Orissa is a state characterised by beautiful landscapes, magnificent archaeological sites, dense forests, abundant wildlife, pristine beaches, rivers, art and culture. Learn all about the state in Discovery channel’s new programme, Orissa: The Divine Land on Saturday, October 31, 9 p.m.
The programme takes you into the heartland of Orissa and shows you more than classical Odissi dance, exotic sculptures and rituals like Jagannath Yatra that attracts thousands of visitors. Hosted by Kim Jagtiani, the programme delves into Orissa’s documented history stretching back to 2000 BC. Dotted with ancient monuments ranging from the ruins of Sisupalgarh to the magnificent Lingaraj and Jagannath temples, from the world heritage site of the Konark Sun temple to the exquisitely carved Mukteswar, the programme captures the grandeur of the state.
Venture deep into the excavation sites of Udaygiri, Lalitgiri and Ratnagiri; bask on the sun soaked beaches of Puri and Gopalpur; observe the spectacular wildlife of Bhitarkanika; step into the birds paradise at Chilika Lake; and explore the colourful art and handiwork that Orissa is famous for at the weavers’ village of Nuapatna and the artisans’ village of Raghurajpur, amongst others.
The Divine Land offers interesting facts about Orissa: Bhubaneswar, also known as the ‘city of temples’ still preserves over 500 of India’s finest temples which showcase centuries of temple architecture. The small and elegant Muktesvar temple dates back to 950 AD.
