THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Principal Investigator Prof. S. P. Bansal

Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi University, Rewari

Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Prashant K. Gautam

Director, UIHTM, Panjab University, Chandigarh

Paper Coordinator Prof. Manoj Dixit

Vice Chancellor, R.M.L. University, Faizabad, UP

Content Writer Dr. Pravin S. Rana

Asstt. Prof-Tourism Management, Banaras Hindu

University, Varanasi

Content Reviewer Prof. S. P. Bansal

Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi University, Rewari

Paper 10: Tourism Products of India

Module 6: Tourism Product Regional: East

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Learning Outcome

2. Introduction of Region

3. West Bengal

4. Tourism Products of South, North, Hills of West Bengal

5. Tourism Attractions of Kolkata city

6. Odisha

7. Puri-Bhubaneshwar-Konark

8. North Odisha

QUADRANT- I

Introduction

Emerging from Bay of Bengal in a maze of primeval mangroves, West Bengal stretches

across the vast Ganges plain before abruptly rising towards the mighty ramparts of the

Himalaya. This state is India’s most densely populated and straddles a breadth of society.

As the cradle of the Indian Renaissance and national freedom movement, erstwhile

Bengal has long been considered the country’s cultural heartland, famous for its eminent

ITEMS DESCRIPTION OF MODULE

Subject Name Tourism and Hotel Management

Paper Name Tourism Products of India

Module Title Tourism Product Regional: East (West Bengal & Odhisa)

Module Id 6

Pre- Requisites General Knowledge of geography and History of 2 states

Objectives to give the basic knowledge about tourism resources of West

Bengal and Odisha.

Keywords Odisha, West Bengal, Kolkata, Chilka, Puri, Konark, Lingraj

temple, Sun temple

writers, poets, artists, spiritualists and revolutionaries. Overshadowed perhaps by the

reputation of its capital Kolkata (Calcutta), it is nonetheless surprising that this rich and

diverse state receives so few foreign tourists. In the World Heritage listed Sunderbans,

the Ganges delta hosts not only the world’s most extensive mangrove forest, but also the

greatest population of the elusive Royal Bengal tiger. As the ground starts to rise, the

famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway begins its ascent to the cooler climes of former

British hill stations. The train switches back and loops its way to Darjeeling, still a

summer retreat and a quintessential remnant of the Raj.

Highlights

early morning witness of first light on the peaks of Khangchendzonga from hill

station of Darjeeling & step aboard the toy train on the Darjeeling Himalayan

Railway.

Capture a wild rhinoceros with your camera from the back of an elephant in the

jungles of Jaldhapara Wildlife Sanctuary

Savour the warmth and glow of the ancient terracotta temples in Bishnupur under a

setting orange sun

Take a river-boat journey through the mysterious Sunderbans Tiger Reserve, with the

prospect of sighting royalty (in the form of a tiger).

History

Referred to as Banga in the Mahabharata, this region has a long history predating the

Aryan invasions of India. It was part of the Mauryan empire in the 3rd century BC before

being overrun by the Guptas. For three centuries from around the 9th century AD, the

Pala dynasty controlled a large area based in Bengal and including parts of Orissa, Bihar

and modern Bangladesh. Following the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, Bengal became an

independent Muslim state. The British established a trading post in Kolkata in 1698,

which quickly prospered. Siraj-ud-daula, the nawab of Bengal, came down from his

capital at Murshidabad and made his new capital Kolkata in 1756. Robert Clive defeated

him the following year at the Battle of Plassey, but after the Battle of Buxar in 1764 the

British took full control of Bengal.

The vast majority who enter West Bengal arrive in Kolkata. Siliguri’ s Bagdogra airport

has services to Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati, as well as daily helicopter flights to

Gangtok. Most arriving by land do so on Indian Railways, which has main lines running

south to Bhubaneswar and Chennai, and west to Gaya, Varanasi and Delhi.

South Kolkata

Sunderbans Tiger Reserve is home to one of the largest concentrations of tigers on the

earth, with semi-submerged mangroves that is part of the world’s largest river delta.

Royal Bengal tigers (around 270 in number) lurk in the impenetrable depths of the

mangrove forests. The 2585 sq km Sunderban Reserve is UNESCO World Heritage site

created within delta, was declared a Tiger reserve in 1973. Cruising the broad waterways

through the world’s biggest mangrove forest and watching wildlife, whether it be a

spotted deer, 2m-long water monitor or luminescent kingfisher, is sublime and a world

away from Kolkata’s chaos. The best time to visit the tiger reserve is between October

and March.

(source: http://www.sunderbannationalpark.in/)

Diamond Harbour

Diamond Harbour, once the main port of the East India Company, rests 51 km south of

Kolkata, where the Hooghly turns south and flows into open sea. While it is a popular

picnic spot, there is not much to see besides a ruined Portuguese fort.

Ganga Sagar Island

According to legend, after the sage Kapil reduced King Sagar’s 60,000 sons to ashes, it

was at Sagar Island that the Ganges revived their souls by flowing over their dusty

remains. Each year the Gangasagar Mela is held here, near the Kapil Muni Temple,

honouring the legend. This is one of the very important pilgrimage site for bathing

festival.

Digha, the Brighton of the East, is located on the Bay of Bengal, 185 km southwest of

Kolkata. While it’s a nice escape from the city, this is not a spot for surf. A less crowded

seaside hideaway can be found 14 km north at Shankarpur.

NORTH OF KOLKATA

Bishnupur was capital of Mallabhumi kingdom between 17th and mid 18th centuries, is

known for its beautiful terracotta temples made up of local red clay. The architecture of

these intriguing temples is a bold mix of Bengali, Islamic and Orissan styles. Intricately

detailed façades of numerous temples play out scenes of the Hindu epics Ramayana and

Mahabharata. The most imposing of these is Shyama Raya Temple built in 1643.

Bishnupur is in Bankura district, famous for its pottery, particularly the stylised Bankura

horse, and Baluchari silk saris. The Rasa Mancha Temple, Keshta Raya Temple, Madan

Mohan Temple and Shridhara temples are important in Bisnupur.

Source (https://www.wbtourismgov.in/tourist_place/place/bishnupur)

Shantiniketan: Rabindranath Tagore founded the serene settelemet of Shaniniketan in

1921, today known as Visva-Bharati University. Shantiniketan is the epitome of its

Bengali name, which means peaceful (shanti) abode (niketan). In the campus is the

Uttarayan Complex, where the poet lived and worked for many years. Shantiniketan’s

association with contemporary Indian Art is evident by the work of country’s leading

artist like Bonode Bikari Mukherjee, Nandlal Bose, Ram Kinkar Baij.

Murshidabad

In Murshidabad, rural Bengali life and 18th century architecture meld on the verdant

shores of the Bhagirathi River. Murshidabad was capital during Siraj-ud-daula (nawab of

Bengal), and he was assassinated here after the defeat at Plassey (now Palashi).

Hazarduari a palace famous for its 1000 doors was built here for the nawabs in 1837. It

now houses an astonishing collection of antiquities from the 18th and 19th centuries,

including historical paintings such as Marshall’ s celebrated Burial of Sir John Moore.

Beneath the lofty dome of Durbar Hall hangs a vast chandelier, rumoured to have been a

gift from Queen Victoria.

WEST BENGAL HILLS

Siliguri & New Jalpaiguri

The vibrant, crowded trading hub encompassing the twin towns of Siliguri and New

Jalpaiguri (NJP) is the jumping-off point for Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim, the

northeast states, eastern Nepal and Bhutan. For most travellers, Siliguri is an overnight

transit point where there are good meals, great shopping and a glimpse of snowy peaks.

JALDHAPARA WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

This rarely visited sanctuary protects 114 sqkm of forests and grasslands along the Torsa

River and is a refuge for over 50 Indian one horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).

The best time to visit is mid-October to May, particularly in March and April when wild

elephants, deer and tigers (rarely seen)are attracted by new grass growth.

MIRIK

Nestled near the Nepal border, halfway between Siliguri and Darjeeling, is this low

profile hill station and honeymoon destination. Mirik is surrounded by an undulating

carpet of tea estates, orange orchards, cardamom plantations and forests of tall, dark

Japanese cedars. It is a quiet retreat that remains off most visitors radars. Some of

Mirik’ s higher hilltops offer wonderful views of morning’s first light striking

Khangchendzonga(8598m).

KURSEONG

Kurseong, 32km south of Darjeeling, is the little sister of the Queen of the Hills further

up the track. It is a great stopover for those looking for a quiet alternative to the jostling

crowds of Darjeeling. Kurseong – its name derived from the Lepcha word kurson-rip, a

reference to the small white orchid prolific in this area is also home to several churches

and is surrounded by renowned tea estates. It is the southern terminus for the steam

powered toy trains of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Old colonial buildings abound

on the ridge above town, and the Forestry Museum, St Mary’ s Grotto, and the

Kunsamnamdoling Gompa run by ani (Buddhist nuns) are well worth visiting.

Darjeeling

Draped over a steep mountain ridge, surrounded by tea plantations and backed by a

splendid Himalayan panorama, the archetypal hill station of Darjeeling is rightly West

Bengal’s premier draw card. When you aren’t gazing at Khangchendzonga (8598m), you

can explore colonial mansions and churches, Buddhist and Hindu temples, botanical

gardens and a zoo for Himalayan fauna. The steep narrow streets are crowded with

colourful souvenir and handicraft shops, and a good steaming brew and excellent Indian

and Tibetan fare are never far away. For the adventurous there are superb treks which

trace ancient trade routes and provide magnificent viewpoints.

(source: https://www.darjeeling-tourism.com/)

Mountain Views & Tiger Hill

As with other hill stations, Himalayan views are a big attraction in Darjeeling. The

skyline is dominated by Khangchendzonga, India’s highest peak and the world’s third-

highest mountain. The name Khangchendzonga is derived from the Tibetan words for

‘ big five peaked snow fortress’ . Views from lookouts along Bhanu Bhakta Sarani, which

runs from Chowrasta around the north side of Observatory Hill, can be stunning in clear

weather. To set your eyes on a spectacular 250km stretch of Himalayan horizon,

including Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8501m), Makalu (8475m), Khangchendzonga, Kabru

(6691m) and Janu (7710m), rise early and get to Tiger Hill , 11km south of Darjeeling,

above Ghoom.

Toy Train

The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, known affectionately as the Toy Train, made its first

journey along its precipice-topping, 2ft-wide tracks in September 1881 and is one of the

few hill railways still operating in India. It’s even listed as a World Heritage site. Besides

its regular diesel service to/from New Jalpaiguri and steam service to/from Kurseong.

(source: author)

Tea Plantations

Happy Valley Tea below Hill Cart Rd, is worth visiting when the plucking and

processing are in progress. March to May is the busiest time, but occasional plucking also

occurs from June to November.

Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

This zoo was established in 1958 to study, conserve and preserve Himalayan fauna. This

is one of India’ s better zoos and the animals are cared for by dedicated keepers. Housed

within the rocky and forested environment is India’s only collection of Siberian tigers, as

well as Himalayan black bears, red pandas, snow leopards and Tibetan wolves. The

Himalayan Nature Interpretation Centre in the middle of the zoo has tacky wildlife

dioramas featuring the snow leopard and clouded leopard.

Kalimpong

This bustling bazaar town sprawls along a ridge overlooking the roaring Teesta River and

within sight of Khangchendzonga. Kalimpong lacks Darjeeling’s crowds and

commercialism, yet it boasts Himalayan views, tranquil retreats, Buddha shops, temples

and churches, and a fascinating nursery industry. Kalimpong’s early development as a

trading centre focused on the wool trade with Tibet, across the Jelepla Pass. Like

Darjeeling, Kalimpong once belonged to the chogyals of Sikkim, but it fell into the hands

of the Bhutanese in the 18th century and later passed to the British, before becoming part

of India at Independence. Scottish missionaries, particularly the Jesuits, made great

efforts to win over the local Buddhists in the late 19th century and Dr Graham’s famous

orphanage and school is still running today.

KOLKATA

Introduction

Kolkata is locally regarded as the intellectual and cultural capital of the nation. Several of

India’s great 19th- and 20th-century heroes were Kolkatans, including guru-philosopher

Ramakrishna, Nobel Prize winning poet Rabindranath Tagore and celebrated film

director Satyajit Ray. Dozens of venues showcase Bengali dance, poetry, art, music, film

and theatre. And while poverty certainly remains in-your-face, the dapper Bengali gentry

continue to frequent grand old gentlemen’s clubs, back horses at the Calcutta Race track

and play soothing rounds of golf at some of India’s finest courses. As the former capital

of British India, Kolkata retains a feast of dramatic colonial architecture, with more than

a few fine buildings in photogenic states of semi-collapse. The city still has many slums

but is also developing dynamic new-town suburbs, a rash of air-conditioned shopping

malls and some of the best restaurants in India. This is a fabulous place to sample the

mild, fruity tang of Bengali cuisine and share the city’s passion for sweets. Friendlier

than India’s other mega-cities, Kolkata is really a city you feel more than just visit. But

don’t come between May and September unless you’re prepared for a very serious

drenching.

Victoria memorial

Had it been built for a beautiful Indian princess rather than a dead colonial queen, the

incredible Victoria Memorial would surely rate as one of India’s greatest buildings. It’s a

vast, beautifully proportioned confection of white marble domes set in attractive, well-

tended parkland. Think US Capitol meets Taj Mahal. Built to commemorate Queen

Victoria’s 1901 diamond jubilee, the structure was finally finished nearly 20 years after

her death. It’s reflecting ponds from the northeast. But the many interior galleries are

worth seeing, specially the Kolkata Gallery, which traces an impressively even-handed

history of the city, including the experience of Indians living under British rule. Some

colonial statues offer a chuckle. Before the north door a sleepy Victoria seems to be

nodding off on her throne. In the main entranceway King George V faces his wife Mary

but looks more the queen himself in his camp posing britches.

http://www.culturalindia.net/monuments/victoria-memorial.html

The maidan

Loosely styled on the Buddhist stupa at Sarnath, the nearby Birla Planetarium is one of

the world’s largest and looks impressive when floodlit. Its outer circle forms a small but

well-presented, tomb-like gallery featuring astronomer busts and planetary pictures. But

the star shows are slow moving and rather stilted. Whitewashed with a central crenellated

tower, the 1847 St Paul’s Cathedral would look quite at home in Cambridge shire. Inside,

it’s extraordinarily broad, unbutressed nave twitters with birdsong and retains the original

hardwood pews. Don’t miss the stained-glass west window by pre-Raphaelite maestro Sir

Edward Burne-Jones

After the ‘Black Hole’ fiasco, a moated ‘second’ Fort William was constructed in

octagonal, Vaubanesque form (1758). The whole village of Gobindapur was flattened to

give the new fort’s cannons a clear line of fire. Though sad for then-residents, this created

the Maidan , a vast 3 km-long park that is today as fundamental to Kolkata as Central

Park is to New York City. Fort William remains hidden within a walled military zone,

but for an amusingly far-fetched tale of someone who managed to get in, read Simon

Winchester’s Calcutta.

Indian Museum, Kolkata

Indian museum was founded in 1814 and is situated in the present building of Asiatic

Society. The museum is known as one of the earliest and largest museumof the country.

The museum has a rich collection of oldest phase of Indian civilization dating from 3500-

1700 BCE and also a gallery dedicated to the Egyptian art and culture. “The Mummy”

and the railing of Bharhut stupa are the major attractions of the museum besides many

other important artefacts. The museum has rich collection of sculptures, paintings, coins,

textiles and also has the department of Anthropology, zoology and Botany. The museum

is known amongst the best museums of the world as it is in the single place that we can

get to see the rare objects of even obscure dynasties and periods and get a glimpse of rich

Indian art and culture.

(source: https://www.holidify.com/images/compressed/attractions/attr_1656.jpg)

Mother Teresa’s Mission

Mother Teresa’s large, sober tomb is situated within the Sisters of Charity’s

Motherhouse. There’s a small museum displaying Teresa’s worn sandals and battered

enamel dinner-bowl. Upstairs, ‘Mother’s room’ is preserved in all its simplicity with

crown-of thorns above her modest camp bed. Serious pilgrims or volunteers only are

welcome as visitors disturb the running of the house.

North of the Maidan

Curiosities around New Market include the fascinatingly crumbling Futani Chambers, the

perfect ’50s-style façade of Elite Cinema, the brilliant colonial-era Metropolitan Building

and the fanciful Tippu Sultan’s Mosque. Across Esplanade bus station, the north end of

the Maidan is dotted with monuments. Circus performers, political firebrands and dealers

in mystic medicines frequently entertain crowds around the Sahid Minar, a 48m-tall

round-topped obelisk originally celebrating a British military leader. Beyond is a somber

WWI cenotaph and a statue of LBG Tilak, who disdains the perfectly framed view of the

grand 1799 Raj Bahvan. Though designed to resemble Lord Curzon’s English country

house, the Raj Bahvan actually looks more like the US White House. It’s now the highly

guarded official residence of the West Bengal governor. The vast Ranji Stadium in Eden

Gardens hosts international cricket matches. Behind is a lake and picturesque Burmese

pagoda, but they’re currently out-of-bounds due to an arcane political squabble in slightly

more restrained style is the grand treasury building, whose arched cloisters are comically

stacked with decade’s worth of dusty paperwork bundles that bureaucrats never need yet

don’t dare to throw away. Between the two is the imposing colonnaded cube of the

former Calcutta Town Hall Building In its somewhat overgrown grounds are two curious

octagonal monuments, the mausoleum of Job Charnock, Kolkata’s disputed ‘founder’,

and a 1902 Black Hole Memorial that was hidden away here in 1940.

Barabazaar & Chinatown

Scattered north and northeast of BBD Bagh lies an unexpected wealth of religious

buildings. Alone none warrants a special trip, but weaving between them is a great excuse

to explore some of Kolkata’s most vibrantly chaotic alleys. Looking like a tall-spired

church, Moghan David Synagogue (Canning St) is somewhat more impressive than Beth

El Synagogue (Pollock St). The 1797 Portuguese-Catholic Holy Rosary Cathedral has

eye catching crown-topped side towers. Hidden away amid the bustle of Old China

Bazaar St, the 1707 Armenian Church is claimed to be Kolkata’s oldest place of Christian

worship. It has a low but finely proportioned, whitewashed spire that’s best spied from

Bonfield Lane. To the east the 1926 red-sandstone Nakhoda Mosque rises impressively

above the bustling shop fronts of ever-fascinating Rabindra Sarani. Its roof, bristling with

domes and minarets, was modeled on Akbar’s tomb at Sikandra.

Hooghly Riverbank

The Hooghly might look unappealingly murky, but it’s holy to Hindu Kolkatans whose

main festivals often involve plunging divine puja images into its waters. The riverside

ghats are interesting any morning or evening when die-hard devotees bathe and make

offerings. A photogenic if distinctly seedy vantage point is Babu Ghat, hidden behind a

grubby, pseudo-Greek gateway near Eden Gardens. Here the votive floating candles

simply add to the spectacle of colourful sunsets viewed through the impressively elegant

Vidya sagar Setu suspension bridge. Crossing that bridge takes you (eventually) to the

Botanical Gardens that were founded in 1786 to develop a then newly discovered herbal

bush called ‘tea’. The gardens’ 200- year-old banyan tree is claimed to have the second-

largest canopy in the world.

Howrah (Haora)

Howrah bridge Kolkata’s 700m-long architectural icon, is a vibrating abstraction of steel

cantilevers, traffic fumes and sweat. Although over 60 years old, it probably remains the

world’s busiest bridge. Beneath the east end, Mullik Ghat flower market is a sensory

overload of sights and smells that’s very photogenic. But beware that photography of the

bridge itself is strictly prohibited. Nonetheless you might be able to sneak a discreet shot

from one of the various river-ferries that ply across the Hooghly to the vast Howrah train

station. This 1906 edifice has clusters of towers topped in terracotta tiles giving it a look

reminiscent of a Spanish desert citadel. The station serves millions daily, emptying trains

picked clean by legions of destitute street children who are the subject of much charity

work and plenty of moving prose.

South Kolkata

Kalighat

Between Kalighat and Jatin Das Park Metro stations, Kalighat’s Kali Temple is

Kolkata’s holiest spot. The current structure, painted silver- grey with rainbow highlights,

dates from 1809. Of course the site is many, many centuries older and possibly the source

of Kolkata’s name. Inside, pilgrims jostle to present hibiscus offerings to the three-eyed

Kali image whose crown can occasionally be glimpsed through the throng from the bell

pavilion. Priests loitering around the temple might whisk you to the front of the queue for

an obligatory ‘donation’. Behind the Mandir, goats are ritually beheaded to honour the

ever-demanding goddess. The temple is entered from the west along a narrow alley.

Right next door is Mother Teresa’s world famous, if surprisingly small, Nirmal Hriday

home for the dying, with neo-Mughal minidomes pimpling the roof corners.

Alipore

Kolkata’s 16-hectare zoo first opened in 1875. The spacious lawns and lakeside

promenades are very popular with weekend picnickers and although some big cat cages

are rather confining, it rates as one of India’s best zoos. Until he died in March 2006 the

oldest resident had been Adwaita, an approximately 200-year-old giant tortoise, once the

pet of controversial colonialist Robert Clive

Kolkata University Area

College St is the heartland of Kolkata’s vibrant academic universe. The Asutosh Museum

of Indian Art has priceless if slightly dry displays of fabulous antique Indian sculpture,

brasswork and Bengali terracotta, with some more light-hearted toys and 20th-century

folk art upstairs. The museum is down the first lane off College St as you walk north

from Colootola Rd. It’s within Kolkata University, facing some grand, older collegiate

buildings.

Tagore’s House

Within Rabindra Bharati University, Rabindranath Tagore’s comfortable 1784 family

mansion has become a shrine-like museum to India’s greatest modern poet.

Belur Math

Amid palms and manicured lawns, this extensive, peaceful religious centre is the

headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission. Its centre piece is the huge 1938 Ramakrishna

Mandir, which somehow manages to look like a cathedral, Indian palace and Istanbul’s

Aya Sofyaall at the same time. That’s deliberate and perfectly in keeping with the

message of 19th century Indian sage Ramakrishna Paramahamsa who preached the unity

of all religions. Within the compound on the Hooghly river bank, several smaller shrines

include the Sri Sarada Devi Temple entombing the guru’s wife. Larger yet essentially

similar in design, the 1924 Swami Vivekananda Temple marks the cremation spot of the

mission’s founder and Ramakrishna’s most famous disciple. Swami Vivekananda’s room

is also preserved.

Dakshineswar Kali Temple

Shaped like an Indian Sacré Coeur, this 1847 Kali was where Ramakrishna started his

remarkable spiritual journey. Decorated with sepia photos, Ramakrishna’s small room is

now a place of special meditative reverence.

http://www.dakshineswarkalitemple.org

ODISHA

Introduction

Odisha is a captivating state with diverse, vibrant living cultures and an unrivalled

architectural legacy. It’s where mighty temple chariots carrying powerful deities are

pulled through city streets by a heaving throng of devotees, where serene stone carvings

of exceptional beauty continue to be excavated from early Buddhist sites and where

Adivasis (tribal people) maintain remarkable traditions that predate many of the great

empires of the subcontinent. Odisha is also celebrated for its natural heritage: elephants

and tigers crash and prowl through the Eastern Ghats at Similipal National Park, a key

tiger reserve. Chilika Lake, Asia’s largest lagoon, hosts the rare Irrawaddy dolphin as

well as millions of migratory birds, including pink flamingos. Bhitarkanika Wildlife

Sanctuary has dolphins, a surfeit of birdlife and monster crocodiles. In January masses of

olive ridley turtles pull themselves up onto Odisha’s long beaches to lay their eggs; two

months later, thousands of tiny hatchlings crawl to the sea. Ancient civilizations and

tradition resonate through contemporary Odisha. Witness the grand Sun Temple of

Konark, a dream of genius adorned with a storyboard of Odishan life. Modern artistry is

no less adept with stone carving, painting, silverwork and textiles in abundance. Many of

Odisha’s attractions are clustered along the coast where weary travelers can also find

inexpensive seaside retreats. Inland there’s a different India, where tribes live

precariously on the edge of mainstream society, yet manage to retain their colourful,

fascinating traditions.

HIGHLIGHTS

Exercise the eyes viewing exquisite carvings of the everyday, the exotic and the erotic

at the renowned Sun Temple in Konark.

Mind your mandirs as you explore the myriad carved stone temples in old

Bhubaneswar.

Follow Lord Jagannath’s mighty car through Puri in the Rath Yatra, one of India’s

most spectacular festivals

Spy on wild elephants to see elusive tiger in the jungles of Similipal National Park

Spot rare Irrawaddy dolphins, crocodiles, lizards, flashy kingfishers and herons as

your boat chugs through the mangroves of Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary

Rest your weary limbs and indulge in a surplus of seafood in laid-back Puri

Explore Odisha’s tribal areas to witness the distinctive Adivasi culture and barter for

hand-beaten metal jewellery and tribal cloth

Major Sightseeing- Southeastern

Odisha

Bhubaneswar- Konark- Puri

Circuit (Golden Triangle of

East)

Odisha is a beautiful, serene and

splendid state in eastern India,

boasting for its magnificent past vividly reflected in its architecture, monuments and

heritage sites and sublime natural beauty. The circuit of these three most celebrated cities

of Odisha offers a complete experience of diverse attractions of the state in an essence.

The circuit includes pilgrimage centers, monuments, natural sites (shoreline, lake,hills,

wildlife) and cultural attractions.

Bhubaneswar: this capital city of Odisha is a famous tourist destination and pilgrimage

center. It offers some of the splendid temple architecture which are the key tourist

attractions of the city like Lingaraj Temple (11th cen., 55 m high, dedicated to King of

Linga .i.e Shiva, also known as Tribhuvaneshwar), Mukteswar Temple (10th cen. Shiva

temple, famous for its decorative toran), Raja Rani Temple (renowned for its fine

sculpture of dikpals), Parsurameswar Temple, Brahmeswar Temple, and many others.

Some wonderful attractions in surrounding areas include Nanda Kanan Zoo, Dhauli

Stupa, Ekamra Kannan, caves of Udaigiri and Khandagiri.

Konark: Konark internationally renowned for the great Sun Temple which is declared as

the World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its exceptional architecture and historic

significance. The other key attraction of Konark is scenic Chandrabhaga beach. The

massive Sun Temple was constructed in mid-13th century, by king Narashimhadev I to

celebrate his military victory over the Muslims. The entire temple was conceived as the

cosmic chariot of the sun god, Surya. Seven mighty prancing horses (representing the

days of the week) rear at the strain of moving this leviathan of stone on 24 stone

cartwheels (representing the hours of the day) positioned around the temple base. The

gajasimha (main entrance) is guarded by two stone lions crushing elephants and leads to

the intricately carved nritya mandapa (dancing hall). Around the grounds are a small

shrine called Mayadevi Mandir; a deep, covered well; and the ruins of a brick temple. To

the north are a couple of elephant statues, to the south a couple of horse statues, both

trampling soldiers.

Puri: Puri is one among the four most sacred pilgrimage destinations for Hindus in India

(Char Dham) dominated by towering Sri Jagannath Temple. Jagannath Temple was built

by King Ananthvarman in 12th cen. is abode of Jagannth, Balbhadra and Subhadra.

Gundicha Temple, Puri Beach are the major attractions of the city.

Travel Information: Bhubaneswar is well connected by air with flights to major Indian

cities. Konark is around 65 km and Puri is around 51 km from the Bhubaneswar. All the

spots are well connected with each other by rail and road.

Chandrabhaga Beach

The local beach at Chandrabhaga is 3km from the temple down the Puri road. The beach

is quieter and cleaner than Puri’s, but beware of strong currents. To the east is a fishing

village with plenty of boating activity at sunrise. Exploration to the west can give you a

relatively clean beach all to yourself.

Chilika Lake

Chilika Lake is Asia’s largest brackish lagoon. The shallow lake is separated from the

Bay of Bengal by a 60 km long sand bar. The lake is noted for the million-plus migratory

birds including grey-legged geese, herons, cranes and pink flamingos that flock here in

winter (from November to mid-January) from as far away as Siberia and Iran. Possibly

the largest congregation of aquatic birds on the subcontinent, they concentrate in a 3-sq-

km area within the bird sanctuary on Nalabana Island.

Gopalpur-On-Sea

Gopalpur-on-Sea is a seaside town the British left to slide into history until Bengali

holiday makers discovered its attractions in the 1980s. Prior to this, it had a noble history

as a seaport with connections to Southeast Asia. It’s no paradise, but its un-crowded,

peaceful and relatively clean beach is great for a stroll and a paddle, or you can just relax

and watch the fishing boats come and go.

WESTERN ODISHA

Taptapani

Apart from the small hot springs in this peaceful village in the Eastern Ghats, there’s not

much else to see. The public baths (free) next to the sacred springs are particularly

popular with people with skin diseases and other disorders. Hot spring water is channeled

directly to vast tubs in its Roman style bathrooms

NORTHEASTERN ODISHA

Similipal National Park

The 2750-sq-km Similipal National Park is Odisha’s s prime wildlife sanctuary. The

scenery is remarkable: a massif of prominent hills creased by valleys and gorges, and

made dramatic by plunging waterfalls, including the spectacular 400m-high Barheipani

Waterfall and the 150m-high Joranda Waterfall. The jungle is an atmospheric mix of

dense sal forest and rolling open savanna. The core area is only 850 sq km and much of

the southern part is closed to visitors. The wildlife list is impressive: 29 reptile species,

231 birds and 42 mammals, including chital and sambar providing food for leopards and

tigers. The tigers aren’t tracked; the best chance to spot them will be at the Joranda wild

elephant (there are over 400 in the park), most probably at the Chahala salt lick.

Cuttack

Cuttack, one of Odisha’s oldest cities, was the state capital until 1950; today it’s a

chaotic, crowded city. Shopping is great: saris, horn and brassware are crafted here, along

with the famed, lace-like, silver filigree work (tarakasi). The 14th century Barabati Fort,

about 3km north of the city centre, once boasted nine storeys, but only some foundations

and the moat remain. The 18th-century Qadam-i-Rasool shrine, in the city centre, is

sacred to Hindus as well as Muslims (who believe it contains footprints of the Prophet

Mohammed).

Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary

Three rivers flow out to sea at Bhitarkanika forming a tidal maze of muddy creeks and

mangroves. Most of this 672-sq-km delta forms Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. A

significant ecosystem, it contains 63 of the world’s 75 mangrove varieties. Hundreds of

estuarine crocodiles, some 6m-plus monsters, bask on mud flats waiting for the next meal

to swim by. Dangmar Island contains a successful breeding and conservation programme

for these crocodiles. Less dangerous creatures are pythons, water monitors, wild boar and

timid deer. Bird-watchers will find eight species of brilliantly coloured kingfishers, plus

190 other bird species. The sanctuary also protects the Gahirmatha nesting beach of the

endangered olive ridley turtles).

Ratnagiri, Udayagiri & Lalitgiri

Ratnagiri has the most interesting and extensive ruins. Two large monasteries flourished

here from the 6th to 12th centuries and noteworthy are an exquisitely carved doorway and

the remains of a 10m-high stupa. The excellent museum contains beautiful stone

sculptures from the three sites. Udayagiri, another monastery complex is being

excavated here. At present there’s a large pyramidal brick stupa with a seated Buddha

and some beautiful doorjamb carvings. Lalitgiri Several monastery ruins are scattered up

a hillside leading to a small museum and a hillock crowned with a shallow stupa. During

excavations of the stupa in the 1970s, a casket containing gold and silver relics was

found.

Source: http://www.orissatourism.org/img/udayagiri-