Bhubaneswar: Odisha became a separate province on April 1, 1936, after remaining a part of the Bengal Presidency for many years under British rule. The day is celebrated as Utkala Dibasa or Odisha Day every year to remember its formation after long struggle of over three centuries.
As Odisha celebrates its 89th Foundation Day, it will be pertinent to have a look at some historical facts about the state.
* In ancient history, the land was known by various names such as Kalinga, Utkala, Udra, Toshali and Kosala.
* Over 2,000 years ago, it was home to tribes who lived in Kalahandi, Balangir and Koraput regions. Asuragarh was their capital.
* The land finds mention in Ramayana and Mahabharata as Kantara, which included Kalahandi, Koraput and Bastar.
* The present name came from the Odra tribe who lived in the central regions of Odisha. Originally spelt Orissa, it became Odisha after the Lok Sabha passed the Orissa Bill in March 2011.
* Odisha formed the core of the Kalinga Empire under Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC.
* After the Mauryan Dynasty, King Kharavela, remembered as a conqueror and the champion of Jainism, became its ruler.
* In 1576, Odisha was conquered by the Mughals and in the 17th century, parts of the state were captured by the Marathas.
* After the Carnatic wars, the East India Company consolidated Odisha’s southern coast with the Madras Presidency.
* Stalwart leaders like Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das, Utkala Mani Gopabandhu Das and Fakir Mohan Senapati, among others, contributed immensely to the struggle for a separate Odisha state.
* Odisha was the first state formed on linguistic basis.
* When it was created, Odisha had six districts — Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Sambalpur, Koraput and Ganjam.
* Cuttack was its first capital, later shifted to Bhubaneswar.
* Sir John Austin Hubback was the first Governor of Odisha.
* Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha’s most famous temple, was built in the year 1078.
