Facts and Trivia about Odisha

Odisha is an Indian state located in the Bay of Bengal, well-known for its diversity in culture and nature. The capital of Odisha is Bhubaneswar. Odisha is home to many Hindu temples and rivers. There are many famous destinations in Odisha. The government of Odisha consists of the judiciary, executive, and legislative branches. 

Government of Odisha 

• There are thirty districts in Odisha, consisting of a judiciary, a legislative, and an executive. 
• The president of India appoints the governor of Odisha.
• The ancient state of Odisha rose under Kharavela as a kingdom.
• The ancient Odisha was spread from Ganga to the Godavari.
• The Jagannath and the Mukteshwar temple are one of the finest temples of Odisha, which were built in the ancient Odisha was Kalinga. 
• The Odisha CM is Naveen Patnayak. He is the 14th Chief Minister of India.
• The first Odisha CM was Harekrushna Mahatab.

Unknown facts and trivia about Odisha 

• Dhanu Yatra in Odisha is the world’s largest open-air theatre, celebrated in the Bargarh district. 
• The oldest dance form of India, Odissi dance, still survives in Odisha. 
• The Konark sun temple was built inside the sea, one of the best instances of craftsmanship and creativity in Odisha. It had breathtaking architecture.
• The largest village in Asia is Bhuban, which is located in Odisha.
• The oldest rocks lie in Odisha. They are 3 to 4.5 billion years old.
• It took 60 years for Chandragupta Maurya to attack Kalinga.
• There are over 62 different tribal groups in Odisha. They all have their unique culture as well as tradition.
• All types of orchids are present in the tiger reserve in Simlipal National Park, located in Odisha. They have all the varieties and types of orchids from all over the world.
• One of the Char Dham, Jagannath temple, is located in Odisha. Jagannath temple has the world’s largest kitchen with over four hundred cooking workers. They feed more than 10000 people every day. In Jagannath temple a total of 7 pots are stacked together on firewood. The topmost pot gets cooked first and then the last one. 
• Odisha launched special drives to register migrant labourers who work in different states. The famous sweet dish rasgulla was introduced in Odisha. 
• The Chandipur beach of Odisha disappears with every high tide, approximately every 5km. 
• In Bhubaneswar, there are over 600 amazing temples from ancient and mediaeval times. Odisha is known as the temple city of India.
• Raja Jai Sinha was the ancient king of Odisha. The people of Sri Lanka are called the Sinhala, named after Raja Jai Sinha.
• The world’s largest crocodile, the 23-foot estuarine crocodile, is found in Odisha.
• Odisha has the largest brackish water lagoon, Chilka Lake.
• The only white tiger safari and the largest lion safari are located in NandanKanan zoological park in Odisha. 
• The largest turtle nesting in the world is located in India. 
• In the regional museum of natural history, the world’s largest egg, approximately 13 inches in size and belonging to the flightless elephant bird, is preserved in Odisha. 
• The only leaning temple in the world is located in Odisha, Sambalpur. This temple is known as the leaning temple of Huma.
• Most missiles of India are tested on the wheeler island of Odisha. Some famous missiles are the Agni missile, Akash missile, and Prithvi missile.
• One of India’s most unique and famous festivals, the India surf festival, originated in Odisha.
• After Gujarat port, one of the deepest ports is Dharma, located in Odisha.
• The Puri temple is the only temple in India where the worship of folk, sakta, Shaiva, and Vaishnava cults is done. 
• The endangered Irrawaddy dolphins live in Chilka Lake. It is also home to migratory birds from Siberia in winters.
• The longest earthen dam in the world is located in Odisha. This dam is the Hirakud Dam.
• 34 rare white tigers live in NandanKanan zoological park in Odisha. 
• The Odia language is spoken in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and other countries. Over 4.5 crore people speak the Odia language.
• Daringbadi is known as the Kashmir of Odisha. It receives unexpected snowfall in winters.
• The population of Odisha is more than that of Australia and Canada.
• Till 2008, Odisha police used pigeons to send messages in remote areas of Odisha. 

Flora and fauna facts about Odisha 

• There are more than 479 species of birds that live in Odisha. 
• There are more than 110 species of reptiles that live in Odisha. 
• The endangered Olive Ridley Turtles also live in Odisha.
• Kendu leaves, which are commonly grown in Odisha, make a significant contribution to the economy of Odisha. 
• The first wetland of international importance in India was built in India. Chilka Lake was built in 1981. It has more than 400 species of vertebrates. 

Conclusion 

The state of Odisha is diverse in many ways, whether it is flora and fauna, or the culture and temples. It is also known as the temple state of India. There are over 600 magnificent temples with magnificent architecture from mediaeval times. One of the Char Dham (pilgrims) is also located in Odisha. The government of Odisha has one of the most well-maintained systems among the most states of India.