Orissa boasts of a long and rich cultural heritage. Due to the reigns of many different rulers in the past, the culture, arts and crafts of the state underwent many changes, imitations, assimilations and new creations, from time to time. Much of the work of the yester years' artisans and litterateurs has been lost during various wars waged on the state.

The artistic skill of the Orissan artists is unsurpassable in the world. The discovery that traditional artists still live and work throughout Orissa, producing various objects in many media, is an exciting part of any visit to the state.

Painting in Orissa, according to some scholars, is as old as Orissa's sculpture. In fact profession-wise, there is originally no distinction between painting and sculpture. The Chitrakars or artists were commissioned by their patrons in all visual arts of their times. The three main categories of Orissan painting, the Bhitichitra or the murals, the Patachitra or the cloth painting and the Pothichitra or the palm leaf engraving have remained more or less the same in style and subject-matter during any given period of Orissan history. Etching and painting on palm leaf is one of the most ancient craft forms not only in Orissa but also in the whole country. In this craft, large drawings are made on the rectangular palm leaves stitched together vertically. The major motifs are drawn from the rich legends, myths and folk-lore of the State.

Like other aspects of the culture, the Odissi music is charming, colourful, encompassing various types. But it has not come to limelight due to apathy from the time of British rule in Orissa, want of its proper study, revival, propagation, etc. The existing musical tradition of Orissa is the cumulative experience of the last two thousand five hundred years if not more.

Odissi, the classical form of dance that originated in the ambience of the temples of Orissa, is a lyrical form of dance with subtlety as its keynote. The intimate relationship experienced between the poetry and music in Odissi is a feature on which the aesthetics of the style is built. It is a "sculpturesque" style of dance with a harmony of line and movement, all its own.

The roots of the handicrafts of Orissa are in one way or the other intertwined with the rituals and traditions of Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of the Puri temple. 'Applique Work' is a technique by which the decorative effect is obtained by superposing patches of coloured fabrics on a basic fabric. Dhokra or Brass & Bell Metal craft is perhaps the single most important craft in terms of the number of artisans engaged in its practice. Horn articles of Orissa are mystical and are blended with a superb fashion design. Lacquer Work is yet another form of handicraft for which Orissa is famous. Of all the handicrafts of Orissa the most unique and the finest is Silver Filigree, locally called tarakasi. Stone carving is a major handicraft of Orissa which has reached dizzy heights of excellence perfected through centuries of disciplined efforts of generations of artisans. Wood carving is yet another craft that the artisans of Orissa excel in.

Tribals of Orissa have also contributed a lot to the handloom and handicrafts of the state. One such contribution to the handicrafts of Orissa is the art of Comb Making, known to only 12-15 tribes out of the sixty-two tribes inhabiting Orissa. The tribal comb bears the emotions of its makers' expression of love, and its takers' acceptance of it.