-: Orissa Tourism :-

Orissa is a state of the indian Union located along the eastern coast of the peninsula. Its territory formed a part of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga of Mahabharat fame. Ashok, the Mauryan king of Magadh, invaded kalinga in 261 BC and this event has gone down history as the Kalinga war, causing a greater change in the heart of ashok, than in his empire. This was last war fought by him after which he became a great champion of Buddhism and upheld the values of peace and non-violence. By the final reckoning, therefor, it was the conqueror who was conquered in the famous kalinga war.

The ancient state rose to prominence as a kingdom under kharavela, a great conqueror and patron of jainism, in the second half of the 1st century B.C. other great rulers were the kings of the kesari dynasty and the eastern ganga dynasty who were also great builders.The Kalinga school of architecture flourished from the 7th to the 13th century A.D. The most important monuments of this period can be seen in and around bhubaneswar and puri.The Lingaraj Temple (Bhubaneswar),the Jagannath Temple (Puri)

and the Sun Temple (Konark) are some of the finest temples of this period. Few temples can compete with the beauty of the sculptures of Orissan temples.

Today orissa offers not only nature in all its glory with its beaches, rivers, waterfalls, hills, forests, wildlife and tribal life, but also a great tradition of architecture, monuments and sculptural atr. Some of these monuments date back to the 3rd century B.C. and are well preserved and are intact to this day.

In fact, the entire length and breadth of the state is dotted with 4,000 monuments and archaeological sites. They include early jaina caves and temples , Buddhist monasteries (viharas),domed structures (chaityas) and

pillars (stupas), hindu temples, mosques,churches, ancient and medieval forts, palaces and colonial architecture.

Culture of Orissa :-

Silver Filigree :

Orissa has a distinction for its exquisite silver filigree work known as Tarakasi in oriya language. The city of Cuttack is famous for it and is called as the silver city. It is an intricate process being specialised by artisans of the trade. Silver is melted in a mould and poured into a narrow tray, beaten on an anvil and elongated into a tar or hairlike wire by passing it through a steel plate wire gauge. Then the two thin wires are welded together, pressed and flattened till they look like one wire . Then it is bent to various shapes by artisan's nimble fingers. Flower , leaf, wheel, chariot , horses , birds, boxes, trays and different ornaments are made by silver filigree which attracts the attention of customers.

Brass and Bell Metal ware :

In very Oriya household one would find the artistry of brass and bell metal ware being used in daily life. Drawing room articles, kitchen ware, temple articles are fine examples of this orissan atr. Balakati, Belaguntha, Bhuban and Kantilo are famous for bellmetal craftsmen and their extraordinary craftsmanship. Dhokra metal ware is another beautiful craft of orissa's people. It is a tribal art form of Dhenkanal;Alloy, brass or zinc is melted on a clay model and threading is done by the waxing process. when thread is removed it leaves an indelible pattern in metal. Images of animals, birds and traditional variety dominate in this art form.

Stone and Wood Carving (Ivory) :

Stone carving is an age old craft of orissa. The carved products include replicas of temples, images of gods and goddesses, the konark wheel and horse, decorative figures like Alas Kanya, Salabhanjika or a lady leaning against a sal branch, Surasundari or heavenly beauty, Lekhika or lady writing a letter etc. are popular items of household decoration. Wood carvings of orissa are almost equally popular. They have a district orissan style which is different from products of other states.

Pattachitra :

The miniature paintings pattachitra are now used as wall hangings. The pattachitra are paintings on cloth. Small strips of cloth are prepared for painting by coating of a mixture of glue and chalk which results in a leathery finish. The outlines are then drawn directly in red and yellow. Then other colours are painted. The patta is given a lacquer coating to protect it from climatic effects. For the process of varnishing and glazing, the back of the painting is exposed to heat while a fine layer of lacquer is brushed on the painting itself . In Orissa even today the chitrakaras or painters use vegetable and mineral colours and brush that is used for painting is also totally domestic or manmade.

The subject matter of patta paintings is limited to religious themes. The traditional art of painting was practised by the Mahapatra or the Maharana caste people. Near puri the pattachitra artists mostly live in the village raghurajpur popularly known as craft village.Now a days the painters cater to the demand of tourists and local customers.

Jhoti, Chita, Muruja :

Orissa's folkart is connected with its social and religious activities. In the month of Margasira Oriya housewives worship goddess Laxmi on every Thursday. This is the paddy harvesting season. Farmers thrash out the gains and store in house. Housewives prepare pithas by white rice paste and decorate the mud walls and floors of their houses. They are called Jhoti or Chita in Oriya. This attempt is not merely decoration of the house but to establish a relationship between the mystical the material. So these murals in white rice paste are meaningful. On different occasions the Jhoti or Chita is drawn. Muruja is prepared powder from different hues and different methods are used to get coloured powders. In the holy month of Kartika (November) women draw Muruja designs near Chaura (bearing tulsi or basil plant in their courtyard) .

Festivals of Orissa :-

DOLO PURNIMA :

Papularly Known as Holi is the most populary and colourful festival of Orissa, celebrated on phalguna purnima (March) and a day succeeding. Based on the romantic plays of Radha and Krishna, people converge on the streets with their idols on gaily decorated "Vimanas" singing devotional songs in their praise and throwing colour powders and waters on each other.

ASHOKASTAMI :

This falls on the eighth day of the waxing moon in the month of Chaitra (March/April). It is the Car Festivals of "LORD LINGARAJ" (Shiva) and is celebrated with a lot of pomp in Bhubaneswar. The image of Lingaraj (Shiva) and is celebrated with a lot of pomp in Bhubaneswar. The image of Lingaraj is taken in a chariot to the Rameshwara temple brought back after four days.

RAJA SANKRANTI :

It is a festival of the farmers. It is the time when they have no agricultural work. They worship mother earth for 3 days and after that the tilling work starts. In these three days celebration, it is believed that mother earth bleeds because of the menstruation. During these days farmers do not go to plough or the girls in homes work. The girls and the women folks enjoy in these days by swinging and playing. Amidst the song, swinging and playing. Amidst the song, dance and many types of jhoola, they eat home made sweets, pithas (cakes).It is one of the famous colourful festival of Orissa.

RATHA YATRA :

Rata Yatra or the Car Festival of Puri, held in the month of June/July, is the most sacred and important of the festivals of Orissa. A large number of pilgrims from all over the country pour into puri to witness this colourful festival. Jagannath, Balabhadra & Subhadra are taken in chariots to the Gundicha Ghar for a week and then returen to the main temple. They goi by three separate chariots led by Baldhadra's chariot, Taladhwaja. The festival start with the rhythmic clash of gongs, as the deities are helped on to the chariot by devout hands.Then the Raja of Puri comes, heralded by gaily decorated elephants.

PURI BEACH FESTIVAL :

PURI, the abobe of Lord Jagannath, is a wonderfull beach resort for leisure tourists. It is Known for its thirteen major festivals of Lord Jagannath celebrated every year. But the new tourist Festival Known as Puri Beach Festival held each year in November has come to limelight in recent times

KONARK DANCE FESTIVAL :

A festival of classical dances of india, performed by the celebrated dancers of the country on the open air auditorium set amidst the casuarinas grove against the back drop of Sun Temple , a world heritage monument during the festival evening the atmospher is surcharged with rhythmic dancing beats and melodious tunes. It is held in Dec.1-5 every year Konark.