Two young men from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district have taken a unique initiative to put their home state on the global tourism map.
In a week-long campaign across Sri Lanka, Kumaresh Nayak, a college lecturer, and Nihar Ranjan Nanda, a CRPF jawan, showcased Odisha’s heritage to international travellers.
Nayak, 33, who teaches political science at Government Women’s College in Baripada, told The Telegraph: “We reached Sri Lanka on October 1. During our tour, we covered several destinations — including Colombo, Galle, Mirissa, Matara, Wellawaya, Ella, Nanuoya, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Dambulla and Sigiriya, the city associated with the mythical kingdom of Ravana and home to the Lion Rock.”
Carrying banners displaying information about Odisha, the duo interacted with locals and foreign tourists. “In our interactions, we highlighted the historical and cultural connections between Kalinga (ancient Odisha) and Sri Lanka, including the offering of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha to the island nation,” Nayak said.
Nanda said: “We acquainted travellers with Odisha’s rich heritage — the Puri Jagannath Temple, Rath Yatra, Chilika Lake, the Similipal Reserve with the rare melanistic tiger, and also the spectacular Barehipani Waterfall. We also spoke of the Buddhist sites scattered across Odisha.”
The duo had previously promoted Odisha and Mayurbhanj tourism across India.