I hate to acknowledge how everyone compares cultures of states and nations on basis of few categories and decides which is rich and which is poor.
However, not putting much thought, I would like to hold your hand and show you around my home state for a while and show you, what makes us culturally wealthy, like every other state of India and other countries. 🙂
We have 8 variations of our language Odia, spoken according to regions.
Mughalbandi Oriya is considered as proper or Standard Oriya due to literary traditions. Spoken in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Anandapur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Khurda and Jajpur.(That would be eastern and central part as in the map)
- Midnapori Oriya: Spoken in the undivided Midnapore District of West Bengal.
- Singhbhumi Oriya: Spoken in East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Saraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand.
- Baleswari Oriya: Spoken in Baleswar, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.( North Odisha)
- Ganjami Oriya: Spoken in Ganjam and Gajapati districts of Odisha and Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.(South Odisha)
- Desiya Oriya: Spoken in Koraput, Rayagada, Nowrangpur and Malkangiri Districts of Odisha and in the hilly regions of Vishakhapatnam, Vizianagaram District of Andhra Pradesh.(Extreme South of Odisha)
- Sambalpuri Oriya: Spoken in Bargarh, Bolangir, Boudh, Debagarh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur and Sundargarh districts of Odisha and by some people in Raigarh, Mahasamund, Raipur districts of Chhattisgarh state. (Western Odisha)
- Bhatri: Spoken in South-western Odisha and eastern-south Chhattisgarh.
You will be mesmerized by the number of dance forms we have.
- Odissi dance- Performed widely here.
- Ghumura Dance- Originated in Kalahandi District.
- Chhau Dance- Mayurbhanj and Baleswar.
- Goti Pua- From Puri
- Tiger Dance- Basically from Sambalpur.
- Dalkhai- From Sambalpur but performed widely in Western Odisha.
- Karma Nach-
- Dhap Dance-
- Keisabadi dance,Nacni rural dance and many more I couldn’t get pictures for.
Art,crafts and sculpture here is absolutely unique
- Sand art
- Jhotti
- Silver filigree
- Applique
- Sambalpuri textile
- Patta chitra-A cloth based scroll painting.
- Terracota
- Sculpture
We eat a lot. And we eat delicious stuff.
- Pakhala- Basically cooked rice, little fermented, in water.
- Mahaprasad-A large meal with variety of items, famous in Puri.
- Dalma-Dal and vegetables together.
- Khattas-(Oou Khatta, Ambula Khatta, Amba Khatta,tomato khatta).
This is almost a genre of its own. Basically a chutney.
- Pithas-(Arisha, Poda, Kakra, Enduri etc).
This is what Odisha is known for.
Cakes made of Rice or wheat flour.
- Macha Besara- Fish cooked with mustard paste.
Desserts corner
- Chenna Podo
- Chenna Gaja
And
- Bela pana-Drink made from Bael fruit pulp.
Our music
This is one song you might listen to, if you are curious about our music :).
Literature and drama
The literary works here cover a large range of themes, starting from feminism( Gambhiri Ghara by Sarojini Sahoo), to Science fiction (“Sampratikatara Anuchintare Bigyan O Baigyanik” by Dr.Nikhilananda Panigrahi).
Had these works been translated, literature would have had another additional dimension.
Festivals
- Ratha Yatra
A Ratha-Yatra or Roth Jatra or Chariot Festival is a Hindu festival that involves transporting deities on a chariot (called a ratha).
- Raja Parba
Raja is celebrated for three consecutive days. Just as the earth prepares itself to whence its thirst by the incoming rain the unmarried girls of the family are groomed for impeding matrimony through this festival.
- Prathamasthami
Prathamastami is a rite for the life and prosperity of the eldest child who is offered a lighted lamp ovation by the senior female relatives followed by elaborate rituals during which the Mantras are recited.
- Kumaar Purnami
This is a harvest festival.A night, goddess Lakhsmi is worshiped and night vigil is observed. According to a folk-tale, once a king fell on evil days, and was in great financial straits, but then his queen observed this fast and night vigil, and worshiped the goddess of wealth, Laxmi. Consequently, they were blessed by the goddess and they regained their prosperity.
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That was pretty much of all Odisha in a glimpse :).
However, you will never understand a place enough unless you are right here, seeing what it is in real.
Plan a trip and come over sometime.
Source: Wikipedia and 20 years of living here.