Ek Bharat

Shreshtha Bharat
ABOUT EK BHARAT SHRESHTHA BHARAT

Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme aims to enhance

interaction & promote mutual understanding between people of
different states/UTs through the concept of state/UT pairing. The
states carry out activities to promote a sustained and structured
cultural connect in the areas of language learning, culture,
traditions & music, tourism & cuisine, sports and sharing of best
practices, etc
 Odisha
Odisha, also known as Orissa, is a state located on the eastern coast of India. It is the
8th largest state in terms of area and the 11th largest in terms of population. Here are
some key points about Odisha:
• Capital: Bhubaneswar is the capital and largest city of Odisha. It is known as the
"Temple City of India" due to its numerous ancient temples, including the famous
Lingaraja Temple.
• Language: The primary language spoken in Odisha is Odia. It is recognized as an
official language of the state.
• Culture and Heritage: Odisha has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its
classical dance form called Odissi. The state is also famous for its handicrafts,
including intricate stone and wood carvings, silver filigree work, and Pattachitra
(traditional cloth-based scroll painting).
• Tourism: Odisha offers a diverse range of tourist attractions. The state is home to
several beautiful beaches, such as Puri Beach and Chandipur Beach. The Sun Temple
in Konark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a major tourist attraction. The Chilika
Lake, Asia's largest brackish water lagoon, is also located in Odisha.
Geography of odisha
• Odisha lies between the latitudes 17.780N and 22.730N, and between
longitudes 81.37E and 87.53E. The state has an area of 155,707 km , which is 4.87%
2

of total area of India, and a coastline of 450 km.

• In the eastern part of the state lies the coastal plain. It extends from
the Subarnarekha River in the north to the Rushikulya River in the south. The
lake Chilika is part of the coastal plains.
• Odisha has several plateaus, including the Western Odisha Plateau and the
Koraput Plateau. These regions have an undulating terrain with valleys and
hills. They are known for their scenic beauty and are often covered with
forests.
Culture
• Odisha has a culinary tradition spanning centuries. The kitchen of the Shri
Jagannath Temple, Puri is reputed to be the largest in the world, with 1,000 chefs,
working around 752 wood-burning clay hearths called chulas, to feed over 10,000
people each day
• Odissi dance and music are classical art forms. Odissi is the oldest surviving dance
form in India on the basis of archaeological evidence.Odissi has a long, unbroken
tradition of 2,000 years, and finds mention in the Natyashastra of Bharatamuni,
possibly written c. 200 BC. However, the dance form nearly became extinct during
the British period, only to be revived after India's independence by a few gurus.
• The variety of dances includes Ghumura dance, Chhau dance, Jhumair, Mahari
dance, Dalkhai, Dhemsa and Gotipua.
Languages • Odia is the official language of
Odisha[ and is spoken by
81.32% of the population
according to the 2011 census of
India.
• It is also one of the classical
languages of India
• The standard language is
based on the Cuttacki dialect.
In addition to Odia, significant
population of people
speaking other major Indian
languages
like Hindi, Telugu, Urdu and 
Bengali are also found in the
state, mainly in cities.
 Punjab
• Punjab is a state in northern India. Forming part of

the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent,

the state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal

Pradesh to the north and northeast, Haryana to the

south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest;

by the Indian union territories of Chandigarh to the

east and Jammu and Kashmir to the north. It shares

an international border with Punjab, a province of

Pakistan to the west.

 Geography of Punjab
• Punjab is in northwestern India and has a total area of 50,362 square kilometres
(19,445 sq mi). Punjab is bordered by Pakistan's Punjab province on the west, Jammu and
Kashmir on the north, Himachal Pradesh on the northeast
and Haryana and Rajasthan on the south.Most of Punjab lies in a fertile, alluvial plain
with perennial rivers and an extensive irrigation canal system.
• The geography and subtropical latitudinal location of Punjab lead to large variations in
temperature from month to month. Even though only limited regions experience temperatures
below 0 °C (32 °F), ground frost is commonly found in the majority of Punjab during the winter
season. The temperature rises gradually with high humidity and overcast skies. However, the rise
in temperature is steep when the sky is clear and humidity is low.

• The fauna of the area is rich, with 396 types of birds, 214 kinds of Lepidoptera, 55 varieties
of fish, 20 types of reptiles, and 19 kinds of mammals. The state of Punjab has large
wetland areas, bird sanctuaries that house numerous species of birds, and many
zoological parks. 
Culture
• The culture of Punjab has many elements including music such as bhangra, an
extensive religious and non-religious dance tradition, a long history of poetry in the

Punjabi language, a significant Punjabi film industry that dates back to before

Partition, a vast range of cuisine, which has become widely popular abroad, and a

number of seasonal and harvest festivals such as Lohri.

• Punjabis celebrate a number of festivals, which have taken a semi-secular meaning

and are regarded as cultural festivals by people of all religions. Some of the festivals
 Language
• Punjabi ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Gurmukhi), Punjabi, sometimes spelled Panjabi, is
an Indo-Aryan language of the Punjab region of Pakistan and India.
It has approximately 113 million native speakers.
• Punjabi is the most widely-spoken first language in Pakistan, with 80.5 million
native speakers as per the 2017 census, and the 11th most widely-spoken in India,
with 31.1 million native speakers, as per the 2011 census. The language is spoken
among a significant overseas diaspora, particularly in Canada, the United
Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and the Gulf states.
• In Pakistan, Punjabi is written using the Shahmukhi alphabet, based
on the Perso-Arabic script; in India, it is written using the Gurmukhi
alphabet, based on the Indic scripts. Punjabi is unusual among the
Indo-Aryan languages and the broader Indo-European language
family in its usage of lexical tone.
Conclusion
With its warm and welcoming people, Odisha and punjab
offers a blend of tradition, history, and modernity. Whether you
are a culture enthusiast, nature lover, or adventure seeker,
Odisha and Punjab has something for everyone.
In summary, Odisha and punjab is a treasure trove of cultural,
historical, and natural wonders that leave a lasting impression
on anyone who visits. It is a state that showcases the vibrant
tapestry of India's rich heritage and offers a truly unforgettable
experience.