Wedged
between West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, Orissa lies on
the eastern coast of India with the waters of the Bay of
Bengal swirling along its eastern and southeastern
boundaries. With an area of about 1,55,707 square
kilometers, the state offers diverse habitats from lush
green and hilly terrain to coastal plains and rolling
river valleys, crises-crossed by the Brahmani, the
Mahanadi and the Bansadhara rivers. In its long history
spanning several centuries, the region of modern Orissa
is today one of the most popular with tourists. Orissa, situated
in the north-eastern part of the Indian peninsula, is
bound by the Bay of Bengal on the east, West Bengal in
the north east, Bihar on the north, Madhya Pradesh on
the west and Andhra Pradesh on the south. The state
extends between the latitudes 17°49' North and 22°34"
North and longitudes 81°29' East and 87°29' East.
Area
Religion
Capital
Languages
Best time to visit
1,55,707 sq km
Hinduism (94.66), Others
5.34%)
Bhubaneswar
Oriya, English
October to
March
Bhubaneswar-the state capital with its
over a hundred temples-provides an ideal introduction to
the rich cultural heritage of the state of Orissa.
Visits to the Lingaraja Temple and the Rajarani Temple
(11th century AD) are a must. Those interested in
ancient temple architecture may visit the temples of
Laxmaneswar, Satrughaneswar and Bharateswar (6th century
AD), Parasurameswar and Swarnajaleswar (7th century AD),
Vaital Deul (8th century AD), Brahmeswar (11th century
AD) and Ananta Vasudeva (13th century AD)
While
in Bhubaneswar, the Orissa State Museum, Tribal Research
Museum and Handicrafts House should also be on the
visitors' lists.
Nearby excursions (8 km) to the
Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves belonging to the 1st-2nd
century BC, to Dhauli (8 km) with the Buddhist Peace
Pagoda constructed in 1972 and the Zoo and Botanical
Gardens at Nandan Kanan (120 km) cater to a variety of
interests.
One of the four religious centres in
India, Puri in Orissa is famous for its Jagannath
Temple. Other temples of interest here are the Gundicha,
Lokanath and Tota Gopinath and tanks like Sweta Ganga
and indradyumna.
Puri, a popular beach resort is
of special attraction for visitors fond of swimming in
the sea. Excursions to Balighai (8 km), a picnic spot
and Satyabadi (20 km) with its shrine dedicated to Lord
Sakshigopal are recommended.
With its famous Sun
Temple, Konark is the high point of a visit to the
Golden Triangle of Orissa. The temple, built in the 13th
century and now in ruins, is replete with stone
sculptures. The temple is one of the unrivalled
technical marvels of ancient India.
