Odisha Of Yore

Cuttack Heritage Walks: Going Down Historical Lane At Maratha Barracks

Cuttack: There is a lot to explore in Cuttack and what better way to do it than be a part…

January 1, 2020

Of Hazy Memory And Inadequate History

Communal memory is more powerful than history. Our ancient maritime glory lives on in collective memory through the celebration of…

November 19, 2019

Puri In Egyptian Mythology

Egyptian mythology offers strong hints of maritime links with ancient Odisha. The land it mentions as Put or Punt was…

November 19, 2019

In Odisha’s West, A Different Bali Jatra

In Sonepur, the land of Shakti worship, Bali Jatra assumes a different meaning altogether. According to tradition, the festival began during Raja…

November 18, 2019

The Cultural Connection

Wayang kulit, the shadow-puppetry show, popular in South-East nations has similarities to the nearly extinct puppetry in Odisha and Andhra…

November 18, 2019

The Gua In Our Paana

What’s panna without gua, betel-nut? No fun. The latter appears to have been an import from South-East Asia to Odisha. Betel-nut is…

November 17, 2019

The Sri Lankan Connection

Ancient Odisha’s connection with Ceylon, the modern-day Sri Lanka, ran deep. Some historians believe Vijaya, the first king of Simhala,…

November 15, 2019

Chilika, Once Upon A Time

The placid Chilika lake has been reduced to a mesh of prawn farming nets these days. In its glory days,…

November 15, 2019

The Magnificent Boat-Makers of Yore

Kalinga was a maritime superpower. It means ancient Odias were proficient at ship-building and had sound knowledge of the seasonal…

November 14, 2019

The Sadhava’s Cargo

What did the sadhavas carry in their magnificent boats? Historical evidence suggests the cargo consisted of ivory, textiles, precious stones, rice…

November 14, 2019