There are some places in the world that are special, and Orissa is definitely one of them.

Filled
with exquisite temples and extraordinary monuments, home to many thousands of prolific
artists and craftsmen; and possessing beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, and natural landscape of
often-enchanting beauty, Orissa is a unique and fascinating land that is, nevertheless, still
largely undiscovered by tourists.

Orissa is a veritable museum of India's sculptural and artistic heritage and has long been
famous to scholars and connoisseurs for the magnificent Sun Temple at Konark (The legendary
'Black Pagoda' of European mariners), for the majestic temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri
(renowned for the spectacular Rath Yatra chariot festival), and for the glorious temples of
Bhubaneswar. The small but ever-growing number of sophisticated tourists who do manage to
find their way to Orissa are generally prepared with some knowledge of these temples, of the
delicate Orissan ikat textiles which have been become famous throughout the world, and,
perhaps, of the beaches at Puri and Gopalpur on sea. They therefore plan to spend two or
three days in Orissa. Even these knowledgeable visitors, however, are seldom prepared for the
amazing variety and richness of the treasures that lie waiting to be discovered. If they were,
they would have planned to stay for a week. And that would be just a beginning.

Orissa is a place like no other, a glowing green jewel of a state. On the east, 300 miles (482
km) of gentle coastline are open to the Bay of Bengal, while the high hills and mountains of the
Eastern Ghats seal the western borders. In between, lie 96,000 square miles (156,000 sq kms)
of peaceful, rural beauty. Orissa is home to three mighty rivers and to the largest fresh/salt
water lake in Asia, to dozens of the most sacred places of pilgrimage in India, and to hundreds
of thousands of small, traditional villages, in which almost all of her 26 million people live. Only
four cities have more than one hundred thousand inhabitants, and Orissa's urban and rural
populations alike share a strong sense of the holiness of their beautiful land and of their
enduring links with the past.

The temples and monuments of Orissa are among the most magnificent gems of religious
architecture the world has ever produced. Soaring against the dark sky, clustered by the many
hundreds in the ancient holy city of Bhubaneswar, protecting the precincts of small towns and
villages, the temples of Orissa are natural museums of the sublime and the divine, as well as
the visible manifestations of something strong and enduring which seems to sanctify the entire
state. These places of beauty and devotion often still serve as centers of intense religious
activity and fervent festivals, as well as of great artistic creativity. Information on Travel to
Orissa

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What is Tourism?

Although many of us have been "tourists" at some point in

our lives, defining what tourism actually is can be difficult.
Tourism is the activities of persons traveling to and staying in
places outside their usual environment for not more than one
consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes.

Tourism is a dynamic and competitive industry that requires

the ability to constantly adapt to customers' changing needs and desires, as the customer’s
satisfaction, safety and enjoyment are particularly the focus of tourism businesses

Orissa is an enchanting land of

sea, sand and fabulous temples
along the long coastal stretch of the
Bay of Bengal. This state has its
mention in the epic Mahabharata and
attracts tourists with its gorgeous
beaches and grand architectural
splendors. The natural splendor of
this land with affluent culture and
heritage is simply awe-inspiring.

There are innumerable tourist

attractions in Orissa and some of the
major ones among them are:

Bhubaneswar: It is the capital town of this magnificent state and is located on

the eastern side. It flaunts some of the finest temples and shrines that are
counted among the tourist attractions in Orissa. It is an exemplary instance of
the blend of age-old customs and traditions and contemporary aspirations.
Lingaraja temple, Rajarani temple, Parasuramesvera temple and Yogini temple,
Mukteswar, Siddheswar and Kedargauri temples are the important temples here.
Handicrafts Museum, Khandagiri-Udayagiri Caves, Orissa State Museum and
Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary are some of the must watch tourist spots
located here.

Konark: It is well-known all over the world for its outstanding Sun Temple,
which is dedicated to Surya, the Sun God. In addition to its breathtaking
architectural wonders, the Konark Beach is also a famous place of tourist interest
which also has one of the most delightful beaches of eastern India.
 Puri: It is one of the most frequented tourist
destinations of Orissa and is known to be the
abode of Lord Jagannath. Its beaches and
splendid temples form the most important
Orissa tourist attractions. Puri is also among
one of the four important Hindu Dhams in India
and is quite revered by the Hindu pilgrims. The
leading attraction of Puri is the Jagannath Temple, one of the most popular as
well as the biggest temples of Orissa. This temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath
and was established in the 12th century.

Udaigiri & Khandagiri Caves: Udaygiri & Khandagiri caves are some of the
famous tourist attractions in Orissa. The most popular ones to mention would be
Akshay Ganga, Gupta Ganga, Shyam Kund and Radha Kund. The most mystical
among them all is the 24-Tirthankaras Cave as it features the carvings of the
twenty-four Apostles of Jainism on the massive stones.

Ratnagiri: It is an impressive Buddhist site which is located on a small hill and is

surrounded by rivers all over. While ascending the hill you will come across
wonderful vistas of vast plains with lush greenery. Two large monasteries,
including Sri Ratnagiri Mahavihara Aryabhikshu Sangha were unearthed during
the excavations that were carried out here.

Chilka Lake: Chilka Lake is recognized for its exotic splendor and is
one of the largest lakes not only India, but in the entire Asian continent
stretching over an area of 1,100 sq km. It is an ideal picnic spot and offers ample
scope for boating, fishing and bird watching. You can relax and spend some
quality time here during your tour to Orissa.

Lingaraj Temple: It is one of the important tourist attractions in

Orissa and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is ornamented with stunning sculptures,
which have been carved on the spire. The temple has a height of around 54.8
meters high and enshrines a massive statue of Lord Shiva which is made up of
granite.

With so many things to watch in Orissa, make certain that you have sufficient
time in hand for exploring this impressive state during your vacations in Orissa.

Touristplacesinindia.com offers online information on the Orissa Tourist

Attractions and also offers useful inputs on Orissa Hotels

BOLANGIR
A WELL laid out town from the time of the Maharajas, Bolangir still possesses the charm
and serenity of the old days fashion. It is one of the major commercial towns in the
western part of Orissa.

Ranipur- Jharial, 104 km from Balangir, houses one among the four existing Hypaethral
Temples, dedicated to sixty-four Yoginis in lndia - a wonder in the world of archaeology
and a cluster of other temples.

On the southern slope of Gandhamardan hills, Harishankar, 81 km from Balangir is a

place of pilgrimage and rare scenic beauty with gurgling waterfalls.

Patnagarh, the ancient capital of the kingdom of Patna, has some unique monuments- 38
km from Balangir.

Also Sonepur, on the confluence of rivers Mahanadi and Tel, known as Paschima Lanka
in scriptures, is a nicely laid out town.
48 km from Balangir, it has a cluster of temples, each having a story of its own.
ROURKELA
Set in the lap of nature, Rourkela has come into prominence with the establishment of the
first of the three public sector steel plants set up in India in 1955. Situated in the
minerally rich belt of Orissa, Rourkela marked a new era in the Steel Industry of India
being the only steel plant devoted primarily to the production of flat products and sheets.
Rourkela serves as the most convenient base for visiting the places of interest in the
district of Sundargarh.
Keonjhar
Keonjhar, the district headquarters of the district of Keonjhar offers varieties of
attractions to the tourists. It is the most convenient base from where visitors can plan their
visit to various places of interest in the district.

Places of tourist interest in Keonjhar : Vishnu Temple, Jagannath Temple, and on its
outskirts the shrines of Siddha Jagannath, Siddha Kali, Ghatagaon and Panchabati
amidst picturesque settings.

Similipal
Thick and green forests, extensive grassy lands and meadows, cloud kissing peaks, precipitous
and sparkling waterfalls, meandering rivers, roaring tigers and trumpeting tuskers, fleeing
deer and flying squirrels, talking myna and dancing peacocks et al make Similipal a dreamland
of Nature in the wilderness and an irresistible destination.

Covering a vast are of 2750 sq. km out of which 303 sq. km from the core area, thick
biosphere reserve is a sanctuary and one of the Tiger Projects and National parks of India

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Tourism in India and India's economic development

By Kartik Chandra Roy, Clement Allan Tisdell

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