Inhabited by Aryan and non-Aryan settlers, Kalinga was a flourishing maritime kingdom with trading routes stretching upto Java, Sumatra, Bali and Indonesia. Its immense wealth was coveted by many rulers of the time and, in 261 BC, it was invaded and conquered by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. However, the carnage and suffering caused by the war left Ashoka deeply repentant. He vowed never to wage war again and embraced Buddhism. So ardent a Buddhist was he that he spread the Buddha’s message of peace and non-violence even beyond India’s shores to Sri Lanka and the Far East.
Around the 1st century BC, Kharavela, a staunch follower of Jainism, came to power in Kalinga. By the 7th century AD Hinduism asserted itself and for six centuries Odisha flourished. During this period, under the Kesari and Ganga kings, its art and architecture evolved and Odisha successfully assimilated the best of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cultures. The style of Hindu temple construction also developed around this time and hundreds of temples from that period still stand.
The State can be divided into four distinct tracts – the coastal plains, the eastern ghats, the northern plateau and the central hilly region. The northern plateau and the forests of central Odisha are home to 62 different tribal groups some of whom still hunt and gather food. The folk paintings on canvas – the patachitra, and soapstone & wood carvings are well known.
Odisha has its own classical dance form, Odissi, perhaps the oldest in India. It owes its origin to devotional rituals and the dances performed by ‘Maharis’ or ‘Devadasis’ (temple dancers) in the beautiful temples of the State. Sculptures of the dance poses are found decorating the walls of temples. One must not miss an opportunity to attend a performance and experience the sublime lyrical grace of the Odissi dancers. The State also has a rich tradition of folk and tribal dances such as the martial ‘Chhau’ of Mayurbhanj and the ‘Danda Nata’.
The three beautiful temple towns Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark, which are the pride of Odisha, form an easy triangle to visit.
Bhubaneswar
Often called the ‘cathedral city’, Bhubaneswar (‘Lord of the Universe’) is the capital of the State, and is dotted with some 600 temples built over hundreds of years. It is perhaps the only city in India where one can study the evolution of Hindu temples architecture in all its stages. The city is dominated by the beautiful 11th century Lingaraj Temple, it’s spire soaring 54 metres, it’s ribbed architecture defying description. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is one of the most prized examples of temple architecture in the country.
The Parsurameswara Temple (650 AD, dedicated to Lord Shiva), Vaital Temple (800 AD, dedicated to Chamunda, a tantric form of the Goddess Durga, or ‘Shakti’), the ‘Gem of Odisha architecture’, the Mukteswara Temple (10th century), the Brahmeswara Temple and the exquisite 12th century Rajarani Temple, which has no presiding deity, are some of the other temples worth visiting.
About 7 km from Bhubaneswar are the twin hills Khandagiri and Udaygiri which have rock caves built for Jain monks by Kharavela (1st century BC). On the Khandagiri hills is a colossal figure of Mahavir Jain.
Lying amidst paddy fields at Dhauli, on the road to Puri, is one of Ashoka’s Rock Edicts (3rd century BC) which he used for propagating Lord Buddha’s teachings. It has a magnificent elephant carved on top, considered to be the earliest rock cut sculpture of India. And on the neighbouring hill is the serene white Shanti Stupa (‘Peace Pagoda’) built in 1970 to commemorate emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism. The village of Pipli, synonymous with delicate and extremely colourful applique work, is nearby.
Tourists Places of Odisha
Konark, the city of the Sun Temple, is situated 65 kms South of Bhubaneswar and is easily accessible by a good motorable road. Built in the 13th century, by Raja Narasimhadeva, the Sun Temple was designed as’ the Chariot of Surya, the Sun God, and is the most exquisite specimen of Odisha craftsmanship. It stood by the sea and was christened ‘The Black Pagoda’ by European sailors. Today it lies about 2 km from the shore and only the large audience hall survives. The sun rises over the ocean and casts its first rays on the sanctum sanctorum. Drawn by seven magnificent, straining horses carved in stone, the temple chariot has twenty four intricately carved giant wheels (3m diameter) whose replicas are seen today in many a hotel lobby. A classical dance and music festival is held here every December. The “chhun chhun” of ankle bells with every step of the dancer and the lilting strains of the flute rising from this ancient monument, make for a haunting memory.
Jagannath Puri
The Konark-Puri marine drive is 32 kms along the coast. It takes you to one of the four Hindu ‘dhams’ (sacred pilgrim centres), Puri, where the glorious, 12th century Jagannath Temple stands in the heart of the town. The Rath Yatra in each June-July (Chariot Festival of the Gods) witnesses thousands of devotees vying with each other to pull three wooden chariots carrying the idols of Lord Jagannath, his younger sister Subhadhra and elder brother Baibhadra. Difficult to get moving, the immense chariots (14m high, llm square, 16 wheels each over 2m in diameter) are virtually impossible to stop once they get rolling, and gave rise to the English term “Juggernaut”. The temple tower is 65 m high, topped by the mystic wheel, the ‘chakra’ of Krishna. The temple is the abode of Lord Jagannath – literally, ‘the Lord of the Universe’.
Once the frenzied throngs depart, the quiet little town of Puri gets a seaside resort atmosphere, and the place to be at is the beautiful beach, great for swimming. The Puri Beach Festival is held every year in early November when Odisha craft, cuisine and culture are on show besides various cultural and entertainment programmes. Chandipur, Gopalpur-on-sea, Konark and Talasari are some of the other lovely beaches in the Odisha.
Natural Sightseeing
Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lake in Asia, lies Southwest of Puri, encircled by hills. It spreads over a vast 1100 sq kms. A narrow inlet connects it to the Bay of Bengal.
Dotted with many islands of intriguing name, it is a sanctuary for resident and migratory birds of a wide variety. White bellied sea eagles, grey legged geese, purple moorhen, jacana, herons and flamingos make it a bird watcher’s delight. Motor launches take you cruising to Satapada island where dolphins can be seen playing the year round at the entrance to the sea. The brackish water encourages prawn, crab and mackerel fishing and hundreds of small fishing boats set sail each morning, their sails rippling in the gentle breeze blowing in from the Bay of Bengal.
Nandankanan Zoo, or ‘the Garden of the Gods’, lies some 20 km north of Bhubaneswar in the middle of the Chandka forest, where a large population of the rare white tiger and many other species of animals flourish in their natural habitat. A reptile park, recreation park, botanical garden, 34 aquaria, nature trails, boating, ropeway, lazing in the shade of the trees, a lion safari and a white tiger safari are all added attractions. But, more professionally, the park is renowned for successfully breeding the rare white tiger, the gharial crocodile and the black panther, in captivity.
Once the hunting preserve of the Maharajas of Mayurbhanj, Simlipal National Park (2750 sq km), situated in the northeastern part of the State, is a very picturesque tiger reserve traversed by twelve rivers. It is also home to leopards, elephants, gaur (Indian bison), mouse deer, flying squirrels, mugger crocodiles and numerous species of reptiles. A package tour would be the best way to see the Park including the breathtaking Barehipani (399 m) and Joranda (150 m) waterfalls, the lush Bachhuri Chara grasslands and the Meghasani Peak (1158m).
Located in the second largest mangrove forest in the country (largest is Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal), Bhitarkanika National Park has protected the estuarine crocodile for 30 years and supports a large variety of bird life including storks, egrets, six species of kingfishers, white ibis and migratory ducks from Siberia. The neighbouring Gahirmatha coastal region is where the giant Olive Ridley Turtles come in their thousands each year all the way from the Pacific to lay eggs on the beach.
Hot sulphur springs at Atri (about 40 km from the state Capital), Taptapani (50 km from Berhampur), Deulajhari and Tarabalo, believed to have medicinal properties, are tourists popular destinations.
Handicrafts of Odisha
The most famous arts and crafts of Odisha are handloom weaving (including ‘Tussar, a fine light silk, Ikat, Bomkai and Sambalpuri saris), tarkashi (delicate silver filigree work), patachitra, applique work, stone carvings, brass and bell metal work and horn work. A visit to Raghurajpur crafts village near Puri, where ‘patachitra’ and stone carvings have been made for generations in every home, is a rewarding experience.
