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Perpetually washed by the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal,
Orissa lies on the east coast of India with a 482-km-long coastal stretch.
It is bounded by West Bengal and
Bihar on the north, Andhra
Pradesh on the south, the Bay of Bengal on the east and
Madhya Pradesh on the west . The state's
history is divisible into the same four periods in which Indian history is
usually analysed, i.e., the Hindu period, the Muslim period, the British
period and the post-Independence period.
Orissa's
main attractions are the temples of the capital Bhubaneswar,
- the long sandy beach at Puri, the
Sun Temple at
Konark and
Simlipal and
Nandankanan sanctuaries
of Cuttack. The renowned
Jagannatha temple
dominate the landscape at Puri as does the
Lingaraja temple of
Bhubaneswar. 10 kms west of Bhubaneshwar are
the Udayagiri Caves, which were occupied by
the Buddhist monks as early as the 2nd century BC.
History of Orissa
It's hazy past is linked to the fortunes of Kalinga of which it was once a
part. Ashoka's carnage of Kalinga made the emperor foreswore war and till
2nd century AD, Buddhism and
Jainism alternately held sway
in Orissa. Fast forward to 1514: the time of the
European arrival here. After the British conquest in 1804, Orissa was
divided into three districts: Cuttack,
Puri and Balasore.
After independence, Orissa became a state of India in 1950.
Capital of Orissa
Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, famous as
a temple town and a handicraft centre, has, over the last decade, become
an upcoming business centre. While the city itself boats of no giant
industrial plants, showcased in its main bazaars are craftwork, such as
the traditional tie and dye technique of ikat, that date back over several
thousand years.
Handicrafts of Orissa
Shopping in Orissa is a joy. You don't look there
for what the modern industry can give you, but for unique and exquisite
handicrafts, made by those fingers whose forerunners had with such
dexterity and skill created the magnificient Orissa
temples. The handicrafts of Orissa include
silver filigree,
horn work,
folk paintings
(Pattachitra), metalware,
applique work,
stoneware, silk and
cotton handloom etc. 
Culture in Orissa
Another expression of Oriyan culture is
Odissi, one of the finest forms
of Indian classical dance. Evolved out of spiritual consciousness, it
formed an essential part of the ritualistic services in the important
shrines of Orissa. Devotional in spirit, it is
marked for its elaborate grace and lyrical charm, revealed through rounded
movements. Orissa also has a rich body of literature with Sitakant
Mahapatra being one of the major voices in contemporary Oriya poetry
Festivals of Orissa
Makar Sankranti in January; Magha Mela and
Konark Dance Festival
in Febraury; Maha Shivratri and
Holi in March; Basant
Panchami in Febraury / March;
Chaitra Parba or
Chhow Festival in April;
Rath Yatra or the Car
Festival of Puri and Raja Sankranti in June / July;
Durga Puja in September /
October; Kartika and
Kumar Purnima in October-November;
Lakshmi Puja in
December -January.
CLIMATE OF ORISSA 
Temperature
(deg C): Summer - Max.38, Min.27.1
Winter - Max.28.2, Min.15.2.
Rainfall : Mid June-September 60 inches (152 cms).
Best season : October to March
Population in Orissa: 35 million
Tourism Offices in Orissa:
Tourist office, Barkul - Dist. Khurda, Puri, Orissa - 752030,
Tourist office, Berhampur - New Bus stand (1st floor), Puri,
Orissa - 760004
Tourist Counter - Railway station, Puri, Orissa - 760004.
Tourist Office - VIP chhak, station road, Puri, Orissa - 752002.
Tourist Office, Government of Orissa, 55 Lenin Sarani (Beside
Wellington Square), Calcutta.
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