Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa is known as the temple town due to its many temples in the extravagant Orissan architectural style. At one time the Bindusagar tank had over 7000 temples around it. Today there are about 500 but most of these are just decayed fragments. Perhaps a dozen are of real interest including the great Lingaraj Temple, one of the most important temples in India.
Places to see in Bhubaneswar:
Bhubaneswar, "The abode of the Lord of the World" and the gateway to Orrisa, has slowly started to unbosom its mysteries for the past few years. Tour around the splendid Lingaraj Temple, ancient Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves and enjoy a superb boating experience at the Chilka lake and Taptapani excursions. Once called the Kalinga or Utkala, this city now boasts of cool avenues, upscale hotels, shopping malls and excellent dining out options.
Dhauli Giri
Just 8 km away from Bhubaneswar looking down on the plains that bore witness to the gruesome war waged on Kalinga by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, stand the rock edicts of Dhauli. It was here that King Ashoka, full of remorse after the Kalinga War in 261 BC, renounced his blood-thirsty campaign and turned to Buddhism. Ashoka erected two main edicts in Kalinga, one in Dhauli and the other in Jayagarh. The principles of Ashoka which reflect his compassion were inscribed on all the other edicts in his empire except Kalinga. This is in sharp contrast to all of his other edicts and proof of his political acumen. The edicts are so remarkable that they have been excellently preserved, despite the fact that they date back to the 3rd century BC.
Lingaraj Temple
Dedicated to the Lord Vishnu and Shiv Linga, the Lingaraj temple is one of Orrisa's famous temples, notable for the symmetrical sculptures carved on its 45m high spire. The deity of Lingaraj is an uncarved block of granite 8 feet in diameter raised 8 inches above the ground and is bathed daily with milk, water and bhang (marijuana). Plan your trip during March-April to enjoy the joyous four-day chariot festival, when Lingaraj is drawn on his chariot to Rameswara temple.
Bindusagar
Bindusagar or "Ocean Drop" is a tank placed north of the Lingaraj temple and is said to contain water from every river, lake and holy stream of India brought by Lord Shiva. Taking a bath here and drinking the water of this pool is said to cure any disease of the stomach. A famous pilgrimage site for Indians, the tank is surrounded by numerous temples and shrines. The best time to come here is around sunrise.
Khandagiri & Udayagiri
The twin hills of Khandagiri & Udayagiri, 8 km from Bhubaneswar, served as the site of an ancient Jain monastery which was carved into cave like chambers in the face of the hill. Dating back to the 2nd century BC, some of the caves have beautiful carvings. The Rani Gumpha (Queen's Cave), one of the largest and double-storied, is ornately embellished with beautiful carvings. In the Hati Gumpha, King Kharavela has carved out the chronicles of his reign.
Chilka Lake
Situated south of Puri, this 1,100 sq. km shallow lake is Asia's largest salt water lagoon and is separated from the sea only by a narrow sand bar. The lake is peppered with many small rocky islands and is a vast reserve for aquatic flora and fauna. Hire a kayak and look for Irrawaddy dolphins along with Siberian cranes or you can hike through the jungles to discover white sand converging into blue water.
Brahmeswar
About a km east of the main road, Brahmeswar Temple stands in a yard flanked by four smaller streets. The temple from the 9th century. Close by a other temples which are not so great interest. The Bhaskareswar unusual 'stepped' design in order to accommodate an unusually large (three metre) lingam it once contained. The Megheswar is in a courtyard and its shrine entrance is topped by a figure. Beside it there is a tank.
Museum
The museum is opposite the Hotel Ashok Kalinga and has an interesting collection relating to Orissan history, culture and architecture and to the various Orissan tribes. The Tribal Research Bureau is also located here. The museum is open 10 am to 5 pm daily except Mondays.
Ekamra Haat
Located near the exhibition ground, this Haat is a hub for tourists who are interested to get some stuff with Oriya touch along with their unforgettable memoirs. Ekamra Haat is aesthetically designed to create a relaxed ambiance to browse through ethnic handlooms and handicrafts from all over the country. The walls are embellished with attractive terracotta sculptures and vibrant folk paintings.
How to Get There:
Air
Indian Airlines and many private airlines fly on regular basis to Bhubaneswar. Bhubaneswar Airport is 3 km from the city centre and almost all the major cities are connected from here. Indian Airlines has flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkotta, Delhi, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Varanasi.
Rail
Bhubaneswar also have good railway network connecting it to major cities of India Kolkatta, Puri, Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Tirupati.
Road
The national highway no.5 touches this capital city. The main bus stand is at Barmunda, 8 km from the city centre. There are regular interstate bus services from the nearby towns and cities. Inter-state bus services operate daily in between Calcutta and Puri via Bhubaneswar and Bhubaneswar-Tata Nagar.
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