ORRISA - CULTURE

ORRISA

The stunning architectures, history, dialects, vibrant art music and dance forms make Odisha ever sprightly state of India. Odisha (formerly known as Orissa), the battleground for the famous Kalinga war fought by Ashoka the Great, lies on the country's east coast. When the sun rises here, it rises over a land of temples thriving on top of a solid foundation laid by heritage. Life is uncomplicated, laid back and it doesn't take much to find some hush and quiet here. As opposed to the hustle and bustle of metropolitan concrete jungles, Odisha comes as a sigh of relief to the one seeking the peace of mind

RELIGION

With 95% of the populace following Hinduism and over 62 tribal communities residing on the same soil, people of Odisha live in harmony with mutual respect for minorities.  It is said that the state stands as a coastal corridor between the northern and southern parts of the country. As such, it marked the assimilation of cultures of both Aryans and Dravidians in the days of yore. Owing to this and being mostly rural, Odias are a religious bunch but definitely not communal. Odisha is also a state with one of the lowest crime rates.

CUISINE

A typical Odia meal consists of rice, dal/dalma (a kind of dal cooked with nutritious vegetables), a vegetable dish or two, something fried and a fish/meat curry. Traditional dishes like Pakhala (water-soaked rice), Chhena Poda (a roasted cheese dessert) and Mansa Tarkari (meat curry cooked with potatoes) are loved all over the state irrespective of innumerable dialects, uniting natives together.

DRESSING

Women adorn themselves with saris mostly, the famous ones being - Kataki, Bomkai and Sambalpuri. The Sambalpuri Ikat saris are the most sought-after buys made by tourists. Even though its tie and dye process is borrowed from Indonesia, the designing is indigenous and original with weaving practices and techniques unparalleled in other parts of India.

FESTIVALS

Major Odia festivals that bring together people from all backgrounds together are:

Ratha Yatra, Prathamashtami,  Rajo , Durga Puja ,  Maha Shivaratri.People across Odisha celebrate Shivaratri with gusto. Apart from these traditional festivals, Odisha has highlighted its culture by bringing into focus various fests. While the Dhauli Festival, Kalinga Mahotsav and Rajarani Festivals focus on music and dance, the Beach Festivals of Chandipur in Puri showcase handloom, cultural talent and food exhibitions.

ART AND CULTURE

It is impossible to list every form of visual art and craft this uber-talented state boasts of but here are some of the best-known ones:

Pattachitra (Cloth Painting) Literally, 'Patta' translates to cloth and 'Chitra' means picture. The themes and motifs are mythological, typically revolving around the Jagannath and Vaishnava sect. Lord Jagannath and Radha-Krishna paintings are a rage among buyers

Rock Paintings Rock art in Odisha dates back to the prehistoric period according to the earliest reports found at Viramkhol in Jharsuguda district

Sand Art With clean, fine-grained sand and water as its raw materials, this is an indigenous form of art that found its origin recently if a comparison is drawn to the other forms of art

Odisha may be still catching up to the fast-paced ways of urbanity and it may not even be on top of your must-visit places, but one cannot deny the charm that small towns always carry. 

BY

Jayasree M