The word Cuttack is derived from the Sanskrit word Kataka, which means a military camp or a fort or a Government seat, protected by an army. It is one of the oldest cities in India and the business capital of Orissa . Nestled at the tongue like land formed by the Mahanandi River in the North and Kathajodi in the South, Cuttack is a picturesque town. Cuttack is the headquarters of the Cuttack district.The city is well connected by railways and the nearest airport is the Biju Patnaik airport.The cities around Cuttack are Bhubaneshwar ,Puri and Konark.

Cuttack is associated with the Keshari dyasty . The reign of Markata Keshari was distinguished for the construction of the stone embankment to protect the new capital from flood in 1002 A.D. In 1211 Cuttack became the capital of Anangabhimadeva of the Ganga dynasty .With the end of the Ganga rule Orissa passed into the hands of the Gajapati kings under whom Cuttack continued to be the capital of Orissa .By 1750 Cuttack came under the Marathas as it was a vital point of contact between the Marathas of Nagpur and the English merchants of Bengal.The British occupied it in 1803 and later became the capital of Orissa in 1816.After independence in 1948 Bhubaneshwar was made the capital of Orissa although Cuttack continued to remain its adminstrative head.

Geographically ,Cuttack is located at 20.5° N 85.83° E , at a height of about 37 metres (121feet).The climate of this city is characterised by hot and humid climate .During the summer the mercury rises as high as 40 °C while during the winters temperature falls as low as 10 °C.Summer starts at the end of March and lasts till June till the monsoons sets in .During the monsoons the city receives an average rainfall of 144.39 centimetre during September to mid October.Winter season starts from November and lasts till January and is characterised by chill winds from the north .Mid January to mid March is pleasant with moderate climate.

According to the 2001 census ,Cuttack has a population of 535,139 .Males constitute 53%of the population and females comprise 47%of the population.Literacy rate of the city is quite high at 75% with the average literacy rate at 59.5%.The female literacy rate is 69% and the male literacy rate is 80% .In Cuttack ,10% of the population is under six years of age.

Cuttack is the city of cricket lovers which is reflected in the Barabati stadium which is an important venue for international cricket matches.The remains of the Barabati fort stands near the Barabati stadium.Cuttack has many famous educational institutions like the Ravenshaw College,Christ College,Stewart Science College and many more .Ravenshaw College has a prestigious history and has produced several top class officials and academicians. Freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose studied in the Ravenshaw Collegiate school.National research laboratories like the Central Rice Research Institute which is a premier institute of rice research in the whole of South Asia is also located here in Bidyadharpur .

The Shri Ramachandra Bhanja Medical College and hospital is the largest hospital in Orissa.There are many engineering colleges in Cuttack.In the north of Cuttack there is the Aviation research centre , an arm of the intelligence agency RAW of the government of India. It lies on the national highway no. 5, connecting Kolkata and Chennai.Cuttack has a well equipped eye hospital.The JRM Rotary Eye Hospital and Research Institute is a recognised institution by the World Health Organisation(WHO) and Government of India which conducts micro surgeries.

Many festivals are celebrated in Cuttack .The important festivals of Cuttack are Dushera and Baliyatra .Dushera is the festival of goddess Durga . Baliyatra is the festival of remembering the ancient tradition of trade between Orissa and Java, Bali and Sumatra. It is held every year in the month of November. Among other celebrations the kite flying festival is very much attractive which is held in the month of January.This city is also famous for the Sikh shrine "The Gurdwara Daatan Sahib"where Guru nanak ,the first Sikh Guru halted on his way to Puri .The name Daatan Sahib comes from the tooth cleanser that he used which later grew into a tree.

Cuttack is well known for its filigree works in silver ,ivory and brass works.The silk and cotton sarees of Cuttack known as `Katki` is also very famous.

Interesting Places in and around Cuttack