Land of Lord Jagannath and the Sun Temple, Odisha, located in the eastern part of the country, is just like a hidden gem for travel seekers. Bound by West Bengal in the north, Chhattisgarh in its west and Andhra Pradesh to its south, the Odisha is one of the ancient states of India and has everything to entice tourists. The state has a charming culture, centuries-old temples, captivating natural places, a long coast-line, wildlife, tribals and what not. Not only this, the state is dotted with numerous Buddhist and UNESCO sites, giving a glimpse of a flourishing Buddhist culture in the past.  However, Odisha tourism officials point out that a major problem with Odisha is that much of the state is outside the radar of tourists. The reason being that the state has not promoted its tourist destinations. Secondly, it has always been in the news for wrong reasons ~ be it a cyclone landing there or for extreme poverty. Even the facts and figures show the state is far behind its counterparts when it comes to tourist footfalls. However, the state tourism department has a different take on it. They said it is a boon for them as their destinations are still fresh, not overexposed to death. The tourism department was proved right as we found during a five-day tour of the state, exploring several popular as well as hidden tourist destinations.

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 We could not but conclude that the place has a myriad excuses to visit Odisha again and again. For instance, if one has pilgrimage in mind, the ancient temples of Lord Jagannath in Puri, which has the largest kitchen in the world, beckons the faithful. Or one can visit the famous Konark Sun temple and spend hours admiring the picturesque inscriptions on the walls. In fact, there is a treasure of temples in old Bhubaneswar dating back to 6-12 century BC. One can find around 500 temples in this small vicinity, which means every corner of the area has a temple with history.   If one seeks picturesque tourists spots, Sambalpur or the Wildlife sanctuary of Bhitarkanika is the best choice. If one is fond of history, then head to Barbil, where one could find 38,000 million-years-old rock. If one wants to spend some time in the pristine beach the visitor can head to the coastline of Gopalpur or visit the famous brackish water lake, Chilika. But then, how can one give a miss to Udaygiri and Khandagiri caves, where one can find remnants of Buddhism. For traditional arts like Appliqué and Patachitra, Pipli village is the place to go. Foodies can have a lifetime's taste of Rasgulla, Dalma and Chennapoda. In short, the state has something for everyone.

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Rich history 

Odisha borrows its name from Sankrit's Odra Desh or Odra Vishya, which means land of Odra. It was constituted in 1936, but has a long history. The land was ruled by different dynasties like Kalinga, Utkal, Odra, Kosala and Kongoda in different centuries. The state has witnessed one the deadliest wars, of Kalinga, which transformed the mighty king Ashoka towards non violence and made him adopt Buddhism. One can thus find history everywhere and in every monument. Be it the first century Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves, the third century Dauli Rock inscriptions of Ashoka, the 6-7 century Laxmaneswar group of temple, Lingaraj temple of 10-11 century, Jaganath Temple of 12th century or 13th century Konark temple, all describe the vast history of the state. The more one seeks the more one wants to know more.

Green beginning

We landed in Bhubaneswar late afternoon, just before dusk. The first impression of the city from the flight was green ~ the entire Bhubaneswar is so green. Of course, it was a sight to behold for city dwellers like me. After a light refreshment, our young guide filled us with loads of information. He informed that Bhubeneswar, surrounded by three rivers, has its origins 2,000 years back. This is the land where the Kalinga war was fought in the 3rd century BC between Mauryan Emperor Ashoka and Kalinga king. Most tourists start their exploration of the state from the golden triangle ~ Bhubaneshwar, Konark and Puri. So did we. Our journey started from Bhubaneswar, which is also known as temple city of India. The city has retained temples from 6-13 century. Our first destination was Dhauli Mountain, 10 km away from the main city. This is the place that witnessed the bloodiest battle of Kalinga war in 231 BC. At the foothill, there are 13 rock edicts of Ashoka and a skillfully sculpted elephant. The rock edicts impart messages of peace and brotherhood in mainly Pali language. A little walk from there can take you to the Shanti Stupa (Buddhist Peace Pagoda), which was built in early 70s by Japan Budhha Sangha and Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha to mark peace in the world. It has become a "must-visit" place for tourists. In the evening one can enjoy the light and sound show.

 The next morning could be saved for Ekamras walks. It is a 2 km guided walk through the old town area, which is full of temples and well-preserved monuments. Earlier there were over 5,000 temples but now the number has reduced to somewhere around 500 in this 2 km area. One will come across Mukteswar temple, Parsurameswar, bank of Bindusagar, Ananta Vasudev, Lingaraj (the biggest temple in Odisha), Chitrakarini, Vaitaal temples and Ekamra Van, the medicinal plant garden on the western bank of Bindusagar lake. The magnificent architecture of old temples is amazing. One can notice the blend of Buddhist and Hindustani architecture.

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Puri

Twenty two km from Bhubaneswar, on the way to Puri, one can't help stopping and shopping in the small village of Pipli. The village is famous for Appliqué and Patachitra art forms. Every home in this small village is laden with coloured fabric and tiny mirrors that the artisans turn into stunning lampshades, umbrellas, wall-hangings, canopies, bags and other decorative items. The village is full of artists, who make Applique Chattris and tarasa (heart-shaped wooden structures covered with appliqué work and supported on pikes) lend colour to religious processions. The village is also home to Pattachitra art. 

The next halt was Puri, which is considered one of the four sacred places (Dhaam) for Hindus. It is an example of the finest specimen of Odishan temple architecture ~ the magnificent 192 ft high and 12th century AD Jagannath temple is testimony. The temple is revered by millions of Hindu pilgrims; they come here to seek the blessing of the Lord Jagannath. The origin of the scared shrine of Jagannath goes back to the pre-Vedic period. Purusottam Kshetra, the scared abode of Sir Jagannath has been described in various Sanskrit texts like Padma Purana, Narada Purana, Matsya Purana to name a few. The temple consists of four distinct buildings ~ Vimana, Jagmohana, Natamandapa and Bhogamandapa. Inside the temple are the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadrasana. Other than these, miniature images of Laxmi, Saraswati and Madhavi are also worshipped here. Lord Jagannath is the family god of most households in Odisha and holds a unique place in their lives and customs.  

The temple also organises one of the most colourful festivals, Rath Yatra, in June-July. Millions of devotees draw the traditionally-decorated three giant wooden chariots with gigantic wheels. The chariots, with the three deities seated in their respective vehicles, are drawn from the abode of Lord Jagannath in Gundicha temple and return after nine days amid intense fervour. People from all over the country gather here to pull the ropes of Lord Jagannath's chariot.  From the Jagannath temple, a visit to Puri beach can be fun. It is considered to be one of the cleanest beaches in India. One can find a lot of trinkets and souvenirs made of shells.

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Konark

Around 35 km from Puri and 65 km from Bhubaneswar is this beautiful and peaceful city of Konark, located on the seashore. The city houses one of the most stunning and UNESCO World heritage monument, the Sun Temple. Legend says it was built on the sea front with water lashing its walls but now the sea has receded and the temple is a little away from the beach. Built by the Ganga Dynasty, one can't say what it was in its heyday. The temple has lost many of its original structures with the ravages of time and now it is left with only Mukhasala or the porch and the Nata Mandapa or the Dance pavilion. The temple has gigantic statues, like war elephants and horses. Other than this, the sculptures depict erotic love scenes, war and dance. The city also houses a museum, which has a rich collection of sculptures, panels and other artefacts of the Sun Temple. One could end the trip walking down the clean Chandrabhaga beach, which is just 3 km away from the Sun Temple. 

Buddhism

After the Golden Triangle, if one is still left with a spare day, visit the Buddhist Circuit. Even though Buddha never visited Odisha during his lifetime, but his imprint can be found everywhere in the state. The famous Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang had visited Orissa in the 7th century and found Buddhism flourishing there. The state is blessed with several significant Buddhist sites, such as Dhauli, Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaygiri, which attract tourists and researchers from all over the world. Lalitagiri is believed to be one of the earliest Buddhist complexes in the world, from the 1st century AD. It has rock-cut caves, monasteries, viharas, stupas, and caskets. Ratnagiri has ruins, sculptures, large monasteries and shrines. Udaygiri is the largest Buddhist site in Orissa and is famous for the Avalokitesvara statue of Lord Buddha.

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Chilika Lake

A visit to Odisha is incomplete without a visit to Chilika Lake. It is largest inland lake of the country with brackish water and stretches through the districts of Puri, Khorda and Ganjam. The lake is dotted with a host of islands. One can spot dolphins round the year and in winter the place is home to migratory and resident birds.