ODISHA UNRAVELLED 1 JULY 2020 A Newsletter by Department of Tourism, ODISHA Government of Odisha UNRAVELLED 2 ODISHA UNRAVELLED Passionate about exploring Odisha? Love to capture interesting places and unseen destinations? Here’s your chance to get featured with us . Send in your photo entries to [email protected] and we’ll feature the BEST TWO in our Newsletter !!! Kolab Dam, Koraput Editorial Team Vishal Kumar Dev, IAS ODISHA Commissioner cum Secretary to Government Sachin Ramchandra Jadhav, IAS UNRAVELLED Director & Additional Secretary A Newsletter by Department of Tourism, Government of Odisha Content and Design Project Mangement Unit ODISHA UNRAVELLED 3 FOREWORD Every external turmoil is an opportunity for a system to recuperate, rejuvenate and evolve internally to a better state. The tourism and “hospitality sector was operationally down to zero during the lockdown – arguably the worst affected sector due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, Nature is at work rejuvenating its flora, fauna and diverse elements. We too strive to make the best of this silver lining by closing the gaps, i.e. expediting the development of infrastructure on one hand and boosting sector skills and entrepreneurship on the other. Odisha Tourism’s initiatives and strategies are well calibrated to concurrently achieve this. Continuous consultations with sector stakeholders are being used as a Shri. Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi dynamic feedback system to prepare the framework for the coming years – with a view to making the sector more aesthetic in appearance, richer in Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Odia Language & Literature and Culture, experience and more resilient in functioning.” Government of Odisha Editor’s Note “Despite the pitfall of being forced into a zero tourism activity scenario for the past few months, we at Department of Tourism see it as an opportunity with a clear path. We have strengthened our focus on marquee projects such as Shamuka Beach Project, Talsari Beach project and Buddhist Circuit while driving up the work on basic infrastructure development in 71 identified tourist locations. Moreover, our skilling agenda will be carried forward with greater gusto, focusing on sustainable tourism, quality improvement and disaster resilience. Our progress has been considerable when it comes to development of the Coastal Circuit project (Gopalpur, Tampara, Satapada, Barkul) Swadesh Darshan, wherein we have completed 50% of the project implementation and are well within schedule to complete the envisaged development Vishal K. Dev, IAS during 2020. Commissioner cum Secretary, Dept. of We will also look to make gains through our policy and scheme-based Tourism, Sports & Youth Services initiatives for encouraging homestays, heritage hotels and other niche tourism and hospitality products which will enrich the tourist experience while pushing up incomes and livelihoods.” 4 ODISHA UNRAVELLED Odisha resoundingly sings Bande Utkala Janani n a watershed decision that will enhance the his compilations. state’s brand identity as a cultivator of rich “It is a momentous occasion for every Odia Iliterature, the Government of Odisha led by as #BandeUtkalaJanani has been chosen as Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri. Naveen Patnaik #OdishaRajyaSangeeta. Every word written by accorded the status of State Song to Bande Utkala literary doyen Laxmikanta Mohapatra speaks Janani (Hail Motherland of Utkala) by late Odia about Odisha’s glory, rich heritage, splendour, poet Kantakabi Laxmikanta Mohapatra, revered evoking patriotism among crores of Odias”, for the nationalist zeal that he instilled through tweeted Hon’ble Chief Minister. Passionate about EXPLORING ODISHA? Send in your blog entries to [email protected] and we’ll feature the BEST ONE in our Newsletter !!! Love to blog about interesting places and unseen destinations? Here’s your chance to get featured with us . ODISHA UNRAVELLED 5 Preparing for TOURIST SAFETY n anticipation of resumption The district administration exhaustive and technology- of tourist activity in the teams have been working leveraged sanitization Imonsoon of 2020, Department seamlessly with Tourist Officers mechanisms to implement of Tourism aggressively to familiarise managements Safety & Hygiene Protocols and reached out to the tourism and and employees of tourist Operational Recommendations hospitality industry of the state destinations and service for Tourism Service Providers through advocacy groups such providers across the spectrum. issued in May 2020 by Ministry as the Hotels & Restaurants Prime hotels and resorts in of Tourism, Government of Association of Odisha (HRAO). the state have put in place India. “Given our almost seamless working mechanisms vis-à-vis Dept. of Tourism, we at OTDC were among the early adapters to these pro- tocols. The practices that we put in place while servicing the lodging and boarding requirements of healthcare service pro- viders, stranded tourists, etc. have been main- tained diligently over these months. We are commit- ted to providing a hospitable and worry-free environ- ment to our guests”, said Smt. Shreemayee Mishra, Chairperson, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) 6 ODISHA UNRAVELLED Driving to and through Odisha it is hoped, will help boost niche tourism and integrate entrepreneurial activity into the mainstream, such as homestays and excursion tours. From the strategic perspective, Odisha’s excellent road connectivity offers a fertile ground to popularise caravans and caravan camping parks along nodal roads. Some highly anticipated destinations being planned disha Tourism is focused and from nearby cities such as for are Koraput, Daringbadi, on driving up tourist Visakhapatnam, Raipur, Bilaspur, Sambalpur-Sundergarh Oactivity by encouraging Durg-Bhilai, Bilaspur, Kolkata, region, Keonjhar, Taptapani, road trip itineraries within Kharagpur, Ranchi, Bokaro, Chandragiri, Satkosia, Simlipal the state (intra-state tourism) Jamshedpur etc. This initiative, and Bhitarkanika among others. Planning the glamping season Chandrabhaga Debrigarh Satkosia epartment of Tourism tourist activity at four locations in and Director Tourism Shri. Sachin has initiated the plan to 2020 – Chandrabhaga at Konark, R. Jadhav recently conducted Dreplicate the successful Debrigarh in Western Odisha, visits to Simlipal, Daringbadi glamping (glamorous camping) Daringbadi and Satkosia. A team and Satkosia to survey locations model of the Marine Drive Eco of DoT”, led by Commissioner and understand the preparatory Retreat to boost peak season cum Secretary Shri. Vishal K. Dev imperatives. ODISHA UNRAVELLED 7 The Juggernaut reigns supreme n a review of its own decision, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra The Government of Odisha a vacation bench of Hon’ble and Lord Shree Jagannatha are undertook comprehensive ISupreme Court of india drawn serially towards Shree preventive measures, including waved the green flag for Shree Gundicha Temple by sebayats screening over 2,000 servitors Jagannath Rath Yatra 2020 to (servitors) in presence of the Lord for COVID-19, and imposing a be conducted as per schedule Sudarshana. The deities embark curfew across Puri city to prevent on the condition that not more on their return to the Shree crowding. Hon’be Chief Minister than 500 attendees in all would Mandir on the 9th day during the Shri. Naveen Patnaik expresses assemble to manage the mega Bahuda Yatra. It is said that the gratitude to people involved in ritual, sans public attendance. chariot festival starts from the organising the festival. “I would The Ratha Yatra of the ‘four day of AkhayaTrutiya (in April) like to thank sebayats, police, deities’ starts on the 2 day of the and culminates with the return district administration and all fortnight of Ashadha, when the journey of the deities to the who were involved in organising chariots of the three siblings – Shree Mandir premises. the Rath Yatra.” 8 ODISHA UNRAVELLED Aromas of Odisha dia cuisine is an oft home-cooks residing across across several episodes, which admired cultural asset the state. The campaign has will also co-witness celebrities Oof the state and has roped in Gemini Edibles & Fats and prominent personalities the potential to greatly boost India and Ruchi Foodline as co- from the state. A set of cash its popularity as a tourist sponsors. prizes and OTDC packages destination for a satiating 40 finalised contestants will have been planned for the gastronomic experience. In the appear on national television winners and runners up. digital era, every Odia individual has the potential to be a brand “Odia people love food and love to serve with love. The Odia spread ambassador of the State by is vast, yet very easy on the palate. At the core, cooking up a treasure and it will not be an exaggeration to say that Odia share it with the world. cuisine is sanctified by Jagannath Mahaprabhu With this vision, OTDC recently Himself. I wholeheartedly commend Odisha Tour- embarked on a campaign ism Development Corporation for having branded Ama Ghara Ama magnified this opportunity through the Ama Handisala (Our Home, Our Ghara Ama Handisala campaign”, Kitchen), a contest inviting H.E. Governor of Odisha, Prof. Ganeshi Lal submissions of recipes from ODISHA UNRAVELLED 9 Sun God to endow the Black Pagoda fter confirming the inclusion of In order to meet all the energy requirements Konark Sun Temple among the Iconic of Konark town with solar energy, the ADestinations based on DoT’s untiring Scheme envisages setting up a 10 MW grid advocacy, Government of India has recently