India Travel

Orissa

Orissa has been a preferred destination from ancient days for people who have an interest in spirituality, religion, culture, art and natural beauty.Situated on the eastern coast along the Bay of Bengal, Orissa, not only stands for its ancient glory and modern Endeavour but is also endowed with nature's bounty including a 482 km stretch of coastline with virgin beaches, serpentine rivers & waterfalls and forest-clad blue hills of Eastern Ghats with rich wild life. Orissa is known for exquisite temples, historic monuments as well as art and architecture. Ancient and medieval architecture, pristine sea beaches, the classical and ethnic dance forms and a variety of festivals. Precious fragments of a glorious past come alive in the shape of stupas, rock-cut caves, Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves,  rock-edicts, excavated monasteries, viharas, chaityas and sacred relics in caskets and the Rock-edicts of Ashoka. Orissa is also famous for its well-preserved Hindu Temples, especially the Konark Sun Temple. Orrisa’s handicrafts, different dance forms, jungle products and their unique life style blended with their healing practices have got world wide attention. Orissa is the home for various tribal communities who have contributed uniquely to the multicultural and multilingual character of the state.

Tourism

Orissa will charm you with its gorgeous beaches, glorious temples and grand architecture. The age-old heritage of the tradition and the sleekness of the modern, Orissa is just awesome. Discover nature at its best with Orissa's captivating coastlines, vivid valleys of the Mahanadi, lush greenery, wonderful waterfalls, fabulous forestlands and more.

 

Weather

Orissa's climate is warm, with average December temperatures ranging from 16° to 28° C (61° to 82° F). In May the average temperatures range from 27° to 38° C (81° to 100° F). The state's average annual rainfall is about 1800 mm (about 70 in), with most rain falling in the north and over the Eastern Ghats.

 

Places of Tourist Interest

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.

Puri : Hilgiri, Niladri, Hilachal Purushottam, Sankhakshetra, Srikehetra, Jagannath Dham, Jagannath Puri, Puri is a place with many names over the centuries. Two great forces dominate puri: the sea (Bay of Bengal) and the great temple of Lord Jagannath. One of the four celebrated religious centers (Char Dhams) of India, Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath needs no introduction.

Sambalpur : is gateway to the exotic charms of the western region of Orissa was the cradle of an ancient civilization and is an important landmark in India's cultural history. Lying 321 km from Bhubaneswar, this ancient centre for the diamond trade is famous for its internationally renowned textiles (ikat), rich tribal heritage and fabulous forestlands. Samaleswari, the presiding deity of this region is enshrined at `Samalai Gudi' on the bank of Mahanadi river. The other temple of importance is the Budharaja Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva and is perched atop the Budharaja hill.

Bhubaneswar : Bhubaneswar "The Lord of the Universe" is also popularly known as the "Temple City of India" on account of its many temples in the extravagant Orissan style. Being the seat of Shiva or Tribhubaneswar "Lord of the Three worlds", from which the city derives its name, 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 thousand years.

Jeypore : The district of Koraput abounds in meadows, forests, waterfalls, terraced valleys and darting springs. This land of abundance is home to Orissa's vast tribal population. A real paradise for the nature-lover, Koraput offers an additional benefit to the visitor of first hand meeting with its ancient civilization.

Dhenkanal : It is the gateway to one of the most ancient forest covers of Orissa, which shelters the elephants, tigers and numerous species of birds and beasts. The broad plains of the river Bramhani were the dwelling place of early homo-sapiens who lived on the berries and wild fruits before the advent of rice on these heavily watered expanses. The surrounding Sal forests come ablaze with the changing seasons making this district headquarters town focal point of trips to beautiful interiors.

When to Go

The best period to visit Orissa is between October to March.

 

Interesting Fact

The world's oldest coins were discovered in Sonepur, in western Orissa. These priceless silver punch marked coins, now preserved in the Orissa State Museum, could be as old as 1000 BC.

Rasgolla, the sweet delicacy enjoyed all over India, originated from Puri, Orissa. It became popular in Kolkata in the nineteenth century and later became popular in the rest of the country.

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