10 Things To Do And Places To Visit In Odisha That Will Give An Urgent Call To All Wanderers

This festival was started in 2012 by a bunch of surfing enthusiasts, who wanted to make this silent East Coast the new hub of surfing yogis, as they call themselves. Since then, every year, the India Surf Festival is organised at Ramachandi Beach, near Konark. The festival includes a superb lineup of artists from around the world, open surfing events, skateboarding competitions, paddling for newbies and food and photography, which make it a one of the most sought after places to visit in Odisha and India.

Get to know more about the India Surf Festival here.

Around 48km away from the Puri Beach and its touristy chaos lies the quiet town of Satapada. National Highway 203A connects Satapada to Puri. This is the spot where the Chilika Lake runs out to the sea. Boat riding and dolphin watching at Chilika Lake are great activities to indulge in. You can also watch migratory birds, such as the northern pintail, gadwall and shovellers that arrive near this brackish water lake every year during winters.

The Olive Ridley Sea Turtles have their largest nesting ground near the mouth of the Rushikulya River. Travellers and photographers go to this silent spot by the sea to spot the turtles during the nesting season, when the baby turtles make a move towards the sea.

The beaches in Odisha are unlike others in India. Chandrabhaga Beach is at a distance of 37km from Puri and just 3km from Konark Temple. Pilgrims from the nearby towns and cities flock this beach on the seventh day of Magha (according to the Hindu calendar) to offer their prayers to the sun god. This beach with a lighthouse is one of the best places to visit in Odisha, especially recommended for photography enthusiasts.

For the wildlife enthusiasts visiting this state, Bhitarkanika National Park is an offbeat paradise that can be explored via a boat ride. The vast area of 672 square kilometres around the Bhitarkanika Mangroves was declared a National Park in 1998. Salt Water Crocodile, Water Monitor Lizard and the King Cobra are some of the species to look out for in this region replete with biodiversity.

Chandipur Beach is another one of the lesser known beaches of the East Coast in Odisha. The site can be reached by travelling to Baleshwar by road or rail. It is dangerous to visit the beach during the high tide, so plan your visit carefully. Devkund Waterfalls, Panchalinegeswar and Khirachora are some of the other attractions near the Chandipur Beach that together make it a great spot to spend a weekend.

In the year 2000, Raghurajpur was first recognised as Odisha's first heritage craft village. The village is within the Puri District and is known worldwide for the resident artisans who have mastered the art of Pattachitra, which are miniature paintings on cloth or palm leaves. The 120 families in the small village are dedicated to this ancient craft and apart from the traditional paintings, other items such as paper weights, side tables, masks, papier mache and toys are beautifully crafted by the residents of this village.

The ancient caves of Khandgiri and Udaygiri are some of the finest examples of ancient India's rock-cut architecture. These caves served as residential blocks for Jain monks during the reign of King Kharavela. The Jain temples in Bhubhaneshwar are at an hour's distance from these caves, and are another excellent example to study the ancient architecture of India.

Around 40 km from Puri, the people of Pipili Village have mastered the French handicraft technique, called Appliqué. Colourful fabric is cut and sewn on a foundation fabric creating incredible art on the fabric.