Facts about Odhisa that makes it a must-visit!

These facts about Odhisa will not just blow your mind but will also leave you in awe and pride!

Also known as the land of Lord Jagannath, Odhisa is home to hundreds of temples and white tigers and has a plethora of historical, linguistic, economic, and cultural heritage. But there's a lot more to this 8th largest state of India, and that's why here's a list of facts about Odhisa that would make you want to visit it at least once.

1. World’s largest open-air theatre

Odhisa is home to the world's largest open-air theatre Dhanu Yatra which is spread across an area with a radius of 8 km and is organized in Bargah. It is also mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records and showcases the mythological story of Krishna and his uncle Kansa.

2. 62 different tribes

There are 62 distinct tribes in the state which speak 74 dialects, and the majority of them live in the hilly and forest regions. Some tribes have nomadic food gatherers and hunters, while some are skilled settled agriculturists and horticulturists.

3. World’s largest kitchen

The traditional kitchen of the famous Jagannatha temple in the city of Puri has the largest kitchen in the world. Jagannath temple, which is one of the Char Dham, has over 400 people who cook, and it feeds 10,000 people every day.

4. Has the temple city of India

Bhubaneswar, which is also known as the temple city of India, is home to more than 700 ancient temples from medieval times, including the Lingaraja Temple, which dates back to the 11th century. Most of the temples here are dedicated to Lord Shiva.

5. Home to a leaning temple

India has two leaning temples, Varanasi's Ratneshwar and the temple of Huma in Hirakhand, Odhisa, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is positioned on a rocky outcrop on the bank of the Mahanadi river and has a beautiful white colour.

6. World's second oldest rock

In 2018, the Tonalitic Rock was found in the Kendujhar district of Odhisa. This massive rock was estimated to be over 4.32 billion years old and contains the oldest grain of magmatic zircon, which is a mineral that has traces of radioactive isotopes.

Also Read: Facts about Uttarakhand, aka the Dev Bhoomi, you should know!

7. Has a disappearing beach

One of the most unique and unusual beaches in the country, Chandipur beach in Balasore is known as the hide-and-seek beach and has gained popularity for its vanishing sea phenomenon. During low tide, it disappears by 5-6 km every day and comes back at high tide.

8. World’s largest known rookery of Olive Ridley sea turtle

Olive Ridley is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtle species and is considered vulnerable, threatened, and endangered. The Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary in Odhisa is the largest ground for these turtles, and they migrate from Srilanka to come breed here. The sanctuary is also named the world heritage site.

9. One of the tallest Hanuman Statue

Nalco Temple in the Damanjodi town of Odhisa has one of the massive and tallest statues of Hanuman, which is 108.9 feet (33.1 meters) tall. The statue is adorned with garlands, a mukut ( crown), and Hanuman's iconic gada (mace) and has a creamy-white colour.

Also Read: Interesting facts about Telangana that will blow your mind!

For more such stories follow Local Samosa on Facebook,  Instagram,  Twitter, and Telegram.