The tourist spots in Bhubaneshwar, the temple city and the ancient Kalinga Kingdome of Orissa 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.
HOW TO REACH
By Train:-
Bhubaneswar railway station is about 6 km away from the city center. This railhead is well-connected to the metro cities and also to the cities Delhi (Bbs Duronto Exp), Kolkata (Falaknuma Exp), Hyderabad (Konark Express), Chennai (Coromandal Exp), Mumbai (Puri Ltt Sf Exp) and Bangalore (Bbs Ypr Sup Exp).
By Air:-
Biju Patnaik airport at Bhubaneswar is nearly 5 km away from the heart of the city. It costs about Rs 100 by taxi cab. The airport is connected to Delhi and Mumbai. International travelers need to get connections through Delhi.
By Bus :-
The New Bus Stand which is located at a distance of 6 km from the town center connects well to the major cities around Bhubaneswar. Bhubaneswar is connected to Puri (56 km, Rs 120) and Konark (36 km, Rs 90) by regular bus services.
WHAT TO SEE
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 kilometers 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.
SHOPPINGÂ :-
Orissa has a wide range of handricrafts and textiles including silver filigree work, stone sculpture, jewellery, semi-precious stones, bamboo/grass mats and basketry, paper mache masks, wooden figurines of mythological characters, horn toys, appliqué work, dokra work in metal figurines/masks, terracotta objects and a wide range of handloom textiles, from silks and tussars to cottons.
FOOD:-
Oriya cuisine comprises mainly of rice, fish, vegetables, coconut, milk products and pulses. Restaurants serve traditional Oriya cuisine. Meat and chicken now feature on most of the menus. Seafood is popular and one can enjoy the best of prawns, lobsters and a wide variety of fish. Orissa’s specialties are cakes (Pithas) of powdered gram like chakudi, kakara, monda and arisa.