Orissa – The Land of Temples and Odissi

Orissa is state filled with green paddy fields and beaches lined with coconut trees. This land also gave the rest of the world the famous dance form of ‘Odissi’. But what give this state its distinct identity is the temples in this region. The capital city of Bhubaneswhar is called the ‘Temple city of India’ and is home to a number of world famous temples. The ‘Sun Temple of Konark’ is definitely the most famous among all temples in this state because of its unique architectural design. Not far from Bhubaneswar, this temple is also called the ‘Black pagoda’ and is shaped to resemble a mammoth chariot. The other temples in the vicinity of his city are the ‘Vaitul Deul’, ‘Mukteshwara’, ‘Parasurameshwar’ and the ‘Rajarani’ Temples are noteworthy. All these temples are built in a unique North Indian style temple architecture.

The city of Puri is also filled with many temples of historical significance and architectural genius with the ‘Puri Jagannath Temple’ being the finest example. The temple of Lord Jagannath is a world heritage site and is visited by millions of tourists every year. The annual ‘Rath Yatra’ or the chariot festival attracts millions of tourists every year. Millions of tourists make a beeline to this town in order to participate or witness the pulling of a gigantic stone chariot. The whole state of Orissa is filled with many lesser-known temples, all of them equal in beauty and history.

Apart from the temples, Orissa also offers nature lovers numerous beaches among them the Behrampur, Balasore and Puri beaches are the most popular. Wildlife enthusiasts can visit the ‘Nandan Kannan Zoo’ and the ‘Bhitrakanika Sanctuary’, famous for its Olive Ridley turtles. Accommodation is generally cheap but a number of five star hotels do cater to rich clientele. The language spoken is Oriya although you can get by with Hindi and English. The capital Bhubaneswar has an airport while the rest of the state is well connected by rail and road. The best time to visit is between the months of September and April.