General Facts about Odisha

Political Map Of Odisha

              Odisha

Odisha (/əˈdɪsə/; formerly rendered Orissa /ɒˈrɪsə/ [oˑɽisaˑ]) is one of the 29 states of India, located in the east of India. It is surrounded by the states of West Bengal to the north-east, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west and north-west,Telangana to the south-west and Andhra Pradesh to the south. Odisha has 485 km of coastline along the Bay of Bengal on its east, from Balasore to Ganjam. It is the 9th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. Oriya (officially spelled Odia) 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 bloody Kalinga War, coincides with the modern day Odisha. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April 1936, as a province in British India and consisted predominantly of Oriya speaking regions. Therefore, 1 April is celebrated as Utkala Dibasa(foundation day of Odisha). 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 when Bhubaneswar replaced it as the capital.

                  

Geography

Odisha lies between the latitudes 17.780 and 22.730, and between longitudes 81.37 E and 87.53E. The state has an area of 155,707 km², which is 4.87% of total area of India, and a coast line of 450 km.

         

Biodiversity

Vanda tessellata, one of the orchids found in Odisha^[47]

A Bengal Tiger at theNandankanan Zoological Park

Irrawaddy dolphins can be found in Chilika

According 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 have classified into: dense forest (7,060 km²), medium dense forest (21,366 km²), open forest (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, industrialization 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 here. The park has 55 mammals like: Bengal tiger,Indian elephant, Indian leopard, sambar deer, barking deer, Indian bison, jungle cat, wild boar, four-horned antelope, Indian giant squirreland common langur. There are 304 species of birds in the park, some of them are: Common hill myna, Grey hornbill, Indian pied hornbill and Malabar pied hornbill. It has also has 60 species of reptiles, notable among them are: 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, the urban expansion and over grazing has reduced the forests and is drive herds of elephants to migration. In 2002, there are about 80 elephants. But by 2012, there 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 electrocuted by power lines or hit by trains. Outside the protected area, they are killed by poachers. Besides elephants, it also has Indian leopards, jungle cats and cheetals.

The Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary in Kendrapara district covers 650 km², of which 150 km² are mangroves. The Gahirmatha 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 Devi river mouth. The Bhitarkanika sanctuary also is noted for large population of salt-water crocodiles. In winter, sanctuary is also visited by migratory birds. Among the species of birds spotted in the sanctuary, some are: Sarus crane, Purple heron, Black-crowned night heron, Grey heron, Oriental white ibis, Indian cormorant and Darter. The endangered Horseshoe crabs are also found in this region.

Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon on east coast 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 dry season, the tides bring in salt water. In rainy season, the rivers falling into the lagoon decrease the salinity. Birds from places like Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, parts of Russia, Central Asia and South-East Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas migrate to the lagoon in winter. Among the birds spotted there, some are: Eurasian wigeon, Pintail, Bar-headed goose, Greylag goose, Flamingo, Mallard and Goliath heron. The lagoon also has a small population of the endangered Irrawady dolphins. The state's coastal region also has had sightings of Finless porpoise, Bottlenose dolphin, Humpback dolphin and Spinner dolphin in its waters.

Administrative units[

There are 30 districts in Odisha — Angul, Balangir, Balasore, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Boudh, Cuttack, Debagarh, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Jharsuguda,Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khordha, Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Nabarangpur, Nayagarh, Nuapada, Puri, Rayagada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur,Sundargarh.

These 30 districts have been placed under three different revenue divisions for smoothing the governance. The divisions are North, South and Central, with their headquarters at Sambalpur, Berhampur and Cuttack respectively. Each division consists of 10 districts. Its administrative head is the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC). The position of the RDC in the administrative hierarchy is that between that of the district administration and the state secretariat. The RDCs report to the Board of Revenue, which is headed by a senior officer of the Indian Administrative Service.

Division-wise list of districts:

North Division	Central Division	South Division
Dhenkanal Angul Balangir Subarnapur Sambalpur Bargarh Kendujhar Sundargarh Jharsuguda Deogarh	Cuttack Jajpur Jagatsinghpur Kendrapada Balasore Bhadrak Puri Khordha Nayagarh Mayurbhanj	Ganjam Gajapati Kandhamal Kalahandi Nuapada Koraput Nabrangpur Malkangiri Rayagada Boudh

Each district is governed by a District Collector (District Magistrate), appointed either by the Indian Administrative Service or the Odisha Administrative Service. Each district is subdivided into Sub-Divisions, governed by a sub-divisional magistrate, and thereafter into Blocks. Blocks consists of Panchayats(village councils) and town municipalities.

The capital and largest city of the state is Bhubaneswar. The other major cities are Cuttack, Brahmapur, Puri, Balasore, Rourkela, and Sambalpur. There are five Municipal Corporations in Odisha are Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela.

Auxiliary authorities known as panchayats, for which local body elections are regularly held, govern local affairs.

The judiciary is composed of the Odisha High Court, located at Cuttack and a system of lower courts. 

Transportation

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.

Air

Biju Patnaik International Airport

Odisha has 17 airstrips and 16 helipads. The Government of Odisha have announced to develop airport at Jharsuguda, making it a full-fledged domestic airport. Five greenfield airports were also to be upgraded at Rayagada,Paradip, Dhamra, Angul and Kalinganagar in an effort to boost intra-State and inter-State civil aviation. Existing aerodromes at Gopalpur, Jharsuguda, Barbil and Rourkela were also to be upgraded.

• Angul - Savitri Jindal Airport
• Balasore - Rasgovindpur Airstrip
• Barbil - Barbil Tonto Aerodrome
• Bhubaneswar - Biju Patnaik International Airport
• Brahmapur - Berhampur Airport
• Cuttack - Charbatia Air Base
• Sambalpur - Hirakud Airstrip
• Jajpur - Jajpur Airstrip
• Jeypore - Jeypore Airport
• Jharsuguda - Jharsuguda Airport
• Kendujhar - Kendujhar Airstrip
• Lanjigarh - Lanjigarh Airstrip
• Phulbani - Phulbani Airstrip
• Rourkela - Rourkela Airport
• Nuapada - Nawapara Airport
• Balangir - Nuagaon Airport
• Bhawanipatna - Utkela Airstrip

Seaports

• Port of Dhamara
• Port of Gopalpur
• Port of Paradip

Railways

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.

Demographics

Woman in Odisha

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 Oriya people, and Oriya is the official language; it is spoken as a native language by 81.8% of the population. Other linguistic minorities in the state are Bengali, Hindi, Telugu, Santali. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes form 16.53% and 22.13% of the state population, constituting 38.66% of the State population. Some of the important tribes are 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 all India 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 0.579 in 2004.

	District	Headquarters	Population (2011)	Males	Females	Percentage Decadal Growth 2001-2011	Sex Ratio	Density (Persons per km2)	Child Population 0–6 years	Child Sex ratio	Literacy rate
1	Angul	Angul	1,271,703	654,898	616,805	11.55	942	199	145,690	884	78.96
2	Balangir	Balangir	1,648,574	831,349	817,225	23.29	983	251	206,964	951	65.50
3	Balasore	Baleswar	2,317,419	1,184,371	1,133,048	14.47	957	609	274,432	941	80.66
4	Bargarh	Bargarh	1,478,833	748,332	730,501	9.84	976	253	156,185	946	75.16
5	Bhadrak	Bhadrak	1,506,522	760,591	745,931	12.95	981	601	176,793	931	83.25
6	Boudh	Boudh	439,917	220,993	218,924	17.82	991	142	59,094	975	72.51
7	Cuttack	Cuttack	2,618,708	1,339,153	1,279,555	11.87	955	666	251,152	913	84.20
8	Debagarh	Debagarh	312,164	158,017	154,147	13.88	976	106	38,621	917	73.07
9	Dhenkanal	Dhenkanal	1,192,948	612,597	580,351	11.82	947	268	132,647	870	79.41
10	Gajapati	Paralakhemundi	575,880	282,041	293,839	10.99	1,042	133	82,777	964	54.29
11	Ganjam	Chhatrapur	3,520,151	1,777,324	1,742,827	11.37	981	429	397,920	899	71.88
12	Jagatsinghpur	Jagatsinghpur	1,136,604	577,699	558,905	7.44	967	681	103,517	929	87.13
13	Jajpur	Jajpur	1,826,275	926,058	900,217	12.43	972	630	207,310	921	80.44
14	Jharsuguda	Jharsuguda	579,499	297,014	282,485	12.56	951	274	61,823	938	78.36
15	Kalahandi	Bhawanipatna	1,573,054	785,179	787,875	17.79	1,003	199	214,111	947	60.22
16	Kandhamal	Phulbani	731,952	359,401	372,551	12.92	1,037	91	106,379	960	65.12
17	Kendrapara	Kendrapara	1,439,891	717,695	722,196	10.59	1,006	545	153,443	921	85.93
18	Kendujhar	Kendujhar	1,802,777	907,135	895,642	15.42	987	217	253,418	957	69.00
19	Khordha	Khordha	2,246,341	1,166,949	1,079,392	19.65	925	799	222,275	910	87.51
20	Koraput	Koraput	1,376,934	677,864	699,070	16.63	1,031	156	215,518	970	49.87
21	Malkangiri	Malkangiri	612,727	303,913	308,814	21.53	1,016	106	105,636	979	49.49
22	Mayurbhanj	Baripada	2,513,895	1,253,633	1,260,262	13.06	1,005	241	337,757	952	63.98
23	Nabarangapur	Nabarangpur	1,218,762	604,046	614,716	18.81	1,018	230	201,901	988	48.20
24	Nayagarh	Nayagarh	962,215	502,194	460,021	11.30	916	247	101,337	851	79.17
25	Nuapada	Nuapada	606,490	300,307	306,183	14.28	1,020	157	84,893	971	58.20
26	Puri	Puri	1,697,983	865,209	832,774	13.00	963	488	164,388	924	85.37
27	Rayagada	Rayagada	961,959	469,672	492,287	15.74	1,048	136	141,167	955	50.88
28	Sambalpur	Sambalpur	1,044,410	529,424	514,986	12.24	973	158	112,946	931	76.91
29	Subarnapur	Sonepur	652,107	332,897	319,210	20.35	959	279	76,536	947	74.42
30	Sundergarh	Sundergarh	2,080,664	1,055,723	1,024,941	13.66	971	214	249,020	937	74.13

Religion

Religion in Odisha[91]
Religion			Percent
Hinduism			94.35%
Christianity			2.44%
Islam			2.07%
Others			1.14%

Gita Govinda

The majority (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, anadivasi, was the translator of the epic Mahabharata in Oriya. 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 Oriyan scripture includes the 16th century Bhagabata of Jagannatha Dasa. In the modern times Madhusudan Rao was a major Oriya writer, who was a Brahmo Samajist and shaped modern Oriya literature at the turn of the 20th century.

Christians in Odisha account for about 2.4% of the population while Oriya Muslims account for 2.1% as per census figures of 2001. The Sikh, Buddhist and Jain communities together account for 0.1% of the population

Education

      panoramic View of Ravenshaw university,cuttack                         

The ruins of a major ancient university and center of Buddhist learning, Ratnagiri(Puphagiri), were recently discovered in the Jajpur district of Odisha. Scholars from far away lands, such as Greece,Persia and China used to study philosophy, astronomy, mathematics and science at this famed university. Taxila, Nalanda and Ratnagiri are among the oldest universities in the world. The ruins of Ratnagiri University have not been fully excavated yet.

Educational Institutions

1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar at Bhubaneswar
2. Berhampur University at Brahmapur
3. Biju Patnaik University of Technology at Rourkela
4. Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar College at Bhubaneswar
5. Central University of Orissa at Koraput
6. College of Engineering and Technology at Bhubaneswar
7. Fakir Mohan University at Balasore
8. Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) at Bhubaneswar
9. International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) at Bhubaneswar
10. Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology at Sarang
11. KIIT University at Bhubaneswar
12. Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati Medical College and Hospital at Brahmapur
13. National Institute of Science and Technology at Brahmapur
14. National Institute of Science Education and Research at Bhubaneswar
15. National Institute of Technology Rourkela at Rourkela
16. National Law University at Cuttack
17. North Orissa University at Baripada
18. Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology at Bhubaneswar
19. Parala Maharaja Engineering College at Brahmapur
20. Ravenshaw University at Cuttack
21. Sambalpur University at Sambalpur
22. Shri Ramachandra Bhanj Medical College at Cuttack
23. Utkal University at Bhubaneswar
24. Veer Surendra Sai Medical College at Burla
25. Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology at Burla
26. Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
27. Institute of Mathematics and Applications, Bhubaneswar

Entry to various institutes of higher education especially into engineering degrees is through a centralised Odisha Joint Entrance Examination, conducted by the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), Rourkela, since 2003, where seats are provided according to order of merit.

Students can take entry through other entrance examination like Joint Entrance Examination Main and Advanced for various engineering courses, and All India Pre Medical Testfor medical courses.

Culture

Oriya is the language spoken by the majority of the people of the state. English is widely used for official purpose and Oriya is used as regional language. Oriya belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family, and is closely related to Bengali and Assamese. A few tribal languages belonging to the Dravidian and Munda language families are spoken by the Adivasis of the state. The capital city of Bhubaneshwar is known for the exquisite temples that dot its landscape. The classical dance form Odissi originated in Odisha. Contemporary Odisha has a cultural heritage that arose due to the intermingling of three religious traditions – Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The culture of the Adivasis is an integral part of modern Oriya heritage.

Cuisine

Rasgulla originated from Odisha and became famous throughout the world. The well-known rice pudding, kheeri (kheer) that is relished all over India, originated in Puri 2,000 years ago. Chhenapoda is another major Odisha sweet cuisine originated in Nayagarh. It is made by caramelising cottage cheese with sugar, cardamom and other ingredients and then burning it over chula (wood-burning clay hearths). Chhena jheeli and malpua are other famous sweet deserts. One of the most famous delicacies of Odisha is kakara peetha (made of sooji or finely grained wheat) especially with coconut filling sauteed with pepper, cardamom, sugar and ghee and sometimes cottage cheese (chhena). Its one of the major delicacy during the festival occasions. Arisha is another delicacy. The sweet aroma of powdered rice and gud being deep-fried in ghee is mesmerising. Poda pitha, haladi patra pitha (enduri pitha), manda pitha, chitou pitha are more examples of Oriya specialties. Mudhi (puffed rice) is an integral part of every Oriya household. Baripada is famous for its mudhi. Mudhi is an instant snack. It perfectly blends with anything, be it chenachur (mix salty fried snacks), milk, tea, curries, peanuts or mango pulp.Odisha has culinary tradition spanning centuries. The kitchen of the famous 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.

Among the most famous vegetable dishes are dalma (lentils and vegetables boiled together and then fried with other spices) and santula. The former Indian president Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam introduced these into the Rashtrapati Bhavan menu. Ghanta and posta curries are other signature dishes.Pakhala, a dish made of rice, water, and yoghurt that is fermented overnight is very popular in summer, particularly in rural areas. Oriyas are very fond of sweets and no Oriya repast is considered complete without dessert at the end. A typical meal in Odisha consists of a main course and dessert. Typically breads are served as the main course for breakfast, whereas rice is eaten with lentils (dals) during lunch and dinner. The main course includes one or more curries, vegetables and pickles. Given the fondness for sweet foods, the dessert course may include generous portions. Oriya desserts are made from a variety of ingredients, with milk, chhena (a form of ricotta cheese), coconut, rice, and wheat flour being the most common.

Odisha food habit is pretty balanced between the non-vegetarian and vegetarian habits. Due to its vast shoreline and many rivers, fish is a very important part of the diet. Odisha boasts of extensive seafood cuisines specializing in prawn and crab. Chilika Lake is particularly famous for offering excellent seafood.

Odisha's diet is the boundary between the south Indian food habits and the north Indian ones. One can easily find dosas, vadas and idlis being served as breakfast and snacks (which are typically south Indian) and can find poori-chole, samosas (locally called singada), and other north Indian delicacies in the menu.

Rasagola of Cuttack (Salepur) is famous in Odisha and neighbouring states. One of the best combinations of north and south of India is dahibara-aludum-ghuguni especially in the city of Cuttack. Dahibara (vadaa dipped and soaked in curd), aludum (a spicy curry made from potato) and ghuguni (chickpea curry) go well together and is one of the best fusions of Indian recipes.

Literature

The history of Oriya literature has been delineated by historians and linguists along the following stages: Old Oriya (900–1300 AD), Early Middle Oriya (1300–1500 AD), Middle Oriya (1500–1700 AD), Late Middle Oriya (1700 AD–1850 AD) and Modern Oriya (from 1850 AD to the present).

Dance

 

Odissi (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 circa 200 BC. However, the dance form nearly went 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 cinema of Odisha is famous throughout India and growing every year by a large margin as people are liking Ollywood movies now. Sita Bibaha in 1936, only two films were produced till 1951. A joint consortium of landlords and businessmen who collected funds after 1948 produced those two movies. Sita Bibaha was directed by Mohan Sunder Dev Goswami and was released in Laxmi Theatre, Puri. The 1951 production Roles to Eight was the first Oriya film with an English name. It was released after 15 years after Sita Bibaha. It was the fourth Oriya film produced by Ratikanta Padhi. The eleventh Oriya film Sri Lokenath was the first Oriya film that got a National Award in 1960; it was directed by Prafulla Sengupta.

After the first Oriya film

One of the major trailblazers and pioneers of the Oriya film industry were Gour Prasad Ghose and his wife, Parbati Ghose. They introduced and mastered innovative ways of technical storytelling. Over the years, some of their most notable films such as Maa and Kaa brought them national fame and numerous awards, including many National and lifetime achievement awards for their contribution to cinema as directors, producers and actors.

The same year, Prasant Nanda won a National Award as best actor for Nua Bou, his debut film. The name of Prasant Nanda always comes up when dealing with the Oriya film industry. He was present in Oriya films since 1939, but he became active only after 1976. Nanda served Ollywood as an actor, director, screenplay writer, lyricist and even as a playback singer. Such a versatile genius is quite rare in Indian cinema history. Nanda alone carried Oriya films into the national honour list by winning National Awards three times in 1960, 1966 and 1969 for his acting in Nua Bou, Matira Manisha and Adina Megha.

Uttam Mohanty, whose debut film Abhiman won accolades all over, is now the veteran actor of the Oriya film industry. His wife Aparajita Mohanty is a renowned actress. Sarat Pujari was one of the most popular actors of the 1960s. His popular films are Nua Bou, Jeevan Sathi, Sadhana, Manika Jodi, Naba Janma, Matira Manisa, Arundhati, Ghara Sansara, Bhookha, etc. His films portrayed the general condition of the state of Odisha with a strong social message. Sarat Pujari is a prominent figure. Apart from being an actor, he was also a successful director and an academician. He continues to act in a few select films; he is enjoying his retired life and writes columns in the newspapers as his hobby. Raju Mishra is another rising star in Oriya film industry. He is an international award-winning photographer, director, choreographer and lyricist of Ollywood. Other well-known actors are Bijay Mohanty, Sriram Panda, Mihir Das, Siddhanta Mahapatra, Mahasweta Ray, Tandra Ray and Anubhav Mohanty.

Music

Sixteenth century witnessed the compilation of literature on music. The four important treatises written during that time are Sangitamava Chandrika, Natya Manorama, Sangita Kalalata and Gita Prakasha. Odissi music is a combination of four distinctive kinds of music, namely, Chitrapada, Dhruvapada, Panchal and Chitrakala. When music uses artwork, it is known as Chitikala. A unique feature of Oriya music is the Padi, which consists of singing of words in fast beat.

Being a part of the rich culture of Odisha, its music is also as much charming and colourful. Odissi music is more than two thousand five hundred years old and comprises a number of categories. Of these, the five broad ones are Tribal Music, Folk Music, Light Music, Light-Classical Music and Classical Music. Anyone who is trying to understand the Culture of Odisha must take into account its music, which essentially forms a part of its legacy.

In the ancient times, there were poets who wrote the lyrics of poems and songs that were sung to rouse the religious feelings of people. It was by the eleventh century that the music of Odisha, in the form of Triswari, Chatuhswari, and Panchaswari, underwent transformation and was converted into the classical style.

Folk Musics like Jhumar, Yogi Gita, Kendara Gita, Dhuduki Badya, Prahallad Natak, Palla, Sankirtan, Mogal Tamasa, Gitinatya, Kandhei Nacha, Kela Nacha, Ghoda Nacha, Danda Nacha and Daskathia are popular in Odisha. Almost every tribal group has their own unique distinct songs and dance styles in Odisha.

Structural art

Other cultural attractions include the Jagannatha Temple in Puri, known for its annual Rath Yatra or Car Festival, the unique and beautiful applique artwork of Pipili, silver filigree ornamental works from Cuttack, the Patta chitras (palm leaf paintings), famous stone utensils of Nilgiri (Balasore) and various tribal influenced cultures. The Sun temple at Konark is famous for its architectural splendour and erotic sculpture, while the 'Sambalpuri textiles' equals it in its artistic grandeur. The sari of Odisha is much in demand throughout the entire world. The different colours and varieties of sarees in Odisha make them very popular among the women of the state. The handloom sarees available in Odisha can be of four major types; these are Ikat, Bandha, Bomkai and Pasapalli. Odisha sarees are also available in other colours like cream, maroon, brown and rust. The tie-and-dye technique used by the weavers of Odisha to create motifs on these sarees is unique to this region. This technique also gives the sarees of Odisha an identity of their own.

Tourism

Konark Sun Temple built by theEastern Ganga dynasty is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nandankanan Zoological Park

Odisha is mainly known for its rich culture and the enormous number of ancient temples. The temples of Odisha conform to the Indo Aryan Nagara style of architecture, with distinctive features specific to this region. The best known of these are the Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar, Jagannath Temple, Puri and the Konark Sun Temple. The temples of Odisha exhibit a majestic grandeur. An Oriya temple (deula) usually consists of a sanctum, one or several front porches (Jagamohana) usually with pyramidal roofs, a dancing hall (nata mandira) and a hall of offerings (bhog mandira).

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.

Odisha is also well known for its Buddhist and Jain pilgrimage destinations. Northeast of Cuttack, about 10 km (6 mi) from Bhubaneswar, there are Buddhist relics and ruins at the three hilltop complexes of Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, which bear witness to Buddhism's fruitful tryst with this region until well into the 13th century. There is Dhauli with a large statue of Buddha which brings international Buddhist tourists to Odisha.

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.

The Gharial Sanctuary at Tikarpada and the Olive Ridley sea turtles in Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary are on the list of avid nature watchers. The city wildlife sanctuaries of Chandaka and Nandankanan Zoological Park are must-visit sites for the lessons they teach in conservation and revitalisation of species from the brink of extinction.

Odisha is blessed with around 500 km (311 mi) long coastline and has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Chilika lake provides a haven for millions of birds and is one of the few places in India where one can view dolphins. The lush green forest cover of Odisha plays host to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including the famed royal Bengal tiger. Amidst the picturesque hills and valleys nestle breathtaking waterfalls and rivulets that attract visitors from all over. Odisha beaches include Chandipur Beach, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Konark Beach, Astaranga Beach, Talsari Beach, Pata Sonapur Beach, Satpada Beach, Baleshwar Beach, Paradeep Beach,Satabhaya Beach, Gahirmatha Beach, Puri Beach, Ramachandi Beach, Malud Beach, Baliharachandi Beach etc.     

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