Orissa - Tourism - Bhubaneswar @ whatisindia.com

Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar - City of Temples is situated on the main railway line that connects Howrah in the north with Chennai in the south. Geographically it is placed at 20 The city is well connected by air as well as land routes with other parts of the country. This place is a bit hot in summer with the mercury occasionally rising to 42 celcius, sweltering and humid during the monsoon as the onrush of the south-east monsoon wind brings down the gushing rains and is relatively dry in winter, rarely the mercury plunging below 11 celcius. The Bay of Bengal, barely 100 kms away as the crow flies, exercises a moderating influence over the climate and keeps it temperate. Of course, the seasons have their own charm and the distinctive appeal and Bhubaneswar can be visited at anytime of the year. The period between mid-September and mid-March is considered as the tourist season when the sun is bright and warm, the sky is blue, the air is cool and the weather is generally pleasant. To the visitor, Bhubaneswar is a city of contrasts, co-existence and continuity. There is a happy encounter of past and present in this temple town which has a history of about 2500 years. All religions and sects flourished here.

There is the famous Lingaraj Temple which has been a centre of Shiva-worship. Buddhism and Jainism also received royal patronage and general acceptance. Emperor Ashoka won a bloody war in 261 B.C. but lost his victory in remorse and repentance and thus he embraced Buddhism. This is also the land of the great Orissan emperor Kharavela whose exploits and achievements have been recorded in the rock-cut inscriptions in the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri. The grace and majesty of Orissan art can be seen in the great temples of Lingaraj, Rajarani and Mukteswar.

In the modern part of the city which is only about forty years old, one finds the temples of our time, the major academic and research establishments such as Utkal University, the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, the Utkal University of Culture, Regional Research Laboratory, the Institute of Physics, the Indian Council of Medical Research, and so on. Life is quicker here compared to what it is in the ancient section. The city traffic cannot be called heavy even during the peak hours and parts of the city wear a deserted look for the better part of the day. The city is generally safe for travel at all hours. But as a precaution one need not venture out at odd hours at night. One invariably returns from Bhubaneswar with pleasant memories and a rich haul of memorabilia consisting of exquisite artifacts or beautifully designed hand-woven silk or cotton material or plenty of photographs of temples, caves, landscape and so on, and above all, with a fond desire to come back someday to the land of history and culture, into the folds of affection of the place and the people.

The major places of interest are listed in alphabetical order. Bhubaneswar has two distinct zones : one belonging to the glorious past that includes the majestic temples, the ruins of ancient shrines and cities, the caves and the historically significant rock-cut inscriptions and royal edicts, and the other belonging to our times with all the signs and symptoms of a modern city, such as the massive complex of the Orissa Secretariat, the nerve centre of state administration, tall buildings that are the veritable beehives of commercial activities, beautiful shopping areas, lovely parks and posh housing localities, the Universities and many other institutions of learning and research, luxurious hotels and restaurants offering comfort and food that would compare favorably with the best anywhere, and so on. This modern city is also the capital of the State. There is a sense of continuity as one finds the spire of the Lingaraj temple looking over the modern high rise steel and concrete structures, office complexes and hotels. The city is a living phenomenon expanding and growing with the passing of every day.

The visitor to this temple town can reach Bhubaneswar by air or bus or train. Once in the town he may choose his own mode of travel either by city buses or hired cars and auto rickshaws. But to absorb the ambience of the place and have a leisurely pace to his visits, he may prefer the cycle-rickshaw to other modes of fast transport. Figures against each entry indicate the approximate distance between the proposed place of visit and the railway station that is at the centre of the city and the gateway of entry to the majority of visitors to Bhubaneswar Ananta - Vasudeva Temple 1278 A.D.(4 km). Often considered to be a watered down version of the magnificent Lingaraj temple as far as the architecture is concerned, this 18.29 metre high lone Vaishnav shrine is the most finished temple situated on the east bank of the Bindu Sarovara. It was erected by Chandradevi, the daughter of Anangabhima III during the rule of Bhanudeva in 1278 AD. In support of this date eminent historians offer a fresh reading and interpretation of the text found on the commemorative inscription of the temple. This piece of evidence now is under the custody of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Other scholars think 1200 AD as a probable date of its construction. The temple has four component parts; their roofs ascending upward, culminating in the mastaka of the deul. The shrine has a profusely carved exterior and an ornamental platform within the complex. Ananta-Vasudeva temple is an important Vaishnavite place of worship with the images of the Holy Trinity, Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra in the sanctum. The parsva-devatas include at least three incarnations of Vishnu, the Preserver. It is customary for the devout to visit the temple after taking a holy dip in the Bindu-Sarovara, prior to the darshan of Lord Lingaraj. Scores of pilgrims from different parts of the country entering the temple with fresh flowers, sweets, coconuts and bananas as offerings to the deities is a colorful sight. They eagerly await their turn in the rush to partake of mahaprasad or holy food. Bhaskareshwar Temple (6 km). This small temple is remarkable for its 'stepped' design and the unusually high linga in its sanctum. The peculiarity of the temple structure seems to have been dictated by the practical necessity of performing rituals like bathing or garlanding or putting pastes of sandalwood and other perfumery on the tall linga which rises to a height of nearly three metres from the floor level. Some scholars believe that the linga was originally a free standing pillar.

Bindu Sarovara (4km)

Situated to the north of the Lingaraj temple this large pool measures approximately 400m x 230m. The devouts believe this Sarovara to contain water from every holy stream, pool and river of India and can purify them of all sins. Hence on its banks, they perform many rituals, or tonsure their heads and take a dip in its water. Once upon a time the tank had all its sides covered with stone. Today only the southern side and parts of the eastern side have the original linings made of blocks of laterite stone. At the centre of the tank there is an island temple to which the icon of Vishnu is customarily taken during the Snana Yatra. The embankment on all sides is dotted with innumerable shrines and temples, some of which are still under active worship.

Brahmeshwar Temple 1061 AD (6.5 km)

This temple was built by Kolavati, the mother of the Somavansi king Udyotakesari, in the eighteenth regnal year of his reign, in the Siddhatirtha locality at Ekamra. One of the inscriptions, now believed lost, stated that Kolavati presented many beautiful women to the temple. This presentation is interpreted as an early evidence of the devadasi (God's Maids) tradition. This tradition influenced the socio-economic as well as the cultural life of the Odissan people at a later date and formed a dominant and recurrent motif in Orissi music and dance. The importance of this system can be realized from the fact that this motif had come to be part of the art idiom too.The temple is a fine specimen of innovative and mature Orissan style of temple building. For the first time iron beams have been used to build up the structure. This is the second temple, after the Mukteshwar, to boast of a Jagamohana that has a finely carved interior. The sculptural details and the immaculate iconography show expert workmanship of the Orissan artists of the era. The figures of the musicians and dancers, the lion-head motif, the amusing and erotic figures and others exude a special charm. One must notice the beautiful figure of a young woman appearing a little bewildered and perhaps a little surprised at her lover's unexpected naughty probe into her body. The floral motifs, the intricately designed creepers, the flying figures, the images of the eight directional guardian deities and so on, are all meticulously executed and the chiseling shows an excellent sense of proportion, harmony and an eye for aesthetic embellishment on the part of the artists. The usual Shaivite door keepers stand above the double vidalas at the bottom of the jambs; the figure of the Gajalakshmi adorns the mid section of the lintel and those of the navagrahas are there on the architrave. This shrine, though dedicated to Lord Shiva, shows a number of images which might have been inspired by the Tantric cult of the time. On the western facade the figure of Chamunda stands on a corpse with a trident and a human head. Elsewhere many other deities, including Shiva, are depicted in their horrific aspects.

At the base of Dhauli, where the approach road to the top begins its incline, one can see on the left the Asokan rock-edicts, well preserved under a large rock outcropping with a rock-cut elephant head. The edicts are public injunctions, instructions from the emperor to the local administrators to imbibe and adopt the spirit of justice and compassion towards the people in all matters pertaining to the civil administration. Two new edicts, pacifistic in nature, have been added and the 13th edict, that glorified Asok's conquest of Kalinga, is conspicuous by its absence. The elephant head over the edicts is a sacred Buddhist motif testifying to the emperor's change of heart. To commemorate the historic events of the past, the Japanese Buddhists have lavishly contributed to erect a peace pagoda on the hilltop. On a clear day, standing on the steps of the pagoda, the visitor can have a magnificent view of the temple town with the majestic Lingaraj temple rising to the sky or watch at the foothill the silver strip of the river Daya meandering lazily past its serpentine bends, touching softly the embankments where the glorious past of Orissa has remained hidden.

Ekamrakanan

It is a wonderful experience watching the glorious sunset beyond the unending Ekamrakanan (10 km). Spread over a large area, Ekamrakanan is a modern nursery-cum-flower garden. It is a favorite haunt of the plant lovers as well as casual visitors as round the year the well-preserved beds of flowers offer a feast for the eye. The rose-beds present a riot of colours and the air is often thick with sweet smell. Many varieties of cacti can also be seen us.

Kedareshwar Temple (4 km)
This temple was constructed probably sometime between the last half of the eleventh century and the first half of the twelfth century. This period marked the decline of the Somavansi dynasty and the beginning of the Ganga rule in Orissa. The inscription at the entrance, on the right hand wall of the Jagamohan, records the donation of a perpetual lamp to Lord Kedareshwar by Raja Pramadi, the younger brother of the Ganga king Anantavarman Chodaganga in the 11th century. Thus it is evident that the temple existed as a prominent place of Shiva worship during the early part of the twelfth century. The thick-set gandi of the temple that faces south shows a certain immaturity in its architectural design and construction.

Lingaraj Temple (4 km)
The Lingaraj temple, measuring some 54.8 metres in height, dates back in its present form to the last decade of the eleventh century, though parts of the temple, it is believed, have been there since sixth century AD. The temple has been prominently mentioned in some of the seventh century Sanskrit texts which is a testimony of its sanctity and significance as a Shiva shrine.

This magnificent temple raises its majestic spire in the middle of a large compound which is nearly square measuring some 150 metres on each side. Over 50 smaller temples dedicated to many gods and goddesses dot the enclosure. Many of these temples are partially mined. The high rising protective walls made out of solid blocks of red sandstone give the temple complex the appearance of a fortress from the outside. The lone entry point, known as the simhadwara or the Lions' Gate, is on the eastern side. One can see the image of a ferocious-looking lion rushing an elephant under foot on each side of the temple entrance. Such sculptures are rather very common in almost all the major temples of Orissa. This is often considered to be a representation, through sculpture, of the victory of wisdom over ignorance; of enlightenment over a life of sensations, and so on. But in this case, some scholars are of opinion that apart from the conventional metaphysical meaning assigned to the sculpture, it is a symbolic representation of the triumph of a resurgent Hinduism over Buddhism at the time the temple was constructed.

Traditionally the construction of the temple is credited largely to the three later Somavansi Keshari kings though this claim has not been historically authenticated. The later limit of its construction is believed to be 1114-1115 AD, during the reign of the Ganga king, Anantavarman Chodaganga.

The Lingaraj temple represents the matrix of Orissan temple architecture. Structurally the temple is a four-chambered one consisting of the deul, jagamohan, nata mandir and bhoga mandapa; the last two are of course later additions. The nata mandira suggests a strong association with the devadasi tradition. The duel built on a pancharatha plan, rises to great heights. The deeply cut curved lines that run vertically on the spire produce an optical feeling of the temple being larger-than-what-it-really-is. Besides, the temple spire has miniature replicas of itself in the turrets, integrated into the overall structure of the temple.

Interestingly the massive granite block in the sanctum, the Swayambhu, is worshipped both as Shiva and Vishnu. Hence the temple rituals are partly Shaivite and partly Vaishnavite in character. So much so, that the kalasa in the mastaka region of the duel holds configuration of the trident and the wheel, the former the emblem of Shiva and the latter that of Vishnu. Historians believe that by the time the Lingaraj temple was constructed, the Jagannath cult had been on the rise and the harmony of the two sects can be seen in the Lingaraj temple where the deity is worshipped as Hari-Hara i.e. Vishnu and Shiva.

The parsva devatas include a magnificently executed larger than life four- armed image of Ganesha in the south; a beautiful Kartikeya in the west and goddess Parvati also in the west in a separate temple. Almost all of them are large in dimension and show very mature workmanship in the decoration of the draperies and other ornamental details.

Unfortunately the gigantic temple complex is off limit to all non-Hindus. But the visitor can have an uninhibited close view of the entire complex from a viewing platform on the northern side that was specially constructed for Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy of India. A pair of binoculars will be a handy thing to have if you want to have a close view from the platform outside.

Megheshwar Temple (5 km)
This temple which is 15.55 metre high, was built during the closing years of the twelfth century by Swapneshwara, the brother-in-law of the Ganga king Rajaraja, during the reign of his brother Anangabhima III (circa 1192-95 AD). The duel was developed into a sapta ratha in its plan and in construction effected a transformation of the spire into a nearly circular appearance by the rounding of the edges of the many offsets and projections.

Mohini Temple (4 km)
Situated on the south bank of the Bindu Sarovara, this temple, 9.45 metre high, in its architectural features bears a close resemblance to the Parasurameswar temple. The Jagamohana had fallen into ruins in course of time and has been restored recently. Mohini literally means the temptress. But Chamunda, the presiding deity of the temple, hardly looks the part. She is carefully modelled as a ten-armed tantric version of Kali and presented in a dancing pose in her terrible best. A six-armed image of Mahisasuramardini (she who crushed the demon Mahisasura) lies on the floor of the Jagamohana. One can see the usual group of parsva-devata such as Parvati, Kartikeya and Ganesha, though many carvings were left unfinished in the temple.

Mukteshwar Temple circa 950 AD (4 km)
This 11 metre high Shiva shrine is a little gem of a temple that was built during a transitional phase of Orissan temple architecture. The temple is remarkably fluent in its design and very elegant in iconography. It is also locally known as the Siddheshwar temple. The Mukteshwar gateway, a stylized version of the traditional torana, an arch, is a rare piece of artistic masterpiece which is lavishly embellished with exquisite floral motifs, elaborate scroll work and graceful female figures. The duel tends to acquire a plump and circular look in the spiral region. Every inch of space on the outer surface has been generously decorated. The jagamohana has stunningly beautiful lattice windows on the outside and a richly sculptured interior, lavishly embellished with floral motifs, and other figures. Over the doorway to the inner sanctum the architrave is relieved with the icons of the navagrahas, the nine planets with Ketu, the ninth planet appearing in form of a canopied three-headed snake. But in this temple the sculptured images of the deities appear without haloes behind their heads, which is rather peculiar and is obviously a deviation from the traditional mode of presenting the deities.

The outer walls are thickly embroidered with the figures of ascetics in meditational poses or with illustrations of tales from the Panchatantra. The niches are filled with the finely filigreed icons of many gods and goddesses mentioned in the pantheon of Hindu gods. Some of the figures on the outer walls of the temple suggest their association with both Buddhism and Jainism. They thus testify to the spiritual synthesis and religious harmony that characterized the Orissan culture. The artists' repertoire was beginning to acquire a secular character as the art idiom was steadily becoming rich and progressive.

Nandankanan (15 km)
Nandankanan is a beautiful combination of a well-looked after zoo and a luxurious botanical garden. The two are separated by a large stretch of water, a natural lake. It derives its name from the mythical pleasure garden of the gods, often described in glowing terms in the folk tales or the Puranic literature of the land for its timeless beauty, eternally youthful environment as well as the extravagant forms of entertainment.

The zoo has been established with the acquisition of a large territory of the nearby Chandaka forests. The well-preserved enclosure thus has all the advantages of a natural sanctuary providing the animals the feel of a natural habitat.

The zoo has a large stock of white tigers, now put into a tiger safari, in addition to the lion safari and a wide variety of birds and other animals, snakes and reptiles. There is also a crocodile breeding centre. All things considered the zoo offers quite a rich fare to the visitor. The animals are healthy and have a bouncy look about them. The children can take a joy ride in a toy train while the elders relax under the green canopy of shady trees or go for a leisurely floating-trip in a paddle boat in the lake. A family picnic can be arranged by hiring a few cottages on the lake at nominal charges. One could listen to the chirpy music of the birds or hear the sound of twigs snapping and watch the swirling water breaking into hundreds of ripples and lapping the shore. The experience is sure to remain etched in the mind. The zoo remains closed on Mondays.

Parasurameshwar Temple circa 650 AD (5.5 km)
This Shiva temple was built probably during the rule of the Sailodbhavas, once the feudatories of the Ganga king Sasanka during the early part of seventh century, who by the year 619 AD had declared their independence under the protection of Madhavaraja II. This 12.8 m. high temple, built on a triratha plan with a squattish, thick-set gandi and a beehive shaped deul having successive and inward tapering storeys and vertically tapered ribs converging at the top and a rectangular jagamohana is a very well preserved evidence of Orissan art and temple architecture during the seventh century.

This lavishly decorated temple has ornate lattice windows. The friezes depict in vigorous detail the floral patterns, figures of amorous couples, elephants, procession of horses. The paneled jalis are relieved with vidalas, a very popular motif found in Orissan art. Most of the decorations are to be seen in stone frames which in a way, are reminiscent of the Chaitya arches in the Buddhist monasteries. Eight planets appear on the architrave over the entrance door to the sanctum. In later temples one finds the navagrahas.
In this temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the images of Lord Vishnu and some other Vedic gods like Yama, Surya, Indra as well as the images of the group of seven mother goddesses appear. On the southern wall there is a fine figure of Kartikeya mounted on the peacock. The carvings are elegant and the style is typically Orissan.

Paschimeshwar Temple (5 km)
Structurally, Paschimeshwar temple shows a close affinity with the Parasurameshwar group of temples. It is situated within the enclosure of the Yameshwar temple. It had a half-buried shrine that has been demolished long ago. A visitor can still be happy to see the parsvadevatas. Mention may be made of Parvati, Shiva's consort, standing erect with a vase, a crooked staff, a rosary and a lotus held in her four arms with her mount the lion on her side. Kartikeya, the warrior son of Lord Shiva, can be seen seated on the peacock holding a spear and a matulinga in his hands. He wears his hair coiffured in a very stylistic fashion known as sikhandaka-kakapaksha. The elephant-headed god, Ganesa, the other son of the Lord, holds his favourite variety of sweets, the laddukas, a hatchet, a rosary and probably a radish in his four hands with his typical pot-belly tied by a snake. He is seated on a throne that is supported by a dwarf.

Pathani Samanta Planetarium (4 km)
Named after the famous astronomer of Orissa, Samant Chandra Sekhar this modern planetarium conducts daily shows explaining both in English and Oriya various planetary positions, configurations and other astronomical phenomena through moving projectors. Lectures in astronomy and astrophysics are organized from time to time to inculcate the love for science in the common people by initiating them to the mysterious world of stars and planets. Shows are normally held in the afternoon. The planetarium remains closed on Mondays.

Rajarani Temple 11th century AD (4 km)
This magnificent temple, currently without a deity to adorn the sanctum, has found mention in some ancient Sanskrit texts. Some scholars believe that this was the Indreshwar temple, an important Shiva shrine. The temple today has certain characteristics commonly attributed to places dedicated to Shiva worship. There is a popular belief that it was the Siddheshwar temple in bygone days. But in the absence of a presiding deity, the name Rajarani has sparked off endless debates to explain or justify this temple's name which sounds rather uncommon considering the fact that almost all the major temples in and around Bhubaneswar have suffixes that directly link them with Shiva. The most plausible explanation relates to the red and gold sandstone that has gone into the construction. This variety of stone is locally known as rajarania.

This beautiful temple, dating back to eleventh century AD, is architecturally a piece of fine poetry in stone. Of all the temples in Bhubaneswar, this alone has a pastoral setting, as it stands at the far end of a green field silhouetted against the luminous backdrop of a deep blue sky.

The jagamohana is extremely plain and bears all the signs of renovation work at a later date, probably in 1903, to save it from falling to pieces. The entrance is flanked by a pair of identical door keepers. They sport jata-mukuta (the crown of matted locks) on head, wear the ubiquitous garland of skulls and the snake, and carry tridents in hand which make it easy to identify them as Shaivite dwarapalas, Chanda and Prachanda. The architrave is relieved with the images of the navagrahas. The duel is innovative and unusual in its design. The rising spire is clustered with a number of miniature replicas of the main duel itself, to give it the volume and provide the balance to the load factor. The numerous offset projections give the temple an almost circular appearance.

On the corner projections of the jangha there are the eight dikpalas, the guardians of the eight directions. Indra, holding his thunderbolt, guards the east; Agni, pot-bellied and sporting a beard, with the ram in hand, controls the south-east; Yama, the staff and noose in hand and his carrier buffalo by his side, protects the south; Nirriti, poised over a prostrate body and holding the sword and a severed head, guards the south-west. Varuna, a noose in the left had and the right hand in vara mudra, his mount makara (crocodile) with him, preserves the west; Vayu, holding a banner is placed in the north-west; Kubera with the seven jars of nidhi, keeps vigil in the north and Ishana with an emaciated figure by his side, stands there protecting the north-east.

The upper region of the temple as well as the niches are adorned with exquisite carvings of intricate floral motifs or delicately poised nayikas. The nayika is presented in her many moods ranging from the serious to the sensuous or the frivolous. There are the nymphs or the embracing couples blissfully lost in their amorous dalliance. There are the women holding children or playing with the pets or attending to their daily chores or leisurely looking at themselves on the mirror. The zest for a life of sensuous indulgence can be seen in the figure where the nayika turns away from the emaciated figure of an ascetic. Elsewhere she is presented as an accomplished character playing some musical instrument. The bulk of art work in Rajarani temple marks a glorious celebration of the female form both in terms of art as well as aesthetic presentation. The female figures are often slender and sophisticated.

Ramakrishna Math (2.5 km)
The Ramakrishna Math is a branch of Belurmath and a part of the international network of the Ramakrishna Mission. In the past the Math had its association with some of the most prominent and direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. It conducts daily prayers, regular religious classes and discourses both in and outside the present premises. The Math has played a great role in its commitment to the cause of religion, education and philanthropic activities in many parts of the state.

Ram Mandir (1.5 km)
Situated in the heart of the city, it is a temple complex built and managed by a private trust. The spire of the main temple housing beautiful icons of Ram, Lakshman and Sita in the sanctum is a high rising structure visible from many parts of the capital city. The whole complex, consisting of smaller temples dedicated to Hanuman, Shiva and other gods, has been painted ochre but inside it is all marble. The temple is visited by the devout in scores everyday. But the number of visitors swells on festivals.

Sisireshwara Temple (4 km)
This shrine is situated immediately to the north of the famous Vhaital duel and is considered to be one of its contemporaries. The jagamohana is conspicuous by its rectangular shape. The beautiful figures in this temple show sensitivity and refined workmanship, amply evident in the Nataraj image within the medallion and the well-proportioned figures of the parsvadevatas like the four-armed Ganesha, the two-armed Kartikeya or the eight-armed Mahisasuramardini. The niches on both sides of the central projections have many variations of the Siva image. Other decorations in the temple consist of elaborate scroll work and intricate floral motifs. On the outer body of the temple which is filled with sculptures, particularly noticeable is the image of Kamadeva, the god of Love, in the company of two females. Some of the art work seem to have been inspired by Buddhist ideas, testifying to the gradual secularization of the art-idiom. The figure of the deer on the pedestal of an image is obviously reminiscent of the first sermon of the Buddha. Besides, the figure of Lakulisa is seated in a Buddha-like cross-legged posture in the central niche on the southern side.

Sisupalagarh (7 km)
It is evident from the ruins at Sisupalagarh, dating as far back as the third or the fourth century BC, that this was the site of Kalinganagar, the capital of the Chedi kings of the Mahameghavahana family. During this period Kalinga, an ancient name of Orissa, has for shaken the yoke of the Magadha rulers to become an independent kingdom. The excavations highlight the fact that the city was primarily a military garrison, well-planned and fortified for adequate protection. Ramparts were erected on all sides, gateways as entry and exit points, regulated all movements. The ancient Gangavati river, locally known as the Gangua streamlet, flowed all around the ramparts, thus providing a perennial source of water to the dwellers of the city while serving as a natural moat-barrier to the enemy. The Udayagiri inscriptions record Kharavela's extensive repair work here, after a devastating cyclone.

From amongst the wealth of findings from the site, the Kushana coins and their imitations, clay bullae imitating the Roman coins and the gold-piece with a Kushana motif on one side and a Roman head with a Roman legend on the reverse, point at an unmistakable Roman connection during this golden period of Kalinga.

Sri Krishna Balaram Temple (7 km)
This is a modern temple complex built and maintained by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The main attractions of the temple are the beautiful images of the deities in the sanctum, the excellent prayer sessions conducted in the evening, the daily teachings on bhaktiyoga and various publications on ancient Vedic literatures, specifically the Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Prasad (offerings to the deities) is available at a moderate price. The ISKCON people are a disciplined lot involved in academic as well as charitable work.

Swarnajaleshwar Temple (5 km)
This temple, almost a clone of the Parasurameshwar temple in its architecture, is situated near the Kotitirtha tank. Though a dilapidated site, the ruins are not without their appeal and the wealth of art work. The lintel has the image of Gajalakshmi with the architrave above showing the icons of the grahas. The friezes on the northern side depict the marriage of Shiva with Parvati, the flying figures, and the ritual linga worship. Elsewhere one can see scenes elucidating themes and tales from the epics.

Udayagiri and Khandagiri circa First Century B.C. (10 km)
Udayagiri (33m.) and Khandagiri 37.5m) look like some incongruous growth in the midst of a vast plain. The twin hills are important landmarks in ancient Orissan history. The rock-mass, a coarse-grained sandstone formation in different shades of yellow or grey, is often considered unsuitable for artistic chiseling work because of its brittle nature and soft texture. But expert hands have carved out caves after caves at different heights and different periods of history, making the hills a veritable bee-hive of gumphas, the local word meaning caves. The gumphas, with specific local prefixes appended to their names, have acquired their distinctive identity. Some of the caves date as far back as the first century BC.

Amongst the eighteen caves on Udayagiri the most prominent ones are the Ranigumpha or the Queen's Cave, a two-storeyed structure that opens into a spacious courtyard, Hati gumpha or the Elephant Cave with its famous rock-cut inscriptions in ancient Oriya characters depicting the exploits and achievements of Kharavela (168-153 BC), the Jaya Vijaya gumpha, another double storeyed structure. Udayagiri has the remains of the foundation of some building either long gone or that was never constructed beyond the foundation. besides, there are two reservoirs called Hati Nisuni and Lalita Kunda, made to collect rain water as the hills are situated far away from any perennial water hole or a river. Similarly Shyama Kunda and Gupta Ganga can be found on Khandagiri. They were ostensibly constructed for collecting rain water. The Hatigumpha has the famous rock-cut inscriptions in ancient Oriya characters they give an account of the military conquests and peace-time achievements of the Chedi king Mahameghabahana Kharavela who ruled Kalinga between 168-153 BC. The inscriptions also describe the extensive repair work undertaken at the capital town of Kalinganagara after the city was ravaged by a high intensity cyclone. Kharavela planned and implemented the renovation and extension of a three hundred year old canal system which, it is believed, had been first excavated by a Nanda king of Magadh. Kharavela was a great patron of Jainism, the royal religion at that time; and his queen most possibly was responsible for the sculptural decorations of the caves those were used as dormitories by the Jain ascetics. Considering the austere life style, it is not difficult to explain the total absence of basic amenities in the caves. Some of them are cut barely head-high for any one to stand erect in them. The ascetics lay on the uneven rock-bed resting their heads on the rising part of the floor that slanted downwards towards the entrance door.

The caves vaguely resemble the kutchcha houses found in the plains of coastal Orissa. The ornately sculptured figures found in the friezes as a part of general embellishment in the Udayagiri caves also wear a look that is typically Orissan. Their poses are easy and natural. The hands that wielded the tools have been reasonably successful in giving the images the many expressions of common human emotions such as, of pleasure and fear of agony and tension, and so on. There is a Jain temple on the Khandagiri with a tall and beautiful Lokeswar image carved out of a huge block of black granite and presented fully unclothed in true Digambara fashion.

Vaital Temple circa 800 AD (4 km)
Vaital temple is perhaps the finest extent representative of the Khakhara order of the Kalinga style of temple architecture, an order that was specially devoted to the tantric cults. The deul rectangular in shape and oblong on plan, is positioned at a right angle to the flat-roofed jagamohana. The two-storeyed semi-cylindrical wagon roof of the duel strongly suggests the influence of Buddhist cave architecture. The vault of the duel is rather plain without any art work and the shape of the common duel in miniature form adorns the four corners of the jagamohana. In place of the traditional ratha projections, the bada has shallow pilasters. On the backside, the five pilasters have been crowned by two vidalas seated back to back above two carved moldings. The medallion of the upper chaitya window, in addition to a ten-armed Nataraj, has the figures of Lakulisa on the south and the composite form of Hari-Hara on the north. In front of the jagamohana the stone post shows two Buddha like figures seated in the famous dharmachakra pravartana mudra. The unconcealed apathy and animosity of the Pasupatas (ardent Siva worshippers) towards Buddhism has probably provided the inspiration for the ironical representation of the Buddha on the sacrificial post found in front of the Vaital deul that was once an important centre for the esoteric rites of the Tantrics. The presiding deity of the temple is Chamunda, a tantric cult-name for Durga or Shakti. In keeping with the requirements of the sect, the sanctum is dark and the whole atmosphere is disquieting and weird. The eight-armed Chamunda, locally known as Kapalini, planked by an owl and a jackal, sits on a corpse. Her body, emaciated and reduced to skin and bones, is adorned with the garland of skulls. Her sunken eyes and shrunken belly and the cerie setting with a number of strange images filling the niches around the sanctum, present here in her terrible best.

Some of the early erotic sculptures in Orissan art are found here. The erotica later became a conventional motif, ubiquitously present in almost all forms of decorative temple architecture. The figures depicted in various positions were probably relevant in the context of the tantric rites. On the eastern face of the temple one can see an extremely fine image of the Sun god flanked by his sisters Usha and Pratyusa and the chariot is driven by Aruna. The sun motif was developed to fruition at a later date in the famous Sun temple at Konarak.

Pipili (21 km)
Pipili is a small town on the Bhubaneswar-Puri road. It is famous for its applique work. On either side of the road can be seen scores of thatched houses selling and displaying the richly ornamented articles. Each work is exquisitely embroidered, striking in its colors and often studded with dazzling pieces of mirror-glass. There are wall-hangings, bed spread, large-size fancy umbrellas and nice little shoulder bags. Some of them have, of late, found a good export market.

References:

http://orissa.gov.in

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