My mother told me stories of the great mythological and historical figures of India.
I read some history in school too.
One day in the late 60's my father announced that he had got a higher post as a scientist in Cuttack in Orissa.
Orissa was a state down south on the east coast of India after West Bengal.
My mother reminded us that it was the state which was once the Kingdom of Kalinga and was famous for the war Emperor Ashoka the Great had waged and then feeling great remorse had become very repentant and religious and embraced Jainism and Buddhism which lay great stress on non-violence and ahimsa and peace and good conduct in life.
We were filled with visions of Emperor Ashoka,Kalinga war and the religious transformation.
Cuttack was a big city in Orissa and also its Capital once.
Later Bhubaneshwar had been made the capital.

Cuttack first impressions were of red dust.
We as children thought it was because of the blood in the soil from the time of the Kalinga war.
The people spoke Oriya somewhat akin to Bengali.

Cuttack had a small station then with only one platform covered with asbestos sheets.
There were man driven cycle rickshaws for travel.

We saw the Vidyadharpur farm or the Central Rice Research Institute,under the ICAR or the Indian Council of Agricultural Research,located at Vidyadharpur on the Cuttack-Jagatsinghpur-Paradip road.

It was a two hundred and fifty acre research farm for research on paddy or rice cultivation.

Cuttack had two rivers on its both sides, the great river or the Mahanadi and the river Katjuri.

Cuttack was known for its silver filigree work and silver articles and ware.

The Oriya style handicrafts, cloth and sarees too impressed.

Chandi mandir was a famous temple.

The Barabati fort was an old fort.

Near it were the ghats of the river Mahanadi.

Many festivals had some ceremonies on the banks of the river.

We saw the big stone walls, made long back, along the rivers to prevent flooding.

The Barabati stadium was also nearby.

There were some good old bungalows of the senior officers of the government and the gentry on the road leading down from Barabati fort.

Christ college,Stewart Science college ,Stewart School and the Joseph's convent were known educational institutions.

Ravenshaw College was then the premier educational centre of Orissa.

Cuttack City became an educational centre and also a commercial centre over a period of time.

Some important newspapers were the Prajatantra,the Samaj in Oriya and  The Eastern Times in English.

There wasa station of Akashvani or All India Radio.

I looked for the links with the ancient history and culture of India reflected in the Oriya language,literature,traditions and culture.

The rains in Orissa with the dark black clouds seen in Cuttack made me feel different.