Bhubaneshwar, Mar 15: Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa, also popularly known as the "Temple City of India" is fast emerging as India`s next most popular tourist destination.
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.
"Bhubaneshwar is a wonderful place. We have so many temples, such huge culture. It`s wonderful. I wanted to look for places where we feel Hindu spirituality, where we feel close to the Gods of Hinduism and Bhubneshwar is such a place," said George Smith, a tourist.
Some of the important temples of Bhubaneswar are the temples of Laxmaneswar, Satrughneswar and Bharateswar (6th century A.D.), Parasurameswar and Swarnajaleswar (7th century A.D.), Vital (8th century A.D.), Mukteswar (10th century A.D.), Brahmeswar, Rajarani and Lingaraj (11th century A.D.) and Ananta Vasudeva (13th century A.D.).
The other attractions of the city include the Orissa State Museum, the Tribal Research Museum on CRP Square, Kalanagar at Gandamunda, Ekamra Kanan, the biggest Rose Garden of Asia, Pathani Samanta Planetarium and the BDA Nicco Park.
Bhubaneshwar is well connected by air, rail and road to the rest of India. The modern Biju Patnaik airport is being extended to receive wide-bodied aircraft, and one may well see international charters landing here soon
With numerous hotels as well as the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation`s Panthanivas, Bhubaneswar is well equipped to accommodate every type of visitor.
"We think we have been welcomed very friendly and we enjoyed very much. We enjoyed the food, the hospitality, also the climate," said Luzi Smith, a tourist.
It is not only the temples that attract tourists to Bhubaneshwar. Dhauli, situated about eight kilometres south of Bhubaneswar, is home to some of the earliest rock-cut sculpture in India, including the sculptured forepart of an elephant atop the Ashokan rock edict with the famous inscription "All men are my children" which immoratalizes the historical event of Ashoka`s conversion from Chandashoka to Dharmashoka after the Kalinga war.
From the top of the Dhaulagiri Hills one can see the open fields besides river Daya, where the great Kalinga war was fought. The Vishwa Shanti Stupa, a Buddhist temple built by Indo-Japanese collaboration in this century, has great aesthetic appeal.
Also situated at a distance of about eight kilometres from Bhubaneswar lies the twin hills of Khandagiri and Udaigiri, honey combed with caves cut from rocks. The two-storeyed Rani Gumpha or Queen`s caves are especially important for their art and architecture. They are the largest and have the most ornate carvings, painstakingly and delicately done, displaying the high standards of artistic achievement in eastern India.
The Hati Gumpha or " Elephant Cave " is more austere in architecture. Recorded here on rock is the life chronicle of King Kharavela.
A few kilometres south east of Bhubaneswar, on the way to Puri, lies the ancient township of Sisupalgarh. The fortified town had a natural moat around it, formed by the river Gandhavati and is believed to be capital of Kalinga in the second century BC.
The other attractions include the Nandan Kanan zoological park famous for its rare white tigers and India`s largest lion safari park, the Atri sulphur spring, the Hatakeswara temple and the Yogini temple at Haripur with beautiful Yogini images carved in black chlorite.
Indeed with all these scenic surroundings, in addition to the large number of temples, Bhubaneshwar is fast emerging as a favourite tourist destination.
Bureau Report
