Best of Orissa: A Ten Day Itinerary

Widely known as the "Temple City of India," Bhubaneswar is an important Hindu pilgrimage center. Hundreds of temples dot the landscape of the Old Town, which once boasted of more than 2000 temples. The new Bhubaneswar with its modern buildings and extensive infrastructure perfectly complements its historic surroundings. With facilities to cater to every type of visitor, Bhubaneswar makes an ideal destination.

My first stop was the great Lingaraja, which soars above the city of Bhubaneswar, dominating its landscape. Unlike most of the other important temples in Bhubaneswar, the Lingaraja is in active worship, and entrance to the temple compound is prohibited to non-Hindus. My second stop was the small and elegant Mukteswara temple is often referred to as the "miniature gem of Orissan architecture". 

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The 'torana' (arched gateway) of the Mukteswara deserves special attention. Its extraordinarily beautiful sculpture includes elaborate scrolls, graceful female figures, monkeys, peacocks, and a wealth of delicate and lovely decorative detail. Another remarkable place in Bhubaneswar is the Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves. As you approach the site, Khandagiri, with its 15 caves will be on the left. Udaygiri will be on the right. These are rock-cut shelters located six km from the city. Some of them have intricate artwork carved into the walls.

The calm beach at Chandipur is surely one among many of the finest beaches of the country. Chandipur, also known as the town of the silvery moon is an important tourist destination in the Balasore district of Odisha. Known for its wonderful beaches, pristine charm and scenic beauty, Chandipur is a tourist's delight offering natural and spiritual beauty in all its glory. Chandipur beaches offer an unforgettable experience. Away from the hustle and bustle of regular tourist hangouts, Chandipur offers a perfect holiday getaway for people seeking solitude and isolation, making it one of the most beautiful coastal towns of east India.

Konark is situated in the Puri district of the Indian state Orissa. Apart from Taj Mahal, if there is another monument that symbolizes India it is the majestic Sun Temple at Konark. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage. This temple made Konark one of the most visited towns in Orissa. The temple is dedicated to Sun God. The Temple is in the form of a Chariot with wheels on the sides of the platform on which the temple stands. The walls of Sun temple have carvings both inside and outside. Do travel to Konark to see it in all its splendor.

Puri is a district in Odisha. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple. It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimage. It is considered that a pilgrimage of the temples of India is not complete without making the journey to Puri. Puri also has one of the best beaches for swimming in India and is also a popular beach resort, positioned in a unique place so that both sunset and sunrise can be viewed from the beach. Major attractions nearby Puri include the Chilka Lake, renowned as the biggest inland salt-water lagoon, Puri beach, Gundicha Ghar, Jagannath Temple, the Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary.

Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest lagoon in the World. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. The lake is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals. The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery resources. Comprising of an evergreen range of hillocks and a wide expanse of clean blue water dotted with a host of islands with romantic names. Chilika is a place to remember and cherish as a holiday spot.