Art & Culture of Odisha – Odisha Geography, Govt. & Policies Notes

Now, again we are here with a state which cradles between the sun-kissed beaches of the Bay of Bengal and the dense forests of Eastern Ghats- Odisha. Odisha is the hub of cultural destinations and a land of splendour and beauty. We’ll confabulate about the cultural, geographical and political attributes of Odisha.

Where is the world’s largest saltwater crocodile housed? Whichdance formis the oldest surviving form of the world?

Odisha derived its name from the Sanskrit word ‘Odra Vishaya’ and means ‘Wished for Child’. The Odisha state was known as the land of Kings and Kingdoms with rich source of natural resources. The state’s temple architecture, classical dance, religions, fairs and festivals, unique handlooms and handicrafts, green woodlands, rock caves, charming blue hills have charmed chroniclers and vacationers from all over the world. 

So let’s start exploring some very amazing and interesting facts about Odisha.

Before diving deep, let’s know the State Symbols of Odisha.

STATE SYMBOLS OF Odisha

Let’s move forward and study the topmost attribute of Odisha.

CULTURE of Odisha

Odisha is the ever-sprightly state of India with stunning architectures, history, dialects, vibrant art music and dance. The state is a land of temples thriving on top of a solid foundation laid by heritage. Odisha comes as a sigh of relief for those seeking peace of mind.

• The capital of Odisha, Bhubaneswar is known as the ‘city of temples’ and was named after Tribhuvaneswar that means ‘Lord of Three Worlds’ which was the ancient capital of Kalinga.
• Oriya or Odia is the official language of Odisha used for any of the official purposes of the State.
• The State is home to 62 different tribal communities. These tribes speak 21 languages and 74 dialects. Odia is used as the medium of communication in the state.
• Odissiis an Indian classical dance and provides archeological evidence indicating that it is the oldest surviving dance form in the country. Odisha’s other famous dance forms are Chhau, Gotipua, Danda Nata, Sambapuri, Dalkhai, Chaitighoda and Medha Nacha. 
• Durga Pooja is the most important festival of Odisha which is magnificently celebrated all over the state of Odisha. Other major festivals celebrated in the state are Kali Puja, Kumar Purnima, Deepabali, Prathamastami, Vasant Panchami, Maha Shivaratri, Dola Purnima and Holi etc.
• The cuisine of Odisha has a distinctive cooking style that is followed in the preparation of the dishes. A typical main course consists of rice or chapatti, along with dal, bhaji, bharta, ambila/sakara and dessert.
• The local specialties of the state are Machha Jholo, Gupchup, Cuttack Chaat, Aloo Dum, Dahi Pakhal, Badi Choora, Dalma, Santula, etc. The famous desserts of Odisha are Pithas, Kora-Khhaii, Rasabali, Chenna Gaja, Chenna Poda and Rasagola.

Now, let’s talk about the geography of the state.

GEOGRAPHY of Odisha

Odisha is located in the northeastern part of the country. The state is known for the land of paddy fields and palm-fringed silver beaches, temples, rivers, waterfalls and tribal people which is filled with major attractions such as the temples of Bhubaneshwar and Puri, clean beaches and the magnificent Sun Temple of Konark. Odisha is one of the most prominent states of the country comprising modern infrastructure and facilities.

• Latitudinal Extension – 17.31°N and 22.31°N
• Longitudinal Extension – 81.31°E and 87.29°E
• Area – 155,707 km²

       Rank in India – 8^th  

• Population – 41,974,218

        Rank in India – 11^th  

• The state is bounded by Jharkhand and West Bengal to the north and northeast, by the Bay of Bengal to the east, and by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to the south and Chhattisgarh to the west.
• Odisha’s metallurgic formations differ greatly in both age and character. 
• Odisha is drained by 11 major rivers and their tributaries. The Mahanadi is the biggest river in Odisha and the sixth largest in India.
• Odisha coastal plain region is the combination of several deltas of varied sizes and shapes formed by the major rivers of Odisha such as the Subarnarekha, the Budhabalanga, the Baitarani, the Brahmani, the Mahanadi, and the Rushikulya.
• Odisha’s forest cover is about one-third of the state. They are commonly classified into two categories: tropical moist deciduous and tropical dry deciduous.

Climate:

Odisha is located in the tropical wet-dry or tropical savanna climatic region. The state experiences four climatological seasons: winter (January to February), pre-monsoon season (March to May), south-west monsoon season (June to September) and northeast monsoon season (October–December). The average annual rainfall in the state is about 1,500 mm, mostly occurring during the months of the southwest monsoon (June through September). The Eastern Ghats receive heavier precipitation, while the coastal area south of Chilka Lake that is the driest region in the state, may receive less than 1,300 mm annually.

Soil type:

The State is broadly divided into 4 physiographic zones: Coastal Plains, Central Tableland, Northern Plateau and Eastern Ghats. Soil types range from fertile alluvial deltaic soils in coastal plains, mixed red and black soils in Central tableland, red and yellow soils with low fertility in Northern Plateau to red, black & brown forest soils in Eastern Ghat region. They differ widely from highly acidic to slightly alkaline and from light sandy to stiff clays. Soils are mainly acidic with the degree of acidity varying widely.

Now, we’ll take a glance at the political aspects of Odisha.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS of Odisha

The government of Odisha functions in the same way as other states of India which is determined by the national constitution of 1950. The head of state is the governor that is appointed by the president of India. The administration is conducted by the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister and responsible for the unicameral Legislative Assembly. There is a high court in Cuttack and the chief justice of high court is appointed by the president of India. Beneath high court, there are district and magistrate’s courts, and various courts that handle particular types of cases. Odisha is divided into about 30 districts. The district administration is conducted by the district magistrate. The districts are divided into tahsils, each having a tahsildar as its revenue officer. 

Representation of Odisha in Parliament:

Assembly seats (unicameral): 147

Rajya Sabha: 10

Lok Sabha: 21

First Governor of Odisha: Sir John Austen Hubback

First Chief Minister of Odisha: Harekrushna Mahatab

Here comes SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ODISHA:

• The Bhitarkanika Park on Odisha coast has achieved a rare distinction of housing the world’s largest saltwater crocodile measuring about 23 feet long.
• Odisha is the first state to form on a language basis. The state was formed in 1936 with an Oriya-speaking region. There are some Oriya-speaking areas in the neighbouring states.
• The Kalinga Award was given in the field of science by the Odisha government and was founded by former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik.
• Chilika Lake in Odisha is Asia’s largest salt lake.
• Nandankanan is India’s second-largest zoo and is the only zoo in India with tiger and lion safari.
• Puri is the only place where the worship of Vaishnava, Shakta, Shaiva and folk culture is seen in the rituals.

Hope this blog made most of your doubts clear about Odisha. In our forthcoming blog, we will be studying about the other important aspects of Odisha.

What are the economic aspects of Odisha? Where is Hirakud dam situated?

In the next blog, facets related to these questions will be answered certainly. If you don’t want to miss it, click here – Know your State ‘Odisha’ – Part 2. We hope it will help you in the preparation of your exams such SSC 10+2, SSC CGL, CDS, NDA, etc.

Thank you