When we people claim that, we know all things about Odisha, its basically about local area only.Because there are lots of things of Odisha which is still unknown for maximum people.But the funniest thing is we are still poor and backward state for media and other states.Our media only covers the flood, cyclones, Naxal attacks type news from Odisha, and sometimes about politics.Media doesn't know Odisha state has a rich heritage, natural beauty, culture and more.So Here we share some unknown facts about Odisha.
- According to mythology, Mahabharata was written by Lord Ganesha in a place called Vedvyas in Rourkela, which is named after Vedavyasa who was dictating to Lord Ganesha.
- Rourkela Steel Plant is the first ever integrated steel plant under public sector which came into existence in 1954 – 55.
- Mayurbhanj is India's first Child Labour free district.
- Bhubaneswar, the capital city was the home of over 600 magnificent temples in medieval times. It is called the “temple city” of India. The only city in the world with such highest number of temples inside
- World’s highest electrified track ( at a height of 7.45 meters for running of Double Stack Container (DSC) goods trains ) is situated at Odisha in Jakhapura-Daitari section. Constructed by East Coast Railway of Odisha. Second to this is in China is 6.6 meter and 7.1 meters in the USA.
- The largest Lion Safari of India and the only White Tiger Safari in the world are located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- Hirakud Dam, the fourth largest in the world, is situated at Sambalpur Western Odisha.
- Odisha hosts the largest arribada, the turtle nesting ground, in the world.
- Shanti Stupa at Dhauligiri is a place where the great king, Ashoka laid the foundation when he witnessed the darkest side of Kalinga war after seeing the river Daya turning red due to the bloodbath and became the propagator of peace.
- 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.
- Puri Temple is the only Dhama(pilgrimage) in India where Folk, Shaiva, Sakta, Vaishnava cult of worship is done.
- At Puri Jagannath temple kitchen, 7 pots are kept one on top of another and cooked on firewood. In this process, the contents of the top pot get cooked first & then the bottom one.
- Jagannath temple is one among char dhama considered in India.
- The Jagannath temple kitchen is reputed to be the largest kitchen in the world, with 400 cooks working around 200 hearths to feed over 10,000 people each day.
- The quantity of cooked food inside the Temple remains same for the entire year. But that same quantity of prasadam can feed few thousand people & 20 lakh people, Still, it won’t get wasted.
- Odisha is very ancient & the oldest rocks (from Mayurbhanj) date back to 3 billion years (Our planet is believed to be 4.5 billion years old)
- Chandragupta Maurya was hesitant for 60 long years to attack Kalinga (old name of Odisha) as the Kalinga army of 60,000 managed to annihilate one lakh enemy soldiers, a quarter of the empire’s army.
- Over 62 distinct tribal groups live in Odisha, each one with its own culture and traditions different from the other
- Odisha became the first state in the country to launch special drives to register migrant laborers working in different states
- Odisha became the first state to enact the Lokayukta Bill law after the central act was passed in Parliament.
- Rasagolla, famous sweet originated in Odisha
- The Chandipur Beach is a hide and seeks beach of Odisha that appears and disappears with every high and low tide to approximately 5 km
- The Sinhala (people of Sri Lanka) are named after Raja Jai Sinha, an ancient Oriya king.
- A 23-feet giant Estuarine crocodile in Odisha has been crowned the world’s largest.
- Largest Brackish Water Lagoon. Chilka lake in Odisha, the largest water body in Asia, has an area of 916 sq km now. It used to be 1, 165 sq km.
- Odisha is popular for having 3 mass nesting beaches of rare Olive Ridley Sea Turtles including world’s largest nesting ground of Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Lepidochelys Olivacea. Largest wetland of Asia (Chilika) now designated as a Ramsar site in Orissa.
- Bhuban is the Largest Village in Asia, which is in Dhenkanal district.
- Odisha – highest producer of hematite ore. Odisha has 25% of Hematite ore in India.
- World’s largest egg, with the approximate dimension of 13 inches and width of 9.5 inches is of the gigantic herbivorous flightless elephant bird (zoologically termed as Aepyornis Maximus) that lived last till 1650 AD, is preserved at Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhubaneswar.
- The dress designer of Michelle Obama, in their visit to India, was none other than an Odia.
- Konark temple, built in the 13th century, has 12 pairs of wheels (24 wheels representing 24 hours) which are uniquely designed and has scientific significance. One can calculate the precise time of the day by just looking at the shadow cast by these 8 spokes signifying prahars (3 hour period).
- The Leaning Temple of Huma, situated near Sambalpur in India is the only leaning temple in the world
- Hirakud Dam, the longest earthen dam in the world and the largest artificial lake in Asia is situated at Hirakud near Sambalpur
- The Sambalpuri sari is made from fabric woven on a hand-loom and is one of the most popular throughout India. This became popular when late Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi started wearing.
- Wheeler Island, south of Chandipur in Odisha is a place where most of the missiles of India are tested such as Akash missile, Agni missile, Prithvi Missile of only some of them.
- India Surf Festival, a festival organized by like-minded people who combine surfing, yoga, and nature is observed Ramchandi beach, near Puri in Odisha. It is one of the unique festival observed in India.
- DHAMRA is one of the deepest port of India after Gujarat port
- Odisha borders with 4 states, Jharkhand in the north, West Bengal in the northeast, Andhra in South West, Chhattisgarh in West.
- Mayurbhanj is the largest district of Odisha by area, Ganjam district is the largest by population.
- Deomali is the highest peak of state with an altitude of 1672m.
- Mr. V.V.Giri was the fourth president of India he was born in Berhampur of Odisha.
- Hide and Seek Beach of Odisha - The Chandipur Beach which appears and disappears with every high and low tide to the approx. 5 km. It is one of the most interesting facts about Odisha state.
