The day trips to different destinations in ODISHA                


Odisha,formerly known as Orissa , is a state in India flanked by the Bay of Bengal and the Eastern Ghats on its either sides.This state owns the famous Sun temple which itself stamps Odisha in the must visit place list.

                         We  moved to Odisha in 2014 Nov as Mr.V got a transfer to this place..Some of the places we visited are listed below..

1)THE SUN TEMPLE,KONARK

A  marvelous proof of Kalinga architecture which is built in the form of a giant chariot with 12 pairs of wheels dedicated to SUN GOD(SURYA) in Hindu  mythology.It is built facing the east direction so that the first rays from the sun will fall on the main entrance.We can visualize intricately carved walls, pillars and wheels which will amaze us about the skill and dedication of the workers who built this mammoth structure. No doubt the temple comes under UNESCO world heritage site.

THE SUN TEMPLE ,KONARK 

A CLICK NEAR THE GIANT WHEEL OF THE CHARIOT

Note:Hire a private vehicle if you want to visit the place as public transportation is very weak in this area. Don't  forget to take umbrellas or hat ,water bottles and some snacks and eateries if you are visiting during summer holidays.Light clothes are preferred the most.The entrance and the camera fees are reasonable only.

2)LORD JAGANNATH TEMPLE,PURI

This temple in the city of Puri is one among the famous temples in India built in the typical Kalinga architecture.It is a temple devoted to the Lord Jagannath(the Lord of universe),who resides here along with his siblings Subhadra(sister) and Balabadra(brother).It is the place where the famous CHARIOT FESTIVAL is held every year and is one among the CHAR DHAMS".

MAHA PRASAD(FOOD OFFERED TO GOD) FROM THE TEMPLE

DEITIES IN PURI TEMPLE

 





3)BEACHES IN PURI

xancus/shankh   

              Puri is also famous for its serene beaches.They  are a major tourist attractions of the area as it  hosts the sand art displays as well as the annual beach festival which is very famous throughout the country.It is a wondrous  place for  collecting sea shells and Xancus.

enjoying in THE BEACH 

  from my MIL'S COLLECTION

Note:Beware of  certain anti social elements on the isolated parts of the beaches.


4)NANDANKANAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK

NANDANKANAN  ZOOLOGICAL PARK

                 A must visit place if you are in Bhubaneswar. A place worth spending a whole day without any regrets. We spent one whole day in zoo which is carved out of Chandaka forest. We enjoyed every bit of it. One of the most well maintained zoo,with clean surroundings,ample parking and eatery stalls.Toy train ride,the beautiful garden the aquarium,the reptile park,the aviary and the amazing safari are add ons to the visit.

TOY TRAIN 

A CLICK FROM LION SAFARI

A SNAP FROM THE GARDEN     

     

FEROCIOUS PIRANA

Its the den for a variety of fauna(animals) .We can even enjoy the shades of trees as well as the banks of the river Kanjia flowing beside the zoo.The  zoo protects wide variety of tigers ,the other endangered species like the one -horned rhino,the black buck  etc &offers lion & tiger safari,deer safari and bear safari too.Its a bus ride through well protected fences where we will be in a cage and we can see the animals majestically roaming in the forest.

Note:Its better to go to the zoo by passenger train (10-15 INR )from Khurda Road Railway station as it is very cheap.From there, hire an auto rickshaw which will cost you 50 INR only.{be ready to bargain with the auto  rickshaw drivers}.At the entrance gate itself take the tickets for all the safari inside which will save a lot of time.The most important thing is to take sufficient water bottles ,snacks,and meals along with you.

5)KHANDAGIRI &  UDAYAGIRI CAVES 

The twin hills are bestowed by the amazing historical monuments of the land: the Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves.These rock cut caves are supposed to be built for the Jain monks in the 2nd century.Both the hills have lot of caves in them like the Rani Guha(or the queen's cave ),Ganesh guha etc. It was indeed an exihilarating experience to spend a day in the caves.

 Note:We can explore the caves by walking but don't forget to carry eateries and water bottles as most of the shops will be packed by the people all the time.Beware of the monkeys also.
                   

RANI GHUHA {KHANDAGIRI }

ON THE{L}:UDAYAGIRI CAVES AND ON THE{R} KHANDAGIRI CAVES

6)CHILKA LAKE 

 Chilka lake is Asia's largest brackish water lagoon which is a heaven for thousands of migratory

KALIJAI TEMPLE

birds,aquatic fauna,reptiles & mammals.We enjoyed  a boat ride through this massively spread lake to KALIJAI TEMPLE which is on an island in the lake.Other attractions are the Nalaban island& Dolphin view points.Best time to visit the place is from Oct to June.One can also enjoy the mesmerizing sunset and sunrise views too..

boat ride through the chilka  

                                                                                                                                   

                                   
                               

CHILKA LAKE

7)DHAULI  STUPA/WHITE PEACE PAGODA

     Dhauli Stupa is situated on the Dhauli Giri Hills on the banks of the river Daya.Its a place of historical importance. It is told that the area hosted the famous Kalinga war and due to the horrendous war, water in the Daya river turned red which made Asoka to realize about his foolishness and he threw away the path of conquer and war & embraced the Buddhism.This pagoda was

 THE WHITE PEACE PAGODA

built in remembrance & Asoka turned this
area into an active Buddhist centre promoting his teachings.Another great attractions are the 4 different types of Lord Buddha statues situated on the 4 sides of the round  pagoda.

Note:Best time to visit is during the early morning hours.

LORD BUDDHA'S STATUE IN THE STUPA/PAGODA

8)LINGARAJ TEMPLE,BHUBANESWAR
 
   This temple dedicated to LORD SHIVA is the pinnacle of Kalinga architecture.The temple is surrounded by a huge fence made of stones.Once we enter,the inner area, one will come across a lot of other shrines dedicated to many gods like Lord Ganesha ,Goddess Parvathy & many other snake gods.The main sanctum is a HARI HARA LINGAM(half Shiva and half Vishnu).Devotees from all over the country visit the temple during the festival of Maha Shivaratri

THE ENTRANCE GATE OF THE TEMPLE

NOTE:Photography,mobile phones,bags are strictly prohibited inside the temple.                        

                                                                                 

9)THE STATE MUSEUM,BHUBANESWAR                                                                         

This museum is a treasure trove,though its under rated tourist spot. It has something for every single visitor.It has alot of sections like Archaeology,Contemporary art,Numismatics,Patta painting,mining, 

ARTIFACTS FROM THE MUSEUM

geology,Art and crafts,Arms,Manuscripts and the list goes on. It is located in the center of the city and is easily accessible with a nominal entrance fee.  

THE ENTRANCE TO THE MUSEUM                                     

10)  ARTS AND CRAFTS                    

            Odisha market has something for each of its customers from costly silver filigree to cheap shells & xancus,from traditional  Patta chitra paintings to  modern  hand  carved sculptures,from hand painted bottles to hand woven fabrics.You can buy  relishing gifts so that the receivers will cherish those gifts forever as a token of love from your part....

TOYS MADE FROM COIR

HAND PAINTED BOTTLES

 HAND PAINTED ARECANUT  CAR ACCESSORIES

the journey continues...!