Orissa - Kalinga or Utkal of ancient times is an experience that is as sublime as it is aesthetically innervating. Shrouded in mystery for decades it has slowly started unveiling its secrets to the outside world. Temples and sanctuaries, beaches and waterfalls, hot springs and glorious lakes, wildlife that is visually fascinating, crafts that are colorful and vibrant and numerous festivals that take a 'Juggernaut' like momentum... Orissa has them all and much more.

Orissa is India's link to her own antiquity. It is Orissa that synthesizes India's ancient past with a pulsating present in a manner that is as fundamental as it is dynamic. In her very isolation, Orissa has preserved some of the most important aspects of India's own cultural heritage.

Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism have flourished with equal ease in this land, which pays homage to its ancient deities in extravagant style. From the religious architectural wonders of the golden triangle of Bhubaneswar-Puri-Konark to the mysteries of the ancient tantric temples and Yogini shrines that intrigue even the most placid visitor. the immense Buddhist monastic complex is still unlocking its mysteries, while 500 Hindu temples crowd around Bindusagar tank alone in Bhubaneswar.

Orissa's arts and crafts offer visitors an indelible experience of its cultural heritage, brilliantly manifested in its ‘Ikat’ silks, ‘Patta paintings’ or ‘Pattachitra’, silver filigree, stone carvings and appliqué work. the artists village at Pipili and Raghurajpur bring alive old traditions into a colorful and flamboyant rich fusion.

Searing the skyline, the temple spire is a symbol of Orissa's artistic vision, unhampered by things that appear mundane. It is a symbol of Kalinga's ancient culture, making a vibrant point to dynamic present. For Orissa, her wondrous past is an integral component of her contemporary times, and in this lies her spiraling inspiration and her continuing fascination, for millions who seek her ancient secrets.

History of Orissa

The History of Orissa spans over 3,500 years. The word Oriya is an anglicized version of Odia which itself is a modern name for the Odra or Udra tribes that inhabited the central belt of modern Orissa. Orissa has been the inhabited by the Kalinga, Utkal and Kosal tribes and references to the ancient Kalingas appears in the writings of Vedic chroniclers. Tribal customs and traditions played a significant role in shaping political structures and cultural practices right up to the 15th century before Brahminical influences took over the tribal traditions.

In 260 B.C. Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, defeated the King of Kalinga. But the bloody battle fought on the banks of river Devi which had turned red with the blood of the soldiers, filled Asoka with remorse and he renounced war and violence forever. Soon he embraced Budddhism, the path of peace, compassion and non-violence. Some of the Ashokan edicts are found at Dhauli, near Bhubaneswar. The next significant king of Kalinga was Kharavela. Under Kharavela Orissa attained new heights in art, culture trade and commerce. Buddhism also flourished under his rule.

The coming of the Kesari and Ganga Kings marks the culmination of Orissa art and culture. It was during their reign that the famous golden triangle of Orissan temples of Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark was created. After continued Muslim incursions in 1568 Orissa's last Hindu ruler was over-thrown by a Muslim general and finally Orissa was annexed by Akbar in 1592. The Muslim invaders destroyed hundreds of Hindu and Jain temples. In 1803 Orissa British took possession of Orissa. When India became independent, 26 princely state were merged into modern state of Orissa.

Geography of Orissa

Cradled between the sunlit waters of bay of Bengal and the heavily forested blue hued hills of the eastern ghats in the eastern coast of India Orissa's beauty has a gem like reflection dazzling the visitor with her beguiling charm. Its deep forested lands are a home to a varied wildlife. It has a 482 km of coastline where sea-turtles including the Olive riddle turtles seek refuge to breed in security, while Chilika, Asia's largest brackish water lake is a home to thousands of migratory birds. Three mighty rivers, the Mahanadi, the Brahmani and the Bansadhara carve out deep valleys in the verdant countryside, while gushing waterfalls, hundreds of feet high, splash down mountain sides in sanctuaries and forest lands. The state of Orissa is situated between the geographical coordinates of 81.27'E and 87.29'East longitude and 17.49'N and 22.34'North latitude. The state occupies an approximate area of 155,707 square kilometers.

The people of Orissa

Orissa stands as a coastal corridor between the northern and southern India. Therefore an assimilation of the races and cultures has taken place here over centuries, which has enriched the culture of the state.

People of Orissa, have still retained India's earliest civilization in its pristine form by keeping their traditional values still alive. It is very much present in the atmosphere and one can really feel the touch of tradition everywhere. A sensitive person who happens to be a prisoner of the modern society with its stress and strain will not, while in a typical Oriya village, fail to mark the relationship of its common people with God, nature and their fellow men.

The antiquity of Orissa is endorsed by her ancient people who continue to inhabit their traditional dwelling places in remote areas in the deep forests and hilly interiors. Orissa has the largest collection of tribal people in a single state with a staggering 62 different tribal groups. Santals, Mundas, Gonds, Bondos, Bhuyans, Koyas, Parajas and Saoras are some of the names of the tribes. Each of these tribal groups have their own indigenous custom and continue to practice it even today. Most of the tribal habitats are concentrated around the eastern ghat area of Mayurbhanja, Koraput and Sundergarh. The tribal economy is based on activities around the jungle. The Saora tribe is the most ancient and are expert hunters and climbers. The Bondos are extremely independent and aggressive and continue to follow barter system. The Gonds are warrior caste who have travelled the vast tracts of central and south India. The Oraon tribes are more progressive. An Oraon marriage partner can contest for a divorce on the grounds of not only adultery, but also for bad temper and laziness.

Arts and Crafts of Orissa

Orissa is a place where every house is an art factory by itself. Oriya people are art-freaks by nature and they revere all forms of art be it visual or otherwise. Veneration of art and craft is profoundly entrenched in Socio-religious structure of Lord Jagannath land. The art and craft technologies date back over several thousand years can be seen as a part of daily life of people of Orissa. Instead of being merely decorative reminders of another age, the handicrafts of Orissa are gloriously alive matching with modern tastes and yet retaining all the essential traditional links with a checkered past. You can visit the arts and crafts pages to learn about the arts and crafts of Orissa.

The Temples of Orissa

The numerous shrines and temples dotted all over the state speaks starkly of the role of religion in Orissa's architecture, sculptures, metal crafts, textiles and the entire gamut of everyday life as it were. From the splendid ruins of Sun temple at Konark to the highly sanctified environs of Jagannath temple at Puri, the impact of religious intensity is stunning beyond belief. the temple architecture of Orissa spans a period of 7th to the 13th Century A.D.

The indigenous core of Kalinga school of architecture rests on two essential structures - the Deaula of the conical convex spire ending in a lotus shaped form; and the Jagamohan or the porch structure. the inner sanctum lies at the base of the Deula, while numerous other halls, of offering, of dance, bathing platforms and other lesser shrines can be incorporated in the enclosed compound of the temple.

The Dances of Orissa

Ancient cultures of Orissa have the most expressive forms of music and dance. These two highly evolved art forms have manifested themselves in some of the most evocative and celebrated performances from not only the professional classical exponent but also from various tribal and folk groups in Orissa.

Odissi Dance

Odissi is the classical dance form that originated in the temples sometimes during 8th and 11th century AD, which today has become highly stylized and elegant form of dance. It is a poetic form of dance with a "sculpturesque" style that depicts a great harmony of line and movement. "Devdasis" or temple dancers played an important part in the temple ritual and were required to perform from early evening to the bedtime of Lord Jagannath, the temple deity of Puri. Jayadeva's "Geeta-Govinda", the bible of an Odissi dancer, written in the 12th century, has great influence on the arts of Orissa. The annual Konark Dance festival held with the magnificent Sun temple as the backdrop is one of the most superb expositions of this graceful temple dance.

Chhow dance

A favorite dance of the Mayurbhanja district, Chhow has traces of tribal, folk and classical dances appears to be a rendition of non-verbal theatre, with the legs and body moving flexibly to convey themes drawn from Ramayan and Mahabharat, the great Indian epics. A favorite theme of Chhow is Krishna and Gopis.

Many other dance styles are found in every corners of Orissa. Animal mask dance, Changu Dance, Chaiti Ghoda Dance, Danda Nata Dance, Dasakathia Dance, Dalkhai Dance, Dhanu Jatra Dance, Ghanta Patua, Ghoomra Dance, Jhoomar Dance, Karma Dance, Kela Keluni Dance, Kedu Dance, Krishna Leela, Medha Nacha, Naga Dance, Patua Jatra Dance, Pala Dance, Paika Nrutya Dance, Ram Leela, Ranappa Dance, Samprada Dance and different forms of Tribal Dances.

Cuisine of Orissa

The rich and verdant land brings forth vegetables that are lush and fruits that brim over with beneficial properties and therefore form a large part of Orissan diet. Rice is the major food crop. 'Pancha-phutana' a mixture of cumin, mustard, fennel, fenugreek and black cumin is used for seasoning vegetables and dals. Besides rice and vegetables, what is rich and plentiful is the diverse selection of seafood, with crabs and lobsters steeped in the ever present ingredient of Orissan cuisine - Curd and Coconut milk.

Small cakes or 'Pitha', which are both sweet and savory are extremely popular in Orissa. Many of Orissan sweet dishes are quite popular all over the country. Milk preparations like Rasgulla, Rasmalai, Khirmohan, Rasabali, Kalakand are just fabulous, once tasted- then it's just irresistible. Chhenapoda pitha, the caramelized custard-like dessert is popular not only with the locals but also with the tourists.

Another traditional must is tasting of the 'Mahaprasad' or the sacred food offered as a 'Bhoga' to Lord Jagannath. the temple kitchen is believed to be the largest kitchen in the world. Nearly 400 highly efficient cooks work around 200 fireplaces daily to feed over 10,000 people every day.

Fairs and Festivals of Orissa

Cross cultural influences have played a vital role in bringing to Orissa some of the most colorful celebrations of the cycle of life and death, seasonal cycles, religious and social mores and countless other facets of everyday life. And in one of India's most ancient cultures, the fairs and festivals are a celebration of life itself in all its infinite variety.

Enamored with temples across its landscape, Orissa hosts a number of temple festivals especially related to Lord Jagannath at Puri including the world famous Rath Yatra or the Car Festival. Since Orissa is also constitutes of many tribal communities especially in its south-western districts, the festivals in Orissa also include tribal festivals and fairs that are sometimes intriguing, sometimes bewildering but always entertaining. Some of the tribal festivals include Chaita Parva and Joranda mela.

Festivals in Orissa are however not restricted to temples and tribal festivals but are also concerned with celebrating the cycle of life with all its joys and sorrows. To showcase the varied folk tradition and cultural heritage of Orissa, there are several special festivals being organized in Orissa such as the Puri Beach Festival and Konark Festival.

Festivals in Orissa also include religious festivals that are unique to Orissa (Raja, Kumar Purnima, Bali Jatra) and the ones that are celebrated at the national level (Durga Puja, Maha Shiv Ratri, Dusherra, Diwali etc).