Colombo: Two young men from Baripada have embarked on a mission to promote Odisha Tourism on foreign soil.
Kumaresh Nayak and Nihar Ranjan Nanda recently conducted a week-long promotional campaign across Sri Lanka, showcasing the splendour of Odisha to the global tourism community and encouraging international visitors to explore the state.
The duo, carrying banners emblazoned with “Odisha Tourism”, travelled to Colombo, Galle, Mirissa, Matara, Wellawaya, Ella, Nanuoya, Nuwara Eliya, the historic city of Kandy (renowned for housing the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha), Dambulla, and Sigiriya, the ancient city associated with the mythical kingdom of Ravana and home to the iconic Lion’s Rock, where they actively engaged with both local and international tourists from countries such as Switzerland, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
In their interactions, they highlighted the profound historical and cultural connections between Kalinga (ancient Odisha) and Sri Lanka, notably the offering of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha to the island nation. They further acquainted traveler with Odisha’s rich spiritual and natural heritage — the magnificent Jagannath Temple and the world-famous Rath Yatra of Puri, Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, Chilika Lake, the Similipal Biosphere Reserve with its enchanting waterfalls and the rare melanistic tiger, as well as the awe-inspiring Barehipani Waterfall.
They also spoke of the numerous ancient Buddhist sites scattered across Odisha, underscoring the state’s deep historical ties to Buddhism and Indian civilisation.
Previously , they had promoted Odisha and Mayurbhanj Tourism in many states of India.
In August, a 30-member delegation of information officers of the Sri Lankan government visited Odisha and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who mentioned that Prince Vijaya, the first king and founder of Sinhalese race, came from Kalinga. The CM further noted that Kalinga’s sailors travelled to Sri Lanka carrying rice, horses and elephants and returned with pearls and silver.