Orissa

HISTORICAL

Archaeological Museum, Puri One can also visit the Archaeological Museum, which is just exterior the Sun Temple to witness many sculptures and carvings found throughout the temple excavations. It is an archaeological museum established in 1968.

Caves of Udayagiri The largest Buddhist Complex in Orissa, Udayagiri in the district of Jajpur has assumed further importance after recent excavations which revealed the ancient name of the monastery as Madhavapura Mahavihara.

Dhauli Dhauli, Orissa, is famous for its Buddhist Monuments. It also happens to be the place where the bloodiest of battles was fought and won by Emperor Ashok.

District Museum, Balangir It is situated at District Library, Khandaipada. It show Stone sculptures, metal images, metal objects, jewellery, terracotta, miniature paintings, oil paintings, anthropological objects, and others.

Handicrafts Museum, Bhubaneswar A large set of Orissan handicrafts, among them stone statue, patta paintings, brass castings, horn toys and silver filigree are worth seing. Open 1000-1700 excluding Sunday.

Khandagiri To the west of Bhubaneswar are the twin hills of Khandagiri and Udaygiri (c. first century BC), the next major Orissan historical monument after Ashoka's rock-cut edict.

Lalitgiri Lalitgiri, Orissa, is the earliest Buddhist complex in Orissa built on a sandstone hill.

Orissa State Museum, Bhubaneswar It houses a rich collection of sculptures, coins, copper plates, stone inscriptions, lithic and bronze age tools, rare manuscripts written on palm leaves, traditional and folk musical instruments.

Ratnagiri Ratnagiri in the Birupa river valley in the district of Jajpur, is another famous Buddhist centre.

Tribal Museum, Koraput It is a Multipurpose Museum which was established in 1976. It consists of Stone sculptures, metal images, metal objects, jewellery, terracotta, wooden and tribal worship, Objects, textiles, anthropological objects, a small zoo, open air display.

BEACHES AND LAKES

Ansupa Lake This small but tremendously picturesque lake holds a well-known position in the tourist map of Orissa for its loveliness, immediacy to Cuttack and the fact that till the new past, it used to play host to migratory birds throughout winter.

Aryapalli Beach 30-km from Berhampur and 6-km from Chhatrapur, the beach at Aryapalli is calm and charming where the waves speak volumes. Its bracing and invigorating climate adds freshness to the soul.

Badaghagra Fall 10 kms. from Keonjhar on NH-6 towards Sambalpur, it is yet another small (200 ft. high) but exiting waterfall on the river Ghagara.

Balaramgadi Beach The confluence of the river Budhabalanga with the sea at Balaramgadi, situated 2 km from Chandipur, presents guests with a scenic picnic mark with fishing and boat rides unnerved in.

Balighai Beach The Casuarina fringed Balighai beach, located 8 km from Puri, is a famous picnic spot.

Baliharachandi Beach Though Baliharachandi, located 27 km from Puri, is known for the shrine of the Goddess Harachandi, this lonely beach with its roundabout sand dunes can be quite enchanting.

Barehipani & Joranda Falls Barheipani is yet another waterfall situated on the river Budhabalanga in the Meghasan mountain of Mayurbhanj district.

Beleshwar Beach The Baleshwar beach is quite well-known for the Shaivite shrine, Beleswar that is located at a distance of 15 kilometer from Puri in Orissa, India.

Chandipur Beach 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.

Chandrabhaga Beach Close to the famous Sun Temple of Konark, is a lovely and quiet beach - Chandrabhaga. The beach, known for its beauty and solitude, has long served as a stump to the exquisite and intricate sculptures on the Sun holy place.

Chilka Lake Just south of Puri, the sea mixes in with the 1100 sq.km inland Chilika Lake to create the largest brackish water lake in Asia.

Gopalpur on Sea Hardly 16 km from Berhampur, the club of Southern Orissa, is the tiny town of Gopalpur on the Bay of Bengal.

Harishankar Waterfalls Is located on the southern side of Gandhamardhan hills in Balangir. The Harishankar dazzles with a series of bewitching waterfalls cascading on the hillslopes.

Hatipathar Falls 3-km from Rayagada, the river Nagavali flows through a deep cut valley, forming two beautiful waterfalls.

Hirakud Reservoir A mere 16 km north of Sambalpur town stands the Hirakud Dam on the river Mahanadi - the longest dam in the world and the largest dam made of earth.

Indravati Reservoir Originating near Thuamul-Rampur, Indravati makes its winding course through dense forests and sun-kissed valleys till she halts at Khatiguda, near Tentuli Khunti, 20-km from Nawarangpur, to form a reservoir in the hands of modern sculptors.

Khanduala Falls The jungles of Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary, situated around 32-km from Bhawanipatna, provide the setting for another of Orissa's charming waterfall called Khanduala, so named because of the shrine of the Goddess Khanduala situated on the top of the hill.

Kolab Reservoir Only 15 km from Koraput, the river Kolab makes a stunning jump at Bagra to form a reservoir called "Upper Kolab Irrigaion Project". An perfect place for outing, it is a panacea for city dwellers.

Konark Beach Only 32-km from Puri on Marine Drive, one could find a sprawling beach at Konark rated as one of the finest in the world. With a long stretch of cleans sands - cool blue sea making rapids in rolling waves - the beach claims to be one of the best in the eastern coast for having a lovely serenity of its own.

Mahanadi River The major rivers of Orissa from north to south are the subamarekha, the Burhabalanga, the Baitarani, the Brahmani, the Mahanadi and the Rushikulya. The smaller ones are the Salandi, the Vamsadhara, the Nagavali, the Kolab, the lndravati, the Sileru, the Sabari and the Poteru.

Miriglotah Falls Aproximately 110 kms from Rourkela, a beautiful waterfall of Orissa.

Nrusimhanath The sacred hills of Gandhamardan in the district of Bargarh preserve the temple of Nrusimhanath.

Paradeep Beach Paradeep, a major seaport of India for trade activities with a fine sea beach, is an enjoyable tourist resort 94-km from Cuttack.

Pati-Sonapur Beach Approximately 20-km from Berhampur, 35-km from Gopalpur-on-Sea and 4-km off the NH-5 that connects Calcutta with Chennai the virgin beach at Pati-Sonapur is one of the most exquisite on the east coast.

Phurli Jharan Waterfall 15-km from Bhawanipatna, Phurli Jharan, a perennial waterfall of 16m high, has a special charm of its own.

Pradhanpat Close to the town of Deogarh, Padhanpat hill with its pictorial waterfall offers a rare scenic beauty. It is at a distance of 96 kms from Deogarh.

Puri Beach Looking forward for an amazingly wonderful holiday? Welcome to the beach of Puri. The pious land of Puri is probably one of the finest beaches in India on the coastline of Orissa. Situated on the shores of the breathtakingly beautiful Bay of Bengal.

Putudi Falls Located 15-km from Phulbani, the natural beauty of the Putudi falls on the river Bada Saluki, with dense forests and hills on either side have entranced guests over the ages.

Ramchandi Beach On the confluence of the river Kusabhadra and the Bay of Bengal, Ramchandi is a beautiful beach. Goddess Ramchandi, the presiding deity of the Konark region is worshipped here with reverence.

Rengali River Brahmani shelters a dam and reservoir at Rengali amidst charming environs. At a distance of 92-km from Angul, it is a quiet place for outing.

Sorada Reservoir About 80 km from Berhampur, Sorada holds in its bosom a reservoir amidst uncommon scenic charm.

Talasari Beach At a distance of 88-km from Balasore, 4-km from Chandaneswar and 8-km from Digha (in West Bengal) is the tranquil beach at Talasari.

The Khandadhar Falls One of the prettiest districts on the tourist circuit is the Sundargarh region. Situated amidst its lush forests is Orissa's most well-known waterfall, the Khandadhar fall (244m).

The Sanghagara Falls Sanghagara fall (30m) lies about 5-km from Keonjhar and is counted amongst the most popular picnic sites in the region.

Upper Jonk An irrigation project, Upper Jonk, near village Patora, 16-km from Nawapara, the District Headquarters town, is a place of rare beautiful charm and an asylum to aquatic fauna.

Duduma Waterfall Developed as a hydro-electric project with a beautiful township amidst deep greenery of nature, Machhakund forms a precipitous waterfall.

SPIRITUAL

Ahirabandh Jagannatha Temple Once upon a time there was a town called "Ahirabandh". One of the villagers uses to worship a stone in the center of the village. Ananta Vasudeva Temple The plan of the Anata-Vasudeva temple differs significantly from that of the other temples. Ashokan Rock Edict (Dhauli) Ashokan Rock Edict is located at Dhauli, 8 km south of Bhubaneswar. This magnificent Buddhist Temple was built by Indo-Japanese collaboration. Buddhist Sculpture The study of Buddhist statue and art from the relics and monuments in Orissa points to the gradual transformation of the Mahayana form of Buddhism into the Vajrayana form of Buddhism by the heart of the ninth century A.D. Chitrakarini Temple Like the 'Brahmesvara' temple, the Chitrakarini temple, with four subsidiary shrines at the corners, is of the 'Panchayatana' (five-shrined) type, the whole group enclosed by a compound-wall. Dhauli Dhauli, Orissa, is famous for its Buddhist Monuments. It also happens to be the place where the bloodiest of battles was fought and won by Emperor Ashok. Gauri Temple There are two other temples at Bhubaneswar, which may be regarded as close contemporaries of the Mukteshwar temple. Harishankar Temple The foaming waters sparkle vibrantly, acting as a enjoyable contrast to the unmelting hardness of the granite bed from which it cascades through the sun-dappled jungle. Iskcon Temple The delightfully built Iskcon temple (413-517) is situated on National Highway No.5, Nayapali. Jaugada Temple Jaugada forms a fraction of the Malati range of hills and occupies a significant place in Ashokan studies. Khiching Temple The town of Khiching, which is now a rather distant destination in the northern area of Orissa, Khirachora Gopinath Temple The Kshira Chora Gopinath temple is situated in Remuna. It is a little town located 9-km east of Balasore, about halfway between Calcutta and Puri . Konark Sun Temple Magnificent in its isolation, the temple of the Sun at Konark (a.k.a Konarak), about 20 miles northeast of Puri, has been hailed as the supreme achievement of the architectural genius of Orissa, Lingaraja Temple It is one of the finest Shiva peetha in India and is named after the 'Ling' or the 'Phallic symbol enshrined in it.This temple is called a temple complex because almost 65 secondary temples cluster around the central structure. Madhava Temple The famous Madhava temple is situated on the eastern bank of the Prachi River, about 6-kms from Niali. Markandeyesvara Temple A photocopy of the Sisiresvara temple, it is located near the southwest corner of "Bindu-Sarovara". Mukteswara Temple Built in the 10th century, this small elegant temple has been described as the most exquisitely ornamented temple in Bhubaneswar. Naraj A charming scenic spot, Naraj was a well-known seat of Buddhist culture & learning. The scenic view of the river Mahanadi at the source of its branch Kathjodi is simply bewitching.   Nrusinghanath Temple The Vidala-Nrusimha Temple stands amidst the verdant beauty of the picturesque Gandhamardan hills. Nrusinghanath is a popular and attractive pilgrim point. Kapilesvara Temple There are many other temples that are worth visiting during your temple tours to Orissa in India. Padmapur Temples Sites of interest include Ayodhya, where rich sculptural remains have been found; Kupari, with the ruins of an old Buddhist temple and monastery Papanasini & The Kapileswar After the Gangas,the magnificent era of temple- building activities in Orissa was over, but the strength lingered on during the succeeding period of Suryavamsi supremacy which also witnessed the erection of some notable temples in Orissa. Parasurameswara Temple The small temple of Parashurameswar, also at Bhubaneswar, is believed to be a good specimen of early Orissan architecture of the post-Buddhist period, as is seen from its rudimentary vimana. Parvati Temple Of the many secondary sanctuaries in the courtyard, the temple of Parvati is a fine architectural piece, remarkable for the exuberance of its carvings, but overshadowed by the 'Lingaraja' temple itself. Rajarani Temple The Raj Rani Temple (11th century), which is surrounded by a nice garden is no longer used for worship. This temple was dedicated to Lord Brahma and is known for its well-carved tower. Ranipur Jharial Situated in the green environs of the Titilagarh sub-division in Balangir district, the twin villages of Ranipur- Jharial bear strong traces of their very old heritage. Ratnagiri Ratnagiri, Orissa, is a must visit on your tour to Buddhist monuments in Orissa for its two spacious monasteries, a large Stupa, Buddhist shrines and intricately carved sculptures. Siddhesvara Temple The eastern edge of the terrace in front of the 'Muktesvara' temple is lined by six small shrines, of which the one on the extreme north is a specimen of the 'Khakhara' Order. Simhanath Temple It is situated in a rocky island in the Mahanadi River and can be approached from the village Gopinathpur in the Cuttack district. Sisiresvara Temple In the same compound, immediately to the north of the 'Vaital Deul' and contemporaneous with it, is the Sisiresvara temple, now deprived of its crowning members and also 'Vi-Sama' and the fifth 'Bhumi-Amla'. Svarnajalesvara Temple Svarnajaleswar Temple is situated a small south of Parsurameswar Temple and has beautiful depictions from the epic Ramayan. The Jagannath Temple Another notable example of the middle period is the well-known temple of Jagannath at Puri (shown at the top of this page). The Satrughnesvava Group This temple belongs to the 6th century A.D. group of temples. Even the earliest extant temple, the Satrughaneswar, is found to be a mature conception and origin of the monument apparently lie further back. The Temples of Sonepur From very ancient times, Sonepur is considered as a holy city. The Kosalananda Kavya of Kavi Gangadhara Mishra, written in 1664 A.D., describes the temple city of Sonepur as "the second Varanasi of India". Udayagiri Pilgrimage The largest Buddhist Complex in Orissa, Udayagiri in the district of Jajpur has assumed further importance after recent excavations which revealed the ancient name of the monastery as Madhavapura Mahavihara. Vaital Temple This interesting 8th century temple is dedicated to Chamunda (Kali). She wears a necklace of skulls and is shown as the eight-armed slayer of the buffalo demon. Yamesvara Temple The Duel & Jagamohana It is a quite large-sized temple situated on the left side of the road to the Khandagiri. It bears all the peculiarities of a Ganga monument. Yogini Shrine Yogini Temple is situated about 15 km from Bhubaneswar at Hirapur. One of the four Yogini Temples in India, it has beautiful Yoginis carved from black chlorite WILDLIFE AND SANCTUARIES Ambapani Sanctuary Pre-historic Cave Paintings at Gudahandi  Located 77-kms from Bhawanipatna and 45-kms from Nowrangpur, Ambapani is famous for the deity of Budharaja installed in a small temple at the foot of a hill.   Badarama Wildlife Sanctuary Badarama sanctuary also commonly known as Usakothi, located in the district of Sambalpur, 48 km. from Sambalpur on the NH-6 under Bamra Forest Division.    Baisipali Wildlife Sanctuary Adjacent to Satkosia gorge and located in the Nayagarh district, the Baisipalli wildlife sanctuary is having related and contiguous habitat features as the Satkosia gorge sanctuary. Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary Balukhand Sanctuary, covering an area of 72 square kilometers, this sanctuary was established in 1984 to protect the shoreline nesting sites of olive ridley and green sea turtles. There are various groups of black buck existing on land. The best time for a visit is between October to May. Belghar Sanctuary Wild Elephants 158- kms from Phulbani are the solid tropical forests of Belghar. The dense plants of the area are a host to a variety of flora and fauna.   Bhitarkanika Wildlife Reserve & National Park It is called 'a slice of paradise on the earth and is one of the best sanctuaries in India .It is situated in the second largest mangrove forest in the country and provides an ideal habitat for reptiles including crocodiles, sea turtles and water monitor Lizards. Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary Chilika, the largest brackish water wetland (1000 sq. km aprox.) in the country is situated in the east coast of the state in the district of Puri, Ganjam and Khurda. Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary With an area of 346.91 sq.kms. The Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary is situated in the Baragarh district. Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary This is a stretch of beach that is used for breeding the giant Olive Turtles, who travel all way from Pacific Ocean to mate and lay their eggs. Every year, thousands of amazing creatures are seen here. Gandhamardan Hill Trek The hill Gandhamardan enshrines Nrusimhanath on its northern incline in the district of Bargarh while on the southern incline is Harisankar in Balangir district.    Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary Hadgarh wildlife sanctuary is located in the district of Keonjhar only at distance of 20kms from Bhadrak on NH-5. It was established in the year 1978 covering an area of regarding 191.06sq. kms.   Karlapat About 35-km from Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters of Kalahandi, on Bhawanipatna-Thuamula-Rampur road is Karlapat, well-known for its pleasant wildlife. Khalasuni Wildlife Sanctuary Khalasuni's undulating topography ranging from 223 mt. to 750 mt. offers a wide fanging scenic beauty of wild virgin forests. Khalasuni wildlife sanctuary is situated in the Rairakhol sub-division of Sambalpur district. Kotagarh Wildlife Sanctuary Among the Aos, the most important festival is Moatsu, which is celebrated after the sowing is over. Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary The Kuldiha wildlife sanctuary is located in the district of Balasore with an area of 272.75 sq.kms. This sanctuary is linked to the Similipal National Park through Sukhupata hills and Nato hill ranges. Lakhari Valley Sanctuary Located in Ganjam, it has a vast concentration of elephants and other wildlife. Blackbucks abound in the Bhetnai region. Nandankanan Zoo Amidst lush green forest along the banks of Kanjia lake, lies Nandankanan Zoological Park which together with lake and Botanical garden is declared as sanctuary (4.4. sq. km.).   Nilgiri Hill Trek Located in the Balasore district, the Nilagiri hill in the Kuldiha jungle is a trekker's delight with its silvery streams and vast gorgeousness.   Padmatala Sanctuary The little hamlet of Padmatala, located 37-kms from Phulbani , is well-known for the existence of a pond, which is used by the wild animals of the region as a watering hole. Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary This sanctuary was established in 1976 and the total sanctuary area is about 745.52 sq.kms. Similipal Tiger Reserve & National Park The little hamlet of Padmatala, located 37-kms from Phulbani , is well-known for the existence of a pond, which is used by the wild animals of the region as a watering hole. The Chandaka Elephant Reserve Twenty kilometers from the centre of temple city of Bhubaneswar lay ChandM-Dampara Sanctuary (175.79 sq. km.). This little and good-looking sanctuary with undulating topography presents a charming rejuvenated forest and rich bio-diversity. Tikarpara The site of one of the most magnificent vistas of river and forest, the 'Satkosia Gorge' where the great Mahanadi River crashes in with monumental force is a dizzyingly enervating experience for the guests. Ushakothi One of Orissa's smaller sanctuaries, it still offers visitors a perfect opportunity to see elephants, tigers, panthers, sambars, from the watch towers placed strategically near the watering holes or board a jeep. Mahendragiri Hill Trek Parlakhemundi in the Gajapati district is home to the gorgeous Mahendragiri Hill, which is the destination of plentiful trekkers who can, on a good day, sight elephants, spotted deer and even leopards. Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary Situated close to the boundary of Chhatisgarh state on the western fringe of Orissa in the newly created Nuapada region, this sanctuary covers 600 sq. km. of dry deciduous forests.