Indian Community • New Jersey
Odia Community in New Jersey
OSA NJ chapter since 1985 • Rath Yatra at Wayne for 18+ years • Odissi dance on Oak Tree Road • Edison · Piscataway · Somerset corridor
Indian Community in New Jersey → Indian Community Guide → Odia Community in New Jersey
Last updated: March 2026 • Full Indian Community guide for New Jersey →
Why Odia Families Choose New Jersey
New Jersey’s Middlesex and Somerset Counties are home to the highest concentration of Indian Americans in the United States — and Odia families have been part of this story since the early 1970s. The reasons are both economic and community-driven. Edison, Piscataway, and South Brunswick sit at the intersection of the country’s most concentrated pharmaceutical industry (Merck’s Rahway campus, Lupin’s Somerset headquarters, Bristol-Myers Squibb in Princeton) and the region’s dense tech consulting sector. Rutgers University in Piscataway draws Odia academics and researchers. The result: a community where new arrivals on H-1B visas or F-1 student visas can find established Odia neighbors in the same industry within weeks of arriving.
What keeps Odia families in NJ — and what they tell incoming community members — is the depth of the OSA NYNJPA chapter. Unlike smaller Odia communities in other American cities, NJ’s Odia population has enough critical mass to sustain a full annual event calendar, a literary magazine (Aama Aaina), a drama festival, and Odissi dance schools. Oak Tree Road in Edison is the commercial anchor for all Eastern Indians: two Indian grocery stores within walking distance of each other, along with NJ’s best selection of Eastern Indian pantry staples for Odia home cooking.
Where Odia Families Live in New Jersey
NJ Odia families are concentrated across the Middlesex-Somerset corridor, integrated into the broader Central NJ Indian enclave rather than in a single Odia-branded neighborhood. The OSA chapter’s event venues trace the residential geography: Wayne (Morris County, Rath Yatra), Somerset (Ukrainian Cultural Center, Kumar Purnima Annual Day), and New York City (Utkal Dibas at the Indian Consulate).
Edison & Iselin (Oak Tree Road Corridor)
Edison is the undisputed anchor. Approximately 28,000+ Indian Americans live in Edison, making up 40%+ of some neighborhoods. Oak Tree Road runs two miles through Edison and Iselin, hosting 400+ South Asian businesses including the India Grocers and Indian Grocery Outlet stores that Odia families rely on for Eastern Indian pantry staples. Sudhamini Dance Academy (1632 Oak Tree Rd) has been teaching Odissi on this road since 1985. Key zip code: 08820. Edison is the first address most Odia new arrivals give a community member when asked where they settled.
Piscataway & South Brunswick
Piscataway (08854) is adjacent to Rutgers University’s main campus — drawing Odia academics, postdocs, and graduate students. South Brunswick and Plainsboro (08824) form the Princeton-adjacent pharma and tech research corridor, with the highest “Other Indic language speaker” PUMA count in the state (2,424 — a category that includes Odia). South Brunswick was the first NJ school district to add Diwali to its school calendar (2010), reflecting the density of Indian families here. Rai Dey’s Odissi classes at Bharat Sevashram Sangha (3490 Route 27, Kendall Park) serve this sub-area.
Somerset & Bridgewater
Somerset (08873) is an emerging Odia residential zone. The OSA NYNJPA has chosen the Ukrainian Cultural Center at 135 Davidson Ave, Somerset for its flagship Kumar Purnima Annual Day in both 2022 and 2024 — a venue choice that reflects where enough community members live to justify the location. Bridgewater hosts Lupin’s US headquarters, and the surrounding area has growing Indian pharma and tech worker populations. Families here tend to be newer arrivals in a quieter, more suburban setting than Edison.
Odia Organizations in New Jersey
OSA New York/New Jersey/Pennsylvania Chapter (OSA NYNJPA)
The Odisha Society of the Americas (OSA) NY/NJ/PA Chapter is the cornerstone of Odia community life in New Jersey. OSA itself is the oldest and largest Odia diaspora organization in North America, founded October 17, 1970 in Hartford, CT, with more than 1,000 member families across 14 US chapters. The NJ chapter was formed in 1985 as the Odia population in Middlesex County grew large enough to need its own home. In 2005 it merged with the New York chapter to form OSA NYNJ; Pennsylvania members have since been incorporated and a formal rename to NYNJPA is in progress.
The chapter publishes Aama Aaina (ଆମ ଆଇନା) — a literary magazine where members contribute poems, articles, and drawings in both Odia and English. Editions confirmed: 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2024. The chapter also runs a Women’s Empowerment Forum and Graduate Day celebration recognizing community members’ academic achievements. Membership: Life Member, 5-Year Member, or Annual Member — register at odishasociety.org/membership or at events. Website: osanynj.odishasociety.org | Facebook: @Osanynj | Payment: Zelle treasurer@nynj.odishasociety.org
Annual event calendar: Saraswati Puja (winter) · Utkal Dibas / Odisha Foundation Day (April 1 area) · Holi picnic · Regional Drama Festival (May) · Spring cookout · Ganesh Puja (Aug/Sept) · Kumar Purnima Annual Day (November). In 2024: Kumar Purnima held November 9, 2pm–10pm, Ukrainian Cultural Center, 135 Davidson Ave, Somerset, NJ 08873 ($40/adult, $30/child; children under 5 free). The 2019 OSA national convention — held at Harrah’s Atlantic City — drew 2,000+ attendees from 18 chapters, the largest Odia gathering ever held in North America.
Temples, Rath Yatra & Religious Life
Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra — Wayne Hindu Temple (Primary Odia Religious Event)
The annual Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra at Wayne’s Mahatma Gandhi Center & Hindu Temple is the signature religious event for NJ’s Odia community — held for 18+ consecutive years. It is co-organized by the India Cultural Society (ICS) of NJ and the Tri-State Odia Devotees of USA. The 2025 celebration was held Saturday, June 28 (Bahuda Rath Yatra return journey: July 6). Ritual sequence: Pahandi (formal procession of the four Chaturdha Murti deities — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, Lord Sudarshan), Maha Aarati, Chhera Panhara (symbolic chariot sweeping with gold-handled broom and sandalwood water, performed by senior community members while priests chant shlokas), full chariot pull on the 16-foot decorated chariot, music ensemble of Mridangam, Ghanta, Gini, and Kirtan throughout, followed by cultural programs at the auditorium with authentic Odia snacks and Lassi. Attendance: thousands of devotees (News India Times coverage confirms scale).
Venue: Mahatma Gandhi Center & Hindu Temple, 714 Preakness Ave, Wayne, NJ 07470 | (973) 595-7117 | gandhicenter.org — the first Indian non-profit registered in New Jersey, founded December 12, 1973. For new Odia arrivals to NJ, attending the Wayne Rath Yatra is the fastest way to meet the community in a single afternoon.
ISKCON of Central New Jersey — Jagannath Daily Darshan
For Odia Hindus who want daily Jagannath darshan between annual festivals, ISKCON Central NJ in Plainfield has Sri Sri Jagannath Baladev Subhadra Devi installed — the full triad central to Odia religious identity — alongside Sri Sri Radha Shyamsundar and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai. The temple has served central NJ since 2004. Address: 1020 W 7th St, Plainfield, NJ 07063 | (732) 582-4265 | info@iskconnj.com | iskconnj.com | Hours: Mon–Sat 8am–7pm, Sun 9am–7pm.
Parsippany Rath Yatra — ISKCON of New Jersey
A second annual Rath Yatra is held in Parsippany, organized by ISKCON of New Jersey. The 2025 parade began June 22 at 10:30am from Yogi Divine Temple (2 Lincoln Ave, Lake Hiawatha) to 10 Baldwin Rd, Parsippany. Includes Festival of Colors, Kirtans, cultural performances, and a free vegetarian feast. Free parking at Parsippany High School (309 Baldwin Rd). This is an ISKCON-tradition celebration open to all — culturally adjacent but organizationally distinct from the Wayne Odia community Rath Yatra. Website: iskconofnewjersey.org
Odia Food & Grocery in New Jersey
No dedicated Odia cuisine restaurant has been confirmed in New Jersey — Odia food culture, like in most US metros, is home-based. The OSA chapter events are where authentic Odia cooking is experienced communally: the Drama Festival research specifically noted that “the core foundation of any Odia event, food, was as always awesome and appreciated.” The Wayne Rath Yatra cultural program served authentic Odia snacks and Lassi. For new arrivals, connecting with OSA NYNJPA events and community WhatsApp groups is the path to experiencing chenna poda, dalma, and pakhala outside your own kitchen.
Key Odia dishes to cook at home: machha jhola (fish curry with mustard, tomato, turmeric), dalma (dal with seasonal vegetables — papaya, brinjal, raw banana), pakhala (fermented soaked rice, a summer staple), ghuguni (spiced dried white peas), biri dali (black lentil dal), and Odia pithas (steamed or fried rice cakes for festivals). Chenna poda — caramelized cottage cheese cake, Odisha’s original cheesecake — is a community pride food worth asking about at OSA events.
Indian Grocery Stores — Oak Tree Road Corridor
- India Grocers — 1665 Oak Tree Rd, Edison, NJ 08820 | (732) 243-9999 | Mon–Sun 9am–9pm | indiagrocersnj.com — “widest variety of Indian foods in the tri-state area”; Eastern Indian pantry staples well-stocked
- Indian Grocery Outlet — 180 Talmadge Rd, Edison, NJ 08817 | (732) 393-9200 | Mon–Sun 9am–9pm
- Apna Bazar — Edison location | apnabazarnj.com
- Swagat Grocery — Online ordering with Edison delivery | swagatgrocery.com
Odia Language Schools & Heritage Programs
Odia School USA
Odia School USA offers free Odia language education with a structured national curriculum — accessible to all NJ families online. The program focuses on linguistic identity and proficiency for heritage learners. Website: odiaschoolusa.org
OSA “Let’s Learn Odia” — Chapter Program
OSA NYNJPA runs the national “Let’s Learn Odia” program — an annual speech competition for children ages 7–12 that covers Odia language, dance, music, and drama. It originated as “Chala Ame Odia Sikhiba” in California (~2000) and was adopted nationally by OSA around 2010. Contact OSA NYNJPA directly at osanynj.odishasociety.org for current local class schedule and event dates.
Cultural Heritage Through OSA Events
For children growing up in the diaspora, the OSA NYNJPA annual calendar is itself a heritage curriculum: Utkal Dibas (Odissi dance performances, devotional songs), Kumar Purnima (traditional rituals and cultural shows), Drama Festival (live Odia theater), and Ganesh Puja (speech competitions). The Aama Aaina literary magazine involves members of all ages in Odia-language writing. These structured cultural touchpoints substitute, in part, for the standalone Saturday Odia schools that exist in other heritage languages.
Odissi Dance & Arts in New Jersey
New Jersey has a notably strong Odissi dance ecosystem — both reflecting the art form’s deep connection to Odisha and its broader appeal in the NJ Indian-American community. The OSA Utkal Dibas and Annual Day celebrations feature Odissi prominently: the 2024 Utkal Dibas program included Bandha Nritya, Kirwani Pallavi, Shiva Tandav Stotram, and Saata Dariya Parire — all Odissi pieces performed by community dancers. This creates a performance pipeline for students studying at local schools.
Sudhamini Dance Academy
Founded in 1985 by Sudha Grover, Sudhamini Dance Academy is on Oak Tree Road in Edison — directly in the heart of the NJ Indian community corridor. The academy has been teaching Odissi to multiple generations of NJ-born Indian-American students. It also teaches Bollywood and Indian classical fusion. Address: 1632 Oak Tree Rd, Edison, NJ 08820 | (732) 548-0086 | Facebook: @sudhaminidanceacademy
Rai Dey — Odissi at Bharat Sevashram Sangha
Rai Dey teaches traditional Odissi for children ages 4–12 at Bharat Sevashram Sangha in Kendall Park — serving the South Brunswick and Plainsboro Odia families. Classes begin with basic steps, hand gestures (mudras), expression, and body movement, incorporating yoga and stretches. Contemporary music woven into traditional style. Bharat Sevashram Sangha address: 3490 Route 27, Kendall Park, NJ 08824. Contact: rai.dey0512@gmail.com | (848) 391-9173 | Facebook: facebook.com/mudraodissi
Rhythms of Dance and Music (RDM) — Mitra Purkayastha
Based in Morristown, NJ, Mitra Purkayastha has been teaching Odissi in the US since 1979 and founded her school in 1986. She trained in Odissi under Guru Padmasri Murlidhar Majhi; also trained in Manipuri, Kathak, Bharatnatyam, and Rabindra Sangeet. Facebook: @odissimitrardm. Website: odissidancing.com (contact to confirm current class schedule). A senior and respected figure in the NJ Odissi community.
Surati for Performing Arts
Surati teaches the full range of Indian classical forms including Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniattam. Locations include Jersey City (35-1108 River Drive South, NJ 07310), Woodbridge, and Manhattan. Contact: info@suratiinc.com | (201) 792-2650 | suratiinc.com
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2022 5-Year Estimates) • Community organization websites and direct verification • Local school district enrollment data • Zillow and Apartments.com (rent estimates) • Glassdoor and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (salary data) • Redfin (home price data). Community population estimates reflect available Census language data combined with organization-reported figures. Read our full research methodology →