Odisha is a state in Eastern India. It used to be known as Orissa, but the the name was officially changed in November 2011.
Odisha,formerly Orissa is one of the 29 states of India, located in the eastern coast. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the north-east, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and north-west, and Andhra Pradesh to the south. Odisha has 485 kilometres (301 mi) of coastline along the Bay of Bengal on its east, from Balasore to Malkangiri.
It is the 9th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. It is also the 3rd most populous state of India in terms of tribal population. Odia formerly known as Oriya is the official and most widely spoken language, spoken by 33.2 million according to the 2001 Census.
The ancient kingdom of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in 261 BCE resulting in the Kalinga War, coincides with the borders of modern-day Odisha.The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India, and consisted predominantly of Odia-speaking regions.
April 1 is celebrated as Odisha Day.The region is also known as Utkala and is mentioned in India's national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.Cuttack was made the capital of the region by Anantavarman Chodaganga in c. 1135,after which the city was used as the capital by many rulers, through the British era until 1948. Thereafter, Bhubaneswar became the capital of Odisha.
The term Odisha is derived from the ancient Prakrit word Odda Visaya also Udra Bibhasha or Odra Bibhasha as in the Tirumalai inscription of Rajendra Chola I, which is dated to 1025. Sarala Das, who translated the Mahabharata into the Odia language in the 15th century, calls the region Odra Rashtra and Odisha. The inscriptions of Kapilendra Deva of the Gajapati Kingdom (1435–67) on the walls of temples in Puri call the region Odisha or Odisha Rajya.
The name of the state was changed from Orissa to Odisha, and the name of its language from Oriya to Odia, in 2011, by the passage of the Orissa Alteration of Name Bill, 2010 and the Constitution 113th Amendment Bill, 2010 in the Parliament. After a brief debate, the lower house, Lok Sabha, passed the bill and amendment on 9 November 2010. On 24 March 2011, Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, also passed the bill and the amendment.
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 km2, which is 4.87% 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. The plains are rich in fertile silt deposited by the six major rivers flowing into the Bay of Bengal: Subarnarekha, Budhabalanga, Baitarani, Brahmani, Mahanadi and Rushikulya.The Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI), a Food and Agriculture Organization-recognised rice gene bank and research institute, is situated on the banks of Mahanadi in Cuttack.
Three-quarters of the state is covered in mountain ranges. Deep and broad valleys have been made in them by rivers. These valleys have fertile soil and are densely populated. Odisha also has plateaus and rolling uplands, which have lower elevation than the plateaus. The highest point in the state is Deomali at 1672 metres. The other high peaks are: Sinkaram (1620 m), Golikoda (1617 m), and Yendrika (1582 metres).
The state experiences four meteorological seasons: winter (January to February), pre-monsoon season (March to May), south-west monsoon season (June to September) and north east monsoon season (October–December). However, locally the year is divided into six traditional seasons (or rutus): Basanta (spring), Grishma (summer), Barsha (rainy season), Sharad (autumn), Hemant (winter), and Shishir (cool season).
According to a Forest Survey of India report released in 2012, Odisha has 48,903 km2 of forests which cover 31.41% of the state's total area. The forests are classified into: dense forest (7,060 km2), medium dense forest (21,366 km2), open forest or forest without closed canopy; 20,477 km2 and scrub forest (4,734 km2). The state also has bamboo forests (10,518 km2) and mangroves (221 km2). The state is losing its forests to timber smuggling, mining, industrialisation and grazing. There have been attempts at conservation and reforestation.
Due to the climate and good rainfall, Odisha's evergreen and moist forests are suitable habitats for wild orchids. Around 130 species have been reported from the state. 97 of them are found in Mayurbhanj district alone. The Orchid House of Nandakanan Biological Park hosts some of these species.[
Simlipal National Park is a protected wildlife area and tiger reserve spread over 2750 km2 of the northern part of Mayurbhanj district. It has 1078 species of plants, including 94 orchids. The sal tree is the primary tree species there. The park has 55 mammals, including barking deer, Bengal tiger, common langur, four-horned antelope, Indian bison, Indian elephant, Indian giant squirrel, Indian leopard, jungle cat, sambar deer, and wild boar.
There are 304 species of birds in the park, such as the common hill myna, grey hornbill, Indian pied hornbill and Malabar pied hornbill. It also has 60 species of reptiles, notable among which are the king cobra and tricarinate hill turtle. There is also a mugger crocodile breeding program in nearby Ramtirtha. The Chandaka Elephant Sanctuary is a 190 km2 protected area near the capital city, Bhubaneswar. However, urban expansion and over-grazing have reduced the forests and are driving herds of elephants to migration.
In 2002, there were about 80 elephants. But by 2012, their numbers had been reduced to 20. Many of the animals have migrated toward the Barbara reserve forest, Chilika, Nayagarh district, and Athagad. Some elephants have died in conflicts with villagers, while some have died during migration from being electrocuted by power lines or hit by trains. Outside the protected area, they are killed by poachers.Besides elephants, the sanctuary also has Indian leopards, jungle cats and chitals.
The Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara District covers 650 km2, of which 150 km2 are mangroves. The Gahiramatha beach in Bhitarkanika is the world's largest nesting site for olive ridley sea turtles.Other major nesting grounds for the turtle in the state are Rushikulya, in Ganjam district, and the mouth of the Devi river.The Bhitarkanika sanctuary is also noted for its large population of salt-water crocodiles.
In winter, the sanctuary is also visited by migratory birds. Among the species of birds spotted in the sanctuary are the black-crowned night heron, darter, grey heron, Indian cormorant, Oriental white ibis, purple heron, and sarus crane. The possibly endangered horseshoe crab is also found in this region.
Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon on the east coast of Odisha with an area of 1105 km2. It is connected to the Bay of Bengal by a 35-km-long narrow channel and is a part of the Mahanadi delta. In the dry season, the tides bring in salt water. In the rainy season, the rivers falling into the lagoon decrease its salinity.Birds from places like the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, other parts of Russia, Central Asia, South-East Asia, Ladakh and the Himalayas migrate to the lagoon in winter.
Among the birds spotted there are Eurasian wigeon, pintail, bar-headed goose, greylag goose, flamingo, mallard and Goliath heron.The lagoon also has a small population of the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins.The state's coastal region has also had sightings of finless porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, humpback dolphin and spinner dolphin in its waters.
Odisha is experiencing steady economic growth. The impressive growth in gross domestic product of the state has been reported by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Odisha's growth rate is above the national average.The central Government's Urban Development Ministry has recently announced the names of 20 cities selected to be developed as smart cities.
The state capital Bhubaneswar is the first city in the list of smart Cities released in January 2016, a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The announcement also marked with sanction of Rs 50,802 crore over the five years for development.
Odisha has abundant natural resources and a large coastline. Odisha has emerged as the most preferred destination for overseas investors with investment proposals.It contains a fifth of India's coal, a quarter of its iron ore, a third of its bauxite reserves and most of the chromite. Rourkela Steel Plant was the first integrated steel plant in the public sector in India, built with collaboration of Germany.
Arcelor-Mittal has also announced plans to invest in another mega steel project amounting to $10 billion. Russian major Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Company (MMK) plans to set up a 10 MT steel plant in Odisha, too. Bandhabahal is a major area of open cast coal mines in Odisha. The state is attracting an unprecedented amount of investment in aluminium, coal-based power plants, petrochemicals, and information technology as well.
In power generation, Reliance Power (Anil Ambani Group) is putting up the world's largest power plant with an investment of US $13 billion at Hirma in Jharsuguda district.
In the year 2009 Odisha was the second top domestic investment destination with Gujarat first and Andhra Pradesh in third place according to an analysis of ASSOCHAM Investment Meter (AIM) study on corporate investments. Odisha's share was 12.6 percent in total investment in the country. It received investment proposal worth ₹. 2,00,846 crore during the last year. Steel and power were among the sectors which attracted maximum investments in the state.
Flood and cyclone are the major hurdles in Odisha's development as the important districts are situated near to the Bay of Bengal. In the five-year period between 2004 and 2005 and 2008–09, Odisha's GDP has grown by a stunning 8.74% way beyond the definition of 7% growth. It should be noted that the all-India growth during this period was 8.49%. In this period, Odisha was the fourth fastest growing state, just behind Gujarat, Bihar, Uttarakhand.
Odisha has a network of roads, railways, airports and seaports. Bhubaneswar is well connected by air, rail and road with the rest of India. Some highways are getting expanded to four lanes.Plans for metro rail connecting Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack, a journey of 30 km, have also started.
Odisha has a total of 17 airstrips and 16 helipads.The Government of Odisha have announced to develop an airport at Jharsuguda, making it a full-fledged domestic airport. Five greenfield airports were also to be upgraded at Angul, Dhamra, Kalinganagar, Paradip and Rayagada in an effort to boost intra-State and inter-State civil aviation. Existing aerodromes at Barbil, Gopalpur, Jharsuguda and Rourkela were also to be upgraded. Air Odisha, is Odisha's sole air charter company based in Bhubaneswar.
Angul - Savitri Jindal Airport
Bhawanipatna - Utkela Airstrip
Bhubaneswar - Biju Patnaik International Airport
Brahmapur - Berhampur Airport
Cuttack - Charbatia Air Base
Jeypore - Jeypore Airport
Jharsuguda - Jharsuguda Airport
Rourkela - Rourkela Airport
Sambalpur - Hirakud Airstr
Sea ports in the long seacoast of odisha:
- Port of Dhamara
- Port of Gopalpur
- Port of Paradip
- Port of Subarnarekha
- Port of Astarang
- Port of Chandipur
Major cities of Odisha are well connected to all the major cities of India by direct daily trains and weekly trains. Most of the railway network in Odisha lies under the jurisdiction of the East Coast Railway (ECoR) with headquarters at Bhubaneswar and some parts under South Eastern Railway and South East Central Railway.
According to the 2011 census of India, the total population of Odisha is 41,947,358, of which 21,201,678 (50.54%) are male and 20,745,680 (49.46%) are female, or 978 females per 1000 males. This represents a 13.97% increase over the population in 2001. The population density is 269 per km2.
The dominant ethnic group is the Odia people, and Odia is the official language; it is spoken as a native language by 81.8% of the population.Linguistic minorities in the state are Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Telugu, Ho, Santali. Some of the important tribes are Ho, Santhal, Bonda, Munda, Oraon, Kandha, Mahali and Kora.
The literacy rate is 73%, with 82% of males and 64% of females being literate, according to the 2011 census.
The proportion of people living below the poverty line in 1999–2000 was 47.15% which is nearly double the Indian average of 26.10%.
Data of 1996–2001 showed the life expectancy in the state was 61.64 years, higher than the national value of years. The state has a birth rate of 23.2 per 1,000 people per year, a death rate of 9.1 per 1,000 people per year, an infant mortality rate of 65 per 1000 live birth and a maternal mortality rate of 358 per 1,000,000 live births. Odisha has a Human Development Index of 0.442 as of 2011.
Religions in Odisha
- Hinduism (93.63%)
- Christianity (2.76%)
- Islam (2.17%)
- Sarnaism (1.14%)
- Sikhism (1.05%)
- Buddhism (0.03%)
- Jainism (0.02%)
Over 94% of people in the state of Odisha are Hindu and there is also a rich cultural heritage in the state. For example, Odisha is home to several Hindu figures. Sant Bhima Bhoi was a leader of the Mahima sect movement. Sarala Das, a Hindu Khandayat, was the translator of the epic Mahabharata in Odia. Chaitanya Das was a Buddhistic-Vaishnava and writer of the Nirguna Mahatmya. Jayadeva was the author of the Gita Govinda.
The Odisha Temple Authorisation Act of 1948 empowered the Government of Odisha to have Hindu temples open for all Hindus including the Harijans.
Perhaps the oldest scripture of Odisha is the Madala Panji from the Puri Temple believed from 1042 AD. Famous Hindu Odia scripture includes the 16th-century Bhagabata of Jagannatha Dasa. In the modern times Madhusudan Rao was a major Odia writer, who was a Brahmo Samajist and shaped modern Odia literature at the start of the 20th century.
Christians in Odisha account for about 2.8% of the population while Odia Muslims account for 2.2% as per census figures of 2001. The Sikh, Buddhist and Jain communities together account for 0.1% of the population Large sections of the indigenous tribes follow Sarnaism, their indigenous natural religion.
The people of Odisha have been very appreciative of science and technology. The Kalinga Prize has been instituted by them under the visionary leadership of Biju Patnaik since 1952. Kalinga Foundation Trust is currently responsible for this award. The award is given under is UNESCO for popularising of science and technology among common people. It is observed that approximately 25 people who got the Kalinga Prize later won the Nobel Prize.
Odisha has a culinary tradition spanning centuries. The kitchen of the 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.
The syrupy dessert Pahala rasgulla made in Odisha is known throughout the world. Chhenapoda is another major Odisha sweet cuisine, which originated in Nayagarh.
Odissi or Orissi 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, Mahari dance, and Gotipua.
The Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar has a 150-foot (46 m) high deula while the Jagannath Temple, Puri is about 200 feet (61 m) high and dominates the skyline. Only a portion of the Konark Sun Temple, the largest of the temples of the "Holy Golden Triangle" exists today, and it is still staggering in size. It stands out as a masterpiece in Odisha architecture.
Sarala Temple, regarded as one of the most spiritually elevated expressions of Shaktism is in Jagatsinghpur district. It is also one of the holiest places in Odisha & a major tourist attraction. Maa tarini temple situated in Kendujhar district is also a famous pilgrimage destination. Every day thousands of coconuts are given to Maa Tarini by devotees for fulfilling their wishes.
Odisha's varying topography from the wooded Eastern Ghats to the fertile river basin – has proven ideal for evolution of compact and unique ecosystems. This creates treasure troves of flora and fauna that are inviting to many migratory species of birds and reptiles. Bhitarkanika National Park is famous for its second largest mangrove ecosystem. The bird sanctuary in Chilika Lake,Asia's largest brackish water lake and the tiger reserve and waterfalls in Simlipal National Park are integral parts eco-tourism in Odisha, arranged by Odisha Tourism.
Daringbadi, known as Kashmir of Odisha, is a hill station in the Kandhamal district of Odisha. Chandipur, a calm and serene site, is mostly unexplored by tourists. The unique specialty of this beach is the ebb tides that recede up to 4km and tend to disappear rhythmically.
The share of foreign tourists’ arrival in the State is below one percent of total foreign tourist arrivals at all India level.
Regions of Odisha
- Coastal Odisha
- West Odisha
- South Odisha
- Central Odisha
Cities Of Odisha
Angul— The centre and industrial hub,also called Aluminium city.
Bhubaneswar — state capital and transportation hub
Rourkela — One of the cities of Odisha, also known as Steel City of Odisha
Brahmapur (previously Berhampore) — also known as The Silk City
Cuttack — the old capital of Odisha; also known as Silver City
Koraput - eco-center of orissa
Paradip — the port city
Puri — famous for Jagganath temple and vibrant beach, and the most popular tourist destination in the state
Sambalpur — the biggest city in western Odisha
Daringbadi — the Kashmir of Odisha, in kandhamal district
Balasore — the old city of Odisha,Chandipur beach ,Panchu Lingeswar & Khirochora gopinath temple etc.
Attractions
Bhitarkanika National Park - Mangrove Wetland Park
Chilka Lake - One of the biggest Wetlands Areas in the world, and a migratory bird hotspot. Also home to Sea turtles and Dolphins
Daringbadi - Darjeeling of Odisha. This is a very scenic place.
Pipli - World Wide Famous for its art and craft
Simlipal National Park - A massive wild life sanctuary in Northern Orissa. Home to tigers and elephants
Konark - The main attraction of the place is the Konark Sun Temple decalared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It has extensive stone carvings on the walls, many of them highly erotic. Though, the temple is under ruin due to heavy erosion its magnificence is still reflected in its architects.
Odisha borders on the Bay of Bengal. The eastern part, close to the sea is more prosperous, with a lot of tourist locations and religious places. The western part is a hilly and forested area, generally drought prone. It is a predominantly tribal belt. However, the western part of the state contains enormous volumes of iron ore and other minerals that promises to herald a major industrialisation of the state.
It is a culturally rich state. The Bhubaneswar-Puri-Konark golden triangle is the pride of the state.
Traditionally, Odisha descended from the historical kingdom of Kalinga. The script for the Odia (Oriya) language derives from the Kalinga script which is one of the descendants of the Brahmi script.
Odia or Oriya is the local language and Hindi is also spoken here. Many people understand English.
There are regular trains from Delhi, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
There is a airport in the heart of the city of Bhubaneswar with flights operated by all the major public and private airlines. It is well connected to other major destinations like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru (Bangalore),Hydrabad, Visakhapatanam, Portblair.
Recently Indian Central Government has allowed the Bhubaneswar Biju Patnaik Airport, an international airport status. By Mid-2013 International flights such as Fly Dubai, Air Asia, Silk Air and Air Arabia have evinced interest to introduce international flights from the Bhubaneswar Biju Patnaik Airport (BBPA) to various destinations in the world.
Taxis or hired cars are available in important cities and towns.
Private rickshaws cost less than regular taxis but you will have to squash up with whoever else gets inside.
Bhubaneswar is known as the Temple City, sea beaches of Puri,Gopalpur, geographical specialties like Chilka Lake, and wild life. Shimilipal National Forest is a paradise for nature lovers. Daringbadi is worth a visit.
Odisha is well-known for handicrafts. Sambalpuri and Kataki sarees in handspun cotton and silk or tussar, have traditional Hindu and Buddhist designs on them. There is filigree work in silver that you will find in Cuttack. You will also find fine tribal work in brass and other metal-wire. Pattachitra is traditional painting on palm-leaf or raw silk.
A typical meal in Orissa consists of a main course and dessert. Typically breads roti and paratta are served as the main course for breakfast, whereas rice is eaten with lentils during lunch and dinner."Dalma" is a special cuisine of Odisha, made of dal & vegetables in very hygienic conditions.The breakfast consists of chuda (poha, flattened rice) and mudhi (muri, puffed rice). Chuda can be eaten either fried or with curd, banana and sugar called as Chudaa Dahi.
Mudhi is a famous snack in north Orissa. Different pitha also form a part of the breakfast menu. The main course in lunch includes one or more curries, vegetables and pickles. Given the fondness for sweet foods, the dessert course may include generous portions of more than a single item. Oriya desserts are made from a variety of ingredients, with milk, chhenna (a form of cottage cheese), coconut, rice, and wheat flour being the most common.
Eat the rasagullas from the dhabas or the little snack stores set in freeways, it comes in yellow, white and brown color and are very delicious. Taste chena pod, another traditional sweetmeat from Orissa. If you enjoy spicy food and are used to Indian cuisine, you can try out the local Oriya cuisine made from seafood like fish, tiger prawns and crab curry prepared with exotic spices. Its a food hot spot.
Green coconut. Hard drinks are available in most towns. And never forget to drink the sugarcane juice. Its awesome in Odisha.
There are several good hotels in Bhubaneswar, such as Trident Hilton, Hotel Mayfair, and Hotel Swosti Plaza. You can also get decent accommodation at the [OTDC] hotels all over the state in tourist locations. In the smaller towns, try and stay in the Forest Bungalows or Inspection Bungalows, mostly run for government officials on tour, but provided to others when vacant.
The area is infested with mosquitoes and so carry mosquito repellent creams, mosquito repellent coils and take the doctor's advice, in advance, about anti-malarial medicines.
Its also not advisable to venture out late in the night in deserted places and sea beaches. Its better to have a local tourist guide with you for company.
The people of Odisha are known for their hospitality. It is largely peaceful,to date, there has never been any large scale violence on communal grounds, and the society is very tolerant and accepting towards other cultures. However the state, for reasons historical, economic and political, has remained isolated from the country's mainstream and hence has not been able to take in it's stride the tremendous progress the Indian people have achieved in all spheres, including those in the social sphere.
The people, especially in the tribal western belt, remain extremely simple in their way of living, and are mostly unaware of the mannerisms of the urban world.
There are cyber cafes in most of the important tourist cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri. It will not be difficult to find one. Per hour rate is also as low as Rs. 10/Hour or even less. Terms are subject to change.
Tourism Observer
No comments:
Post a Comment