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Orissa
Orissa has a chequered history which has successfully
assimilated and synthesised the best of Buddhist, Jain
and Hindu cultures. Orissa or Kalinga as it was then
called was a settlement of non-Aryan and Aryan settlers.
It was a formidable maritime empire with trading routes
stretching up to Bali, Sumatra, Indonesia and Java.
The key to international trade and immense wealth, it
was coveted by many rulers. In fact, it was here that
the famous Battle of Kalinga was fought in 261 BC, which
made the great Mauryan Kshatriya (warrior caste) king
Ashoka forsake war. He became a follower of Buddhism
and spread the spirit of ahimsa and peace, the message
of Buddhism, to Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) and the
Far East, Exquisite remains of the Buddhist past still
remain in the areas of Udaygiri, Lalitagiri and Ratnagiri.
Kharavela, who came to power in Kalinga, around 1st
Century BC, was a staunch follower of Jainism. It is
to this period that Orissa owes its Jain art and architectural
tradition.
The sophisticated architectural style of the Jain Monastic
caves at Udaygiri and Khandagiri are a story unto themselves.
During the 7th to the 13th Century AD, Orissa flourished.
Trade and commerce increased and along with it evolved
its art and architecture. The style of Hindu temple
construction, so unique to Orissa also developed around
this time.
To understand all that a Hindu temple stands for one
must realize that temples in India are not merely abodes
of deities but a shradhanjali (offering) to the most
sacred. Here a ’darshan’ is a communion between
man and his creator. Hence, Orissan temples are characterised
by profuse decorations, exquisite carving and ornamentation
covering the entire visible area with Gods & Goddesses,
kings and queens, animals and flower motifs ranged against
each other. They radiate the artist’s inner love
and dedication. Orissa is probably the only state where
one can study temple architecture in all its successive
stages of development.
Enchanting Odissi
Odissi, is the traditional dance form of Orissa and
probably owes its origin to the temple dances of the
devadasis (temple dancers). Possibly the oldest classical
dance form, one must sit through a performance to experience
its sheer lyrical grace. Mentioned in inscriptions,
it is depicted on sculptures, in temples like the Brahmeswara
and the dancing hall of the Sun temple at Konark. In
fact in the 1950’s the entire Odissi dance form
was revitalized with the help of the Abhinaya Chandrika
and sculpted dance poses found in temples. Orissa enjoys
a rich tradition of tribal and folk dances as well.
Chhau from Mayurbhanj District is a martial dance form
reminiscent of Orissa’s earlier maritime tradition.
Other folk and tribal dances include Danda Nata, a daylong
performance ending in acrobatic sequences, Ranapa or
dances in which dancers perform balancing acts on bamboo
stilts.
Rare Artistry
Land of dextrous artists and craftsmen, Orissa possesses
a rich artistic tradition which enjoyed liberal patronage
from the temples as well as the nobility. Diverse and
varied, the craftsmen artists of Orissa still retain
their indigenousness, trying to refine it to suit a
changing sensibility. Be it the applique artists of
Pipli or the stone carvers of Orissa, proud descendants
of sculptors whose hands chiseled the unsurpassable
designs on Orissa’s famous temples, the essential
conflict between the traditional and the modern is gradually
being resolved. The progressive attitudes of the Orissan
artists coupled with hereditary skills zealously perpetuated,
has given traditional Orissan arts and crafts like weaving
of Ikat, Bomkai and Sambalpuri Saris, stone carving,
applique and embroidery, silver filigree work, patta
painting and palm leaf engraving, brass and bell metal
work, lacquered boxes and toys and basket weaving, a
unique place in the connoisseur’s dictionary the
world over. A visit to the Raghurajpur artists village
and Pipli, near Puri, to see the artists at work is
quite a rewarding experience.
Gourmet Delights
The green coconut with its pure water and the abundant
sea food from Chilika lake and the sea are as Orissan
as pizzas are Italian. Delicious prawns, crabs, sweet
water fish, lamb, chicken and eggs cooked by Orissan
cooks are widely available gourmet fares, while specialty
restaurants serve almost everything. Milk preparations
like Rasgulla, Rasmalai, Khirmohan, Rasabali, Kalakand
are delicious. Pithas, sweet and savoury are served
as local snacks. This is a traditional preparation requiring
skill and care. Pithas like Mandas, Kakara, Chhunchipatra
are usually domestic preparations much loved by the
Orissans.
The Ethnic World of Orissa
Orissa is a modern state with an ethnic past that is
still vibrant. Most of her tribes are to be found in
the districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar Phulbani, Sambalpur,
Kalahandi and Koraput. As many as 62 tribes exist in
Orissa - Kondhs, Koyas, Bondas, Gadabas, Santals, Juangs,
Oraon, to name only a few are some important tribes
who have retained their individuality and their close
bond with nature. From the last week of January to early
February, the Tribal Fair at Bhubaneshwar brings together
the ethnic world; their art, craft and culture is on
display. For those desirous of a closer look trips are
arranged by many tour operators from Bhubaneshwar and
other cities but it is a hardier trail and more time
consuming.
The Tribal Museum (T.H.R.T.I.) at Bhubaneshwar (CRP
Square) however is quite comprehensive and provides
adequate information on the art, craft, housing and
life-styles of the various tribal groups.
Bhubaneshwar - Temple City of The East
Visit the ancient city of Bhubaneshwar (Bhuban being
world and Iswar God) and it is a walk down centuries
of temple architecture, With 600 temples still extant,
temples are to this ancient city as forts are to Rajasthan.
It is probably the only city in the world that enables
an authentic over-view of the stages of development
of Hindu religious architecture. In the fast moving
world of today these temples are a gentle reminder of
the splendour, the heritage that was once India, It
is not hard to imagine what a temple would have been
at the time of its patron ruler. Regular dances by the
’Devadasis’ or divine servant girls, rituals
and rites, recital of hymns were all an integral part
of temple culture. Temples in Bhubaneshwar are built
on a common plan as prescribed by Hindu norms. The structure
is divided into four distinct parts connected to each
other. The external part or the outer chamber is the
’Jagamohana’. The Garbhagriha is the inner
sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity. There is also
a conical beehive shaped tower which forms the third
part – the Nata Mandap and the fourth is the Bhoga
Mandap. All visible parts of a temple are sculpted with
motifs of priests, kings, courtiers, pilgrims, celestial
dancers, couples in embrace, birds, animals or scenes
from religious epics and legends.
Udaygiri Khandagiri
7 kms from Bhubaneshwar are the twin hills of Udaygiri
and Khandagiri. Built by Kharavela around 1st - 2nd
Century BC for Jain monks, they are excellent examples
of Jain Cave art. The famous caves of Hathigumpha (elephant
cave) in Udaygiri, RaniGumpha (Queen’s cave) also
in Udaygiri, with upper and lower stories, spacious
courtyards and extremely delicately designed friezes
bear witness to the sophistication the architectural
styles had attained as early as the first Century BC.
Dhauli
Driving down the Puri-Konark Highway from Bhubaneshwar
one comes across Dhauli hill on the banks of the River
Daya. Surrounded by the soothing greenery of paddy fields,
lies the 3rd Century BC Ashokan Rock Edict, a memory
of the gruesome war that transformed Ashoka, the great
Warrior into a Buddhist missionary. The Peace Pagoda
built in collaboration with the Kalinga – Japanese
Buddhist Sangha, on the opposite hill, is completely
modern and is an excellent foil.
Puri
The seat of Lord Jagannath, Site of Renowned Rathyatra
Festival and one of the most popular sea side resorts
on the Bay of Bengal, Puri is an ideal travel destination
all the year round.
Konarak
Renowned for its magnificent sun temple, which was constructed
by Narasinha Deva of Ganga dynasty of Orissa in mid
13th century, Konark is also a lovely beach resort.
It is easily approachable from BhubanesHwar-64 kms &
Puri-32 kms by coaches and tourist cars. Regular bus
services including conducted sigthtseeing tours are
available for Konark from BhubanesHwar and Puri.
In Konark, the "Natya Mandir", the dance
hall of the Sun Temple probably remains as the last
remnant of the glorious temples of Orissa an extant
example of the architectural excellence of the times.
Built in the 13th Century, here a collossal image of
the chariot of the Sun, drawn by seven horses and 24
wheels symbolises the divisions of time. The main tower
of Konark stood as high as 227 feet, superceding both
Lingaraja and Jagannath Temples. The Jagmohana (Porch)
structure and the tower are both situated atop the stone
platform supporting the 24 wheels. The Konark Sun Temple
also houses a Natamandira or dancing hall. Only two
subsidiary temples out of the 22, that were also situated
inside the temple precincts, exist today. The VaishnadeviMayadevi
Temple stand to the West of the towers. The Sun temple
of Narasimhadeva is a depiction in stone of the life
of those times – royal, social, religious and military.
The intricate carvings on the walls and wheels of the
chariot are unprecedented in history. The fine sculptures
depicting Court life, hunting, scenes, celestial deities
are epitomes of precision and grace. Graceful sculptures
from the world of the Kamasutra, epic of eroticism also
adorn the structures. The Sun Temple standing in solitary
splendour is the relic of a great past. The history
lovers can regale themselves at the Archaeological Museum
at the site of the Konark Sun Temple. The majestic Sun
Temple silhouetted against the setting sun remains indelibly
etched in the spectator’s memory.
Chilka Lake
Chilika Lake, spreading over an area of 1100 sq. kms
is the largest brackish water lake in the country and
attracts large number of migratory birds besides resident
ones. Barkul and Rambha are two places on the lake which
serve as the base. Though the lake can be visited throughout
the year, October to March is the best season.
Flora: The lake hourbours the "aquatic vegetation"
of its own and is typically represents by Algal forms
(e.g. Chaetomorpha and Enteromorpha widely distributed
algae followed by Lyngbya, Ulva, Cladophora and others
like Gloeocapsa, Nostoc, Sprigyra, Oedogonium, Chara,
Nitella, Gracilaria etc.), a number of Diatoms/Phytoplanktons
and a few species of brackish water submerged phanerogams
like Potamogeton pectinatus, Halophila ovalis, Ruppia
maritima, Naja faveolata, Hydrilla verticellata and
Ceratophyllum demersum etc. Some floating plants like
Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes and Azolla pinnata
etc. enter the like with flood water but disappear after
a few months. The communities of Schoenoplectus littoralis
in association with Eleocharis dulce, Phragmites karka,
Myrostachya wightii & many other grasses and sedges
also exist in shallow muddy areas. Species like Salicornia
brachiata, Suaeda maritima, Sesuvium portulacastrum,
Phyla nodiflora, Heliotropium curassavicum & some
others occur in marshes and salt fields along the edges
and other shallow areas. The present scanty littoral
and scrub jungles on lake margin, islands and rocky
faces are represented by the species like Salvadora
presica, Pongamia pinnata, Colubrina asiatica, Cassipourea
ceylonica, Aegiceras corniculatum, Azima tetracantha,
Pisonia aculeata, Clerodendron inerme, Carmona retusa,
Carissa spinarumm, Crateva spinarumm, Meytinus emarginatus,
Opuntia dillenii, Ficus sps., Crateva adansonii spp.,
Lepisanthes tetraphylla, Streblus asper etc. and a number
of climbers/twinners and herbaceous ground flora. The
dunes & sandy areas of the beaches near lake have
the floral composition of their own, favoured in the
conditions they offer. The land lying between Sea and
Lagoon exhibits rich growth of casuarina equisetifolia,
planted by Forest Dept.
Fauna: There is a wide varity of animal life forms
representing various groups of Animal Kingdom (ranging
from Protozoa, Porifera, Polyzoa, Brachiopoda, Coelenterata,
Ctenophora, Isopoda, Echiura, Sipuncula, Chaetognatha,
Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Crustacea, Arachinida, Insecta,
Mollusca to Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and
Mamals). The more details of some of these fauna arefurnished
here.
Around 158 species of fishes and prawns have so far
been recorded.Crabs like Scylla serrata & Neptunus
pelagicus are the predominent types available here.
Oyster (e.g. Ostrea talpur, Arca, Meretix etc.) occurs
in small patches. Nearabout countless types of Amphibians
Reptiles viz. Snakes, Lizards, Turtles & Crocodiles.
Discovery of Limbless skink (Barakudia insularis), a
rare reptile which was reported first time from loose
soil of Barakudia island by Annandale (1917), attaches
much significance to this place. The Dolphins have been
reported mostly near Satapada-Magarmukha area and occasionally
between Kalijai and Balugaon. Other mammals reported
from small pockets in the surrounding hlls/forests/scattered
islands & amidst the vegetation of sandy ridge facing
Chilika and Sea include Black bucks (Antilope cervicara),
Spotted deer, Fox, Jackal, Hyaena, Jungle Cat, Hare,
Rat, Pachyura (an insectivora), Common bat, Otter, Common
mongoose, Monkey, Squirrel, Porcupine etc.
Gopalpur-on-Sea
Gopalpur-on-Sea is a quiet and charming sea resort along
the Bay of Bengal, in the district of Ganjam, Orissa.
It offers secluded environment and magnificent sun,
surf and sand for most of the year.
Simplipal
Nestled in the centre of Mayurbhanj, the northernmost
district of Orissa is the similipal National Park one
of India's better known wild life sanctuaries, covering
a large forested area of 2750 sq.kms. The variation
in topography, climate and vegetation has supported
large varieties of animals, birds and reptiles. Similipal
is one of the earliest and finest of India's fifteen
Tiger reserves under Project Tiger.
Chandipur
Chandipur (16 kms) away from Balasore Railway Station
on Howrah-Madras line of South Eastern ( S.E.) Railways
annique beach where the sea water recedes about 5 kms
during low-tide and advances to the shore line again
during high-tides each day. An ideal beach resort of
Orissa.
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