Toshali Sands

A heaven on earth is the common description of Puri. Both the devout and the pleasure-seeker bestow such praise on the place. The world’s biggest Vishnu temple dividing the skyline through a host of smaller temples overlooking Puri’s wide, sprawling, clean, sunny, buoyant, and vibrant beach, which too is one of world’s finest of its kind are its chief attractions. Puri is also famous for the greatest of the temple festivals, the Rath Yatra or the Car Festival which falls in June/July.

According to tradition, Puri was originally a densely wooded hill inhabited by Sabaras, a pre-Aryan and pre-Dravidian tribe. Chodaganga Dev, the illustrious ruler of the Ganga dynasty, built the present Jagannath Temple in the twelfth century A.D. Kapilendra Dev, Purusottam Dev and Prataprudra Dev, all rulers of the Surya dynasty, left their distinctive marks on the history, art and culture of Puri. Jagannath worship flourished even during the Moghul and Maratha periods.

The sunny beach at Puri is one of the finest in the world. Watching the sunrise in a symphony of colours is a wonderful experience. it is one of the most popular sea-side resorts where visitors from any part of the globe can comfortably relax.

Places to See : Jagannath Temple, Gundicha Temple

Rivers Of Orissa The major rivers of Orissa from north to south are the subamarekha, the Burhabalanga, the Baitarani, the Brahmani, the Mahanadi and the Rushikulya. The smaller ones are the Salandi, the Vamsadhara, the Nagavali, the Kolab, the lndravati, the Sileru, the Sabari and the Poteru. The biggest and the most important ri ver flowing through the heart-land of Orissa is the Mahanadi with a length of 853kms. It originates from the Maikal range in Chhatisgarh, popularly known as the Amarkantak plateau which was once a part of Orissa, and enters modern Orissa northwest in the Sambalpur district near Padigan a little above Hirakud.

At Hirakud, the longest earth dam in the world has been built across the river as a multipurpose river valley project with an installed capacity of 4,75,00 kms. hydel power and irrigation facility for 35,486 hectares of land, besides the basic function of flood control. From Sambalpur the Mahanadi flows through Sonepur and Boudh districts. From Sunakhania in Boudh to Baramula in Daspalla along a distance of 14 miles it flows cutting through the rock strata of the Eastern Ghats forming a gorge, which after the length of its span goes by the name of ‘ Sat-Kosi a Gorge’. At Naraj, the river divides itself into two branches, the Mahanadi and the Kathajodi, which encompass the city of Cuttack on both sides.

OrissaNo. of Species 19 110 473 86 124 Al11phibians Reptiles Birds MaI11I11als orchids State Tree : Kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba) State Flower: Ashoka (Saraca Indica) State Animal: Sambar (Cervus unicolor) State Bird: Roller or Blue Jay (Coracias benghalensis) Sancturies in Wildlife Distance from Orissa status Bhubaneswar Similipal Tiger Project and Tiger, Elephant, Boar, Bison, Biosphere Reserve Deer, Sambar, Panther, Mugger and Snakes White Tiger & Lion Safari Panther, Deer, Monkeys Birds and Reptiles. Pelican and Flamingo Turtle, Crocodile, Deer Snakes, Boar and Panther 225 kms. Panther, Deer, Boar and Monkey 100 kms. Panther, Elephant, Sambar Tiger and Deer.230 kms.

Sambar, Deer, Bear and Boar l00kms. Crocodile and Elephant 220 kms. Sambar, Boar, Panther and Wild Buffalo. Elephant and Wild Boar Black Buck, Deer and Hyena Tiger, Panther, Buffalo and Sambar Tiger, Panther and Elephant. Tiger, Panther, Elephant Bison and Deer. Baishipali near Nayagarh Tiger, Panther and Elephant 270 kms.
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Nandankanan Zoo 23 kms. 90 kms. Chilika Bird Sanctuary Bhitarkanika via- Chandbali Kapilas Lakhari Valley near Berhampur Saptasajya Tikarapada Sunabeda
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515 kms. 26 kms.70 kms. Chandaka Balukhand Balimela 618 kms. 450 kms. Karlapat Kuldiha 230 kms. 195 kms.
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Debrigarh With an area of 346.91 sq.kms. the Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary is located in the undivided district of Sambalpur (Now Baragarh) between longitude 83°.30′ to 83° 46′ (East) and latitudes 21°.28′ to 21°43′ (North). The place is thickly dense with flora like bija, sal, asana, aanla, dhaura and other associates of sol. One can track the important fauna like tiger, leopard, hyena, bison, sambar, spotted deer, chousingha, resident and migratory birds, monitOf lizard, chameleon etc. in this sanctuary.

Attractions: The Park boasts of many features which attract tourists from far and near. Boating in anjia lake on paddle or row boats In the clear blue waters is an exhilarating experience. In the Park, the toy train is the main attraction for the children. A diesel toy train HADGARH Hadgarh wildlife sancturary located in the district of Keonjhar can be approached by road. It lies only at a distance of 20 kms. from Bhadrak on NH-5. Bhadrak is well connected through rail way with Kolkata and the state capital of Bhubaneswar. With an area of 191.06 sq.kms. the sanctuary opened to the public on 6.12.78. Amidst the dense sal forest and its associates faunaleopard, wild dog, elephants etc., the dam is an ideal habitat for mugger crocodiles.

KOFAGAD With an area of 399.05 sq.km. the Kotagad wildlife sanctuary is situated in the Baliguda sub-division of Kondhamal district. One can approach the site by road from the district headquarters Phulbani. Though the climate is moderate still best period to visit this spot is from the month of October to March. One can see here the important species that include tiger, leopard, bison, elephant, sambar, spotted deer, varieties of birds(peacock, red jungle fowl etc.) and reptiles. KHALASUNI Khalasuni wildlife sanctuary located in the Rairakhol Sub-Division of Sambalpur district is only at a distance of 50 kms. from Sambalpur by road.
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Gharial Breeding

Gharial Breeding: Nandank and famous for its captive breed1 centre where gharials were captivity since 1980. This promoted by an international operation, that helped the Park getting an adult male of the from the Frankfort Zoo (Gerl1J.and White Tiger Breeding: In 1980 the first time 2 normal (twany) gave birth to three white tiger cI!1 making them the first litter of Wl\l. tigers born to normal pare ‘Deepak’ and ‘Ganga’ unrelated Mohan of Rewa.

Since the Nandankanan has successfully brow many white tigers and some of thew have gone to various zoos withw India and outside. Presently there are 10 of them in the Park. An interesting event has happened in 1967. A wild tigress ‘Kanan’, perhaps the last in the surrounding forest, jumped into the newly constructed moated exhibit where a tiger was its lone inhabitant. She went on to stay there for 11 years from 1967 to 1978. Star

Chand Aka Elephant Sanctuary

The Chandaka Elephant Sanctuary, the first of its kind in India, was established in 1982. About 20 kms. away from Bhubaneswar it is a dense forest covering 190 sq.kms. where around one hundred elephants roam free. For visitors there are a number of watch towers to watch these huge animals. Going into sanctuary wearing white dress or driving a white vehicle is prohibited in this place. The sanctuary is setup to promote eco-regeneration of depleting enviomment.

Interesting In its 40 years of existence, the Park has successfully bred many of the endangered species like tiger, leopard, Asiatic lion, the three Indian crocodiles, sangai, lion-tailed monkey, Nilgiri langur, Indian penguin, mouse deer and many land and water birds. The Park has 1827 individuals of73 species of mammals, 83 species of birds and 15 species of reptiles, besides fish. The Park specialises in successfully keeping animals of the Indian sub-continent and has been able to publish a large number of research papers on them.
In August 1979, the Park, together with the lake and Botanical Garden, covering an area of 426 hectares has been declared a sanctuary.

Bifltarkanikasancruary A Way, While’ a out 76 kilornetres mg population. So want of the eggs reared In the reaning pools This manne sanctuary was Bhuban the nearest airport is Collected from Ganga? eggs were and then released into the Satkoshia established in 1975 in the estuary of swar 220 k’ In the nver’ The for Kilometres away year 1975 and In Gorge. This is considered as a great Brahmani river covering an area of sanctuary erst type of Satkosh Were brought from Subsequently, I stride in the wildlife conservation 672 square kilometres. Situated at a is one of from the Chforest Wrnlxed decided earnbal effort. distance of about 35 kilometres from predosh and sal, mahua rnmant species of n the The sanctuary is also the Chandabali, Bhitarkanika sanctuary Was at one ,and bahera.

The forest abode of varied species of avifauna- comes around Baitarani river. The and leopard a Itat of tigers in Ian adjutant stroke, red Jungle The forest type of faunal , but at present throw, Indian pitta and more. Bhitarkanika is one of mangroves like ecles are About 10 k’l re rarely found. After covering a distance of the Sunderbans of West Bengal. The gorge aI ornetres south of the about 30 kilometres from Angul, the nearest railway station from the urnakot Gharials road bifurcates. One goes sancturary is Bhadrak about 77 a ranade the Mahanadi river, borne in the meandering to the left and reaches kilometres away.

Dhanu Yatra (Dec-Jan) : Dhanu Yatra relating to the episodes of Lord Krishna’s visit to Mathura is performed with King Kansf{over his subjects in reality for samei days and thousands assemble to witness the ceremony of ‘B1>Vi’ which is colourfully observed; at Bargarh. The town of Bargar becomes Mathura, the river becomes Yamuna and the village 5 Amapali on the other bank of becomes Gopa. Different acts Puranic descriptions are performance their right places and the spectat move from place to place with actions to see the performance and in most of the cases, exciting.

Orissa’s wildlife parks are a source of great attraction not only to Indian tourists but they also attract tourists from all over the globe. The Similipal National Park, Chilika, Bhitarkanika and Gahirmatha wildlife sanctuaries are already on the world map. Apart from them, Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary, Debrigarh, Hadgarh, Kotgarh and Sunabeda sanctuaries are also excellent conservation areas popular with tourists who wish to enjoy the wild, unspoilt environment of nature.

Konark Festival (December 1-5): The Annual Konark Festival, a mega celebration of classical dance forms of the country is regularly held from December, 1-5 each year. Inspired by the brilliant backdrop of the Sun Temple top exponents of the major Indian classical dance forms regale the audience during the I five day-long classical dance fiesta.