Located on the east coast, Orissa, also known as The Soul of India, is a mystical land where the hoary past and the modern today form a harmonious blend.

The pilgrims' trail,exotic beaches, ancient temples, fabulous textiles and traditional  living  art -  Orissa has an abundance of it all.

A land filled with awe inspiring monuments, thousands of master craftsmen and artists, numerous wildlife sanctuaries, stunning natural landscapes...

Orissa offers the gift of nature and man. Whether you prefer the see or the hills,nither are too far to reach. Rich in flora and fauna, the red earth....

History

Orissa's rich 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.

Blessed by nature with a long and beautiful coastline dotted with golden sand beaches and gentle sunshine it provides excellent opportunities for easy relaxation.

Places of Tourist Interest

Puri

The seat of Lord Jagannath, site of renowned Rathyatra Festival and one of the most popular sea side resorts on the Bay of Bengal, Puri is an ideal travel destination all the year round.

Konark

Renowned for its magnificent sun temple, which was constructed by Narasimha Deva of Ganga dynasty of Orissa in mid 13th century, Konark is also a lovely beach resort. In Konark, the "Natya Mandir", the dance hall of the Sun Temple probably remains as the last remnant of the glorious temples of Orissa an extant example of the architectural excellence of the times.

Chilika Lake

Chilika Lake, spreading over an area of 1100 sq. kms is the largest brackish water lake in the country and attracts large number of migratory birds besides resident ones. Barkul and Rambha are two places on the lake which serve as the base. Though the lake can be visited throughout the year, October to March is the best season.

Simplipal

Nestled in the centre of Mayurbhanj, the northernmost district of Orissa is the similipal National Park one of India's better known wild life sanctuaries, covering a large forested area of 2750 sq.kms. The variation in topography, climate and vegetation has supported large varieties of animals, birds and reptiles. Similipal is one of the earliest and finest of India's fifteen Tiger reserves under Project Tiger.

Nandankanan Biological Park

With facilities for boating, white tiger and lion safaris, a nocturnal animal house, reptile park, aerial ropeway and cable car, it is the place for a person with a penchant for the great outdoors.

Chandka Elephant Reserve

Located in Bhubaneshwar, this reserve is the ony one of its kind in India. Besides elephants, sambar, bears, wild dogs, pea fowls and pythons can be spotted.

Bhitarkanika Sanctuary

Bhitarnika is an adventurist's paradise and a breeding ground for Olive Ridley turtles. The second largest mangrove forest of the country, it was declared a sanctuary in 1975, in order to protect the estuarine crocodile and the turtles in their rare mangrove habitat.

Puri is famous for its attractive coastline, that has gifted it with some very fine beaches. The beach front is wide, and ideal for beach sports. There are several resorts, that line the beaches, and range from the modest in comfort, to the more luxurious. Due to the rough sea, water sports are not common.

Gopalpur-on-Sea

Another popular beach resort is Gopalpur-on-Sea, 170 km from Bhubaneshwar, and 15 km from Berhampur. This is a perfect beach, fairly isolated, and undisturbed by day-trippers. This place is good for both sailing and surfing.

Chandipur

Another divine beach resort of Orissa, Chandipur is situated 16 kms away from Balasore. It is a unique beach in that that the sea water recedes about 5 kms during low tide and advances to the shore line again during high tide, each day.

Shopping in Orissa is a joy. Orissa is the destination for unique and exquisite handicrafts, made by those fingers whose forerunners had with such dexterity and skill created the magnificent Orissa temples. The handicrafts of Orissa include silver filigree, horn work, folk paintings (Pattachitra), metalware, stoneware, silk and cotton handloom etc. 

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 time to visit: October to March

Tourist Offices:

The Director,
Department of Tourism,
Govt. of Orissa
Paryatan Bhawan, Near State Museum,
Bhubaneswar.
Tel: 91-674-432177, e-mail:[email protected]

Accomodation

Very good hotel and lodging facilities are available in Bhubaneswar, Puri, Konark, Chilika Lake and Gopalpur-on-sea.

BHUBANESWAR
Lewis Road, Bhubaneswar
PIN-751 014
Tel. 91-674-432314/432515

PURI
Chakratirtha Rd., Puri
PIN-752 001
Tel. 91-6752-22740/22562

CUTTACK
At/P.O.Buxibazar, Cuttack
PIN-753 001
Tel. 91-671-621876/621916

BARKUL
At-Barkul, P.O.Balugaon, Dist.Khurda
PIN-753 001
Tel. 91-6756-20488

SAMBALPUR
At/P.O.Dist.-Sambalpur
PIN-768 001
Tel. 91-663-521482/402622