Kalinga of the Mauryan age and Utkala of
Mahabharata fame, popularly known as Orissa today, boasts of splendid
architecture and magnificent beaches.
Spread over a sprawling area of 1.55 lakh sq kms, it lies in the
tropical zones along the eastern seaboard of India. One can find an
unmatched blend of rural tranquility with boisterous modern adroitness
here. The scenic beauty of the place so much overpowers your spirit that
the poet inside you is awakened.
Ancient History of Orissa
The mention of Orissa dates back to 260 BC, the reign of Emperor
Ashoka. While spreading the boundaries of his kingdom, the emperor
reached the gates of the then Kalinga and invoked its king to fight or
flee. In the absence of her father, the princess of the state took reins
and fought bravely with the emperor. The war was a true massacre and the
bloodshed that took place moved the emperor so much that his killing
instinct was capsized. A warrior was thence transformed into a great
apostle of Buddhism. Buddhism followed by Jainism held sway until after
the reassertion of Hinduism in the state in 7th century AD.
The Orissan culture and architecture flourished immensely under the
rein of Keshari and Ganga Kings at Orissa. A number of masterpieces of
that golden era still stand today as mute evidences to a glorious past.
