Odisha

Odisha (formerly Orissa) is a state in India. Area of the state is about 1,55,707 sq kms. Its population was 36,804,660 as per census 2001. Bhubaneswar is its capital city. The Principal language of this state is Oriya.

History and Geography

Orissa, the land of Oriyas, was known as Kalinga in ancient days. In the third century BC (261 BC), Ashoka the Mauryan emperor sent a powerful force to conquer Kalinga, which offered stubborn resistance. Kalinga was subdued but the carnage, which followed, struck Ashoka with remorse. After the death of Ashoka, Kalinga regained its independence. In the second century BC, it became a powerful country under Kharavela. With the death of Kharavela, Orissa passed into obscurity. In the fourth century AD, Samudragupta invaded Orissa, which lay astride his path and overcame resistance offered by five of its kings. In 610 AD, Orissa came under the sway of King Sasanka. After Sasanka's death, Harsha conquered Orissa.

Orissa had its own rulers (Ganga dynasty) in the seventh century AD. In 795 AD, Mahasivagupta Yajati II came to the throne and with him began the most brilliant epoch in the history of Orissa. He united Kalinga, Kangoda, Utkal and Koshala in the imperial tradition of Kharavela. Under the kings of Ganga dynasty, Orissa continued to flourish. Narasingha Dev of this dynasty is reputed to have built the unique Sun Temple of Konark. From Mid-16th Century, Orissa was ruled successively by five Muslim kings till 1592, when Akbar annexed it into the Mughal Empire. With the decline of the Mughal Empire, the Marathas occupied Orissa. They continued to hold it till the British took over in 1803.

Orissa was made into a separate province on 1 April, 1936. After Independence, princely states in and around Orissa surrendered their sovereignty to the Government of India. By the States Merger (Governor's provinces) Order 1949, the princely states of Orissa were completely merged with the state of Orissa in January 1949. Although the state of Orissa had many ancient names like Kalinga, Utkal and Udra, it is widely known as the land of Lord Jagannath. Lord Jagannath is intimately connected with the social, cultural and religious life of Orissa. Jainism, Islam and Christianity have considerable impact on the people of Orissa in different periods.

Orissa is situated in the north-eastern part of the Indian peninsula. It is bound by the Bay of Bengal on the east, West Bengal on the north-east, Jharkhand on the north, Chhattisgarh on the west, and Andhra Pradesh on the south. The state may be broadly divided into four geographical regions-the northern plateau, central river basin, eastern hills and coastal plains.

There are 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Vidhan Sabha constituencies in the state.

Districts

Angul District Balangir District Balasore District Bargarh District Bhadrak District Boudh District Cuttack District Deogarh District Dhenkanal District Gajapati District Ganjam District Jagatsinghapur District Jajpur District Jharsuguda District Kalahandi District Kandhamal District Kendrapara District Keonjhar District Khordha District Koraput District Malkangiri District Mayurbhanj District Nabarangapur District Nayagarh District Nuapada District Puri District Rayagada District Sambalpur District Subarnapur District Sundargarh District

Lok Sabha and their Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies after delimitation order of 2008

Places of interest

Chilika, Bhitarakanika, Jagannath Temple, Kapilash, Tara Tarini, Sun Temple Konark, Bhubaneswar, Puri District, Konark, Sonepur in Odisha, Cuttack District

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Odisha

History and Geography

Districts

Lok Sabha and their Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) constituencies after delimitation order of 2008

Places of interest

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