Monday, December 14, 2009

Culture


Flowing through the arteries of Orissa, is the living and continuing culture of India... its varied expressions and its rich variety. The very stones speak of the unique history of the nation. The temple-culture condenses the quintessence of India. Whether it is the sacred environs of Lord Jagannath temple, or the eroticism of Konark's Sun temple, the wondrous caves of Jainism or the mystical monasteries of Buddhism, the paintings of folklore or the weaver's magic... Orissa speaks eloquently of a living past and continuing present.The rhythmic and exotic classical 'Odissi dance1 evolved from the cult of the 'devadasis' or female temple dancers reverberates not only within the portals of the nation, but also echoes on foreign shores too. Folk dances like the 'Chhow' or the 'Sambalpuri' dance and tribal dances like the 'Ghumura' & 'Paraja' can set any soul ablaze. Indigenous theatre in the form of 'Prahalad-Nataka' or the 'Dhanuyatra' are expressions of the 'Indianness of India'. Fairs like the 'Bali Jatra' remind us of our ancient maritime links with Bali. And to crown it all is our universally-acclaimed 'Rathyatra' of Lord Jagannath which has infected the world. So... sure and true flows the Orissan culture reflecting the Indian Culture.Visit Orissa - Experience India.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

About Orissa

rissa (Oriya: ଓଡ଼ିଶା) About this sound pronunciation (also known as Odisha)[1] is a state ofIndia, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of ancient republican nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC, that led to a turning point in the Emperor's life when deeply saddened by the bloodshed he embraced Buddhism in search of inner peace.The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April 1936 as a province in British India[2], and consists, predominantly of Oriya speakers[3]. 1 April is therefore celebrated as Utkal Divas (Orissa Day).