Odisha is on India's eastern coast, bordered by the Bay of Bengal to the east. It borders West Bengal to the northeast, Jharkhand to the north, Chhattisgarh to the west, and Andhra Pradesh to the south. Covering about 155,700 square kilometres, Odisha has a diverse landscape, including fertile coastal plains, rolling uplands, dense forests, and the rugged hills of the Eastern Ghats. Over the centuries, several powerful dynasties ruled Odisha, including the Eastern Gangas and the Gajapatis, who built magnificent temples and encouraged art, architecture, literature, and commerce. The Sun Temple at Konark and the Jagannath Temple at Puri remain enduring symbols of this glorious legacy.
The state is home to renowned pilgrimage centres such as Puri, Bhubaneswar, and Konark, collectively known as Odisha's Golden Triangle. Chilika Lake's scenic beauty, the lush forests and waterfalls of the Eastern Ghats, and wildlife sanctuaries such as Similipal and Bhitarkanika are famous for their rich biodiversity. Odisha’s long coastline is dotted with serene beaches, including Gopalpur, Chandrabhaga, and Chandipur, the latter known for its unique receding sea.
In this book, we have made every effort to include almost all of the state's major travel destinations. We present the places we have personally explored with our own photographs, offering readers an authentic glimpse of their beauty and character. We hope this combination of firsthand experiences and comprehensive coverage will inspire travellers to discover Odisha's rich heritage, natural splendour, and cultural treasures.