Odisha or Orissa or Utkal (as previously known) is a state in Eastern India and home to lakes and grassland mountains throughout its terrain. Unfortunately, also a hub for mining which has caused some dents in the flora and fauna but nonetheless still a beauty of a state.
Lake Chilka is one such serene spot where the mountain converges with the lake and gives a treat to the eyes. It's a picture right out of the magical movie sets. Located between Bhubaneshwar and Behrampur within southern odisha.
People in Odisha are generally sweet and easy to talk with. They also have an extravagantly laidback culture, the shops are closed between 2 to 4 for them to rest and have lunch on a daily basis and plenty of local holidays year around. Alcohol is something beloved to the people of Odisha , one might even say that the beautiful scenic locations have something to do with their laidback culture, as often you would like to spend your time just sitting for hours, admiring the view and chilling with your group.
Twin cities within a distance of 50 kms also exist , Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack which is not very common across the world. Both these cities have similar populations and an amazing bridge connecting them over the Mahanadi river. The streets are dirty across both the towns but have wide roads which is pertinent across Odisha. As history goes, Bhubaneshwar stole the capital crown from Cuttack which likely created some bad blood and the stains still exist over Cuttack. There's a common saying among traders of Odisha , " Maal aaya Cuttack, paisa gaya attak"
The food in Odisha is mainly maas machi which is a delight for non - vegetarians. It also grasps the sweets from Bengal, for vegetarians there's really not much but a big fat aloo. The oriya language can be categorized as a simpler version of Bengali and an unnecessarily complex version of hindi. (No offense xD)
Odisha is also the place where the famous ruler Ashoka fought the Kalinga war after which he renounced from fighting wars for the rest of his time as a king. He was inspired by Buddhism and spread only kindness and worked for living by peaceful means after seeing the dreadful loss of his people during the Kalinga war.
