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Bhubhaneshwar
Udaygiri Khandagiri Dhauli
Puri Konark
Chilka Lake Gopalpur
Simplipal Chandipur
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Orissa has a chequered history which has successfully assimilated
and synthesized the best of Buddhist, Jain and Hindu cultures.
Orissa or Kalinga as it was then called was a settlement of
non-Aryan and Aryan settlers. It was here that the famous Battle of
Kalinga was fought which made King Ashoka forsake war. He became a
follower of Buddhism and spread the spirit of ahimsa and peace. It
is to the Kharavela period that Orissa owes its Jain art and
architectural tradition. The sophisticated architectural style of
the Jain Monastic caves at Udaygiri and Khandagiri are a story unto
themselves. To understand all that a Hindu temple stands for one
must realize that temples in India are not merely abodes of deities
but a shradhanjali (offering) to the most sacred. |
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Here a ’darshan’ is a communion between man and his creator. Hence,
Orissan temples are characterized byprofuse decorations, exquisite
carving and ornamentation covering the entire visible area with Gods
& Goddesses, kings and queens, animals and flower motifs ranged
against each other. They radiate the artist’s inner love and
dedication. Orissa is probably the only state where one can study
temple architecture in all its successive stages of development. |
Enchanting Odissi
Odissi, is the traditional dance form of Orissa and
probably owes its origin to the temple dances of the devadasis
(temple dancers). Possibly the oldest classical dance form, one must
sit through a performance to experience its sheer lyrical grace.
Mentioned in inscriptions, it is depicted on sculptures, in temples
like the Brahmeswara and the dancing hall of the Sun temple at
Konark. In fact in the 1950’s the entire Odissi dance form was
revitalized with the help of the Abhinaya Chandrika and sculpted
dance poses found in temples. Orissa enjoys a rich tradition of
tribal and folk dances as well. Chhau from Mayurbhanj District is a
martial dance form reminiscent of Orissa’s earlier maritime
tradition. Other folk and tribal dances include Danda Nata, a
daylong performance ending in acrobatic sequences, Ranapa or dances
in which dancers perform balancing acts on bamboo stilts. |
Rare Artistry |
Land of dexterous artists and craftsmen, Orissa possesses a rich
artistic tradition which enjoyed liberal patronage from the temples
as well as the nobility. Diverse and varied, the craftsmen artists
of Orissa still retain their indigenousness, trying to refine it to
suit a changing sensibility. Be it the appliqué artists of Pipli or
the stone carvers of Orissa, proud descendants of sculptors whose
hands chiseled the unsurpassable designs on Orissa’s famous temples,
the essential conflict between the traditional and the modern is
gradually being resolved. The progressive attitudes of the Orissan
artists coupled with hereditary skills zealously perpetuated, has
given traditional Orissan arts and crafts like weaving of Ikat,
Bomkai and Sambalpuri Saris, stone carving, appliqué and embroidery,
silver filigree work, patta painting and palm leaf engraving, brass
and bell metal work, lacquered boxes and toys and basket weaving, a
unique place in the connoisseur’s dictionary the world over. A visit
to the Raghurajpur artists village and Pipli, near Puri, to see the
artists at work is quite a rewarding experience. |
Gourmet Delights |
The green coconut with its pure water and the abundant sea food from
Chilika lake and the sea are as Orissan as pizzas are Italian.
Delicious prawns, crabs, sweet water fish, lamb, chicken and eggs
cooked by Orissan cooks are widely available gourmet fares, while
specialty restaurants serve almost everything. Milk preparations
like Rasgulla, Rasmalai, Khirmohan, Rasabali, Kalakand are
delicious. Pithas, sweet and savoury are served as local snacks.
This is a traditional preparation requiring skill and care. Pithas
like Mandas, Kakara, Chhunchipatra are usually domestic preparations
much loved by the Orissans. |
The Ethnic World of Orissa |
Orissa is a modern state with an ethnic past that is still vibrant.
Most of her tribes are to be found in the districts of Mayurbhanj,
Keonjhar Phulbani, Sambalpur, Kalahandi and Koraput. As many as 62
tribes exist in Orissa - Kondhs, Koyas, Bondas, Gadabas, Santals,
Juangs, Oraon, to name only a few are some important tribes who have
retained their individuality and their close bond with nature. From
the last week of January to early February, the Tribal Fair at
Bhubaneshwar brings together the ethnic world; their art, craft and
culture is on display. For those desirous of a closer look trips are
arranged by many tour operators from Bhubaneshwar and other cities
but it is a hardier trail and more time consuming.
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Bhubaneshwar |
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Bhubaneshwar is the
temple city of the east. The ancient city of Bhubaneshwar (Bhuban
being world and Iswar God) is a walk down centuries of temple
architecture. It is probably the only city in the world that enables
an authentic over-view of the stages of development of Hindu
religious architecture. In the fast moving world of today these
temples are a gentle reminder of the splendor, the heritage that was
once India. Regular dances by the ’Devadasis’ or divine servant
girls, rituals and rites, recital of hymns were all an integral part
of temple |
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are built on a common plan as prescribed by Hindu norms. All
visible parts of a temple are sculpted with motifs of priests,
kings, courtiers, pilgrims, celestial dancers, couples in embrace,
birds, animals or scenes from religious epics and legends. |
Area: 65.03 sq
km. Altitude: 45 meters (146 ft.)
Temperature (deg C): Summer - Max.38, Min.27.1. Winter -
Max.28.2, Min.15.2. Rainfall: Mid June-September 60
inches (152 cms). Languages Spoken: Oriya, Bengali,
Hindi, English. Best season: October to March. |
Excursions:
Dhauligiri- 8 kms, Udaygiri Khandagiri- 8 kms, Nandan Kanan Zoo- 25
kms, Chandipur- 16 kms, Pipli- 29 kms, Atri Springs- 42 kms, Sun
Temple, Konark- 65 kms. |
Reach -
By Air:
Connected with Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Varanasi,
Raipur and Vishakhapatnam.
By Rail: Directly connected
with Calcutta, Puri, Madras, Delhi, Bombay, Bangalore, Guwahati,
Hyderabad, Tirupati, Trivandrum.
By Road: Calcutta- 480
kms, Chilka Lake (Barkul)- 130 kms, Cuttack- 32 kms, Gopalpur- 184
kms, Konark- 64 kms, Madras- 1225 kms, Puri- 62 kms. |
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Udaygiri Khandagiri |
7 kms from
Bhubaneshwar are the twin hills of Udaygiri and Khandagiri. Built by
Kharavela around 1st - 2nd Century BC for Jain monks, they are
excellent examples of Jain Cave art. The famous caves of Hathigumpha
(elephant cave) in Udaygiri, RaniGumpha (Queen’s cave) also in
Udaygiri, with upper and lower stories, spacious courtyards and
extremely delicately designed friezes bear witness to the
sophistication the architectural styles had attained as early as the
first Century BC.
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Dhauli |
Driving down the
Puri-Konark Highway from Bhubaneshwar one comes across Dhauli hill
on the banks of the River Daya. Surrounded by the soothing greenery
of paddy fields, lies the 3rd Century BC Ashokan Rock Edict, a
memory of the gruesome war that transformed Ashoka, the great
Warrior into a Buddhist missionary. The Peace Pagoda built in
collaboration with the Kalinga – Japanese Buddhist Sangha, on the
opposite hill, is completely modern and is an excellent foil.
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Puri
The seat of Lord Jagannath, Site of Renowned Rathyatra Festival and
one of the most popular sea side resorts on the Bay of Bengal, Puri
is an ideal travel destination all the year round.Places Of
Interest:
Shri Jagannath Temple, Daria Hanuman and Sonar
Gouranga Temple, Gundicha Char, Indradyumma Tank, Narendra/Chandan
Tank, Loknath Temple, Swarga Dwar, Sea Beach at Puri. |
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Excursions:
Sakshigopal- 19 kms, Konark- 31 kms, Bhubaneshwar- 63 kms. |
Reach -
By Air:
The Nearest Airport is Bhubaneswar- 65 kms.
By Rail: Well
connected to Berhampore (Orissa), Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, Cochin,
Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Madras, Tirupati, Trivandrum, Varanasi.
By Road: Bhubaneshwar- 62 kms, Calcutta- 541 kms, Chilika- 167
kms, Konark- 31 kms, Madras- 1285 kms, Sambalpur- 362 kms,
Vishakhapatnam- 486 kms.
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Konark |
Renowned for its
magnificent sun temple, Konark is also a lovely beach resort. In
Konark, the "Natya Mandir", the dance hall of the Sun Temple
probably remains as the last remnant of the glorious temples of
Orissa an extant example of the architectural excellence of the
times. Built in the 13th Century, here a colossal image of the
chariot of the Sun, drawn by seven horses and 24 wheels symbolizes
the divisions of time. The Konark Sun Temple also houses a
Natamandira or dancing hall. Only two subsidiary temples out of the
22 exist today. The Vaishnadevi Mayadevi Temple stand to the West
it. The Sun temple of Narasimhadeva is a depiction in stone of the
life of those times – royal, social, religious and military. The
intricate carvings on the walls and wheels of the chariot are
unprecedented in history. |
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| The fine sculptures depicting Court
life, hunting, scenes, celestial deities are epitomes of precision
and grace. Graceful sculptures from the world of the Kamasutra, epic
of eroticism also adorn the structures. The Sun Temple standing in
solitary splendor is the relic of a great past. y. |
Area: 2.5 sq
km. Altitude: Sea level. Temperature
(deg C): Summer- Max. 43, Min. 32.2. Winter- 26.7, Min. 10.6.
Rainfall: 152.4 cms (July to September). Clothing:
Summer- Light tropical & cottons, Winter- light woolens.
Languages spoken: Oriya, Bengali, Hindi, English.
Best season: Throughout the year, but preferably October to
March. |
Reach -
By Air:
Nearest airport Bhubaneshwar- 64 kms is connected with Calcutta,
Delhi, Hyderabad, Madras and Nagpur.
By Rail: Nearest
railheads Puri- 31 kms and Bhubaneshwar- 64 kms are connected with
the major places.
By Road: Konark is well-connected with
Bhubaneshwar as well as the major places. |
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Chilka Lake |
Chilika
Lake, spreading over an area of 1100 sq. kms is the largest brackish
water lake in the country and attracts large number of migratory
birds besides resident ones. Barkul and Rambha are two places on the
lake which serve as the base. Though the lake can be visited
throughout the year, October to March is the best season.
Flora:
The lake harbours the "aquatic
vegetation" of its own and is typically represents by Algal forms, a
number of Diatoms/Phytoplanktons and a few species of brackish water
submerged phanerogams like Potamogeton pectinatus, Halophila ovalis
etc. The present scanty littoral and scrub jungles on lake margin,
islands and rocky faces are represented by the species like
Salvadora presica and a number of climbers and herbaceous ground
flora. |
The dunes & sandy
areas of the beaches near lake have the floral composition of their
own, favoured in the conditions they offer. The land lying between
Sea and Lagoon exhibits rich growth of casuarinas equisetifolia.
Fauna:
There is a wide variety of animal life
forms representing various groups of Animal Kingdom ranging from
Protozoa to Mammals. Around 158 species of fishes and prawns have so
far been recorded.
Some mammals reported from small pockets
in the surrounding hills/forests/scattered islands & amidst the
vegetation of sandy ridge facing Chilika and Sea include Black bucks
(Antelope cervicara), Spotted deer, Fox, Jackal, Hyena, Jungle Cat,
Hare, Rat, Pachyura (an insectivora) etc. |
Area:
1100 sq. kms. ( Wildlife Sanctuary area- 15.53 sq. kms.)
Temperature (deg C): Summer- Max. 37, Min. 30. Winter- Max.
24, Min. 17. Rainfall: 1160 mms. (Mainly July to
September). Clothing: Tropical. Languages
Spoken: Oriya, Bengali, Hindi, English. Best
Season: Throughout the year. |
Places of
Interest:
The lake with several of its islands, main among
them being, kalijai, Nalabana, Honeymoon, Breakfast islands etc.
Satpada towards the South Eastern stretch of the lake is closer to
puri and is fast developing as a tourist spot on the shore of
Chilika. |
Cruise on the
lake:
To visit various islands, particularly, Kalijai &
Nalabana as well as to cruise on the Chilika Lake, motorised Yatch
and speed boat services are available at fixed rates from the
Manager, O.T.D.C., Panthniwas, Barkul. |
Excursions:
Narayani- 22 kms from Rambha, Gopalpur-on-Sea- 45 kms from Rambha
and 75 kms from Barkul, Taptapani Sulphur Spring- 100 kms from
Rambha and 130 kms from Barkul. |
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport Bhubaneshwar is 105 kms from Barkul &
135 kms from Rambha.
By Rail: The nearest railheads are at
Balugaon- 7 kms from Barkul and Rambha which are directly connected
to Calcutta, Puri, Madras, Hyderabad and Bombay.
By Road:
Barkul to Bhubaneshwar- 105 kms, Puri- 167 kms, Cuttack- 133 kms,
Berhampur- 78 kms, Gopalpur-on-Sea- 75 kms and Rambha- 30 kms.
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Gopalpur |
Gopalpur-on-Sea is
a quiet and charming sea resort along the Bay of Bengal, in the
district of Ganjam, Orissa. It offers secluded environment and
magnificent sun, surf and sand for most of the year. |
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Altitude:
Sea level. Temperature (deg C): Summer- Max. 35,
Min. 23. Winter- Max. 27, Min. 16. Rainfall: 118.7
cms (46.7 inches). Languages Spoken: Oriya, Hindi,
English. Best Season: Throughout the year,
preferably October to April. |
Places Of
Interest:
Gopalpur is situated right on the Bay of Bengal
with a beautiful sea-beach. |
Excursions:
Chilika Lake- 45 kms from Ramba and 75 kms from Barkul, Nirmaljhar-
56 kms, Taptapani (sulphur spring)- 67 kms. |
Reach -
By Air: Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport- 180 kms.
By
Rail: Berhampur- 16 kms is the nearest railhead.
By Road:
Barkul- 75 kms, Berhampur- 16 kms, Bhubaneshwar- 180 kms, Puri- 242
kms. |
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Simplipal |
Nestled in the
centre of Mayurbhanj, the northernmost district of Orissa is the
Similipal National Park one of India's better known wild life
sanctuaries, covering a large forested area of 2750 sq.kms. The
variation in topography, climate and vegetation has supported large
varieties of animals, birds and reptiles. Similipal is one of the
earliest and finest of India's fifteen Tiger reserves under Project
Tiger. |
Area: 2750 sq
km. Altitude: 559.31 meters above sea level.
Temperature (Deg C): Summer- Max.40, Min.20. Winter-
Max.20, Min.4.4. Rainfall: 1648 mm ( Mid. June to
Mid. September ). Best Season: 1st November to 15th
June. December to February is extremely cold. (The reserve remains
open from 15th Oct. to 15th June). |
Places of Interest -
Fauna found at the Park include the tiger, leopard, elephants,
bison, sambar, porcupine, pangolin, flying-squirrel, hill myna,
hornbill, python etc. |
Excursions - Kiching- 50
kms from Joshipur. |
Reach -
By Air:
Nearest airports are Calcutta- 250 kms and Bhubaneshwar- 300 kms.
By Rail: Balasore- 76 kms from Lulung. Jamshedpur- 115 kms from
Jashipur.
By Road: Baripada- 20 kms, Jashipur- 114 kms,
Bhubaneshwar- 320 kms, Calcutta- 250 kms from Lulung.
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Chandipur |
Chandipur- 16 kms
away from Balasore Railway Station on Howrah-Madras line of South
Eastern ( S.E.) Railways annique beach where the sea water recedes
about 5 kms during low-tide and advances to the shore line again
during high-tides each day. An ideal beach resort of Orissa. |
Reach -
By Air:
The nearest Airport is Bhubaneshwar- 230 kms from Chandipur.
By Rail: The nearest railhead Balasore- 16 kms.
By Road:
Balasore- 16 kms, Bhubaneshwar- 230 kms, Cuttack- 230 kms, Calcutta-
240 kms. |
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East India Tour - 11 Days |
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Delhi - Bhubhaneshwar - Puri -
Kolkata - Darjeeling - Gangtok - Kalimpong - Delhi |
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