMI in 1936.
Drawn from the Indian epic Ramayana, the story is about the marriage of Sita and Rama. The
film plot was made from a drama written by Kamapala Mishra. Prepared with a budget of
only Rs 30,000, the film has 14 song sequences. Despite it being the first Odia film with
several drawbacks in every section of its making, the two-hour-long movie generated great
enthusiasm among the people.
It was released in Laksmi Talkies, puri. The 12-reeled film had in its cast Makhanlal
Banerjee (Ram), who received only Rs 120 for his performance, Aditya Ballav Mohanty
(Lakhsman), who got only Rs 35 as conveyance allowance, and Parbati Devi (Sita), who was
paid the highest amount of Rs 150.
This was a landmark film of the Odia film Industry. The pace of Odia film production in the
first years was very slow. After Sita Bibaha, only two films were produced until 1951. A
joint consortium of property owners and businesspeople who collected funds after 1948
produced those two movies. The 1951 production Roles Two Eight was the first Odia film
with an English name. It was released 15 years after the first Odia film, Sita Bibaha. It was
the fourth Odia film produced by Ratikant Padhi.
The eleventh Odia film, Sri Lokanath, was directed by Prafulla Sengupta and received the
National Award in 1960. The same year, Prasanta Nanda won the National Film Award for
Best Feature Film in Odia for his debut film, Nua Bou. His name would always be
synonymous with the Odia film industry. He was present in Odia films since 1959, but he
became highly active only after 1976. Nanda was an actor, director, screenplay writer,
lyricist, and playback singer. Nanda won National Awards three times, in 1960, 1966 and
1969 for his acting in Nua Bou, Matir Manisha and Adina Megha.Mohammad Mohsin started
the revolution in the Odia film industry by not only securing the essence of the Odia culture
but also changing the way the film industry watched Odia movies.
Phoola Chandana was written by Ananda Sankar Das. He belongs to Cuttack. His movies
heralded the golden era of the Odia film industry by bringing in freshness to Odia movies.
His directorial debut was Phoola Chandana for which he won the Odisha State Film Award
for Best Director.
He had to his credit 16 box office successful movies in his directorial stint. He started as an
actor in character roles and gave household names like Raaka to Odisha. Amiya Ranjan
Patnaik, who started his career directing Mamata Mage Mula, changed the dimension of the
Odia film industry by producing big budget movies with multiple star casts, which was a new
trend at that time. He introduced many newcomers, musicians, technicians and singers from
Mumbai and Chennai.
He also produced the National Award-winning film Hakim Babu in 1985, directed by Pranab
Das. His film Pua Mora Kala Thakura, directed by Raju Mishra, was one of the biggest
successes in the Odia film industry, followed by Chaka Aakhi Sabu Dekhuchi and Asuchi Mo
Kalia Suna. He often collaborated with Raju Mishra, Akshaya Mohanty, Bijay Mohanty and
Uttam Mohanty.
He started the trend of producing trilingual films in the Odia film industry. Raja Rani,
Paradeshi Babu and Parimahal were made in Odia, Bengali and Bangladeshi. He made a
comeback as a director and made Tulasi Apa produced by his son Anupam Patnaik. Tulasi
Apa was a critical success within many international festivals. This was the first biopic of
Odisha based on Padmashree Tulasi Munda

Theatres:
The Odia theatre made up of a lot of variety. The range starts from puppetry i.e., Kundhei
Nata, Sakhi-kundhei Nata, Ravana Chhaya to balladry i.e., Daskathia, Pala, devotional ritual
i.e., Danda Nata, Bandi Nata, etc. Its diverse forms of Lila i.e., Yatra, Dhanu Yatra, Rahasa,
Bharat Lila, mythological presentations such as Prahlada Nataka, Suanga, masked dance-
drama i.e., Chhau and Desia Nata, folk dance i.e., Chaiti Ghoda Nata, and satire such as
Mughal Tamsha. Processionals like Sahi Yatra dedicated to Rama, as well as Ramlila, are
staged with much pomp and ceremony during Ram Navami.

The above categories often overlap. No simple classification is possible. However, all these
forms are fast receding owing to rapid urbanization and the traditional elements in them are
disappearing. Young audiences are no longer interested in them, though some dramatists now
reintroduce them to make their own work more colourful.
In 1872, students at the Catholic Mission School in Cuttack enacted an English play, by
Oliver Goldsmith. This was based on a temporary proscenium stage. It was well received by
the audience. But it took another three years for Odia drama to reach the proscenium proper.
The establishment of a permanent stage in 1875 by Jaga Mohan Lala in Mahanga village,
Cuttack district, gave birth to modern Oriya theatre. Lala also wrote the first Odia social
drama, Babaji i.e. 'The Holy Man'.
 Ramshankar Ray's first play, Kanchi-Kaveri, was presented in 1881 by an amateur group in
Cuttack. Other early dramatists included Kampal Mishra, Bhikari Charan Patnaik, and
Godavari Mishra. Gradually, interest for this kind of show grew among people, but Cuttack's
first purpose-built theatre, Basanti Pandal, arose only in 1910. Meanwhile, permanent stages
were erected by two feudal chiefs namely Bira Bikram Dev's Bikram Theatre at Khariar and
Padmanav Rangalay at Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district.

This was a raw beginning of the Odia theatre. Different Professional troupes had appeared
later. One was owned by Banamali Pati, doing plays by Aswini Kumar Ghose but mostly as
touring parties and without any permanent theatres.
This situation continued till the 1940s, when simultaneously two professional theatres came
up in Cuttack and a third in Puri. Kali Charan Patnaik, an eminent dramatist, already headed a
touring group that he converted into a company under a new name, Orissa Theatre, and
housed in a permanent building (1942) at Banka Bazar, Cuttack. Also sensing the changing
tastes of the time, he switched to social plays. Similarly, a musical-drama troupe owned by
Somnath Das turned into Annapurna Theatre, with branches in Puri and Cuttack. The
companies in Cuttack competed to win over audiences. Memorable plays like Girls' School in
1942, Chumban i.e., 'Kiss' in 1942, Bhata i.e., 'Rice' in 1944, and Mulia i.e., 'Labourer' in
1946 were the outcome of this competition.
 NOTABLE ACTORS NOTABLE ACTRESSES
Uttam Mohanty Anu Chowdhary
Siddhanta Mahapatra Aparajita Mohanty
Anubhav Mohanty Archita Sahu
Babushan Mohanty Naina Das
Aash Das Nayak Nandita Das
Samaresh Routray Prakruthi Mishra
Sritam Das Rachana Banerjee

Awards:
While veteran filmmakers Sabyasachi Mohapatra and Nilamadhab Panda jointly shared the
honour of the Best Odia Feature Film for Sala Budhara Badla and Kaliara Ataita respectively,
Ashutosh Pattanaik won the Best Arts and Culture Film award for Srikshetra-Ru-Sahijata, a
documentary.
Sri Lokanath is a 1960 Indian Odia-language film directed by Prafulla Sengupta, and based
on a story by Aswini Kumar Ghosh. This Indian socio-fantasy film won a National Film Award
in 1960, and was the 11th Odia film produced under Ruprang Pvt. Ltd. It was the first Odia
film to receive a National Award

“Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior” won the awards in the Best Actor, which went to Ajay
Devgan, and for the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment categories.
Devgan shared the Best Actor award with Suriya, who got the recognition for “Soorarai
Pottru”, which has been directed by Sudha Kongara.
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https://www.nuaodisha.com/list-of-odia-story-writers-poets-and-critics.aspx
https://mycitylinks.in/10-unique-dance-forms-of-odisha-which-are-spectacular-in-their-
distinctive-ways/
https://odfilm.org/
https://www.artisera.com/blogs/expressions/saura-art-the-story-of-an-ancient-indian-tribe-
through-their-captivating-art
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watch/
https://odishatourism.gov.in/content/tourism/en/discover/attractions/temples-monuments.html