Odisha Tourist Guide

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Orissa is officially known as Odisha since November 2011. Odisha is located in the place where the historic city of Kalinga was once stood.

About Odisha

Bhubaneshwar is the capital city of Odisha. Oriya is the official language of the state. Odissi, an Indian classical dance form, originated here.

Where is Odisha

Odisha is a coastal state located in the eastern part of India. Odisha has a 500-km-long coastline adjoining the Bay of Bengal. Odisha is bordered by Andhra Pradesh to the south and southwest, Chhattisgarh to the west, Jharkhand to the north, West Bengal to the northeast and Bay of Bengal to the southeast and south. The river Mahanadhi passes through the state of Odisha.

Major Cities

Bhubaneshwar, Rourkela, Cuttack, Paradip, Jharsuguda and Puri are the most prominent cities in the state. Bhubaneshwar is the capital city and the transportation hub in Odisha. Rourkela is the industrial hub and steel city of Odisha. Cuttack ...
... is a business hub of Odisha. Paradip is the port city. Jharsuguda is the powerhouse of Odisha, and Puri is the home of Jagannadh temple and a famous tourist destination in the state.

Places to Visit

Odisha is famous for its temples. Some of the acclaimed temples in Odisha are Sun Temple at Konark, Jagannath Temple at Puri and Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneshwar. Jainism and Buddhism are also practiced widely in Odisha. Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves have ruins and relics that are proof of Odisha's tryst with Buddhism.

Odisha has a very unique ecosystem. The Simlipal National Park houses tigers, Chilika Bird Sanctuary get migratory birds on a regular basis, and Bhitar Kanika National Park are major attractions for eco-tourists. The Gharial Sanctuary is the home to Olive Ridley Turtles.
Odisha is blessed with some of the most scenic beaches in the world. The beaches at Ramachandi, Puri, Balighai, Paradeep and Astarang are very relaxing and nice spots to spend a calm vacation.

How to Reach

Air: BijuPatnaik Airport in Bhubaneshwar is the only airport in the state. There are regular flights plying to major Indian cities. Flights to International destinations can be boarded in Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata.

Rail: All the cities in Odisha, small and large, are well connected by a series of railway lines. The rural areas are also covered in this network. Some of the major railway stations in Odisha are Bhubaneshwar, Rourkela, Cuttack, Paradip, Brahmapur and Jharsuguda.

Road: There are 15 national highways and as many state highways in Odisha that keeps the state well connected with the rest of the major cities nearby. Four lane national highways are being extensively constructed across the state. The rural road network needs improvement. Cabs can be hired to commute between different towns in Odisha.

Sea: There are 3 ports in Odisha, one each in Paradip, Gopalpur and Dhamara. These ports mainly ply cargo carriers and not cruise vessels.