Odisha : The Best Kept Secret of India

Odisha is unique in many different ways

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Dr. Manoj Mishra, ITC( IATA/UFTAA)

                                lunarsecstasy@gmail.com

Odisha is located between latitudes 17.78°N and 22.73°N and longitudes 81.37°E to 87.53°E. The state covers an area of ​​155,707 sq. km, which is 4.87% of the total area of ​​India and its coastline is 480 km long.

There are many possible reasons for calling Odisha unique and different.

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• The state of Odisha is like a bridge between the north and south of India and therefore represents a Pan India cultural diversity.

• There are about 62 types of tribes living in the state , having a lot of cultural diversities( including food ,drink, clothing, fairs and festivals and many other cultural diversities)

• It is a peace-loving state where people are very hospitable.

• It is a state where the population of a handful of cities is over 500,000.

• Urbanization has not yet contaminated the quiet attractions of its villages and towns.

• Whether it’s an environmental tourism lover or an ancient art lover or a tribal public life lover, Odisha has something in its bosom for everyone. It seems as if God has never shown stepmother’s attitude while delivering natural attractions in the Odisha’s lap.

• Bhubaneswar, the capital of the state, is better known as the ancient temple cladded city of India  (over 3,000-year-old) .

•  Bhubaneswar’s unique identity is that its unbroken history of Kalinga temple architecture is still preserved in its lap.

• Apart from the good weather that reigns throughout the year, Odisha is all the more interesting.

• Virgin and exotic 480 km long sunrise coastline.

•  Tropical Forest (39.31% of the total area of ​​the state).

•  Chilika( spread over an area of 1100 sq.km) is the largest brackish water lake in Asia.

•  A variety of delicious local dishes( peculiar to that particular locality) are offered to the tourists

• Deomali of Odisha is the highest peak in the Eastern Ghat Mountains.

• The forepart of an elephant hewn out of a monolithic rock at Dhauli near Bhubaneswar, is the first rockcut sculpture of India. Rockcut edicts of King Ashok are found in the lower portion of the same monolithic rock. The date goes back to 261 BC. For details https://lunarsecstacy.com/2023/04/07/rock-cut-inscriptions-dhauli-vs-udayagiri/
• It was because of the conversion of King Ashok from Chandashok to Dharmashok after the great bloodshed Kalinga war on the foothills of Dhauli , Buddhism could become a world religion.
• The Baragada area in western Odisha becomes the largest open air theatre (spreading over 5 km radius ) of the world during Dhanu yatra (10 days).
• The sight of the 22 km gorge on the river Mahanadi ( Satakshia)  is one of the most fabulous vistas of river and forest anywhere in the world. For details: https://lunarsecstacy.com/2021/07/15/the-roaring-and-trumpeting-satkosia-invites-you/
• Gharials and white tigers were bred in captivity in Nandankanan ( WLS near Bhubaneswar)  for the first time in the world.
• Gahirmatha is the only one Marine Olive Ridley  Turtle sanctuary in India . That is world’s largest rookery of sea turtles. For details https://lunarsecstacy.com/2021/04/27/olive-ridley-turtles-return-to-the-same-beach-for-egg-laying-where-once-they-were-born/

*  Odisha is home to:

– 2098 elephants
– 1850 saltwater crocodiles(~70% of India’s saltwater crocs)
– 257 muggers
– 14 gharials
– 27 tigers
– 743 dolphins
– 3.01 lakh Olive Ridley turtles came for nesting in last season
– 15.92 lakh migratory birds

Some of the same attractions known by different names

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• Sixty-four Yogini Shrine        a) Hirapur, Bhubaneshwar

                  b) Ranipur Jharial         

                                      Titilagarh

• Ashoka’s Rock Edicts 

  •  Dhauli near Bhubaneswar  

  • Jaugad near Berhampur

• Cluster of hotsprings   

  • Deulajhari near Athamallik

  • Bhapur near Tarabalo, Nayagarh

• Single hot spring 

  •  Atri near  Khordha

  •  Taptapani near Digapahandi

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• The Rath yatra is being held in

  • Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra ( June – July) 

  • held at Bhubaneshwar ,Lord Lingaraj’s Rukuna RathYatra  (March – April)

  • Another Rath yatra of Biraja  Thakurani of Jajpur is held during Dashahara.                          

•   The Leaning marvels 

  • Leaning temple at  Huma near Sambalpur

  •  The Leaning trees near Chakapad Phulbani            

Known by the same name but different attractions

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• Udayagiri

 a)Near Khandagiri : Jain rockcut caves

 b) Near Ratnagiri: Buddhist monument

• Ushakothi 

a) Sambalpur district: Wildlife Sanctuary

b) Sundergarh district. : The place of ancient ruins

• Joranda 

a) Dhenkanal District: Mahima Dharma Peetha

b) Mayurbhanj District: Waterfall

Same name, same attraction but different location

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• Khandadhar: Sundargarh and Kendujhar districts: both Waterfalls

• Sana / Bada Ghagra: Kendujhar District: Both waterfalls

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