The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu – one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. Puri is in the state of Odisha, on the eastern coast of India. The Somavamsa king Indradyumna of Abanti has built the main temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri. The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth 10th century onwards, on the site of pre-existing temples in the compound but not the main Jagannatha temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.many rumors are spread about the temple but there is no solid proof of it.
The Lingaraja temple is the largest temple in Bhubaneswar. The central tower of the temple is 180 ft (55 m) tall. The temple represents the quintessence of the Kalinga architecture and culminating the medieval stages of the architectural tradition at Bhubaneswar. The temple is believed to be built by the kings from the Somavamsi dynasty, with later additions from the Ganga rulers. The temple is built in the Deula style that has four components namely, vimana (structure containing the sanctum), jagamohana (assembly hall), natamandira (festival hall) and bhoga-mandapa (hall of offerings), each increasing in the height to its predecessor. The temple complex has 50 other shrines and is enclosed by a large compound wall.
Dhauligiri Hills is a place marked with the serenity of Daya River and lies at a distance of 8 Km from Bhubaneswar. The famous rock edicts of Ashoka are worth witnessing. Moreover, it is in Dhauli Hills that adopted the path of dharma which lets only peace and love enter your lives. The concept of dharma- vijay became his ultimate goal as he took Buddhist teachings deep into his heart. The end of the bloody battles was only to serve and favor mankind. With this, the religious and spiritual beliefs of Buddhism spread to different parts of the world. Dhauli Hills in Bhubaneswar takes you to the site of the Vishwa Shanti Stupa. The dome structure of the Shanti Stupa possesses five umbrellas and they symbolize the five essential parts of Buddhism.
Center of Tantric orded for the worship of 64yoginis carved out of black chlorite stone. The temple is believed to be built by the Queen Hiradevi of Bramha dynasty during 9th century. It’s built in a circular fashion, completely put together with blocks of sand stone. The inside of the circular wall has cavities, each housing the statue of a Goddess. There are around 56 such idols, made of black granite, inscribed within the wall cavities, centring on the main idol which is the Goddess Kali, who stands on a human head representing the triumph of the heart over the mind. The temple houses a central altar (Chandi Mandapa) which has the remaining 8 Goddess idols on all 4 sides. Some historians believe that an idol of Maha Bhairava was worshiped in the Chandi Mandapa.
Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, formerly called Kattaka Caves or Cuttack caves, are partly natural & partly artificial caves of archaeological, historical and religious importance near the city of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India. The caves are situated on two adjacent hills, Udayagiri and Khandagiri mentioned as Kumari Parvata in the Hathigumpha inscription. They have a number of finely and ornately carved caves built during the 1st century BCE. It is believed that most of these caves were carved out as residential blocks for Jain monks during the reign of King Kharavela. Udayagiri means "Sunrise Hill" and has 18 caves while Khandagiri has 15 caves.
Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1,100 square kilometres. It is the biggest lake of India after Vembanad Lake.
According to a survey, 45 percent of the birds are terrestrial in nature, 32 percent are waterfowl, and 23 percent are waders. The lagoon is also home to 14 types of raptors. Around 152 rare and endangered Irrawaddy dolphins have also been reported. Plus, the lagoon supports about 37 species of reptiles and amphibians.
Mangalajodi Ecotourism, located at a distance of 40 kms from the district headquarter,a destination to get a peep into Mother Nature. It is a Ecotourism destination on the northern banks of Chilika Lake in Odisha, “The Bird’s Paradise” hosts more than 3,00,000 birds in its marshy waters, especially in winters. It is one of its kind ecosystems, whose protection is epitomised by a sustainable lifestyle. Mangalajodi Ecotourism aims to inspire, inform and enable communities to turn ecosystems into a sustainable source of livelihood through well managed low impact tourism instead of exploiting them for short term profits. Conservation of wetland ecosystem and its avifauna is the key of the whole initiative.
Mukteshwara Temple (IAST: Mukteśwara; also spelt Mukteswara) is a 10th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. The temple dates back to 950–975 CE and is a monument of importance in the study of the development of Hindu temples in Odisha. The stylistic development the Mukteswara marks the culmination of all earlier developments, and initiates a period of experiment which continues for an entire century, as seen in such temples as the Rajarani Temple and Lingaraj temple, both located in Bhubaneswar. It is one of the prominent tourist attractions of the city.
Nandankanan Zoological Park is a 437-hectare (1,080-acre) zoo and botanical garden in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Established in 1960, it was opened to the public in 1979 and became the first zoo in India to join World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2009. It also contains a botanical garden and part of it has been declared a sanctuary. Nandankanan, literally meaning The Garden of Heaven, is located near the capital city, Bhubaneswar, in the environs of the Chandaka forest, and includes the 134-acre (54 ha) Kanjia lake.
The Khandagiri and Udayagiri Caves relive the memories of Kalinga Empire under the Jain emperor Kharvela. There are about 40 rock cut cave adoring the two hills separated by a road. It is believed that the founder of Jain faith, Mahavir had visited Udayagiri and khandagiri in the 6th Century B.C. Modern scholars are found in Rani and Hati Gumpha in theUdayagiti with description of the culture of dance in Orissa as far before as the 2nd century B.C. Modern scholars are of the opinion that the Udayagiri cave complex was also a theatre complex. Emperor Kharvela was a staunch and a great patron of culture. It is possible that he had created the caves for use of Jain ascetics as well as for cultural shows.