Top 10 Extraordinary Reasons to Visit Incredible Odisha
Tourism sector in Odisha offers an incredible and extraordinary journey of history, heritage and architectural wonders of temples, monuments and the arts. Odisha state has 485km long coastline and dotted with scenic beaches, serene lakes and sublime rivers.
The incredible state of Odisha has some of the India’s best kept secrets, including various tourist attractions from festival to temples, mountains to wildlife, rivers to waterfalls and Buddhist -Jain monuments.
1. Rath Yatra
Ratha Yatra is associated with Lord Jagannath at Puri that attracts over a millions of tourist each year. The festival celebrated at Puri with three newly constructed chariots of Balabhadra, Subhadra and Jagannatha every year and now also celebrated at major cities of the world through the ISKCON organisation.
2. Kalinga Architecture
Kalinga style of architecture in Odisha is basically consists of three distinct types of temples. Deula temples at Lingaraja Temple (Bhubaneswar), Jagannath Temple (Puri) and Sun Temple (Konark) are some of the most well renowned temples in Odisha.
3. Pattachitra Painting
Pattachitra painting forms of Odisha is mostly based on temple of Jagannath, Lord Krishna and incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The paintings are one of the oldest traditional painting of Odisha and most popular art forms from the state, registered as Orissa Pattachitra in Geographical indication list.
4. Sambalpuri Saree
Sambalpuri sarees are known for their traditional look and feel of Odisha, produced in the Sambalpur, Bargarh, Berhampur and Sonepur. The Tie dye art on Sambalpuri sarees are known as Ikkat, Very popular saree in India with Geographical Indications tag.
5. Odissi Dance
Odissi classical dance form is originated from the Hindu temples of Odisha, performances includes dance poses of Hindu gods Shiva and Surya and goddesses Shakti. The Natya Shastra listed 8 Indian classical dance forms and Odissi is performed predominantly by women.
6. Tribal Tourism
Koraput district of Odisha along the Eastern Ghats is known for thick forest, hill stations, Deomali mountain and part of the tribal belt in Odisha. Gotalpara and Dural villages are home to Barogadaba tribe, Bondas and other Adivasi communities and tribes.
7. Koraput Coffee
Koraput district is suitable for coffee plantation and the local brand called Koraput Coffee is a locally grown here, offers unique flavoure of coffee produced in the state. Koraput is a lesser known Tourism Place of Odisha and mostly famous for Jagannath Temple, important places like Jeypur, Duduma and mountains.
8. Chandipur on Sea
Chandipur beach on Bay of Bengal is one of the most unique beach of Odisha with the unique phenomena where sea water recedes up to 5 km during the ebb tide and only few places where Horseshoe crabs found in India.
9. Kandhamal Haladi
Kandhamal organic turmeric from Daringbadi hill station in Kandhmal district of Odisha already got the Geographical Indications tag and also famous for ginger harvesting. Daringbadi hill station in Kandhmal district is also known as Kashmir of Odisha, A popular tourist destination and can be reached from Bhubaneswar.
10. Odisha Rasagola
Odisha state has got its Rasagola’s GI status as a variant called Odisha Rasagola, The Geographical Indication Tag issued by Chennai-based GI registry on its website.
Ganjam Kewda flower and rooh from the Ganjam district also identified as a Geographical Indications of Odisha. The kewda industry in Ganjam cultivated and grows wild Kewda in coastal areas of the state and used to flavor foods, Ayurveda healing and flavor rice and curries.
Chilka Lake spread over the Puri and Khordha district of Odisha, also listed in tentative UNESCO World Heritage site of Odisha. The lake and ecosystem at Mangalajodi village of Chilika is heaven for migratory water birds like Northern shoveler, Northern pintail, Ruddy shelduck and animal species like green sea turtle, Irrawaddy dolphin and fishing cat.
