Also known as Orissa
Odisha is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Odisha was established on 1 April 1936 at Kanika Palace, Cuttack, as a province in India, and consists predominantly of Odia speakers.
The mention of Odisha (Orissa) dates back to 260 BC, the reign of Emperor Ashoka. While spreading the boundaries of his kingdom, the emperor reached the gates of the then Kalinga and invoked its king to fight or flee. In the absence of her father, the princess of the state took reins and fought bravely with the emperor. The war was a true massacre and the bloodshed that took place moved the emperor so much that his killing instinct was capsized. A warrior was thence transformed into a great apostle of Buddhism. Buddhism followed by Jainism held sway until after the reassertion of Hinduism in the state in 7th century AD.
The Orissan culture and architecture flourished immensely under the rein of Keshari and Ganga Kings at Odisha (Orissa). A number of masterpieces of that golden era still stand today as mute evidences to a glorious past.
VIA AIR : Orissa has one airport which is located in the capital city, Bhubaneshwar-Biju Patnaik International Airport. Regular flights operate to and from the city. This airport is further connected to the airports of major cities, New Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Raipur, Varanasi, Mumbai, and Chennai.
VIA TRAIN : Bhubaneshwar railway station is one of the most convenient and important railway stations in Orissa. The train network connects Bhubaneshwar to major places of the country including Calcutta, Puri, Madras, Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Tirupati and Trivandrum. There are many more rail heads other than the Bhubaneshwar railway station. These stations connect Orissa to other towns and places within and outside the state.
VIA ROAD : Orissa is connected to a wide network of roads which are further connected to the rest of the country through National highways and State highways. This way, Orissa is easily accessible from all major cities of the country.
Temple city of India – This is how Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa is famously called. The land, which is over 2500 years old, is a blend of ancient monuments and modern constructions.
Former capital of Orissa and now it's business capital, Cuttack, is also one of the ancient cities of the state. Ancient monuments apart, Cuttack has a wide range of tourist attractions.
: For those with a particular religious faith, Puri might bring to mind the famous Jagannath Temple and the Sun Temple. For nature lovers, the beautiful beaches in the land may hold attraction.
