Manjuz kitchen: States of India

MARARAI BEACH - Perfect for a quiet retreat

After a rather disappointing day we headed for a beach near our home town. MARARI BEACH situated in Mararikulam,an alluring village well connected by rail and road.It is rated as one of the world's top five Hammock beaches by National geographic survey.A flawless spot to escape from the hustle bustle of our daily chores.

We were actually surprised and too late to realise that a well preserved beach is there in our premises.It is a serene hang out surrounded by nature's beauty. The area is not crowded, quite clean when compared to other beaches in our vicinity. It's kept alive by the local community fisherfolks engaged in their daily chores.

Check this out If backwaters mesmerizes you 👉Backwaters cruise with lunch

BOATS USED FOR FISHING

CHECKING THE DAYS CAPTURE

BOAT USED BY THE FISHER MEN

It has a vast shore

TRANQUIL SHORES

and an an exotic plantation through its coast which adds to its elegance.

COCONUT TREE PLANTATION

One can ramble along the shore,can play with pristine sand ,engage in kite flying as the winds travelling across the sea has ups and draughts and enjoy beautiful sunset provided there are no clouds waiting for you & last but not the least click a selfie .... !
Overall a calm, blissful, private place blended with the rough sea and beach!!!!

Perfect getaway opportunity Alappuzha backwater cruise

WAVES COME AND GO JUST LIKE OUR TROUBLES AND JOYS..!!

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....