Bhubaneswar

Vaital Deul is located at a tri-junction west of Bindu Saravor. The temple was constructed in the last quarter of the 8th century. Vaital Deul is dedicated to the Goddess Shakti, and follows the khakhara style of architecture. The temple consists of the interconnecting parts of vimana and jgamohan. The vimana is rectangular and is topped with a tower capped with a vaulted roof. and has similarities with south Indian temple architecture. The back of the temple has five panels including an interesting panel of Ardhanarishawara (Half Female God), which occupies the central position. The eastern wall contains an elaborate stone panel of eight-handed Durga in Mahisasur – Mardini posture. Next to the Vital Deul is the small but elegant Sisireswara Temple. Constructed around 775 CE it probably predates it neighbour, Vaital Deul by a few years. This temple follows the traditional Oriya style with two interconnecting sections of vimana and jaghmohan. The top part of the vimana has collapsed and the jagmohan has been restored with a newly added roof. The Sisireswara Temple has intricate ornamentation on all four sides but encroachment has made access to the northern, eastern and western side impossible. The only exposed part of the temple is the southern side. This side is richly ornamented and includes Lakulisa and Ganesh.

Named after Lord Rama of the great Indian epic of Mahabharata the temple like most of the temples in Bhubaneswar is dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to the legend during the return journey from Lanka to Ayodhya Rama and Sita rested at this very place and Sita expressed her desire to offer prayer to Shiva. Rama built a Shiva Ling and hence the name Rameshwar. Historical record states that the Rameshwar Temple was built in the 9th century CE at the start of the Somavamsi dynasty. It is one of the earliest temples of Bhubaneswar and is considered at the transitional phase of the Kalinga school of architecture. The temple consists of a towering vimana and a mandap which is completely detached from the main structure. The mandap has a stepped pyramidical roof and has doors on the south and western side. The entrance of the main temple is on the east and the other walls contain only a few panels depicting Vyalas (mythical animals) and erotic panels. The other three sides, apart from the entrance, have black stone panels of Durga (north), Kartikeya (west), and Ganasha (south) fitted on shallow niches the temple walls. The entrance door is topped with a black stone panel of nine planets. The temple is housed in a large compound, which includes a large pond with sides lined with stone steps. The temple is also known as Mausi Maa Temple, which literally translates into the house of the maternal aunt. Ramchandra Temple serves as the house of maternal aunt for the Lord Lingraj. Every year the bronze statue of Chandrashekhar (representing Lingraj) along with the statues of Rukmini and Basudeva are taken to Rameshwar Temple from the Lingaraj Temple in a highly colourful procession. This happens on the 8th day of the month of Chaitra (late March). The deities stay in Rameshwar Temple for four days and on the fifth day they return to Lingraj Temple in a grand procession.

The temple complex housing the Lakshmaneshwar, Bharateshwar and Satrughanaeswara Temple lies just opposite the Rameshwar Temple. The three temples are in north south alignment with Lakshmaneshwarat the north, Bharateshwar in the middle and Strughaneswara Temple in the south. Built during the same period as Rameshwar Temple the three temples only consist of towering vimana with no other structures. Strughaneswara is the most intact of the temples. The front portion of the temple contains elaborate and intricate ornamentations. Bharateshwar Temple also has ornamentation on the front part but they lack the grace and beauty of its southern neighbor. Lakshmaneshwar Temple is the least decorative of the three and large portions of the temple have been reconstructed. Only the door frame contains some ornamentation.

Chaushat Yogani Temple or the temple of 64 yoganis is 20 km south east of Bhubaneswar in the village of Hirapur. In 1953 archaeologists and historian Kedarnath Mohapatra of Odisha State Museum pieced together the sandstone blocks to reconstruct the temple. It consists of a circular open-air structure with a small square central pavilion. According to legend in order to defeat a demon goddess Durga once took the form of 64 yoganis to defeat a demon. Once victorious, the yoganis requested Devi Durga to construct a temple in their honor, hence the concept of Chaushat Yogani Temple. There are five Chaushat Yogani Temples in India. Nothing much is known about the original date of construction of the temple near Bhubaneswar. Some scholar opine that the temple was constructed by Queen Hiradei of the Bhauma dynasty during the 8th – 9th century CE, as the nearby village of Hirapur (originally Hiradeipur) was named after her, while the other suggest a slightly later date of 11th century CE. The outer walls of the circular temple rise to a height of 2 m. The entrance is on the east and is flanked with statues of two guards (darpal). The outer wall has nice niches housing the images of nine Katayani, each of which stands on a served head flanked with digs. The Katayani are topped with an unbrella and each holds a blade as if the beheading has just happened. The inner wall has sixty niches housing sixty yogani statues. The central square pavilion has arches on each side, which are flanked on both sides with statues. Out of the eight statues in the pavilion three are of yoganis (one yogani statue is missing) and the remaining four are of Bhairavas.

The main shrine consists of jaghmohan and vimana. The four corners of the complex houses four subsidiary shrines, consisting of vimana only. The temple was probably constructed in the middle of 13th century and was commissioned by Narasingha Deva I (also known as Parama Mahesvara). The temple lies in beautifully manicured gardens with flower beds maintained by the ASI. Goddess Chitrakarini is an incarnation of Devi Saraswati, but the present presiding deity of the temple is Chamunda. The main temple and the subsidiary shrines have their share of external ornamentation. Most of it has eroded away or has been damaged.

This temple complex houses four temples and the stone-lined pond named Papanasini. The temples are Papanasini, Baneswar, Maitreswara and Varunesvara and were not constructed at the same time. Papanasini is the smallest of the four temples and is on the north west corner of the complex. It is a very small temple dating back to 14th century CE. Next to it on the northern boundary of the complex is the Baneswar Temple. Again a very small temple dating back to 9th century CE, making it the oldest temple in the complex. At the centre of the complex stands the Maitreswara Temple the largest and the most prominent structure of the Papanasini Temple Complex. The temple consists of an interlinking jogmohan and a collapsed vimana. Its construction dates back to the 12th and 14th century and corresponds to the rule of Ganga Dynasty. Varunesvara Temple is the second largest temple of the complex and lies just north of the Papanasini tank. This is the newest temple of the complex. It was probably constructed in the 15th century by Kapilendra Deva, the founder of Gajapati dynasty. Both the jagmohan and viman of this temple has remained intact. The stone lined tank of Papanasini lies at the southern end of the complex. According to legend, a saga meditated in this area for a long time without food and water for a long time and finally, Lord Shiva appeared. The sage wished for the construction of a tank that would be filled with holy water to cleanse the sins of human beings. The Lord granted his wish and hence the name Papanasini, literally meaning “cleanser of sins”. According to historians, the pond was constructed in 11th century.

A simple temple following the simple Odiya architecture. It was probably constructed in the 14th century and corresponds to the later Gangaa Dynasty. The temple has only traces of ornamentation, and includes sculptures of Ganesha, Kartikeya and Parvati, housed in their respective central raha niches. The complex also houses a subsidiary shrine located in the south west corner of the complex. It was probably built at an earlier date.

This is not a temple but a Hindu Monastery dating back to the 11th century CE. The three storied structure dates back to 11th century. It is in very bad condition and large portions of it have already collapsed. According to local belief, the monastery was constructed by Yajati Kesari, the architect of the Lingraj Temple and served as a living quarter for the artisans working on the temple. In front of the Bharati Math stands the Bharati Math Temple. Consisting of only the vimana the temple is partially buried under the present ground level. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is made of coarse sandstone with very limited ornamentation. There are nine small Shiva Temples behind the Bharati Math Temple.

Yameshwar Temple or Jameshwar temple is located opposite of the Bakresvara Temple, both of which are located north west of the Lingraj Temple. The temple dates back to the Ganga period of the 13th century CE. The temple complex houses several structures built long before the Yameshwar Temple. Several of the older structures have been buried under the ground and some of them have also been excavated. Historian opine that the older structures dates back to the 7th century, making it contemporary with the Parasuramesvara Temple, the oldest standing temple of Bhubaneswar. The west facing temple consists of two interconnected sections of jagmohan and vimana. The nat mandir (dance platform) is not connected and located at a distance. Something very unusual for Odia temple architecture, only the Sun Temple of Konark follows this plan. In between the main structure and the nat mandir is a statue of Nandi Bull resting on a small raised mandap (pavilion). The complex contains several shiva lingas, including a sahasra linga, with a surface covered with numerous miniature lingas. The outer walls contain intricate ornamentation many of which weathered off with time and many other has also been damaged.

This is one of the few abandoned temples of Bhubaneswar. Architectural evidence suggests that the temple was constructed in the 14 century CE, which corresponds to the late Ganga Dynasty. It follows the traditional Odiya temple style of jagmohan and vimana and the exteriors have very little ornamentation.

The 13th-century Shiva Temple is built in the traditional Odiya plan and consists of the two interconnected sections of jagmohan and vimana. Immediately to the north of the temple is a subsidiary shrine. The other wall of the temple and the subsidiary shrine lacks detailed carvings and the niches are empty. The idol of Lord Lingaraj is brought here on the 6th day after Shivaratri.

The 12th-century CE temple consists of only the vimana. Almost two meters of the temple have been buried under the ground. Under the Ekamra Ksetra Redevelopment Plan the buried portion of the temple has been excavated.

The 10th-century temple faces west and is made of coarse grey sandstone. The temple is partially buried under the ground and the surrounding heavily encroached by shops, stalls and residential buildings. The original temple consists of only the vimana but a modern pavilion has been added in front of the western entrance.

Like the neighbouring temples, this 13th-century temple is partially buried under the ground. It follows the classical Odiya temple style with the two adjoining structures of jagmohan and vimana. The exterior walls contain some ornamentation.

Dakara Bivisaneswara Temple is considered as a sub shrine of Lingaraj Temple. It was constructed during the 11th century CE and is contemporary to Lingraj. The deity of the temple is considered as a messenger of Lord Lingaraj. According to legend the temple is constructed by Bibhisana, the brother of Ravana. The temple has been badly renovated with several new modern annexations that have robbed the ancient temple of its antiquity. The niches are covered with modern glazed tiles and are added with extended concrete shed.

The temple follows the traditional Odiya architecture with the interconnected structures of jagmohan and vimana. The top part of the vimana has long collapsed exposing the Shiva Lingam to the open sky. The lingam was later transferred to the jagmohan. Its outwalls are almost devoid of any ornamentation.

A 13th-century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is east facing and consists of only the vimana. The jogmohan has long collapsed leaving on the footprints on the ground.

The twin temples dedicated to Ganga and Yamuna date back to the 13th or 14th century. They were constructed during the Ganga Dynasty. According to legend Parvati (Bhabani), disguised as a cow heard, was staying in Bhubaneswar, then called Ekarma. She was attacked by two demons Kirti and Basa. She killed both of them by crushing them underground. In the process she became thirsty. Shiva struck her trident and formed a pool appeared, it came to be known as Ganga Yamuna Tank. The stone line tank can still be seen north of the twin temples. Its water is said to contain magical healing powers. The twin temples built of grey sandstone consists of only the vimana. They have now been connected by a modern structure.

Sukha Sari is a temple complex housing the Sukha, Sari and another unnamed temple. Located on the northern end on the complex the west facing Sari Temple is the largest temple of the complex. Built in typical Odiya style is consists of the interconnected jagmohan and viman. It was probably built during the 13th century and corresponds to the Ganga dynasty. The temple has intricate ornamentation on the outer walls including human figures, deities, scroll work and floral motifs. The northern niche contains a beautiful statue of Parvati, Sadly the statues in the other two niches have gone missing. The temple complex has gone through an extensive archaeological excavation in 2014 revealing lower parts of the temple, which have been buried for centuries. The excavation also unearthed the remains of a further five temples, some of which may date back as early as the 7th century CE. Sarai temple lies south of the Sukha temple. It was built during the same time as Sukha Temple. The temple is west facing and consists of only the vimana, but the jagmohan footprints are clearly visible on the stone platform. The ornamentation of Sari is subjected to severe weathering but a few panels have remained intact over centuries and demand a closer look. The compound also houses a third nameless temple, consisting of the vimana only.

According to legend, the temple is named after Mohini Devi, queen of Sivakara II of the Bhauma (Kara) dynasty, but historians doubt regarding it. The temple dedicated to Devi Chamunda and is severely encroached upon.

The 8th-century temple has a newly constructed jogmohan, built of sandstone block, with no ornamentation. The original jagmohan has been lost long back and the vimana contains some intricate ornamentation.

This temple complex housing three temples lie on the northern edge of Bindu Saravor. The complex also houses a stone line tank known as Godavari Kund. The Uttaresvara and Bhimesvara Temple have been totally reconstructed and have cement plastered walls with bright yellow paint. A few statues of Ganesha, Kartikeya and Kama (with Rati and Priti) have been set on the outer plaster walls of Uttaresvara Temple. Asta Shambhu Temples is a cluster of eight temples, which still maintains its antiquity. The temples consisting of only the vimana have varying heights ranging between 4.2 m and 6.1 m. Five of the temples are in a single alignment and rest there lies at the corner of the Godavari Kund.

The old town of Bhubaneswar is situated around the Bindu Saravor. The majority of Bhubaneswar's temples are located all around the lake. The lake dates back to 7th - 8th century and is contemporary with some of the oldest temples of the city. The Brahma temple is located at the middle of Bind Saravor lake and with no regular ferry service the temple is generally inaccessible. But on the 42nd day of Chandan Yatra festival, the temple becomes a ritualistic centre, as the image of Lord Lingaraja pays a visit here by boat.

A winding road connects the Mukteshwara Temple Complex with the Bindu Saravor. The winding lanes and by lanes houses several ancient temples. Kotiteertheswara is the first of the temple and lies on the left hand side of the road. The 11th-century Shiva temple was built by the Somavansi dynasty. According to legend single worship of the lingam in the temple is equivalent to 1 crore (10 million) pilgrimage, hence the name Kotiteertheswara. Apart from the main temple the complex also houses a subsidiary temple. Both the structures consist of the vimana only and have almost no ornamentation. The complex also has a pond named Kotiteertha Tank.

Located north of the Kotiteertheswara Temple, the Swarnajaleswara Temple heavily is encroached, making it almost impossible to photograph the entire temple. The temple dates back to the 7th century and corresponds to the reign of Sailodbhava dynasty. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva went through an extensive restoration during the 1980s. The restoration was carried out by the State Archaeology Department of Odisha. The temple still exhibits some intricate ornamentation, including sculptures from Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The 13th-century Champakeswara Temple is located in a densely populated neighbourhood of old Bhubaneswar, but luckily it is one of the least encroached temples of Bhubaneswar. The temple follows the traditional Odiya architecture with interconnecting jagmohan and vimana. The temple lacks ornamentation had the central niches on all three sides contains images put up at a much later date. The complex house smaller shrines at the north east and south east corners. It may be assumed that the complex once followed the panchayatana plan, with the central structure being flanked on the four corners by minor shrines.

Subarnajaleswara Temple is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva dating back to 9th-10th century. The area was once inhabited by goldsmiths, hence the name. It lies east of Kotiteertheswara Temple and lies east of the Lingaraja West Canal. Consisting of the vimana only it has almost plain walls devoid of any ornamentation.

Sampoornajaleswara Temple lies on the west of Lingaraja West Canal and is approachable from the Subarnajaleswara Temple by a small bridge spanning over the Lingaraja West Canal. The temple dates back to the 9th-10th century. Unlike its counterpart on the other side of the canal, this temple has rich ornamentation on its outer wall.

One of the largest temple complex of Bhubaneswar and houses over 30 shrines and also includes a huge tank (Manikarnika tank). It is a satellite of the Lingaraj Temple. According to the legend the temple marks the birth place of sage Kapila, the father of Sankhya Philosophy. The main temple built in later Odiya style towers to a height of 60 ft. It was built during 14th century CE during Gajapati rule of Kapilendra Deva. Non Hindus are not allowed inside the temple complex.

Looking down on the plains that bore witness to the gruesome war waged on Kalinga by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, stand the rock edicts of Dhauli. It was here that King Ashoka, full of remorse after the Kalinga War in 261 BCE, renounced his bloodthirsty campaign and turned to non-violence. The edicts are a living testimony to the King's change of heart. He urges his administrators to rule the land with justice and compassion. The edicts are so remarkable that they have been excellently preserved, despite the fact that they date back to the 3rd century BCE. A sculpted elephant, the symbol of the boundless powers of Lord Buddha, tops the rock edicts. The Shanti Stupa or the peace pagoda, built through the Indo-Japanese collaboration, is on the opposite hill.

These twin hills served as the site of an ancient Jain monastery which was carved into cave like chambers in the face of the hill. Dating back to the 2nd century BCE, some of the caves have beautiful carvings. The Rani Gumpha (Queen's Cave), one of the largest and double-storied, is ornately embellished with beautiful carvings. In the Hati Gumpha (Elephant Cave), King Kharavela has carved out the chronicles of his reign. At the summit of Udayagiri is an excavated Jain temple. Khandagiri has an operating Jain temple.

The original museum dates back to 1932 and it has been housed in the current building since 1960. Housing a rich collection of sculptures, coins, copper plates, stone inscriptions, lithic and bronze age tools, rare manuscripts written on palm leaves, traditional and folk musical instruments. Rare epigraphic records are preserved in the Epigraphy Gallery.

Popularly known as the Tribal Museum it is conceptually labeled as Museum of Man. The museum was conceptualized way back in 1953. It was shifted to the present location in 2001. It gives an impressive insight into the culture of the many different tribes living in and around Odisha. Tools, clothes and artwork are presented over several halls. In every area a guide of the museum will take care of you and give you extensive explanations. No entrance fee.

Regional Museum of Natural History is an undertaking of Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India and was inaugurated in 2004. It exhibits plants, animals and geology specimens from Eastern India, North-Eastern India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Since 2017 the museum has used green energy through solar power production.

Headquarters of the East Coast Railway (ECoR). Hosts the Kalinga Rail Museum.

There are a number of watch towers to observe wildlife. While Kochilaberana, Pitagadia and Charichhak watch towers are excellent for observation of birds and animals, the ones at Kumarkhunti and Ambilo have the comfort of rest houses where one can make a night halt. There are two water reservoirs, Deras Dam and Jhumka Dam, situated within the reserve. The cottages near Deras provide a scenic view of the Chandaka reserve and a chance to see wildlife.

The botanical garden covers an area of 500 acres and was founded in 1985. It is undertaking of Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC).

The zoo has some rare species of animals and is particularly well known for white tigers. There is a nice lake inside for boating. There is also the Botanical Garden is adjacent to the zoo. Avoid visiting the zoo on weekends when it gets crowded. The zoo is also plastic-free, therefore you should avoid carrying any plastic products, including plastic water bottles. There are drinking water services inside the zoo.

Sisupalgarh is an archeological site south of Bhubaneswar. Archaeological evidence has confirmed that the fortified settlement was continuously inhabited from the 5th century BCE to the 4th century CE. Set on a square plan, Sisupalgarh covers an area of 1 km². The ancient fortified settlement is surrounded by a 9-m-high defensive wall. The fortified city had intelligent traffic management, pedestrian-friendly pathways, grand gateways with guardhouses, wide roads and vast open space. It was a smart city dating back to 500 BCE. Sisupalgarh is named after Sisupal a character from the great Indian epic Mahabharata. According to historians, the original name of the citadel has been lost. Today the remains of Sisupalgarh are scattered in two parts, the northwest gate and the pilar complex. The gate is an elaborate brick structure. It is poorly maintained, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) boards have long vanished, leaving only the frame and the site is overgrown with vegetation.The pillar complex or the queen complex is located just southeast of the gate and is locally called Shola Khamba, literally meaning 16 pillars. Contrary to the name there are only 14 pillars. The front row contains 5 pillars (excluding one, which has only its base) there is a cluster of four pillars in a square arrangement at the eastern end of the front row. Sadly today large part of the fortified area of Sisupalgrah have been encroached upon by rapid building activities. Close proximity to the state capital of Bhubaneswar, soaring land prices and administrative neglect have made Sisupalgarh a soft target of the land sharks.

The planetarium is named after the famous Odia astrologer Samanta Chandra Sekhar Mahapatra, who was popularly known as Pathani Samanta. The planetarium runs four shows daily between 2PM to 6PM – two in Odia, one in Hindi and one in English. Each show duration is of 45 minutes. The planetarium also conducts sky watching classes. Special events are also held on occasions of solar eclipse, lunar eclipse and other astronomical events.