Book excerpt: Consisting of plurality of religions and cultures, Orissa has been the home of different traditions. It presents reconciliation, mutual exchange and peaceful co-existence. The advent of Islam in Orissa led to further changes in the socio-cultural fabric of Orissan society. Tracing the advent and spread of Islam in Orissa, this book makes a comprehensive study of its impact on various aspects of Orissan society-religion, social set-up, literature, art and architecture, and economy. The role of Sufi saints and Bhakti poets towards creating harmonious relations between Hindus and Muslims has also been examined.