Orissa has been
a preferred destination from ancient days for people
having interest in spirituality, religion, culture,
art and beauty of the nature. Ancient and medieval architecture,
pristine sea beaches, nature at her beautiful best,
the classical and ethnic dance forms and a variety of
festivals, all in combine attract tourists from far
off places to explore this state to a have a divine
exposure of love and hospitality.
Orissa has kept alive Buddhism and the Buddha in its
ancient womb. The spirit of Buddhism still haunts the
very air of Orissa. Rock-edicts that have challenged
time stand huge and over-powering by the banks of the
river Daya. The silent stones sing out songs of peace
and non-violence. The torch of Buddhism is still ablaze
in the sublime triangle at Udayagiri, Lalitgiri &
Ratanagiri, on the banks of river Birupa. The surrounding
hills of Langudi and Kayama stand as mute witness to
the quirks and twists of history. Precious fragments
of a glorious past come alive in the shape of stupas,
rock-cut caves, rock-edicts, excavated monastries, viharas,
chaityas and sacred relics in caskets. Rock-edicts of
Ashoka are a bonus for your eyes.
Orissa is the home for various tribal communities who
have contributed uniquely to the multicultural and multilingual
character of the state. Their handicrafts, different
dance forms, jungle products and their unique life style
blended with their healing practices have got world
wide attention.
The recent efforts in putting the state in the national
and global map of tourist attractions are all set to
pay rich dividends. With the punch line of “Scenic,
Serene and Sublime, the government is targeting to cash
on the rich cultural heritage of the state. Orissa is
not only a tourist site at the same time it is also
a researchers delight. Orissa boasts of people having
innocent, uncorrupt and unadulterated love towards the
visitors and at the same time provides modern facilities
for transport and communication. This is a rare combination
of innocence and modernity.
The Marine Drive that connects Sun Temple Konark and
the Jagannath Temple Puri provides a unique driving
experience taking the visitor through the serene picturesque
beauty of nature at the both side of the road. The smooth
drive lets the commuter free to enjoy the sights and
sweet songs of the singing boatman, the cool breeze,
the old monuments and the sound of the inner self, which
merges with the sound of the sea.
The royal heritage and architecture of edifices, like
the Puri Jagnnanth Temple, Barbati fort, Lingraj temples,
KhandaGiri & UdayaGiri caves, Sun temple of Konark,
and the world heritage sites of Buddhism at Dhauli and
Lalitigiri are really remarkable.
Known for its exquisite temple culture and architecture
the state is a proud possessor of thousands of temples
both small and big. Most significant of them have been
at the famous Golden Triangle comprising Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar.
Western Orissa has been also famous for its distinct
temple culture, which was developed during the Chouhan
Dynasty.
With these historical and architectural monuments, the
recent industrial, scientific, technological and research
initiatives mark a unique blend of the ancient and the
modern. The Hirakud Dam being the longest dam in the
world attracts both Indian and foreign visitors. The
Rourkela Steel Plant, the Fertilizer Plant and National
Thermal Power Centre (NTPC) both at Talcher, National
Aluminum Corporation at Angul, Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited MIG Factory at Sunabeda, Koraput, and Paradeep
Port etc attract different types of visitors from far
and near. These are Central Government initiatives invariably
visited by foreign dignitaries. Asia’s reputed
rice research institute is located at Katak (Cuttack). |
