Odia people
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Primary populations in: | |
| Languages | |
| Odia | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism , Christianity , Islam and Buddhism |
The Odia, known classically by various names (Oriya, Odri, Utkaliya, Kalingi,ଓଡ଼ିଆ), are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group of eastern India. They constitute a majority in the eastern coastal state of Odisha, with minority populations in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.
The vast majority of the Odias are Hindus and are known for their history of Sun worship. Odisha is home to some of the oldest Sun temples in India, including Konark. There are small Muslim , Christian and Buddhist minorities.
The term 'Odia', while sometimes used to refer to any inhabitant of Odisha, more precisely refers to the ethnic group which natively speaks the Odia language. Greek and Latin writers like Ptolemy and Pliny refer to the Odra people as Oretes in their accounts.
The earliest Odias were called Orda or Kalingas. Utkals was a later name.
The word Odia has mentions in epics like the Mahabharata. The Odrakas are mentioned as one of the peoples that fought in the Mahabharata, a testimony to their Aryan roots. Pali literature calls them Oddakas. Ptolemy and Pliny the Elder also refer to the Oretas who inhabit India's eastern coast. The modern term Odia dates from the 15th century when it was used by the medieval Muslim chroniclers and adopted by the Gajapati king.
The Odias are distinguished by their ethnocultural customs as well as the use of the Odia language. Odisha's relative isolation and the lack of any discernible outside influence has contributed towards preserving a social and religious structure that has disappeared from most of North India. The earliest Odias were called Orda or Kalingas. A later name is Utkals.
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