A trip to Odisha

Let me take you all to a virtual trip to Odisha, lets enjoy a walk through the culture, lives of the people along with the mouth watering food available there. 

With 95% of the populace following Hinduism and over 62 tribal communities residing on the same soil, people of Odisha live in harmony with mutual respect for minorities. The cultural diversity of Odisha is admirable. Odisha is also a state with one of the lowest crime rates.Finding joy in the simple pleasures of life, its people are down-to-earth with minimal needs.With humble and open arms, the state welcomes any guest as its own.

Odisha has been ruled by various rulers in the past and they have played an important role in shaping the culture of the state. The state has several Buddhist disciples mainly due to the preachings of King Asoka. The state has many primitive tribes and people that form the majority of the state though there is rapid development in some of the urban areas. People here are ardent followers and worshippers of Lord Jagganath and Lord Shiva. Odia is the primary language spoken here with a lot of tribal languages too.  The state is known for its pre-historic temples and of the fine architecture they possess. 

Located in the village of Konark, the Konark Sun Temple is the most popular tourist places to visit in Odisha and has been a World Heritage Site since 1984. Referred to as the Black Pagoda, this temple is one of the grandest temples of India, dedicated to the sun god. Built by king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty in 1250 AD, the temple reflect the grandeur of the traditional style of Kalinga Architecture. 

Odisha is famous for its varied forms of artwork. The rock art paintings are one of the best to be found. The most unique is the sand artwork which is found on the beaches and people love to see them. They are mainly done believing the Hindu deities. Other includes the handworks on jewelry as well as pattachitra which means painting on the cloth.

Odias are fond of rice. it’s the staple around here. Compared to cuisines of other states, Odia cuisine uses less oil and spice but packs during a bountiful dash of flavour. A typical Odia meal consists of rice, dal/Dalma (a reasonably dal cooked with nutritious vegetables), a vegetable dish or two, something fried and a fish/meat curry. Traditional dishes like Pakhala (water-soaked rice), Chhena Poda (a roasted cheese dessert) and Mansa Tarkari (meat curry cooked with potatoes) are loved everywhere the state no matter innumerable dialects, uniting natives together.

The traditional clothes for women are saree and for men, it is dhoti-kurta with a gamacha. A gamacha is a cotton towel that is wrapped around the shoulder of the men working in the fields. Lungi is also a common dress here. The educated and modernized class of the society were the western wear more often and keep the traditional wears for auspicious occasions.

The most famous festival across the state is the Rath yatra where the huge chariot or rath is travelled across the state especially in Puri and people worship Lord Jagannath here. Durga Puja is also one of the biggest festivals of the state as well as Maha Shivratri where shiv tandav is performed to please Lord Shiva. Some of the other festivals include the Prathamastami and the Rojo.

Odisha really is a magnificent state with a rich culture of itself. i wonder if the virtual trip through Odisha is so great then how wonderful it would be to visit Odisha in person.