0 publishers interested Express interest

Bhubaneswar – “Where the past seamlessly blends with the present”

The capital of Odisha also known as the “Temple city” is a beautiful amalgamation of the past and the present. While the southern part of the city relives the memories of a glorious past, the Northern part is the harbinger of an exciting future.  The name Bhubaneswar is derived from the name “Tribhubaneswar” a name of lord Shiva which literally means “The Lord of the Earth”

Designed by renowned German Architect Otto Konigsberger in 1946, Bhubaneswar is one of independent India’s first planned cities, along with Chandigarh and Jamshedpur. Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as the capital of Odisha in 1948. Though officially it became operational as the state capital from 19th August 1949.

The city is a fusion where the old and the new perfectly gel together and infact feeds of each other. The Northern part of Bhubaneswar- with wide roads and planned infrastructure is seeing a flurry of activities in the IT, Business, Education and Health sector making it one of Eastern India’s major economic hub. The high rise residential complexes, corporate buildings and Government offices dotting the landscape with park, malls and recreation joints thrown in the mix, Bhubaneswar embodies all the characteristics of a young vibrant city.

As we move towards the Southern part of the city the pace gradually slows and the high rise residential complex is replaced by residential plots and modern architecture of the corporate offices by the temples which epitomizes the architecture of a bygone era.  Bhubaneswar along with Puri and Konark is often referred to as the “Swarna Tribhuja” or the “Golden Triangle”.

Though the modern city came into existence in 1948, the history of Bhubaneswar can be traced to 1st century BC or even earlier. It was witness to one of the most important events in the face of mankind- The Kalinga War- recorded as one of the bloodiest conflict in the annals of history- but what makes it unique is that the message it propagated aftermath. According to noted historian Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra- “The political history of mankind in reality is a history of wars and no war has ended with so successful a mission of peace for the entire war-torn humanity as the war of Kalinga”.

The Kalinga War: - Historically Odisha or Kalinga as it was known then was a feudal republic – the land of fiercely independent and valiant tribesmen who ruled over designated territories.  All that changed when emperor Ashoka decided to invade and annexe Kalinga and brings it under the Mauryan Empire. There has been no historical mention of the leader who led the Feudal Republic of Kalinga against Ashoka. The reason for Ashoka invading Kalinga were primarily a couple of things – Kalinga then was a prosperous region who were the first to initiate trade and commerce in foreign lands such as Indonesia, Borneo etc, the people lived in an organised society which followed an open culture and uniform code, it was a treasure trove for art and artefacts. Secondly it was a land of valour and none other than Chandragupta Maurya had failed to annexe Kalinga to the Mauryan Empire.

It has been recorded that the Daya River which flowed near the battlefield had turned red due to the blood of the slain soldiers. Approximate estimates put the number of dead Kalinga warriors to 1, 50,000 and that of the Mauryan soldiers at 1, 00,000, with many more maimed and injured. Inscriptions in Udaygiri caves and literature point to the fact that even women and teenagers took up the sword to defend their motherland against the invading Mauryans.

Moved by the valour of the Kalinga warriors and the dead bodies and sufferings, Ashoka disclaimed war and devoted the rest of his life to Ahimsa and Dharma- thus Chanda Ashoka transformed to Dharma Ashoka.

The war is believed to have been fought in 261 BC; the battlefield is located at Dhauli- which is 8KM south of Bhubaneswar. Ashoka built several chaityas, stupas and pillars at Dhauli, the rocks have Kalinga Edict’s engraved which stands till date.

The Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha built a beautiful shanti stupa- Dhauligiri – in 1972 to commemorate the mission of peace that the Kalinga war could achieve.

Some of Ashoka’s pillars and edicts can also be found in Bhaskareswar Temple located nearby the shanti stupa in Tankapani road.

Brief History of Bhubaneswar

After the decline of the Mauryan Empire, Kalinga regained independence, this time as a full-fledged Kingdom and regained its glory. Kharavela of the Mahameghavahanadynasty which succeeded the Mauryan Empire was the most famous ruler of the region. Kharavela’s   inscriptions are recorded in the Hathigumpha caves (elephant caves) at Udaygiri.

After Kharavela’s reign his dynasty disintegrated and subsequently other dynasties of the region gained control of Kalinga. Mukunda Deva II of the Bhoi dynasty was the last homegrown ruler of the erstwhile Kalinga. 

The temples sprouted in the region between 7th Century and 14th Century AD. The rulers across the dynasties of the region were followers of Lord Shiva and all the temples were built under the shaivites influence. However, the paradigm shifted with the cult of lord Jagannath gaining prominence, vaishnavism became the order of the day.

In 1568 Kalinga fell to the Karanni dynasty of Afghanistan, who resorted to large scale plundering and destruction of temples, they were followed by the Mughals in the 16th Century, the Maratha’s annexed the region around 18th century before it fell to the British colonial rule in 1803 and remained under the British till 1947.

Things to do in Bhubaneswar

When you are in the lap of history as is the case with Bhubaneswar, there is no dearth of activities that one can engage in.

As mentioned earlier it’s the city of temples. Despite the ravages of time and destruction caused by the invaders, the city still has a sizeable number of temples which preserves its rich heritage. These temples made of sandstone represent the best of the Kalinga School of architecture- which flourished from the 7th century AD to 14th Century AD. While its neigh impossible to record each one of them in a book of this nature, we will select a few which have varied architectural styles.

Lingaraja temple – Noted historian James Ferguson described it as “One of the finest examples of purely Hindu temple in India”. The largest temple in the city is believed to have been built by the Somavansi kings and evolved under the Ganga dynasty in the 11 century CE. The presiding deity is lord Shiva known by the name of Lingaraja. The interesting part is that Lingaraja is worshipped as Lord Harihara- a form of Shiva and Vishnu-a telltale pointer to the fact that denotes the evolution of the cult of vaishnavism which swept the region from the 9th century CE.

Ekamra Van- Located on the side of the Bindu Sagar Lake offers a beautiful resting place by the lake overlooking the temples. Ekamra van is a medicinal plant garden where one can educate themselves on the various natural herbs which has medicinal value.

The entry fee is Rs 2/person (Rupees Two)

Mukteswara Temple- This miniature yet ornately carved temple marks a watershed moment in the Kalinga School of Architecture, where the architecture and the craftsmanship attain a level of perfection which wasn’t seen before. The temple is believed to have been constructed between 950-975 AD by the Somavansi dynasty. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva known by the name of Mukteswara- which literally means the lord of freedom.

Festival – The Mukteshwara cultural Festival held from 14th Jan to 16th Jan is a big draw.

Parasurameswar Temple – Built in the 7th Century AD during the reign of the Shailodbhava dynasty is one of the oldest and best preserved temples in the city. The temple follows the Nagara style of architecture which is a form of the Kalinga School of Architecture. The temple derives its name from the penance of Parsuram and the grace of Lord Shiva, who is worshipped as Parasurameswar.

During the month of Ashadha (June- July), Parasuramatami is observed in the temple where the image of Lingaraja is taken to the temple and a feast is organised

Kedargouri Temple – Believed to have been built by King Lalatendu Kesari to commemorate the ill fated lovers Kedar and Gouri who eloped against the wishes of their communities. According to the legend Kedar was killed by a tiger and Gouri committed suicide in the pond now located in the temple complex. Even today lovers flock the temple to pray for a blissful married life.

The temple is located near Mukteswara temple and is regarded as one of the eight Astasambhu temples. The residing deity is Lord Shiva known as Kedareswar and his consort Goddess Gouri. On the occasion of Sitalsasti which falls in the month of May- the temple is decked up and hosts the marriage of Lord Lingaraja with Goddess Parvati- the procession starts from the Lingaraja temple and the marriage is solemnised.

Rajarani Temple- Built during the 11 century AD, by the Somavansi dynasty, derives its name from the red and yellow sandstone “Rajarani” used to build the temple. The temple is devoid of any images inside the sanctum and is not associated with any sect of Hinduism though the shaivite influence can be gauged from the decorative recesses in the wall.

One can see the influence of the Khajuraho group of temples in the coy and intricate carvings in Rajarani temple. Historians attribute it to the fact that the Somavansi dynasty migrated to Odisha from Central India.

The temple is maintained by the Archeological Survey of India and the entry is ticketed.

For Indian National – Rs. 15/- per person

For Foreigners – Rs.200/- per person

The Rajarani cultural festival held from 18th Jan-20th Jan is a popular festival.

Vaital Deula – built during the 9th century AD is popularly known as “tini mundiya mandira” (the three headed temple)- the temple dedicated to goddess Chamunda belongs to the Khakara group of temples – which are essentially dedicated to goddesses and have a typical style- a truncated pyramid shaped roof sits over a rectangular building. The architecture bears close resemblance to the Gopuram of the South Indian temples.

The temples are located not far from each other in the old town, best way to devour these magnificent heritage sites is just taking an early morning or evening stroll through the by lanes and exploring the place.

Bhubaneswar Heritage Walk conducted by Mr. Debasis Sahoo every Sunday morning is the best option. The four kilometer walk starting from the Mukteshwara Temple at 7 am every Sunday. The walk covers some of the best known temples from the Kalinga School of architecture.  Registration is free for bookings and more details visit their Facebook page- www.bhubaneswarheritagewalk.com

Recently Odisha Tourism has also started a Heritage Walk of their own every Sunday at 7am. The starting point is Mukteswara temple.  The registration is free. For bookings contact them thru email- info@ekamrawalks.com. Mobile - +91-7077702970

Dhauligiri- Apart from the beautiful Stupa mentioned earlier, The Ashokan edicts are neatly stored in a beautiful rocky garden on your way up the Dhauli hills. There is also a monastery of the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha and a newly constructed Ashoka pillar in the area. Though the entry to the stupa is free and so for the Ashokan edicts and monastery, there is a cess of Rs.30/- for four wheelers while one enters the area.

Dhauli Mahotsav- the three-day festival is usually scheduled in the month of Feb (check out the Odisha tourism calendar for the exact dates). The festival features some of the best exponents of Indian classical dance and martial dance performing in a common platform.

Odisha Tourism conducts a light and sound show at Dhauligiri every evening in both Hindi and English at 7.00pm and 7.45pm during the summers and at 6.00pm and 6.45 pm during the winters. The show speaks of the bravery and glory of the Kalinga Empire and the transformation of emperor Ashoka. Renowned actors Bijay Mohanty, Om Puri and Kabir Bedi have lent their voice for the Odiya, Hindi & English version of the show respectively.

It’s a ticketed show – Entry fee for adults – Rs 25/- per person and for kids below 15 years of age – Rs.15/- per child.

One can reach Dhauli by cab, auto or city bus service, the Barmunda-Puri bus no.171 stops over at Dhauli road.

Udaygiri & Khandagiri caves- built in 2 century BC by King Kharavela for the Jain ascetics, these ancient caves replete with anecdotes of history carved on the walls literally takes us back in time. It is believed that one hundred seventeen odd caves were originally present of which thirty-three remain to this day. The hill was originally known as Kumari Parvat.

Prominent amongst the caves are the Hathigumpha (elephant cave) which bears the inscriptions of King Kharavela, Rani Gumpha and the Ganesh Gumpha- all the caves mentioned are located on the hills of Udaygiri. The caves served as residences for the Jain monks and were equipped with water source in form a small canal which passes through every cave, an ingenious communication system through holes, a place to light the lamps and the tilted flooring which served as a head rest. Many of the caves are double storeyed and its believed that the upper chambers of the caves were used for deep meditation.

The Udaygiri hills come under the purview of ASI and entry is ticketed.

For Indian Nationals- entry fee- Rs.15/- per person

For SAARC countries – entry fee- Rs.15/- per person

For Foreigners other than SAARC countries – Rs.200/- per person

Children below fifteen years of age entry is free

Video camera – fee – Rs.25/-

Khandagiri hill- entry is free. There is an ancient temple regarded as a Shakti peetha wherein goddess Durga and Goddess Kali are face to face and each has twelve hands. One can find the 24 Teerthankar’s of the Jain religion carved on the walls and Yaksha and Yakshini’s of each Teerthankar carved on the wall in a separate cave.

One is advised to take a guide if you are visiting for the first time to get an essence of the place. Guides are available at the ticket counter, but switch on your bargaining cap while finalizing.  For a guided tour to both the hills a price of Rs.300-400 should be good enough, while if you just want to take a guide for Udaygiri hills, a price of Rs.200-Rs.250 should be what you should be looking at.

One can reach Udaygiri and Khandagiri caves by cab or auto from the city. One can avail the city bus service, the bus no.504- SUM hospital to Jagatpur, bus no.603, Sai Temple to Kalinga Vihar & bus no. 405- Dumduma to VSS Nagar have stop over at Khandagiri Square.

In case you are wondering if it’s just religious places on the menu, hang on, Bhubaneswar has a host of other things to look forward to.

Odisha State Museum: -

 Though the building which currently houses the museum came into existence in 1960, this beautifully curated museum was originated in the year 1932 & owes its origins to two noted historians Prof. N.C. Banerjee and Prof Ghanshyam Dash of the prestigious Ravenshaw College, Cuttack.

Both the esteemed professors started collecting archaeological treasures of the state and established the museum in the college premises.  In the year 1938, Govt of Odisha converted it into a provisional museum by passing a decree. Subsequently the state capital shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar and the museum was shifted and finally found a permanent residing place. The museum grew manifold under the aegis of the then Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Harekrushna Mahatab who was a noted historian himself.

The museum exhibits a range of rare timeless antiquities which are divided into eleven segments like archeology, art and craft, palm leaf manuscripts, numismatics, armour, etc to name a few. The manuscript gallery is a section worth your time; these delicate yet rare scriptures are amongst the largest collection in the country and sheds light on the manifested culture of Odisha. The museum is truly a repository of artistic expression for generations.

Location: Near Kalpana Square, BJB Nagar, Lewis Road

Timing:   10:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed on Mondays and Odisha Government holidays

Entry fee for Indians– Rs.10/-

Entry fee for Children – Rs.2/-

Entry fee for Foreigners- Rs.100/-

Museum of Tribal Art & Artefacts: -

Established in 1953 with the aim to create awareness about Odisha’s sizeable tribal population’s society & culture, the museum is popularly called the Tribal Museum or Museum of Man.

The exhibits focus on the tribal lifestyle, their society & culture. The newly constructed galleries of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG’s) are a special attraction. The exhibits on the personal & household belongings of tribal apart from their hunting instruments along with their musical instruments are worth seeing. Today this museum has become a hub for people with an interest in anthropology and attracts a lot of tourists from around the globe.

 Location: Near CRPF square on National Highway No. 5.

Timing: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, closed on Mondays and Odisha Government holidays

Regional Museum of Natural History: -

Showcases the biodiversity of Odisha and other eastern regions including Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The aim is to create awareness about the state’s and the regions natural heritage & conservation of flora, fauna & natural resources. The highlight is the huge Baleen Whale Skeleton which is the largest in the country.

Location: Near Acharya Vihar Square on National Highway 5

Timing: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, closed on Mondays and Odisha Government holidays

Regional Science Centre: -

Promoted by National Council of Science museum, this centre was established in 1989. The 84 interactive exhibits can be broadly classified into three categories Mathematics, Motion & Science exhibits. This is a great place for kids to experience what they learn from the books. The prehistoric park with 3D figures rules the roost amongst the kids.

Location: Acharya Vihar, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Nandan Kanan Rd

Timings – 10 am to 5pm on Mondays

-          10 am to 6.30pm rest of the days

-          Sunday closed

Pathanysamanta Planetarium: -

Located near to the Regional Science Centre, it’s one of the 10 planetariums that exist in the country. Named after renowned astrologer “Samanta Chandrashekhar Mahapatra” popularly known as “Pathani Samanta” whose work “Siddhanta Darpana” got special mention from the American and European press in 1899 and added to his legend in the field of astronomy.

Apart from creating awareness about astro physics and space science, it also provides a platform and extends support to the aspiring students and scientists in the field. It has a well equipped library.

Location: - Near Apollo Hospital, Acharya Vihar

Timings-2pm to 5.30 pm, closed on Monday

The English show starts at 4pm

Entry fee- Rs.25/-

Entry fee for Children- Rs.15/-

Ekamra Kannan –

This beautiful botanical garden spread over 512 acres offers a perfect resting place to cool off after a hectic day or to refresh oneself before embarking on the next itenary. The park has a lake with boating facility, a nursery and playground for kids.

Location: - Regional Plant Resource Centre Botanical Garden, Nayapalli

Timings: - 8 am to 7pm

Entry fee – Rs.12/-

Bhubaneswar also has several art galleries for the connoisseurs, some of them are

Modern Art Gallery: -A nonprofit organization with an aim to promote and preserve the state’s artistic heritage, it houses a huge collection of art and crafts.

Children and adult alike can pick up a brush and express themselves on the canvas in the special art camps conducted by the gallery from time to time.

One can buy the paintings online from the website- www.odishaartgallery.org

Location: - 132 Forest Park

Timings: - 11 am to 7pm, closed on Monday

Buddha Art Gallery – an initiative of the state government, the gallery has an exhaustive collection of contemporary, traditional and tribal art.

One can approach the gallery office to facilitate contact with the artist to buy the exhibits

Location: - Buddha Jayanti Park, Lumbini, Chandrasekharpur.

Timings: - 10am to 6pm. Closed on Sundays and Govt holidays.

Gallery OIC- an Orissa Overseas Initiative, the gallery deals with both traditional and contemporary art and artefacts.

Website – www.galleryoic.com

Email- oissaoverseas@gmail.com

Location: - 117A, N2, IRC village

Timings: - 11am to 5pm, closed on Sundays

Suvadra Art Gallery-The gallery displays both traditional and contemporary art and artefacts. The gallery also conducts workshops, camps and exhibitions in addition to that they have a volunteer programme where one can hone their skills and gain valuable experience in the field of art.

Location: - Tankapani Rd, Oppo- Radhika Tower

Timings: - 10 am to 7pm, closed on Sundays

Shopping in Bhubaneswar-

Shopping can be an experience in itself in Bhubaneswar especially for the women. By virtue of being the capital of the state- Bhubaneswar is the hub of the traditional handicraft industry of the state. The traditional specialty items are – Ikat fabrics which can be purchased as readymade garments, fabrics or sarees, Appliqué work locally known as Chandua- though we recommend you to get it from Pipli itself (Around Konark where they are made) - which is just 24 KM from Bhubaneswar on the Puri-Bhubaneswar road, Sambalpuri sarees, dress materials, bed sheets, curtains etc, Dhokra – metal figurines.

Utkalika – the state government run showroom is the best place to buy authentic stuff. Utkalika offers a wide array of the above mentioned items.

Location – Shop No-1, Eastern Tower, Marketing Building, Ashok Nagar

Timings – 9.30 am to 9.30 pm

Utkalika has a branch also at the Airport

Tribal development Cooperative Corporation of Odisha – Established to stop the exploitation of tribal’s at the hands of middlemen so that they get proper returns on their produce, and the retail outlets and souvenir shops offers an interesting perspective to buyers.

Location – Rupali Square, Shaheed Nagar

-          SC/ST RTI CRPF Square

Orissa Art & Craft- The souvenir shop can also be explored for authentic Odiya handicrafts and artefacts

Location- Nr. Panthanivas, Lewis Road

Konark Wood Products- The shop offers a wide range of wooden sculptures also, housed here are articles like toys masks, and carved boxes. These items are perfect for gifting your loved ones and make for perfect souvenirs.

Location: 8P, Acharya Vihar main road, Acharya Vihar

Ekmara Haat – is a great place to buy authentic Orissa handicrafts like Patta Chitra, Sambalpuri Saree, Chandua of Pipli, sand art, metal work, stone carvings and many more. The ambience and surroundings is nice and if you feel worn out after exhaustive shopping, there are food stalls lined up here that serve traditional foods like chakuli pitha (looks like an Uppam), chhenna poda (traditional sweet dish made out of cottage cheese but not too sweet) and mutton curry.

Location- Madhusudan Marg, Unit 3

Timings - 10 AM to 9 PM.

Besides the above mentioned outlets, there are a plethora of shopping malls and retail chains across the city, where one can buy branded products to groceries.

Street food in Bhubaneswar-

As famous chef Anthony Bourdain said- “Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride”. Mouth watering road side delicacy is an essential ingredient ingrained in every city which has a rich heritage, Bhubaneswar is no exception.  Listed below is a few of the options that one can opt for.

1.       The typical street foods of the city are gup chup (Pani Puri) the ones at station square and near St. Joseph school (nr. Ram Mandir Janpath), Snacks at the shop just in front of Ram mandir, Janpath, bara ghuguni (fried cereal with yellow peas or kala chana) near the Court, Chaat at Rupali Square & Kaliash Pav Bhaji at Unit 2 Market building (entry from Rajmahal square) are a must try.

2.       Food Street –  Location - Just behind St. Joseph School (Near Ram Mandir, Janpath rd) every evening one can see 6-7 food trucks lined up serving anything from biriyani, Schawarma to Mexican food. The food is just delicious and very easy on your wallet too. Many of the food trucks accept card payment.

3.       Shaheed Nagar (front of Rama Devi College)- offers an eclectic array of chaats and gupchups, the specialty is chicken gupchup.

4.       Master canteen- Location – B108, Lalchand Market complex, near the railway station- offers a variety of veg and non veg chops and kebabs

5.       KIIT Road - located at Patia just in front of KIIT college gate- is another area where the streets are dotted with restaurants and street food offering a wide variety of gourmets to choose from.

Besides these there are many shops offering mouth watering food. Most of the fast food chains like KFC, Subway, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, etc have multiple outlets spread across the city as is the case with the cafe chains like Café Coffee day etc.

Where to Eat: -

Bhubaneswar is home to some of the best restaurants around. Some of them are

1.       Mainland China- location A1/A, The Crown, IRC Village, Nayapalli- the restaurant offers a delectable Chinese cuisine.

2.       Hare Krishna Restaurant – Location – Lalchand Market complex- the restaurant offers authentic vegetarian dishes.

3.       Govinda – Location – Iskcon temple, IRC Village, Nayapalli- Offers sumptuous vegetarian food.

4.       Bling it on – Location- The New Marrion Hotel, Janpath- Offers Italian, Mexican, Chinese & continental dishes.

5.       Dalma – Location- 157 Madhusudan Nagar- Offers Odiya food including the staple food pakhala (rice soaked in water overnight mixed with curd and seasoned with spices)

6.       Odisha Hotel – C-18, Market Building, Shaheed Nagar- another restaurant offering authentic Odiya cuisine which is sumptuous and value for money.

7.       There are number roadside joints at Kalinga hospital signal crossing serving a variety of menus ranging from Indian to Italian dishes at a very reasonable price.

Getting around Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar is well connected with radio taxis and autos like OLA & UBER along with the local auto, cabs and the state run Orissa State Transport Corporation buses.

Where to Stay

The options are many from budget hotels to high end luxury hotels. Some of them are

1.       Panthanivas – run by the Odisha Tourism Department, this budget hotel offers comfortable rooms. The restaurant offers traditional cuisine along with other menu’s.

Location – Lewis road

Check in – 8 am

Check out – 8 am

                Website – www.otdc.in

                Email- otdc@panthanivas.com

                Ph- 0674-2430764

2.       Mayfair Lagoon – a property of the Mayfair Group of Hotels is the best known luxury hotel in the city, is a visual treat, the beautifully laid out hotel has a lake and beautiful landscape to compliment the beautiful architecture and is equipped with all the modern amenities. The hotel boasts of several in house restaurants to suite the palate -the hugely popular Lemon Grass serving oriental cuisine, Nakli dhaba – craving for North Indian food look no further, Kanika – the Odiya cuisine restaurant, Baron and Baroness bar plus café and tea joints. It also has a discotheque- The Cellar.

Location – 8B, Jaydev Vihar

Check in – 2 pm

Check out – 12 pm

Website – www.mayfairhotels.com

Email- reservations@mayfairhotels.com

          -lagoon@mayfairhotels.com

Ph- 0674-6660101

Mobile +91-8599000307

3.       Trident – a property of the Trident group of Hotels, the luxury hotel is spread across 14 acres with its own fruit orchard and vegetable garden. The elegant rooms are inspired by the traditional architecture of Odisha are complimented by the caring staff. The restaurant offers a wide range of lip smacking gourmets from traditional Odiya cuisine to Thai.  The Sea food dishes are highly recommended.

The hotel had a range of recreational activities on offer from a jogging track through the orchards to fitness centre and a bar.

Location – CB1, Nayapalli

Website – www.tridenthotels.com

Phone – 0674-3010000

4.       Ginger Hotel – a property of the Ginger group of hotels promoted by the Tata Group, offers a comfortable stay at reasonable budget, the hotel also has a gymnasium and a café coffee day outlet along with an in-house restaurant.

Location- Oppo Nalco Headquarters

                    Jaydev Vihar

Check in – 2pm

Check out – 12 pm

Website- www.gingerhotels.com

Phone – 0674-6663333

Important Information:

·         Avoid travelling in local auto’s during late nights (after 10pm); it’s safer and more convenient to hire the radio cabs OLA and UBER.

·         The post office at Master canteen (railway station) is open till 8pm should you need to send an urgent courier through speed post.

·         Should the need arise; the city has the best of healthcare centers spread across the city. See list at the back of the book for details.

·         Check out the website for bus route details –log onto the website of the city bus transport- Dream Team Sahara- www.dtsodisha.com for bus details. Alternatively click on the links below for route details https://www.dtsodisha.com/route-price-chart.php & http://dtsodisha.com/important_root.php

·         If you are availing bus services for sightseeing avoid the noon time especially during the summers.

·         Number of days required to tour Bhubaneswar – two- three days should be sufficient to cover the city including the places nearby if you plan properly.

Around Bhubaneswar

1.       Nandan Kanan

Located around 18 KM from Bhubaneswar, Nandan Kanan literally meaning celestial garden this beautiful zoological and botanical garden nestled in between the Chandaka- Dampara Wildlife sanctuary is spread across 400 hectares and located besides the Kanjia Lake. Established in 1960 and opened to public in 1979, Nandan Kanan is one of the most prominent zoological parks in the world and has many firsts to its credit.

It’s most famous for its white tigers and is the host zoo for the species.

It’s the first zoo to breed the endangered gharials in captivity.

It’s the first zoo in India to open a white tiger safari, before that it had a lion safari, currently apart from the white tiger and lion safari; the park has opened a bear and deer safari

It’s the first Indian zoo to become a member of the world association of zoos and aquariums.

The botanical garden set besides the Kanjia lake houses many rare species of plants and trees and complements the zoological park on the either side to the T.

School children are invited to participate in competition like sit and draw and other activities like naming of tiger cubs during the wildlife week, elephant day and wetland day

Timings –

April to September – 7.30 am to 5.30 pm

October to March – 8 am to 5pm

Please note the park remains closed on Monday

Entry fee-

Adult – Rs.25/- per head

Children in the age group 3-12 yrs – Rs10/- per head

Foreign citizens – Rs.100/-

Camera- Rs.10 per camera.

Cottages – 8 am to 5pm – Rs.200 per cottage

For Guide’s, Picnic, parking and other charges visit the website – www.nandankanan.org

Important Information: -

Outside food items are not allowed inside the park premises. However, there are number of food joints located within the park.

Nandan Kanan is well connected to Cuttack and Bhubaneswar by road. One can reach Nandan Kanan by cab or auto and Bus no.207 Nandan Kanan- Airport of city bus service.

Nearest railhead is Barang -Passenger trains and East Coast Express have stopovers at Barang. One can board the train from either Cuttack or Bhubaneswar station, before boarding just check the route as you don’t want to be travelling in the opposite direction, alight at Barang railway station and walk down to the park, its just 1.3 KM from the station. Alternatively one can take the bus from the Barang bus stand which is a 2 mins walk and board on bus no. 207, it plies along the Nandan Kanan – Airport route.

2.       Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary

Located around 20 KM from Bhubaneswar, the Chandaka- Dampara forest range was once part of a huge forest stretching from the Eastern Ghats to Central India. With Bhubaneswar becoming the capital of Odisha, the forest was under huge pressure to the burgeoning needs of the growing city especially for land and timber. Finally, in the year 1982 it was declared as a wildlife sanctuary by the State Govt, spread over approximately 193 Sq KM. What was once a forest teeming with the Royal Bengal Tigers and Leopards is now designated as Pachyderm Country with Elephants being the principal animal of the sanctuary.

There are three entry points to the sanctuary- Godibari, Deras and Dampara. The Ecotourism department of Govt of Odisha maintains three double bedded rooms at Godibari, In Deras and Dampara work is under way to set up bamboo cottages for overnight accommodation.

 Godibari- The first entry point of the sanctuary, there are battery powered vehicles to take you around the forest and there are two resident elephants which provide much source of joy to children just watching them go about their activities. There are a souvenir shop and a café offering snacks also.

A full fledged meal is served only for guests with accommodation.

One can arrange for a family picnic also with proper permission and enlist the help of the staff.

Timings – The sanctuary is open from 9 am – 5pm.

Entry fee for Indian National – Rs.40/- (please note that one ticket per person hold good for all the three gates provided one is accessing them on the same day within the stipulated time limits of the sanctuary)

Entry fee for Foreigners- Rs.200/-

For battery operated vehicles – Rs.100/- per person for a 4 km tour of the forest.

Accommodation – There are double bedded rooms as mentioned earlier at Godibari.

For booking and tariff’s log onto the website – www.ecotourodisha.com – click on Chandaka Godibari

Email – support@ecotourodisha.com

                                Mgrkl.ofdc@odishafdc.com

Ph- 0674-2531891

(M) - +91-7539821046

                       +91- 9437279340

For information on Chandaka Wild Life sanctuary log onto the website- www.chandakawildlife.in

Deras- the beautiful irrigation dam makes this place along with the nearby Jhumuka Dam a must visit place for its scenic beauty.

Though currently there are no accommodation facilities for overnight stay available as the bamboo huts are under construction, Deras is lovely to spend a day with family and friends, one can undertake a trek to the forest and is an ideal picnic spot.

If one is in a spot of bother for the picnic arrangements, cooking etc, there is a shack at the entry point-Rakesh Snacks- the shop can provide all the requisite items from gas to utensils and even cook meals for people with prior bookings.

The proprietor of the shop is Mr. Rakesh and his coordinates are - +91-9437978641, 8908123297, 9658338676

Timings & fee are the same as Godibari. There is no battery operated vehicles though

The only and most convenient way to reach Chandaka is to get your own vehicle or hire a cab or an auto to reach the place.

3.       Prachi Valley

A site of ancient civilization of Kalinga, set along the now dead Prachi River, the valley was once a beautiful synthesis of human civilization embracing all religion and sects and was a centre of art, culture and learning spread across 600 Sq KM. Modern day. The Prachi River is considered the holiest river in the region and originates from the river Kuakhei which is a tributary of river Mahanadi. Currently the river flows for approximately 50 KM from Phulnakhra along NH5 and meets the Bay of Bengal through several mouths from Kalikanagar to Ramchandi.

The region of late has been a subject to a lot of researches and studies been conducted by the historians and academics. One can see a lot of research articles on the valley on the internet. However, while touring the place, with so much history concealed in the local pockets, one can’t help but have the feel the absence of a Guided tour.

A few of the attractions of the valley are

Chausathi Yogini temple – Located 15KM from Bhubaneswar along the Bhubaneswar Puri highway in Hirapur hamlet, this circular open roofed temple is a miniature architectural treasure. One of the handful yogini temples of the country, the temple is essentially dedicated to Goddess Durga and her sixty-four incarnations, hence the name Chausathi (which means sixty-four) yogini. The circular temple was essentially considered as a tantric peeth, the Goddess Kali is the principal deity and the circular temple walls have cavities which houses a particular incarnation of the Goddess beautifully carved in black slate stone.

The temple is believed to have been built in the 9th Century AD by Queen Hiradevi wife of Shri Subhakar Dev II of the Bhauma Dynasty.

The approach road is narrow but accessible, the direction pointers at regular intervals helps to locate the temple without much fuss.

Timings – 6am – 6pm. All days of the week

Jayadev Vatika – Located at Kenduvilwu between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar

 Birthplace of the most famous poet of Odisha, Jaydev Vatika is the place where the great poet was born, attained enlightenment (the neem tree under which he meditated is still there) and wrote his most famous literary work Gita Govinda. Spread over 25 acres with sitting areas and a stream passing through to compliment the greenery around- the unkempt landscape in patches are believed to be forest land from the time of Kharavela. There are twenty-four groves in the park, recreated as per the description of nature and natural beauty in Gita Govinda to go with 168 varieties of medicinal plants.

There is a museum within the campus which houses some of the most beautiful sculptures excavated from the valley.

Just adjacent to the Vatika is the beautiful temple – Padmavati.

Timings for the park – 8am – 5pm

Timings for the museum – same as the park but for the lunch break- 2.30pm-4pm

The place is an ideal picnic spot and arrangements are available to facilitate the same. However, non-vegetarian food isn’t allowed inside the Vatika. If one wants to non-vegetarian on the menu, then one can cook and consume outside the premises of the Vatika.

For cooking or for facilitation one can contact- Mr. Bharat Sahoo or his son Mr. Raja Sahoo- they run a snacks counter just outside the main gate of the Vatika.

The coordinates are

Bharat Sahoo - +91-9040182045

Raja Sahoo- +91-8093288250

Akhandaleswar Temple – Located around 3 KM from the Jayadev Vatika- this ancient temple has a male ascetic believed to be Jayadev as the presiding deity. Not much is known about the temple as is the case with many monuments of historical significance in the state. The architecture of the temple denotes that it was constructed in the old Kalinga School of architecture. The adjoining pond and the paddy field at the front of the temple make for a picturesque setting.

Important Information-

-          A tour of the valley should be undertaken with time on hand.

-          Carry essential items like snacks and water bottles if you plan a day long tour to the valley, though the shops in front of Jaydev Vatika does have the chip packets, water bottles etc along with Bharat Sahoo’s shack selling snacks.

-          As mentioned there are no guides and one has to rely on the locals for information.

-          The Valley is bit off the tourist map of Bhubaneswar, so touring the valley with one’s own vehicle is the best option; alternatively, one can hire an auto from Dhauli stupa to the Chausathi Yogini temple at an approximate cost of Rs 250.

-          However, can opt to avail the city bus service for Chausathi Yogini temple. Bus no.306 KIIT campus to Uttara and get down at Tankapani Bridge. The temple is 2 Km from the bridge, one can walk down the village roads or hire an auto depending on choice and availability. Signages along the roué from Tankapani Bridge are helpful.

4.       Barunei

Located just 26KM from Bhubaneswar as one drives towards Khurda along NH5, the small hillock is teeming with history. Named after goddess Barunei one of the two presiding deities of the Paika’s- the warrior clan from the erstwhile- the other being Goddess Karunei. The hillock is home to the Khurdagarh (Khurda fort) which has the distinction of being the last independent fort of India until it was annexed by the Britisher’s in 1827 after they successfully quelled the Paika uprising.

Brief history of Khurdagarh and the Paika Uprising: -

Paika’s – the warrior clan of Odisha are second to none when it comes to valour. Their chequered history though very much undermined stands testament to this fact. Had the various kings of Odisha organised a proper army of the Paika’s and equipped them with proper weaponry, Odisha would never have fallen to invaders.

Khurdagarh: -  

Current day Khurdagarh doesn’t give a fair indication of rich bravery and valour. The ruins of the fort pales in comparison with the magnificence of gigantic forts found elsewhere in India. But this fort served its purpose, defended the territory to the last stone on its foundation and to the last man.  The dust settled on the ruins shroud the resplendent bravery of the men who once called it their citadel.

 After the King Mukunda Deva I, was killed in 1568 at Gohiratikra, Rama Chandra Dev son of Danai Vidyadhar- a senior counsel of Bhoi Dynasty- established his kingdom in the foothills of the Barunei and named it Jagannathpur Katak and built the Barunei temple.

The fort was built by King Divyasingh Dev in the 16th Century. The fort was well protected from two sides by the Barunei hills and the dense forest on the other.

The kingdom of Khurda has the distinction of being the last independent kingdom of the country. Even though Kalinga fell to Afghans, Mughal’s and later the Maratha’s, they couldn’t annex the kingdom of Khurda despite many attempts. The kingdom fought a pitched battle with the Britisher’s from 23 years until its annexation in 1827- when the Britisher’s could finally establish a firm hold on Khurda.

Khurda went to war with the Britisher’s as early as 1804.The leader was Jaykrushna Rajguru Mohapatra popularly known as Jayee Rajguru- Rajguru was a titled bestowed on his family for their role in advisory capacity to the King of Khurda. He was the chief advisor to King Mukunda Deva II. Disowning the letter of subjugation issued by the British, Rajguru assembled the army of Khurda comprising of Paika’s and fought the British army first on the banks of Mahanadi river and defeated them. The second battle was fought on the foothills of Barunei, even though the

British army had reinforcements from Chennai and numbered around 7000, they still tasted defeat.

However as was the case in most such instances in Indian history, the divide and rule policy of the British paid off. With the help of traitors, the Britisher’s were able to capture Rajguru but not before he helped the King escape. After a prolonged trial, Rajguru was declared guilty and given capital punishment.  On 6th Dec 1806, Rajguru was killed in a brutal manner with his legs tied to two branches of a banyan tree and the branches let off, splitting his body into two.

Paika Uprising: -

After the Britisher’s took over Orissa from the Maratha’s in 1803, they followed a systematic process of marginalising the Odiya people of their fundamental rights.  The language was not accorded official status and instead Hindi, Persian and Bengali languages were enforced. Alien to these new linguistic jargons, the Odiya’s lost ground to their counterparts. The last straw was when they were denied to manufacture salt and the new land reform took away the lands of the Paika’s who took to farming and policing during peace times. In return they were given land by the princely states to earn their livelihood.

The Paika uprising of 1817 which spread across most of Odisha and was the first mass uprising against the colonial imperialism of the Britisher’s, some forty years before what is regarded as India’s first war of Independence, the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.

The Paika leader of Khurda Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar Mahapatra Bhramarbar Ray- was the General of King Mukunda Deva II of Khurda. When the land reforms set in, Buxi Jagabandhu found that all his landed property was seized with immediate effect and he was reduced to survive on alms given by locals.

Feeling insulted Buxi Jagabandhu was looking for an opportunity to strike back and it came when some four hundred Kandha’s of Ghumusar owing their allegiance to King Srikar Bhanja marched towards Khurda and declared rebellion against the British Rule as they had imprisoned Srikar Bhanja.  Ably supported by his trusted lieutenant Mirhaider Ali- the Dalabehera of Duduma (a colony in present day Bhubaneswar) - Buxi Jagabandhu vent his fury against the sinister design of British Imperialism.  All the Daleis, Dalebhera’s and Paika Sardars joined Buxi Jagabandhu in his fight against the British.

The Paika’s led by Buxi Jagabandhu captured Khurda and marched towards Puri, there after overthrowing the British resistance, they proclaimed Mukunda Deva II as the King of Kalinga and declared and all out war against the British Colonialism.

The bravery of the Paika’s is aptly described in the book - “A sketch of the history of Orissa 1803-128” by British Historian George Toynbee - “It was not long however before we had to encounter a storm, which burst with such sudden fury as to threaten our expulsion if not form the whole of Orissa at least from territory of Khurda." 

That the Paika’s were largely an assembled army with scarce resources and archaic weapons plus the traitors as is the case often in Indian history- proved to be their major undoing against the well oiled British army. Soon the tables turned and the Britisher’s were able to reestablish their hold on Orissa.

After Jagabandhu’s surrender in 1825, the rebellion was carried forward by Krutibas Patasani- the Dalabehera of Arang who led the Banapur rebellion and was captured and given death sentence in 1836.

Though the Paika rebellion was crushed by the Britisher’s, it made the later realise its faulty administrative policies and ushered in a slew of welfare schemes and the faulty land reforms abolished. They also opened the doors for Odiya’s in administrative jobs and included Odiya language in their official communications.

Besides The fort and the Barunei temple, there is a perennial stream Swarna Ganga which flows through the hills. There is a hot spring Atri, Sufi shrine at Kaipadadar, Nikunja Bihari and Radhanath Deb temple near the fort.

There is a tourist interpretation centre to disseminate information to tourists about the significance of the various places mentioned above.

It’s a good place for trekkers and overall a nice picnic spot for the entire family. However, avoid trekking during the rainy seasons.

Important Information-

One can hire a cab to reach Barunei hills; one can take the bus 801 Master Canteen- Khurda of city roadways to reach Barunei hills. The nearest railhead is Khurda Road.

5.       Manglajodi –

Located 75KM from Bhubaneswar along the Bhubaneswar Chennai NH5 highway, this small fishing village of Tangi, is the northwestern edge of the Chilika Lagoon. Unlike its famed counterpart Manglajodi is still relatively quiet and unknown amongst the general tourists; it’s a paradise for bird lovers. What makes the eco system of Manglajodi special is that the entire village turned from poachers to bird conservationists. It was all due to the effort of one man Nandkishore Bhujbal whose concerted efforts from 1997 to protect the ecosystem and creating awareness about the ecosystem amongst the villagers has preserved the delicate ecosystem. Today Manglajodi is a tribute to his perseverance. The conservation and protection of the ecosystem now lies with Manglajodi Tourism and Conservation Trust, a organization formed by the villagers and is now headed by Madhu Behera- a redoubtable individual who is the most sought after guide and expert of the wet marshlands.

The wet marshlands are best explored by boat; there are around 200 migratory and native avian species along with fishing cats, water monitor lizards and snakes amongst others which reside in the marshlands.

The marshlands are best explored by boats available on hire at the jetty. The three-hour boat rides offer a mesmrising experience if you are nature and animal lover. Make sure you hire a guide to explain the marshlands and the avian species that you come across.

Important Information-

-          Manglajodi is an ecologically sensitive area, be kind to nature and avoid spilling trash around the area

-          Madhu Behera- is an important contact point of the area.

-          If you plan to visit the marshlands, better to contact Madhu Behera (contact details given below) and pre book your boat, especially in the tourist season i.e. winters.

-          Make sure you reach the place by 7 am.

-          However, it’s best to visit the place during the weekdays as the rush is less and the birds are not disturbed by your presence.

-          The place doesn’t have breakfast or food stalls. So either you pack your breakfast or while booking the boat inform the boat operator, they can arrange snacks at extra cost.

-          The market just ahead of the jetty has a range of shops offering snacks and breakfast. A beer bar is also located just adjacent to the market.

-          Cost of booking the boat – Rs. 800 for three-hour ride. Cost of guide – Rs250/ trip. Snacks – extra.

-          Though part of Chilika, the Manglajodi marshlands are essentially sweet water wetlands for most of the year save from March till rainy season when the water is brackish.

-          Card payment facilities aren’t available. Though there are ATM’s located on the NH5.

Where to stay: -

Normally people stay in Bhubaneswar or in Rambha or Barkul and make a day visit to Manglajodi. However, one can stay at the Godwit Cottages located just a couple of KM from the Manglajodi Jetty. The rooms are made of bamboo, mud and mud thatched roof. They offer comfortable stay and is your best option. They also conduct village walls through the forest for their guests. For reservations and bookings, please the details below.

Phone- +91-8455075534/8455075584

Email- godwitecocottage@gmail.com

Website-www.odishaecotourism.com

Check in – 8 am

Check out -8 pm

There are home stays options available also. Madhu Behera your guide to the area can be contacted to arrange for the same. Please find below his contact details

Contact Madhu Behera- +91-9777553283

Email- madhubehera194@gmail.com

Around Manglajodi

Maa Ugratara temple- Located 9 KM ahead of Manglajodi, just off the NH5, this famous temple is a favoured picnic destination. The presiding deity Maa Tara is called Ugratara because of her temper and the deity is seen holding four weapons in her four hands. She is revered by the fishermen, who pray to her for safe journey and a good catch.

Bhetanai- Though located 115KM from Manglajodi in Ganjam district. The place is famous for black bucks- they the highest concentration of the species in India. There are approximately 1600 of them and they roam around freely in the grasslands located on the foothills of the Eastern Ghats. There are peacocks and tortoises also. However, one needs a guide to tour the area. The guide charges Rs400/-

Important Information-

-          Bhetanai doesn’t have options for night stay. The Odisha ecotourism guest house at Chermaria on the foothills of the Pakidi range has two rooms with basic facilities can be an option for a small group. The guest house is just 15Km from Bhetanai.

-          For booking the ecotourism guest house at Chermaria visit the website – www.ecotourodisha.com – click on Chermaria Nature Camp

Email – support@ecotourodisha.com

                Mgrkl.ofdc@odishafdc.com

 Ph- 0674-2531891

(M) - +91-7539821046

          +91- 9437279340

-          The Google map doesn’t recognize Chermaria but instead fix your destination as Pakidi Hill.

-          The Chermaria guest house is just on the state highway road opposite the Chermaria village, so don’t get confused by the village sign board “Chermaria”.

-          The Chermaria eco tour cottages have two rooms at the moment. The newly built cottages are comfortable and clean, so it’s good for a group of four to five people.

-          If you are staying in Chermaria, don’t forget to get a print out of the booking confirmation, otherwise one has to go to Aska to get the same and hand it to the staff at the time of checking out.

-          Direction to Chermaria eco tour cottages – Khallikote- Aska- from Aska travel to the Berhampur route for 6 KM’s, the cottages are on the state highway just after the Forest Range Office barrier.

-          The best time to spot the black bucks is the morning and noon time. During July to November end they are visible in large numbers in Bhetanai along the foothills of Gadgadia Forest range. During the winters i.e. December onwards most of them move two kilometers ahead to a village Kanchan Devi.

-          Pakidi Hills is famous for its large population of peacocks which are easily visible.

-          Aska the nearest town which is located just 15 KM from Bhetanai. There are lodges available in the town.

-          Alternatively, once can opt to stay at Berhampore which is 50KM from Bhetanai. Berhampore is a major city and one can find better options as far as hotels and services are concerned.

-          Berhampore has regular bus services to Aska as well as Bhetanai.

-          The nearest railway station is Berhampore and the nearest airport is Bhubaneswar.

-          However, tourist you would be best advised to combine Manglajodi and Bhetanai. If have a cab or you own car, both the destinations can be covered in a day.

-          The cab from Manglajodi to Bhetanai would cost approximately between Rs.2000-Rs.2200/-

-          Card payment facilities aren’t available; make sure you carry enough cash for the tour.

-          Bhetanai being an eco-sensitive zone, tourist is advised to be sensitive towards the environment and refrain from littering the place with plastic or any other ecologically hazardous substance.

Subscribe

---

The author hasn't added any updates, yet.