Orissa lies on eastern fringe of the Indian peninsula. The state has a majestic past. It was the erstwhile Kalinga kingdom with many illustrious rulers, the most famous being Emperor Ashoka. Ashoka was of the Mauryan dynasty when he conquered Kalinga after a bloody war. The sight of the carnage he caused by war shocked Ashoka and he repented his sins. He converted to Buddhism and tried to inculcate Buddhist values of peace and forgiveness in his people. It was in Orissa, that Buddhism found some of its strongest exposure, and cult following. However, it was Hindu art that dominated the landscape, eventually, and resulted in the profusion of temple traditions, that have endured till now. Apart from these, there are many cave monastries and temples of Jainism too.
Heavily forested, and isolated, Orissa was once famous for its majestic battle elephants. But life in Orissa revolved around temples and that the Oriyas, the people of Orissa, lived lives free of strife is evident from the fact that the state has few forts or fortified palaces to its credit, indicative of centuries of peace and harmony. Although known throughout the ancient world as a formidable maritime empire with trading routes stretching to Bali, Sumatra and Java, the history of Orissa, then called Kalinga, is a little hazy.eswore The Oriyas defied the Muslim rulers until the region fell to the Mughals in the 16th century. Since then Orissa was successively ruled by the Afghans, Marathas and the British.
Orissa is predominantly rural, with fertile green coastal plains rising to the hills of the Eastern Ghats. The State is mineral rich and is a big exporter of iron ore. The Oriyas, 25% of whom are adivasis (indigenous tribes) are very friendly and hospitable and the atmosphere of the State is generally relaxed. Most of the state's attractions are close to each other, and convenient access is provided out of the state capital, Bhubaneswar.
The most convenient access into Orissa is a flight to Bhubaneswar, which is connected to major cities like Hyderabad, Nagpur, Calcutta, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Once in Bhubaneswar, road travel is the best option to visit the other attractions in Orissa.