The origin of the Jagannath idol is the subject of many tales. My favourite comes from Sarala Dasa, the 15th century Odia poet who wrote his version of the Mahabharata. In it, he imagines Krishna’s death. The actual way…


Can we look at establishing an Indian Naval Ship based Museum in Odisha on the lines of those established on Vizag, Ernakulam (Kerala) and Karwar (Karnataka), which attracts a lots of tourists. Similar, tourist attractions are common in US (New…


“aa kaa maa boi – paana gua thoi – paana gua tora – maasaka dharama mora”. The glory of Odisha’s (erstwhile Kalinga’s) maritime heritage is commemorated by the “Boita Bandana” ritual on Kartika Purnima. “Boita Bandana” literally means sanctifying of…

Diwali is a unique celebration in Odisha. Here, the ‘Festival of Lights’ is not just limited to customary bursting of crackers and exchange of lip-smacking sweets, but also accompanied by Kali Puja and the ritualistic ceremony of ‘Badabadua Daka’. The…
