G.B. International ::- Orissa
| Orissa | Bhubaneshwar | Konark |
|---|---|---|
| Puri | East India | Other States |
Orissa
Situated on the coast along the Bay of Bengal, Orissa stands for its ancient glory and modern endeavour. Endowed with nature's bounty, a 482 km stretch of coastline with virgin beaches, serpentine rivers, mighty waterfalls, forest-clad blue hills of Eastern Ghats with rich wild life, Orissa is dotted with exquisite temples, historic monuments as well as pieces of modern engineering feat. The land, while retaining its pristine glory, also offers the visitors modern amenities.
Excursions
PuriPuri, also known as "Sri Purusottama Dham" is a sacrosanct centre for Hindus all over the globe for the Jagannath temple and is also known for the good stretch of the beautiful white sand beaches on Bay of Bengal. Thousands of pilgrims visit Puri for the Lord Jagannath temple and the annual Rath yatra festival. The beatifying effect of the temples, wide beaches that offer scenic view of sunrise and sunset, traditional fishing farms where the clasical old methods of fishing are used by the local fishermen and fabulous resorts and hotels makes it a distinctive tourist destination. Overall the calm and cool nature of the locals here makes Puri a peaceful getaway.
Cuttack
Orissa's commercial capital, Cuttack, has a lot to offer to its tourists as well. One of the oldest towns and the former capital of Orrisa is situated 30 Km from Bhubanewar. Cuttack was founded by Nripati Keshari in 10th century. It then went into hands of Mughals, Afghans and Marathas before coming under the rule of British Empire, who made it the capital of Orrisa. It was in 1956, when the capital got shifted to Bhubaneswar.
Cuttack is almost an island, situated at the head of the Mahanadi delta and surrounded by Mahanadi river and its collateral, the Kathjuri. Due to its historical importance and the recent commercialization, Cuttack has emerged as a favoured tourist destination. It is a shoppers' paradise with most of the Orissan handicraft items on sale on the streets of Cuttack
Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, capital city of Orrisa in India, is very well known for the temples and shrines. The city can also be called as ' Temple Metropolis of India'. The city boasts of more than 500 temples. Although there was a time when the city had more than 7000 temples and shrines. Some of the temples are more than 2000 years old. These temples exemplify the art and architecture of ancient and medieval India. The construction dates back to 3rd century B.C. to 16th century A.D.
Bhubaneswar has very elegantly combined its rich cultural heritage with the modern aspirations. One can see the mixture of traditions and novelity in the culture of city. Apart from the temples, the city has 2 Museums, one of which hosts world's largest collection of palm -leaf paintings. The city is home to The Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC). The unique features of RPRC are its status for housing the largest rose garden in the country (an area of 20 acres) and having the largest collection of cacti (550) in Asia.
Udaigiri and Khandgiri Caves
The twin hills of Kumargiri are known as Khandagiri and Udaygiri. The ancient caves of Udaigiri and Khandgiri are considered consecrate as this was the place where Lord Mahavira addressed the people of the area. On these hills are archaeologically significant 113 caves, which are nearly 2300 years old. These rock-cut caves were built for the Jain monks around 1st - 2nd century B.C. The Khandgiri hill is about 40 meters high and the Udaygiri hill is about 35 meters high. At the apex of Khandagiri hill stands the 19th century "Parsvanath" temple. An idol of Bhagawan Adishvar in the Padmasana posture is the main attraction of this temple. The thirteen years lithic record of King Kharavela engraved in Hati Gumpha near Udaigiri is a magnificent specimen of Pali records so far found in India.
How to Reach
By AirBhubaneswar, the state capital, is the most convenient point for reaching Orissa by air. Major public and private airlines operate regular flights to and from the city. The city is easily accessible from Hyderabad, Nagpur, Kolkata, Delhi, Raipur, Varanasi, Mumbai and Chennai.
By Rail
Bhubaneswar is the most important Railway Station in Orissa. The city is serviced by important trains. Apart from Bhubaneswar there are several other Railway Stations in Orissa.
By Road
Bhubaneswar is located on the National Highway that links Kolkata and Chennai. Orissa has an extensive road network which makes it easily accessible from any part of the country.