Villages of Odisha are endowed with natural beauty with virgin beaches, serpentine rivers, rich wildlife, etc. as most of them are located on the coast along the Bay of Bengal. The lush green and fertile plains in the villages, most of which are surrounded by palm, coconut trees and mangroves in Odisha. The villages of Odisha are rich in tradition and cultural heritage and the villagers celebrate several colourful festivals throughout the year.
A major portion of Odisha"s total population resides in the villages. Many tribal communities also reside in the villages of Odisha and in fact, Odisha is home to one of the highest number of tribes in India. The principal language spoken in the villages of Odisha is Oriya.
Education in Villages of Odisha
Villages of Odisha have an impressive educational scenario. Many government primary schools have been established in the villages of Odisha. After completing the primary and secondary education, the students can pursue higher education in the colleges and universities located in the urban areas. Though, the rural literacy rate in Odisha is good, the governmental authorities are trying hard to further improve the educational status of the villages of Odisha.
Occupation in Villages of Odisha
The principal source of occupation in the villages of Odisha is agriculture. The villages of Odisha are one of the largest producers of rice in India and they contribute to almost one tenth of the total rice production of the country. Apart from rice, the other major crops cultivated in the villages of Odisha include jute, oil seeds, pulses, coconut, sugarcane, tea, rubber, cotton, gram, mustard, maize, sesame, ragi, potato, soybean, etc. 
Many people in the villages of Odisha are also engaged in non-agricultural activities. They are involved in various occupations including forest based husbandry and the industries like minerals, cement, paper, sugar, fertilizer, iron and steel, handloom, etc. Another major source of occupation in the villages of Odisha is arts and crafts. The villagers in Odisha are famous all over the country for the unique and exceptional handicrafts like Patta Chitra, Sand Art, Metal Work, Silver Filigree, Stone Carving, etc.
Culture in Villages of Odisha
Villages of Odisha have a rich tradition of art and cultural activities. The rural people celebrate various fairs and festivals throughout the year with pomp and cheerfulness. The villagers celebrate all the popular festivals and also the regional and local festivals. The "Ratha Yatra" is the principal festival in Odisha. Other major festivals celebrated in the villages of Odisha include Dhanu Yatra, Magha Saptami, Makar Sankranti, Mahastami, Kumar Purnima, Deepavali Amavasya, Sri Nrusingha Chatturdashi, Janmashtami, Kartika Purnima, Navaratri, Sri Vinayak Chaturthi or Ganesh Chaturthi, Rakhi Purnima, etc.
People in the villages of Odisha perform different forms of traditional music and dance during the fairs and festivals. The most popular folk or traditional music forms in the villages include Balipuja Geeta, Kendra Geeta, Jaiphula Geeta, Bhajan, Sariman, Champu, Malasri, Vyanjani, Chaturang, Tribhang, etc. The traditional dance form of Odisha, Odissi is one of the most important features of celebration of festivals in the villages. Apart from Odissi, the other popular dance forms performed during the festivals include Chhau, Naga dance, Humo, Bauli, Jhulki, Jamudali, Mayalajar, Gunjikata, Ghumra, etc.
