Odisha (formerly Orissa), an eastern Indian state on the Bay of Bengal, is known for its tribal cultures and its many ancient Hindu temples.
The capital, Bhubaneswar, is home to hundreds of temples, notably the intricately carved Mukteshvara.
The Lingaraj Temple complex, dating to the 11th century, is set around sacred Bindusagar Lake.
The Odisha State Museum is focused on the area’s history and environment.
Situated on the coast along the Bay of Bengal, Odisha stands for its ancient glory and modern endeavour.
Endowed with nature bounty, a 482 km stretch of coastline with virgin beaches, serpentine rivers, mighty waterfalls, and forest-clad blue hills of Eastern Ghats with rich wildlife, Odisha is dotted with exquisite temples, historic monuments as well as pieces of modern engineering feat.
Odisha, with a rich heritage that is more than two thousand years old, has a glorious history of its own.
It was known under different names in different periods: Kalinga, Utkal or Odradesha.
Seaports flourished along the coast as early as the 4th and 5th centuries B.C., when the madhabs, the Odishan seafaring merchants, went to the islands of Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Bali with their merchandise.
Odisha boasts a diverse selection of tourist destinations for travellers worldwide, ranging from beaches to religious places. It is well known for its historical monuments and magnificent nature. The sun temple at Konark is an example of the exquisite sights one can find.
The Puri Beach Festival and the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath attract tons of crowds every year to this state.
Odisha has a 485-kilometre (301-mile) coastline around the Bay of Bengal. Utkala is another name for the area. Odisha’s official language is called Odia and is among India’s many Ancient languages.