Odisha

Odisha is a coastal state in eastern India, known for its ancient temples, classical dance and long Bay of Bengal shoreline. Its capital is Bhubaneswar, the temple city. Home to the iconic Sun Temple at Konark and the Jagannath Temple at Puri, it has a deep spiritual and artistic heritage.

Odisha stretches along the Bay of Bengal, with fertile coastal plains and river deltas backed by forested hills and plateaus inland. Chilika Lake, a vast brackish lagoon, lies on its coast. The climate is tropical, prone to cyclones during the monsoon season.

Odia culture is famed for the classical Odissi dance, intricate temple architecture, and the grand annual Rath Yatra chariot festival at Puri. The state has a strong tradition of crafts, including applique and stone carving.

Site of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga, whose bloody conquest led Emperor Ashoka to embrace Buddhism and nonviolence, Odisha later built magnificent temples under medieval dynasties. Formed as a state in 1936 and renamed Odisha in 2011.

This overview is AI-assisted and grounded with available atlas facts and reference material. Treat linked primary data as authoritative. Read the methodology.