Orissa

Orissa is a tangibly religious place. The state was once a center of Buddhist learning, but changes in ruling dynasties brought revolutions to spirituality, moving away from Buddhism, first to Jainism and then to Hinduism. Bhubaneswar, the capital, with its hundreds of temples; Puri, with its impressive Jagannath Temple, one of Hinduism's holiest shrines; and Konark, renowned for its extraordinary Sun Temple, are showcases for Orissa's distinctive sacred architecture, characterized by unusual shapes and fabulous, often erotic, sculptures. Buddhist history is preserved at Dhauli, where you can find an ancient Buddhist university's vast complex of ruins; this is where the legendary King Ashoka looked down from the hill at the carnage after a battle and experienced a conversion to Buddhism. The Jains have left a honeycomb of caves filled with sculptures to mark their era. Beyond these sites, you'll see signs of devotion everywhere: from village huts to taxis to hotels, the smiling, owl-eye face of Lord Jagannath, an avatar of Krishna and Orissa's main god, looks back at you. Oriyas are very dharmic (religious-minded) people.

The state, which lies along India's eastern seaboard, spans almost 156,000 square km (60,500 square mi) and is largely rural, with coastal plains, fields, and rivers; each village offers a postcard-perfect cameo of thatched huts, palms, and village ponds. Orissa is also known as Utkala ("land of arts and crafts"). In the towns or villages in the tropical countryside, striking crafts pop up everywhere, from superb hand-loomed silk and cotton fabrics to intricately detailed paintings and sculptures. It's also the home of 62 tribes, many of which still live in tiny villages scattered among beautiful hills and valleys, cleaving to their animist religion and a way of life—and mode of dress almost unchanged by the passing of centuries. (You can visit some tribes on organized excursions.) Thankfully Orissa remains uncharted territory for most tourist excursions, although its sights are captiviating.

Finally, Orissa has nature, and lots of it—from the miles of beaches where the rare Olive Ridley turtle nest to a remote and extremely alluring brackish-water lake drawing the uncommon Irrawaddy-species river dolphins and wintering birds from as far away as Siberia.

The infrastructure and facilities in this poor, mostly agrarian state are often quite basic, but definitely improving every day, so be patient and prepare to settle into a slower pace.

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