Adivasis of Orissa

Introduction

Perpetually washed by the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal on the eastern coast Orissa has the distinction of being endowed liberally with the bounties of nature with 482 Kms of sea beach. The blue waters on the sea on one side and the vast expanse of the sand dotted with casuarinas groves on the other, presents a fascinating sight for the tourists. No-where in India does the coastline offer so much variety in terms of sheer numbers and beauty as in Orissa. That the state boasts a huge stretch of untouched beaches numbering over 15 is perhaps a secret that’s gradually being unveiled. And it's not just sun, surf and sand that Orissa's virgin sea shores offer. Green areas, natural habitats, holy shrines and ancient monuments abound in the vicinity of most beaches, some of which presents opportunities for sailing and surfing too.

Mystery is the essence of this timeless land, a mystery that is nature's strongest asset. For Orissa exhibits a primeval landscape that has guarded the secret of its patterns of life for ages. Thick forests of Sal & teak, of pipal & banyan, of dense shrub over hills and valleys criss-crossed by quick drunken streams that have sheltered the tiger and elephant, the bear and deer, for as long as one can remember; the sunlit open spaces home to numerous birds and butterflies & orchids.

The arena where the terrible war of Kalinga was fought, it is 261 BC and the River Daya is red with the blood of a hundred thousand Oriyas.

It is therefore no wonder that the state has been aptly described by many as "a paradise for the tourists". How true they were can be discovered by others. It is a mystery that is still to be understood.

Orissa (2001 provisional pop. 36,706,920), 60,162 sq mi (155,820 sq km) and its location is between 17*49'N to 22*34'N latitudes and 81*27'E to 87*29'E longitudes, is a state situated in the east coast of India.

Orissa is bounded by the Bay of Bengal on the East, Jharkhand on the North, West Bengal on the North-East, Chhattisgarh on the West and Andhra Pradesh on the South. The entire territory lies in the tropical zone, as a result of which high temperature is recorded during April-May.

The state tree is 'Kadamba'[Anthooephalus], the state flower is 'Ashoka'[Saraca Indica] and the state bird is 'Rollen of blue jay'[Coracias benghalensis]. The staple food is rice. The relatively unintended coastline is 482km long.

The state is known for its temples and monuments, In fact, the entire length and breadth of the state is dotted with 4,000 monuments and archaeological sites. The dense population, concentrated on the coastal alluvial plain, is Oriya-speaking. The interior, inhabited largely by aborigines, is hilly and mountainous.