Orissa is the undiscovered India. Orissa is the place where Lord Jagannatha abodes. Many people come from far and near just to attend the fervent festival-Rath Yatra, popularly known as Car Festival in the west and proceed to home. But this undiscovered destination of India has lot many places to sight see. It has beaches, yet it is different from Goa. It has thousands of Temples to see, yet it is different Tamil Naidu. It has peaceful and rural beauty to admire, yet it is very much different from Himachal Pradesh. The undiscovered destination of India- Orissa attracts pilgrims all over the world during the festive seasons, still it remains untouched by them. Let's explore the state of Orissa.
Orissa is the ninth largest state of India located on the east coast of India. Till recent past it was untouched by the foreign travelers. But with the development of the State, many hotels and resorts have come up to promote tourism in Orissa. Apart from being a Pilgrimage State, Orissa has historical significance too. The famous Kalinga War which led the great emperor Ashoka to embrace the teachings of Buddha and non-violence was fought in Orissa.
Orissa has several tourist destinations which include Puri, the home to Jagannatha Temple, Konark famous for its Sun Temple, Bhubaneswar, the city of Temples and many more.
Attractions of Orissa:
Temples in Orissa: Orissa is known as a City of Temples. Bhubaneswar, the city of Temples is located in Orissa itself. Jagannath Temple, Kornak , Lingaraj Temple are world famous Pilgrimage sites.
Beaches in Orissa: Orissa is located on the coastline of Bay of Bengal. There are a number of worth seeing beaches in Orissa, though located in the same state, yet are very different from each other. Some of these are Puri Beach, Gopalpur Beach, Baleswar Beach, Balighai Beach, Chandipur Beach, Konark Beach, Pradeep Beach, etc. Each beach has something special which makes it unique from others. For example, Puri beach apart from being an important tourist spot in Orissa is a pilgrimage center too where one can enjoy the sightseeing of countless pilgrims performing their rituals of taking purification dips. Not only this at Puri beach you can enjoy your stay in resorts like Toshali Sands where you can experience the life in cottages with all luxurious facilities along with the traditions of Orissa.
Waterfalls in Orissa: Orissa is a home to various waterfalls which mesmerize the tourists. Khandadhar Falls, Putudi Falls, Harishankar Falls, Duduma Falls, Khanduala Falls, Phurli Jharan Falls, etc are a few of those fabulous falls. These waterfalls are must see tourist spots in Orissa.
Chilika Lake: Chilika is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia. It is located in one of the oldest cities of Orissa, Cuttak and is a famous tourist spot for fishing, bird watching and boating.
Wildlife in Orissa: Orissa is a home to some rare breeds of animals like white tigers. A wildlife tour in Orissa around the Nandan Kanon National Park, Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary, Simlipal national Park etc gives the opportunity to see black panthers, gharials, crocodiles, amphibians, 86 species of mammals, tigers, leopards, elephants, deers, Chameleons, mangoose, etc.
Art of Orissa: Orissa is world famous for its Sand art, applique work, brass work, silver work, terracotta art objects and handloom items. There are very rare tourists coming to Orissa who do not take along with them the articles of Patta Chitra-paintings on cloth.
Culture of Orissa: Like the other states of Indian, Orissa is also rich in culture. Dances of Orissa are just breathtaking. Odissi, Gotipua, Sambalpuri, Chhau are different kinds of dances. Odissi dance is about the love of
Lord Krishana and his beloved Radha. Chhau is atribal dance. Gotipua literally means single boy. In this particular type of dance you will find reflection of Yoga. Even the Odissi music which is more than 2500 years old wins the hearts of tourists.
Cuisine of Orissa: Rasgolla, one of the most popular Indian deserts considered as a Bengali sweet dish, is an Oriyan invention. Seven the traditional sweet dish of India 'kheer' , rice-pudding originated in Orissa. Located on the coastline of Bay of Bengal, Orissa offers a variety of sea food.
Fairs and Festivals of Orissa: Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival), Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja, Konark Dance Festival, Bali Yatra, Dahanu Yatra, Laxmi Puja are the festivals celebrated with great enthusiasm. Fairs like Makaramela, Tara Tarini Mela are celebrated with great pomp and show.
