A map or an atlas is a representation of the earth's surface in miniature form. On flat surface, maps give good idea about a country, a state or a town. A complete and graphic map along with pictorial illustrations, descriptions and proper interpretations, can make one feel as if one had actually visited the place.
With these ideas in view, it has been attempted here to portray this beautiful Heritage State in the Indian subcontinent with its different cultural aspects. The aim of such an attempt is to create awareness among people of Orissa about their rich cultural legacy and to attract visitors, tourists and connoisseurs alike to this ancient land. This Cultural Atlas exposes one to important prehistoric sites, maritime heritage, monuments, important crafts, handloom, fairs and festivals, performing art, language and dialect spoken by the people, concentration of tribal population and important tourist centres.
The Atlas is divided in two sections. In the first section, fourteen themes are depicted on the map of the State. In the second, district cultural maps are given. The themes covering the different cultural traits of the State include, prehistoric sites, maritime heritage, monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and the State Archaeology, important unprotected monuments, Buddhist heritage sites, Jaina heritage sites, important crafts and craft centres, handloom products of Orissa, forest and wild life, fairs, festivals and performing art centres, languages and dialects spoken, tribal concentration in the State and important tourist centres. The district cultural maps include information on all the above themes except prehistoric sites, handloom, tribal concentration, languages and dialects spoken.
Attempts have been made to present cultural traits of Orissa through the Cultural Atlas and provide authentic information on the culture of the State, through research and with the help of documents available.
From the Census of India Map and GPS survey M/s Geo Infotech have evolved the basic map of the State. Preparation of this atlas involves two factors - first, that of representing the curved surface of the earth on a geographical coordinate system and second, that of representing the various surface features and other information which different kinds of maps intend to convey. It has been planned to show different surface

features through various legends or suitable references. Map reading, therefore, means the interpretation of various symbols used in composition of various themes. Attempts have been made to make the maps meaningful by using various legends indicating different features along with photographs, which illustrate the themes.
The scale used for the State theme maps is 1:22,50,000. For the district map the scale is between 1:6,00,000 to 1:2,50,000. The first State theme map is on important prehistoric sites of the State super imposed on a physical map of Orissa. The prehistoric cultures from Lower Paleolithic to Megalithic periods are illustrated through legends and place names. The next map represents the maritime heritage of Orissa and the different geographical units of ancient Orissa. The names of different seaports during different periods are also indicated. Illustrations depicting ancient maritime activities and earlier seafaring vessels created by an artist are included. In the next map, the monuments of the national importance are indicated with the help of legends, place names and names of the monuments. Similarly, the protected monuments of State Archaeology find place in the next map with appropriate legends and references. The map showing the important unprotected monuments follows this. Two separate theme maps follow this: one on Buddhist heritage sites and the other on Jaina heritage sites in the State. There are more than seventy crafts identified in the State. The next map covers some of the important crafts and craft centres. The beautiful handloom product of the State with their clusters and centres as well as the product specifications of each cluster is given in the next map. Orissa has a rich tradition of performing arts. The fairs and festivals of the State attract tourists. This theme is given in the next map with a calendar of festivals and festival centres along with performing arts and art centres. This is followed by a map based on the theme of forest and wild life in the State. The majority of people of Orissa speak Oriya. However, there are other languages and dialects spoken by people in the State. This constitutes the theme of the next map. In this map, the percentage of population speaking a language is based on 1991 Census. Orissa has a large concentration of tribal people and there are 62 tribes found in the State.

A theme map on the concentration of tribal population in various blocks of the State depicting their distribution follows. Last but not the list, a theme map on important tourist centres in the State is given.
The Cultural Maps of the 30 districts in alphabetical order follow. These maps have legends, place name and references to indicate different themes in each district. An exhaustive index is given at the end. Here the place names in alphabetical order as well as the coordinates of each place name are indicated.
At the end, it would be proper to indicate that this attempt is not fully exhaustive. It covers important features and various aspects of cultural heritage of the State through the two-dimensional GIS format maps. Only a micro level depiction of all the cultural traits of this Heritage State can cover all places of importance and all facets of each trait in totality.

Dr. B.K.Rath
Superintendent, State Archaeology & Project Coordinator
Project Orissa Cell