ORISSA 
Orissa is an attractive treasure house of cultures and customs, religions and traditions, languages and literature, art and architecture, scenic beauties and wildlife. Situated on the eastern coast along the Bay of Bengal , Orissa stands for its ancient glory and modern Endeavour. The state once formed a part of Kalinga kingdom which is best known in ancient history for its brave resistance against the invasion of the Mauryan King Ashoka in the 3rd century B.C., who ultimately conquered it . That the emperor turned to Buddhism and peace after witnessing the bloodshed in this war is well known. This also formed the turning point in the history of Orissa giving a boost to art and architecture in the ancient kingdom. The state rose to prominence as a kingdom under Kharavela, a great conqueror and patron of Jainism, in the second half of the 1st century B.C. Other great rulers were the kings of the Kesari dynasty and the Eastern Ganga dynasty who were also great builders.
The rock-cut caves of Khandagiri and Udaygiri and the inscriptions recording Kharavela's short but eventful reign during the first century B.C. constitute the second phase of the evolution in Orissan art. The Naga and Yaksha images found in places around Bhubaneswar belong to the post-Kharavela era. The fortification of Sisupalgarh near Bhubaneswar is yet another monument of ancient Orissa.
Orissa is also known for exquisite handicrafts. Silver filigree work of Cuttack , horn work of Cuttack and Parlakhemundi and the famous appliqué work of Pipili deserve special mention. Pattachitra, a form of folk painting of Orissa, is a unique craft. Brass and bell metal ware, particularly vases and candle stands, are beautiful and long lasting. The black stone bowls and plates of Nilagiri and Khiching and multi-coloured stone statues are other attractions. Silk and cotton handloom products, especially saris are simply bewitching. The Sambalpuri saris and Maniabandhi patas are matchless in their texture and designs.
LOCATION
Orissa is one of the States of India.It is located between the parallels of 17.49'N and 22.34'N latitudes and meridians of 81.27'E and 87.29'E longitudes. It is bounded by the Bay of Bengal on the east; Madhya Pradesh on the west and Andhra Pradesh on the south. It has a coast line of about 450 kms. It extends over an area of 155,707 square kms. Accounting about 4.87 of the total area of India . According to the 1991 census, it has a total population of 31,512,070 (3.73 percent of the total population of India ) out of which about 16,237,000 are male and 15,275,070 are female.
TRIBES OF ORISSA
Orissa has one of the largest concentrations of tribal population in the whole country (22.13 per cent according to the 1991 census). In concrete figure they number around 7 million. Tribal communities differ from all others in many respects, their distinctive features being clan organization and territorial exogamy, classes social structure, youth dormitory, colourful rituals and folk art, music and dance. The 62 tribes in Orissa wary in their size, degree of acculturation and economic patterns. While the Kondhs numbering around nine lakh are numerically the largest in the state, the Santals are among the three largest and advanced tribes in the country. The major tribes living in Orissa are the Santab, Oraons, Gonds and Kondhs. Although many of the Adivasi tribes are found in other parts of the country, the Juangs, Gbhuyans, Saoras, Bondas and Bathudis are exclusive to Orissa. The tribal Communities are in various stages of economic and social development starting with the least developed Bondas and ending with the comparatively advanced Santals, the spectrum covering seminomadic to semiurban conditions. While a few tribes like the Lanjia Saoras and Kutia Kodhs are entirely primitive, the Santals have a high degree of acculturation.
TOURIST ATTRACTION OF ORISSA
BHUBANESWAR
Bhubaneswar , the capital of Orissa, is also popularly known as the "Temple City of India". Being the seat of Tribhubaneswar or 'Lord Lingaraj', Bhubaneswar is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. Hundreds of temples dot the landscape of the Old Town , which once boasted of more than 2000 temples. Bhubaneswar is the place where temple building activities of Orissan style flowered from its very inception to its fullest culmination extending over a period of over one thousand years.
CHILIKA
Just south of Puri, the sea mixes in with the 1100 sq.km inland Chilika Lake to create the largest brackish water lake in Asia . These shallow waters enclose an immense area of marshes, lowlands, and islands. There are more than 160 varieties of fish, and, in the winter season (from November through March), the area is home to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds as well.
PURI
One of the four celebrated religious centers of India , Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath needs no introduction. According to tradition Puri was once a thickly wooded hill inhabited by the Sabaras (Pre-Aryan and Pre-Dravidian tribes of the Austric linguistic family). The sunny beach at Puri is one of the finest in the world. Watching the sunrise in a symphony of colours is a wonderful experience.
KONARK
The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. The poet Rabindranath Tagore said of Konark that 'here the language of stone surpasses the language of man', and it is true that the experience of Konark is impossible to translate into words.
SIMLIPAL
It's covering a vast are of 2750 sq. km out of which 303 sq. km from the core area, thick biosphere reserve is a sanctuary and one of the Tiger Projects and National parks of India . With wide range of rain falls and edaphic variations, range from dry deciduous to moist green forests, it is suitable to different species of flora and fauna. About 1076 species of mammals, 29 types of reptiles and 231 species of birds are the proud possession of this plateau.
BHITARAKANIKA
Bhitarakanika is a natural habitat of a lot of wild creatures like Crocodiles, King Cobra, Pythons, Wild Pigs, Rhesus Monkey, Sambars, Spotted Deer etc. There. is a Crocodile Breeding Farm at Dangmal. The pride possession of this Farm is the White Crocodile Sankhua, a rare species in the World.
GOPAL PUR ON SEA
Hardly 16 km from Berhampur, the club of Southern Orissa, is the tiny town of Gopalpur on the Bay of Bengal . Enjoying the reputation of being a popular Beach Resort of Orissa, the deep and clear blue waters instantly provoke those who are good swimmers. This is a perfect beach, fairly isolated, and undisturbed by day-trippers. This place is good for both sailing and surfing. White surf splashing on the golden sands makes Gopalpur-on-Sea as one of the finest beaches on the eastern coast. A fascinating haunt for avid beach combers and sea worshippers, it is a splendid retreat.
FESTIVALS OF ORISSA
There is no better evidence for this religio-spiritual yearning in its popular form than the string of festivals that is spread over the year. As has been said earlier, Orissa is a confluence of the Aryan, Dravidian and Adivasi cultures all of which by the quest of the numinous.
Dola Purnima (Holi) , Chandan Yatra , Snana Yatra ,Car Festival (Ratha Yatra) , Konark Dance Festival , Puri Beach Festival , Bali Yatra , Dhanu Yatra
ACCESSABILITY OF ORISSA
Air
Indian Airlines connect Bhubaneswar with Mumbai, Calcutta , Delhi , Hyderabad , Nagpur , Varanasi , Raipur and Visakhapatnam .
Rail
Bhubaneswar is directly connected by rail with Calcutta , Puri, Chennai, Delhi , Mumbai, Bangalore , Guwahati, Hyderabad , Tirupati, Thiruvananthapuram.
Road
Bhubaneswar is situated on the national highway No. 5 that runs between Calcutta and Chennai. It is 480 kms from Calcutta , 130 kms from Chilka Lake (Barkul), 32 kms from Cuttack , 184 kms from Gopalpur-on-Sea, 64 kms from Konark, 1225 kms from Chennai, 62 kms from Puri.
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