Bhubeneswar :
Bhubaneswar, the
capital of Orissa, is also popularly known as the "Temple City of
India". Being the seat of Tribhubaneswar or 'Lord Lingaraj',
Bhubaneswar is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. Hundreds of
temples dot the landscape of the Old Town, which once boasted of
more than 2000 temples. Bhubaneswar is the place where temple
building activities of Orissan style flowered from its very
inception to its fullest culmination extending over a period of
over one thousand years.
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 tourist destination.
Puri : Lord Jagannath Temple
One of the four celebrated
religious centers of India, Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath
needs no introduction. According to tradition Puri was once a
thickly wooded hill inhabited by the Sabaras (Pre-Aryan and
Pre-Dravidian tribes of the Austric linguistic family). The sunny
beach at Puri is one of the finest in the world. Watching the
sunrise in a symphony of colours is a wonderful experience. It is
one of the most popular sea-side resorts where visitors from any
part of the globe can comfortably relax.
The Temple of Lord Jagannath built during the 12th century A.D.
by Chodaganga Deva dominates the landscape for kilometers around.
Being the tallest temple (65 metres) in Orissa, it is one of the
most magnificent pieces of monuments of India. In front of the
main gate stands a 16 sided monolithic pillar (11 metres high),
called Aruna Stambha which formally stood in front of the Sun
Temple and was brought to Puri during the 18th century A.D. Some
of the other important temples are Gundicha, Lokanath,
Sunaragauranga, Daria Mahabir and Tota Gopinatt. There are also a
number of holy tanks like Narendra, Markandeya, Sweta Ganga and
Indradyumna. There are many Monasteries locally known as Mathas
also of touristic interest.
Konark : The Sun Temple
The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark
is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the
most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world.
The poet Rabindranath Tagore said of Konark that 'here the
language of stone surpasses the language of man', and it is true
that the experience of Konark is impossible to translate into
words.










