Orissa

Odisha, formerly known as Orissa is an Indian state, bounded on the west by the thickly forested hills and on the east by nearly 500 km of coastline on the Bay of Bengal. It is surrounded by the Indian states of West Bengal to the north-east and in the east, Chhattisgarh to the west and north-west, Jharkhand to the north and Andhra Pradesh to the south. The name Odisha is derived from Pali or Sanskrit words Ora (Ura) or Odra Desa or Sumera or Odra Visaya. Odisha has a history spanning over a period of over 5,000 years. Before Kalinga it was named as Udra or "Odra Desa". A major turning point in world history which took place in Odisha was The Kalinga War, which was fought in 261 BCE that led emperor Ashoka to embrace non-violence and the teachings of Buddha. Ashoka's military campaign against Kalinga was one of the bloodiest in Mauryan history on account of the fearless and heroic resistance offered by the Kalingas to the mighty armies of the expanding Mauryan empire. However, Ativ Land (South Western Odisha) was unconquered by Ashoka.

Orissa is blessed its palm-fringed beaches, shimmering lakes, serpentine rivers, mighty waterfalls, forest-clad blue hills of Eastern Ghats, which are home to rich flora and fauna that impress and lure tourists from all over the world. Orissa offers picturesque national parks and wildlife, unpolluted beaches, traditional music and dance, temples, handicrafts, tribal culture, and Buddhist relics. Dolphin tourism provides an important alternative source of income for many local residents. Orissa is also famous for its fairs festivals, stone carving, silver filigree, applique work, exquisite handicrafts, and beautiful textiles. Main tourist attractions of Orissa are Konark Sun Temple, Puri Rath Yatra, Jagannath Temple, Barabati Fort, Qadam-I-Rasool, Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Raghurajpur Handicrafts Village, Chilika Lake, Tribal Villages, Buddhist Sites, Chandipur Beach and Orissa State Museum.