Bhubaneswar -Tourism

Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha state in India. It is also known as the "Temple city of India". It is also an important pilgrimage centre of Hindus who visit the place at least once in their life time. Hundreds of temples can be seen here that are standing since ancient times and boasts of its rich culture and heritage.

Known as the Temple City Bhubaneswar has a unique position by virtue of the ability to seamlessly integrate its rich cultural heritage with a strong regional economic base. Founded during the Kalinga empire over 3,000 years ago, Bhubaneswar today boasts of a cluster of magnificent temples, constituting a complete record of Odisha temple architecture from its early beginnings to its culmination.With many 8th-12th century CE Hindu temples, which span the entire spectrum of Kalinga architecture, Bhubaneswar is often referred to as a Temple City of India. With Puri and Konark it forms the Swarna Tribhuja (Golden Triangle), one of eastern India most visited destinations.

Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as the capital on 19 August 1949, 2 years after India gained its independence from Britain. The modern city was designed by the German architect Otto Koenigsberger in 1946. Along with Jamshedpur and Chandigarh, it was one of modern India first planned cities. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are often referred to as the twin cities of Odisha. The metropolitan area formed by the two cities had a population of 1.7 million in 2011. Bhubaneswar is categorized as a Tier-2 city. An emerging information technology (IT) and education hub, Bhubaneswar is one of the country fastest-developing cities.

History of Bhubaneswar- The history of Bhubaneswar goes back for more than 25 centuries. The history of Bhubaneswar is a true tale of extraordinary civil engineering achievements. 

As a visitor to Bhubaneswar, you shall be amazed by the number of Hindu temples that dot the Bhubaneswar urban scape. The Bhubaneswar skyline seems to be dominated by these relics of the history of Bhubaneswar. Every bit of the history of Bhubaneswar is a part of a mosaic of the cultural creativity of the people of the region. 

The history of Bhubaneswar started when Emperor Kharavela established his capital in Sisupalgarh. The present geographic position of Sisupalgarh is in the outskirts of Bhubaneswar city. The first Hindu temple was built around Emperor Kharavela's time. 

The history of Bhubaneswar is a delight for archaeologists and historians; the time line of history is clearly etched in Bhubaneswar by the construction of the various temples, which was established in different eras in the history of Bhubaneswar. The first Hindu temple is believed to have been established in the 7th century. 

The city of Bhubaneswar once contained 7000 Hindu temples; now only 500 remains are standing. A few of the ruined temples was dismantled through mother nature's entropies, but the overwhelming number of temples was destroyed by Islamic looters. 

The Lingaraj, the Parasurameswar and the Rajarani temples are not only ancient places of worship, they are seen as architectural marvels that has been unscathed through the ravage of time and human interference. The excellent sculptures beside the temples only enhance the historical structures. Contemporary Bhubaneswar is a planned city designed by the German architect Otto H Koenigsberger. 

Places to Visit in Bhubaneshwar- The tourist spots in Bhubaneshwar, the temple city and the ancient Kalinga Kingdom of Odisha welcomes one and all with a fine blend of ancient art and culture with sublime architecture.

Previously adorned with over 7000 shrines, it is now left with only about 500.

The city is flocked by thousands of pilgrims as well as tourists who visit here to pay homage to the religious and cultural wonders that still prevail.

Tourist Places in Bhubaneshwar

Udaygiri and Khandgiri Caves- Situated about 7 kilometers from the Bhubaneshwar city, it is one of the major tourist spots in Bhubaneshwar. An important archaeological site in the Indian history, the inscription on the walls of 15 caves of Udaygiri tells the tale of King Kharvela, the ruler Orissa from 168 to 153 AD. The Hathigumpha, an elephant cave, is the major cave. From the caves of Khandgiri you can view the whole Bhubaneshwar city.

Dhauli- Constructed in 3rd century BC by Ashoka the Great, the white pillar-like stupa on the hill top is a magnificent architecture from where Ashoka set out on his march to spread Buddhism. 

Lingaraj Temple- Built in the 10th Century, it is a rare masterpiece and an example of ancient Hindu style of architecture that is covered by expound carvings.

Nandankanan- Beautiful zoological park, situated about 25 kilometres from Bhubaneshwar where you can view a wide range of animals and reptiles. The white tigers, gorillas and crocodiles are the major attractions of this zoo.

Mukteshwar Temple- Built in the 7th Century AD, it is an example of embellished temple in Bhubaneshwar reflecting the Jain, Hindu and Buddhist mode of architecture.

Atri- It is a hot sulphur spring which is a popular outing spot for vacationers. The place is also famous for Lord Hatakeswar's Temple.

Parasurameswara Temple- This is one of the oldest temples that exist in India. It was constructed between the 7th and 8th century AD. Nagara style was followed while building the temple and Hindu deity Lord Shiva is worshiped here. The stone carving mastery of artisans and intricate carved sculptures of numerous Hindu deities can be seen in this temple.

Odisha State Museum- Established in the year 1938, the Odisha state museum was later moved to a new building in 1960. There are more than 10 galleries in the museum which have wide categories of antiquities including weapons and armory, manuscripts, tools, scientific tools, etc. This is perhaps the best place for tourists who want to know about the history of Odisha. 

Tourist Destinations Near Bhubaneshwar- Excursions can be made from Bhubaneshwar to the nearby caves of Udaygiri and Khandgiri, which are important archeological sites of India. There, are 15 caves in Udaygiri, out of which Hathigumpha (elephant cave) is the most important. A 117-line inscription on the walls of the cave relates the exploits of the King Kharvela who ruled Odhisa from 168 to 153 AD. Khandgiri with a predominant Jain influence gives a hilltop view of the city of Bhubaneswar, and most of the caves inside have a definite Jain influence.

Dauli built in the 3rd century BC has Ashoka's rock edict. It was from here that King Ashoka set out to spread Buddhism. The place also has a white stupa (pillar) on top of a hill built in collaboration with Japanese Buddhists. Nandankanan is a wildlife park at a distance of 25 km from Bhubaneshwar whose main attractions are the gorillas, crocodiles and white tigers. The Atri Springs are also famous. A magnificent temple, which should be on your temple itinerary, is the Sun Temple at Konark. Though in ruins it is still marvelous, designed as a chariot of the Sun God. Puri, 60km from Bhubaneshwar is also a temple town worth visiting. 

Culture and People- The cultural heritage is opulent and people are proud of their culture and heritage. The culture also includes the Odissi dance form which is world famous and is well admired as well. Around 7000 temples depict the culture and the history of Bhubaneswar that has seen times since 2000 years. The people here speak Oriya and bears resembles to the Bengali and Assamese language. There are many tribes here and also speak tribal languages of the Adivasis that are the original inhabitants of Orissa. Seafood and sweets form a major part of people's diet here

How to Reach :

By Air- Biju Patnaik International Airport, also known as Bhubaneswar Airport, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of the city centre, is the major and sole international airport in Odisha. There are daily flights from Bhubaneswar to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.