PLACES OF TOURIST INTEREST IN ORISSA

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.

Cuttack, the former capital and one of the oldest cities of Orissa is the administrative headquarters of the district. The town is situated at the apex of the delta formed by the rivers Mahanadi in the North and Kathajodi in the South. It serves as a convenient base for touring the various places of interest in the district and is a hub of Filigree works.

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.

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.

Surrounded by paddy fields, the Dhauli hill brings back memories of the historic 'Kalinga war' which was fought around here. It is here that Ashoka, the terrible, was transformed into Ashoka, the compassionate and championed the cause of Buddhism. On the foot of the hill one can see the Rock Edicts of Ashoka and the forepart of a skillfully sculpted elephant hewn out of a huge rock. Dhauli has gained prominence due to the establishment of a Buddhist Peace Pagoda, popularly known as Shanti Stupa, built in the early seventies by the Japan Buddha Sangha and Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha. An old temple of Lord Dhavaleswar, reconstructed in 1972, also stands on the hill-top.

Located in the district of Kendrapara, Bhitarakanika harbours rich and unique bio-diversity which has been declared as a wildlife sanctuary and also a National Park. The area supports rich bio-diversity including dense mangroves (63 species), largest population of estuarine crocodiles (1098 as per 2000 census), the rare white crocodile (sankhua) and a number of mammalian species (spotted deer, sambar, wildboar, fishing cat, jungle cat others etc.). The sea beach, borderding the sanctuary attracts thousands of olive ridley sea turtles for mass nesting/egg laying during the winter months Bhitarakanika mangrove ecosystem is unique of its kind and it is a best reptile refuge in the entire country.

Queen of natural beauty, Chilika, the largest brackish water lake in Asia covering an area of over 1,100 sq. km is a great attraction for the tourists for fishing, bird watching and boating. In winter Chilika aflutters with thousands of indigenous and migratory birds of many varieties from far and near - even from the distant Siberia. The atmosphere is just serene and undisturbed amidst the blue expanse of water on one side and an evergreen range of hills on the other. Dotted with a host of islands with romantic names, a cruise in Chilika will be a life-long memory.

The sea shore town of Gopalpur with her blue beach attracts visitors round the globe and offers 'Sun - Sand - Surf' to them. The back waters of the Blue Bay enhances the beauty of the quiet beach. Far from the maddening crowd, the sea side resorts makes every moment a cherished experience. Gopalpur is frequented by regular bus service from Berhampur.

50 km from Berhampur, amidst lush green forests is Taptapani where there is a hot water spring. The hot water is channelised to a pond nearby to facilitate fascinating baths. Regular bus service operates to this place from Berhampur. A Panthanivas of the OTDC provides accommodation to the tourists. A pipeline drawn from the hot spring provides the natural hot water inside the bath rooms of this Panthanivas.