Odisha or Orissa is located on the eastern coast of India is washed by the blue waters of Bay of Bengal. The state is bordered with Bihar in the north, West Bengal in the north-east, Andhra Pradesh in the south and Madhya Pradesh in the west. In ancient times it is known as Kalinga. Established on 1st April 1936 it is the ninth largest states of India by area and eleventh largest by the population. Odia is the official and most widely spoken language of Orissa. Some other languages like Sambalpuri/ Kosali is also spoken in most parts of western Orissa. The state has about 480 Km long coastline and but lacks good ports. Mahanadi, Brahmani and Vaitarani along with there tributaries provide the state with rich alluvial tracts. Orissa is a home to the Hirakund Dam, the longest earthen dam in the world. Over 62 distinct tribal groups live in Orissa, each of them have their own culture and tradition which make them unique. The main tribal groups of Orissa include Kondh, Bondas, Juangs, Parajas, Koyas etc. Orissa has vast mineral, marine and forest resources for setting up of large and small scale industries. It has several popular tourist destinations. Sun temple of Konark, Jagannath Temple at Puri, The Lingaraja Temple of Bhubaneshwar , Barabati Fort of Cuttack are few among them. It is a must visit destination on the map of India due to its diversity.
Tourist attractions of Orissa:
Orissa is an enchanting land of sea, sand and religious sites. The natural splendor of this land along with affluent culture and heritage makes it a worth visiting destination. There are innumerable destinations in Orissa. Some of the worth visiting destinations are as below:
Jagannath Temple
Sun Temple
Bhubaneshwar
Ratnagiri
Chilka Lake
Treasures of Orissa:
Jagannath Temple at Puri and Sun Temple at Konark are the treasures of this land due to their marvelous architecture and are revered by the Hindu Pilgrims from across the globe.
How to Reach Orissa
By Air: Bhubaneshwar is the capital of the state and is the most convenient point for reaching Orissa. Regular flights fly at the only major airport of the city namely Biju Patnaik Airport. Major public and private airlines connects Orissa to some of the major cities of the country like Delhi, Calcutta, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Vishakhapatanam and Raipur.
By Rail: The state has a good network of trains that connects it to the major parts of the country like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Tirupati, Bhubaneshwar, Trivandrum by various express and super express trains that ply on regular basis.
By Road: Orissa is well connected to its neighboring states through a good road network. Bhubaneswar is located on the National Highway that connects it to Kolkata and Chennai. This extensive network of roads makes it easily accessible from any part of the country.
Best time to visit Orissa: The state has something to offer in every month. But the peak season to visit Orissa is from October to March when the weather is very pleasant.
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Chandigarh |
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