Odisha which is largely accredited as a poor state with presumably poor infrastructure and large number of people suffering from malnutrition and being illiterate. This has created a halo effect as one of the most backward state of India.

There is lot to work so as to improve the picture Odisha has among Indians including Odia people but there is lot to cherish and be proud about with some astonishing facts below:

• Odisha is very ancient & the oldest rocks (from Mayurbhanj) date back to3 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
• At Puri Jagannath  temple kitchen, 7 pots are kept  one on top of another and cooked on firewood. In this process the contents in the top pot get cooked first & then the bottom one.
• Jagannath temple is one among char dham 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 became the first state in the country to launch special drives toregister migrant labourers 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 seek beach of Odisha that appears and disappears with every high and low tide to approximately 5 kms
• 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 metres 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 metre and 7.1 metre in USA.
• 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 theworld’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.
• The largest Lion Safari of India, and the only White Tiger Safari in the world, are located in 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.
• Odisha – highest producer of hematite ore. Odisha has 25% of Hematiteore of India.
• World’s largest egg, with 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.
• Michelle Obama, wife of the President of USA, dress designer was none other than an Odia.
• Konark temple, built in 13th century, has 12 pair of wheels 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 spokes.
• The Leaning Temple of Huma, situated near Sambalpur in India is theonly leaning temple in the world
• Hirakud Dam, the longest earthen dam in the world and the largest artificial lake of 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 ofmissiles of India are tested such as Akash missile, Agni missile, Prithvi Missile of only some of them.
• India Surf festival, a festival organised 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.
• 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 bloodbath and became thepropagator of peace.

There are so many things to cheer about our state but we don’t as we are normally feel ashamed of ourselves. Every state, every country has something to be ashamed about but they counter it with their positive points and create an environment where people feel belonged to their state or origin.

Our strength has always been simplicity and down to earth person. Though we never market about ourselves much but we should always be aware about our own state so that when anyone ask us, we should be able to project the achievements we have.

Hope after reading this, I was able to bring some feel good factor!

I would also like to get your suggestions and add many such facts if you are aware.

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