Essay on Odisha For Kids & Students

The coastal state of Odisha previously known at Orissa, is located in the southeastern part of the country. It is safe to say that Odisha is a land of many great temples which is bounded by the neighboring states of Jharkhand on north and West Bengal in east.

Odisha has a vast area under it which makes it the 9th largest state. Even by population, Odisha stands on 11th position in India. The people of Odisha are known to speak their local language known as- Oriya apart from which only Hindi and Tamil is spoken in few districts of Odisha.   Talking about the climate, rainfall is heavy and regular and two crops of rice, by far the most important crop.

Facts of Odisha 

• Anciently known as Kalinga, The Great Asoka is known to have invaded the then Odisha who was the first ruler of Odisha.
• During the British colonization, Cuttack was the capital of Odisha which was later transferred to Bhubaneswar in 1948.
• Odisha state museum is one of the world-famous museums for having a wide collection of manuscripts of which Abhinava Gita Govinda dates back to 1496 but the text can date back to 2nd century.
• The Hirakud Artificial Lake which is largest artificial lake in Asia is situated in Hirakud district of Odisha.
• Also, the longest earthen dam of world is also build in Hirakud, Odisha.

Things to do and see in Odisha

1. The Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves

It is safe to say that the Khandagiri Caves is most sought-after tourist attraction in Odisha. These Caves adds to the ancient history of Odisha. However, the most important detail about these caves is that The Udaygiri caves are naturally occuring cave and it has man-made caves as well.

2. Chilika Lake

This 1100 sq kilometer long water lagoon is situated in the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha. It is the largest coastal brackish water lake of India. If you are lucky, you might spot a dolphin or two playing around the lake. If dolphins are not enough to amaze you, then bird watching could give you an additional high.

3. Diverse Wildlife of Simlipal National Park

Who knew that Odisha was also rich in flora and fauna which is unmatched from anywhere else in the world? Well, if you don’t then visit the Simlipal National Park and have a gist of the wildlife richness that resides in Odisha. The Simlipal National park is not only home to exotic wildlife species but a lot of waterfalls such as- Barehipani and Joranda. All in all, this National Park will give you the best of nature that is found here in Odisha.

4. Konark temple

The Konark Temple is a gem of India’s ancient history which reflects how the Ancient Indian Civilizations were so ahead of their time. This temple is not just a temple but the watch from thousands of years ago when wrist watches weren’t a thing. It has 12 pair of wheels each of which represent each hour in a day. The then people calculated time according to the shadow which acted up on the wheels present in this Konark Temple.

5. The Puri Beach

If you didn’t know already, then this land of temples also has most magnificent beaches in India. In fact, one can find camels walking along the beach coast. The ultimate view of crystal blue water and crystal blue skies while sitting on white sand is undoubtedly a view to die for.

6. The Jagannath Puri Temple

One of the most travelled pilgrimage in India; the citizens of India hold strong spiritual beliefs in the Jagannath Puri. This ancient temple is made in remembrance of an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This temple has breathtaking architecture which dates back thousands of years.