OrissaOdisha is one of the states in thecountry which is known for theirrich heritage and lineage of vibrantand colourful culture. Invaded bymany rulers in the due course of itshistory, the place today is the ninthlargest state by area and theeleventh largest by population inthe country. Be it Puri JaganathTemple or Pre-historic paintings inKalahandi, the place has somethingto offer to everyone.

This Pdf and its contents are copyright ©2013,ixigo.com, all rights reserved. ixigo logo, thecharacter and all other marks displayed herein areregistered and/or common law trademarks ofixigo.com and/or third parties.

Famous For : State / Provinc

The name of the state called Odisha isalmost synonymous with the grand KonarkSun Temple, which is anyway one of its kind.The state is not only known because of whatit offers with its structures but is also one ofthe topmost choices for any travellerbecause of its natural beauty. With ChilikaLake, it boasts of being one of the biggestWetlands areas in the world along with avast migratory bird hotspot. The lake is alsopopular for housing cute little sea turtlesand dolphins. The charm of the state doesnot end to impress you there. It is also thehome to Pipli which is famous world widefor its art and craft. Bhubaneshwar, thecapital of the state is popular for itsarchitectural marvels includingMukteshwara Temple and the very recentThe Indo-Japanese White Pagoda inDhauligiri along with being one of the mostprominent Hindu and Buddhists pilgrimagespots in the country. And  trust uswhen we say this, it is like just the tip of theiceberg. You have to visit the place to

Orissa Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/orissa page 1

believe what all this marvellous place has tooffer. 

What To

SEE5 Sights

http://www.ixigo.com/places-to-visit-see-in-orissa-lp-1273344

1 Jagannath Temple

Grand Road, Puri, Odisha 752001,India

A must visit place if not for religiousinclinations, then for its architecturalmagnificence, Jagannath Temple is indeed asight to behold. It is constructed by a groupof Oriya workers, who wished to replicatethe architecture of the Jagannath temple inPuri. The peak of the temple reaches 21.3min height. The temple complex is tinted inthe shade of burnt brick, because of the useof sandstone brought from Orissa. Morethan 600 tonnes of sandstone was used tobuild the entire temple, and around 60

stone carvers were brought in to work on it.

Though the main deity is Jagannath (themain deity of the Oriya people) along withhis siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra, thereare separate shrines for Goddess Laxmi,Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and theNavagrahas. Rathyatra, the main festival ofOrissa, is celebrated in a big way at theJagannath Temple of Puri. Hence, the annualRath Yatra festival is also celebrated at thistemple, during which the three main deitiesare carried out as a grand procession with alot of pomp and show.

2 Konark

Konark (Konarka) is true blend of history,culture and natural beauty. The famous SunTemple along with the Sun Festival and thefive day long dance festival make this tinyplace an ever hustling tourist destination inOrissa. The Craft Mela and Handicraftexhibition organised as part of the dancefestival is also a hit among the locals and thetravellers alike. Displayer of the ethnic

Orissa Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/orissa page 2

Oriyan architecture, the Sun Templebecomes a beautiful backdrop to this fair. Ifall these are not enough, you are bound tolove a long walk on the beach nearby.

3 Maa Taratarini Mandir

Kumari Hills, Purushottampur,Ganjam, Orissa, India

Dedicated to the twin goddesses Tara andTarini, this temple is one of the 4 mainancient Shakti peethas in India. The otherthree being the Bimala temple inside the Jagannath Temple in Puri (Orissa),the Kamakhya Temple near Guwahati (Assam) and the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata(West Bengal). These four temples are themost revered temples for the Hindu sect ofShakta. LegendBeing a Shakti Peeth, the origin of thetemple goes back to Daksha Yagya and Sati’sself immolation. During Shiva’s dance ofdestruction (Tandav) Sati’s breast had fallenon this site. According to folklores, for manyyears, the temple remained inaccessible tohumans until the mother goddess appeared

as two sisters (Tara and Tarini) in the houseof a childress Brahmin called Basu Praharaj.They stayed with him for some years andthen suddenly disappeared. After days offutile searching, Basu Praharaj was grief-stricken, until Tara and Tarini arrived andtold him their true identity of being AdiShakti. On their instructions, Basu Praharajdiscovered the ancient presence ofTaratarini on the Tarini hill and set aboutreconstructing the temple. Since then,according to ancient texts,  themagnetism and the sanctity of the templehas drawn millions of devotees as well asreligious icons like Shri Rama, Shri Krishna,Pandavas, Chaitanya Maharaj, BalyogiNeelkanth, etc. HistoryThe oldest data aboutthis temple suggests it was present evenduring the time of Mahabharata. Otherhistorical reports show that Taratarini wasthe principal deity of the Kalinga empire.After their fall, the Buddhism gained astronghold in India. Initially Buddhists didn’tbelieve in idol worship, but for the first time,Tara was accepted as the mother goddess.There is an image of a meditating Buddha inthe inner sanctum of the temple that provesthat at some point in history this was also asite for Buddhist Shakta practices. Today,Tara is the tantrik goddess and the consortof Avalokiteshvara in the Buddhist beliefsystem.FestivalsChaitra Mela orChaitra Yatra is the main festival which iscelebrated on every Tuesday during the

Chaitra month ( Mar-Apr) each year. Grandcongregations arrive at the temple, whichremains open for extended hours. Locks ofhair of new-born babies are offered to thegoddess with the belief that she will protectthe child hereafter.

4 Konark Sun Temple

Konark, Puri, Odisha 752111, India

The Konark Sun Temple is probably thehighest point in Orissa temple architecture.Shaped in the form of a giant chariot withexquisitely carved wheels and pillars, thetemple is dedicated to the Sun god-Surya Deva. The wordKonark comes from the merger of twoSanskrit words-Kona meaning corner andArka meaning Sun. It is a symbol of the mathematical prowessof the ancient scholars and skilledworkmanship of the sculptors. 

The present-day temple was built in the13th-century by King Narasimhadeva I of the

Eastern Ganga dynasty to commemorate hisvictory over Tughral Tughan Khan. Thetemple was originally built on the shorelineof river Chandrabhaga, but the waterlinehas receded long since then.

According to the ancient texts, there mighthave been a sun temple built on the samesite sometime during the 9th century. Theoriginal Konark temple is accredited toSamba, the son of Lord Krishna, who wascursed with leprosy. On the advice of a sage,he worshipped Surya Deva for 12 years postwhich he was cured.

 

5 Nandankanan ZoologicalPark

Mayur Bhawan, Saheed Nagar,Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751007, India

Also known as the Garden of the Gods,the Nandankanan Zoological ParkBhubaneshwar is located about 15km away from the city bounds ofBhubaneshwar. The place is home to about

Orissa Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/orissa page 3

16000 animals from over 120 species. TheZoo is also well known for being India's firstZoo that is registered with the WorldAssociation for Zoos and Aquariums and itslow death rate. Visiting the zoo is a magicalexperience, as this is one of the bestzoos  in the country, where you canobserve a massive and healthy variety ofanimals.

A part of the NandankananZoological Park is reserved for theprotection of rare and endangered animalslike the White Tigers, Black Panthers, theAsiatic Lions, the Macau and many otherbirds, reptiles and mammals. Separatesections  of the Zoo include anAquaria, a Reptile Park and an OrchidHouse. What's more, if you are impressedby all the creatures you spot here and wantto do something to contribute, you canactually adopt an animal and promote theZoo's operation. This unique programmewas started in 2008 to invite publicparticipation in financing the zoo.

Where To

Eat5 Places

http://www.ixigo.com/foods-in-of-orissa-lp-1273344

1 Mainland China

The Crown, A1, Near IRC Village,Nayapalli, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha751015, India

+91-674-3270327|+91-86582-22220

The Mainland China inBhubaneshwar has earned areputation for dishing out great Chinesefood, day in and day out! Classy interiors,great staff, awesome food and a goodambience are the reasons you should walkinto this place. If you can't decide what toeat, you always have the option of eatingfrom the lavish buffet here. The service isquick, making this place ideal for a quick biteas well!

The outlet here might not quite be up to theDelhi or Mumbai mark, but is undoubtedlyamongst the best upper scale restaurants intown. The Lamb and Prawn starters servedat  Mainland China manage to stand out andthe desserts are great to say the least. All inall, MC is a good place to head for a finedine experience on your Bhubaneshwarholiday!

2 Honey Bee Bakery & Pizzeria

C T Road, Puri, Odisha, 752002, India

+91-6752-320479

Come here to enjoy the best pancakes andpizzas, of different varieties in town. Ifsandwiches are your thing, then this placewill sure make you drool over theirextensive menu. Try the amazing grilled andtoasted sandwiches and fry-up brekkies.You'll love them all.

Enjoy all this with a cup of hot coffee, whichis another speciality of the place. Buthere comes the biggest surprise, what onemight never expect from such a place. Youwill for sure relish the most amazing lassihere.

3 Tangerine 9

Master Canteen Area, KharabelaNagar, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751001751001, India

+91-674-2533009

Known for its yummy Indian and Chinesecuisines, theTangerine Restaurant in Bhubneshwar is one place you can rely on for a heartymeal. The menu offers a lavish spread bythe local standards and its very likely thatyou will find one of your favourite dishes onthere. The staff here is very quick on theirfeet and willing to please and all this alongwith the cheery ambience of the place willsurely brighten up your mood. Do try theChicken Lollipop, Mushroom Masala andMasala Kulcha.  If you happen to behere on a Friday or Saturday, you are surelyin for a gala time as a musical night isorganised on the former and on the latter,candle-light dinners.

4 The Treat

Near High Court, Chandini Chowk,Cuttack, India

With a pleasant ambiance, The Treat is anaffordable eating joint which certainly doespromise a treat. The menu offers a variety of

Orissa Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/orissa page 4

dishes at reasonable prices. The 'DahibaraAludum' is famous for its authentic tasteand spicy flavour.

5 Vyanjan

Hotel Anandamayee, Odisha, India

+91-33-23970427

The in-house restaurant of HotelAnandamayee, Vyanjan is one place whichwill take care of your hunger pangs in thebest possible way. The impressive menuhere boasts of Indian, Chinese and localdishes prepared by the expert chefs andeach dish that is brought to your table isnothing short of a treat for your taste buds.