Keeping the spirit of Indian culture alive, Odisha is known to organise several annual festivals to have the next generation firmly attached to its roots. The Konark Festival held during the winter season finds prominent Indian artists sharing stage with world-renowned personalities and enlightening the world about our Odissi, our Bharatnatyam, our Kuchipudi , our Kathak, our Manipuri dance et al. Bringing the connoisseurs of art under one umbrella atleast once a year, Odisha boasts of strong cultural ties with whole of Asia in particular and the world in general.

The distinctive archaeological structures and their sheer number make Odisha indispensable in chalking the history of our great land. The architecture of the temples here largely conforms to the Indo Aryan Nagara style with imposing size and majestic grandeur.

One of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar, the Lingaraja Temple is more than 1100 years old. By the time the Lingaraja temple was completely constructed, the Jagannath (form of Vishnu) cult had been growing in the region, which historians believe is evidenced by the co-existence of Vishnu and Shiva (Harihara) worship at the temple. The temple represents the quintessence of the Kalinga Architecture with intricate designs depicting man and beast.

Another pilgrimage site that forms a part of the Char Dham Yatra of any devoted Hindu pilgrim lies on the sandy shores of the Bay of Bengal in Puri. During the annual Rath Yatra, the city plays hosts to attendees from across India amounting to over 10 lakhs. This is the only time of the year when the exclusive limbless idols of deities are taken out of the main sanctum and taken around the city on chariots for public viewing, Darshan.

The Konark Sun Temple finds a pride of place in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list. Built in the shape of a grand chariot for the Sun God Surya, the temple is carefully oriented towards the east to receive the first rays of the sun. This is the very place whose extensive detailing and meticulous carvings compelled Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore to exclaim, “Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man.”

Odisha, formerly known as Kalinga, is the place where the mighty ruler Ashoka the Great found enlightenment after a bloody war. The Ashokan Edicts can still be found atop the Dhauli hills engraved on a mass of rocks. Several Buddhist relics and ruins lie at the hilltop complexes of Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves.

In addition to its historical significance, the varying topography of Odisha from the fertile river basin to the wooded Eastern Ghats caters to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The Bhitarkanika National Park is famous for its second largest mangrove ecosystem. The bird sanctuary in Chilka Lake(the largest brackish water lake of Asia) and the Simplipal National Park housing the Royal Bengal Tiger serve as retreats for several exotic migratory birds and reptiles. The Gharial Sanctuary at Tikarpada and the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Sanctuary are also famous with avid nature watchers. The Chandaka and Nandankanan Zoological Park are involved with the revival of a number of endangered species.

The beaches along the East Coat bordering Odisha provide for some picturesque scenic beauty. Sitting across the lucid Chilka lake one may see the playful dolphins in their natural surroundings. The land of sand art and palm leaf paintings beckons to the young and the old alike. Scenic, Serene and Sublime, Odisha is truly the Soul of Incredible India.