About Bhubaneswar

Country: India | State: Orissa

Ideal Trip Duration: 2 Full Days

Nearest City to Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar

Best Time to Visit Bhubaneswar: October to March

Peak Season: November to February

At a distance of 16 km from Cuttack, 58 km from Puri, 61 km from Konark, 191 km from Balasore, 264 km from Sambalpur, 342 km from Rourkela, 431 km from Vizag, 439 km from Kolkata and 456 km from Ranchi, Bhubaneswar or Bhubaneshwar is an ancient city situated in Khordha district of Odisha, India. It is the capital city of Odisha and also one of the best places to experience Odisha Tourism.

Known as 'The City of Temples', Bhubaneswar is one of the ancient cities located in the eastern part of India and is a thriving center of art and culture. Literally, Bhubaneswar means Lord of the Universe and is known for its architecture and temples. Bhubaneswar is one of the 3 cities designed by the German Architect Otto. H. Koeingsberges along with Chandigarh and Jamshedpur and is one of the first planned cities in Modern India.

The origin of the city dates back to more than 2,000 years while the modern city came into existence in 1948. Bhubaneshwar was the capital of the Kalinga dynasty. Later Emperor Kharavela established his capital in Sisupalgarh which is on the outskirts of the city. After that the area was subsequently ruled by several dynasties, including Satavahanas, Guptas, Matharas and Mughals. In 1803, the area came under the British and was part of the Bengal Presidency until 1912, and Bihar - Orissa Province till 1936.

In 1936, Odisha became a separate province in British India with Cuttack as its capital. In 1947, when India got independence, Orissa became one of the states of the Indian Union. However, for several reasons including exposure of Cuttack to floods and space constraints, the capital of Orissa was relocated to Bhubaneswar in 1948.

Along with Puri and Konark, Bhubaneswar forms the 'golden triangle' of Odisha and is one of the most visited destinations in East India. The city houses more than 500 temples, including the famous temples like Lingaraj Temple, Mukteswar Temple, Shatrughaneswar Temple, and Parashurameswar Temple. Orissa State Museum, Bindu Sarovara, Nandan Kanan, Dhauli Giri hills, Ram Mandir, Udayagiri Caves, Khandagiri Caves, and ISCKON Temple are some of the top places to visit in Bhubaneshwar.

Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneshwar is well connected by flights with major international destinations like Sri Lanka, Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Europe and domestic destinations including Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Bhubaneshwar Railway Station has regular trains from Cuttack, Puri, Vishakhapatnam, Secunderabad, Guwahati, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Howrah, Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Rourkela, Patna, Ahmedabad, Mysore, Tatanagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Vijayawada, Dhauli, Kanyakumari, Surat, and Pondicherry. Bhubaneshwar is well connected by bus with Puri, Cuttack, Rourkela, Hyderabad, Sambalpur, Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Shimla, Durgapur, Kolkata, and Raipur.

Ekamra Utsav is one of the major festivals of Bhubaneswar, held in January to promote the cultural heritage of Orissa. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Ekamra Utsav which lasts for 10 days is a series of festivals holding Kalinga Mahotsav (martial arts), Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav (dance), Rajarani Music Festival (music) and Mukteswar Dance Festival (Odyssey dance). Maha Shivaratri, Megha Mela, Durga Puja, Makar Mela, and Ashokastami are the other festivals celebrated here with great enthusiasm.

Bhubaneswar is located on the coastal plains of Odisha to the south-west of the River Mahanadi. It experiences tropical weather conditions. The best time to visit Bhubaneswar is from October to March, when the weather is pleasant and the temperature is suitable to explore the destination. During this time tourists can also participate in the Ekamra Utsav, which is held in the month of January.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Good
STD Code: 0674
Languages Spoken: Oriya, Bengali, Hindi & English
Major Festivals: Ekamra Utsav, Maha Shivaratri & Ashokastami
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Bhubaneswar

By Air

Nearest Airport: Bhubaneswar - Biju Patnaik Airport (5 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Bhubaneswar (0 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Bhubaneswar Bus Station (2 Kms)

Top 12 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

Heritage | Pilgrimage

#1 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 5 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Lingaraja Temple is one of the oldest and largest Hindu temples in Bhubaneswar. The temple is the most prominent landmark of the Bhubaneswar city and also one of the top places to visit in Bhubaneswar.

Dedicated to Harihara, a combined form of Vishnu and Shiva, Lingaraja Temple was built in 11th century CE by King Yayati Keshari of Somavanshi dynasty. He started the construction of the temple while he shifted his capital from Jaipur to Bhubaneswar. But historians believe that the temple might have been existed from 6th century CE. It is said that when the construction of Lingaraja Temple was about to complete, the Jagannath cult started growing. This belief is further empowered with the fact that Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva are worshipped here.

According to the legend, Lord Shiva revealed to Parvati that Bhubaneshwar or Ekamra Kshetra was a resort favoured by him over Benares. In order to explore the city, she disguised .....

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Heritage

#2 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 3 km from Lingaraja Temple and 5 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Brahmeswara Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in the temple city of Bhubaneswar. It is one of the holy places to visit in Bhubaneswar and among the best places of heritage in Orissa.

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Brahmeswara Temple stands in a courtyard flanked by four smaller temples. The temple belongs to late 11th century according to an inscription carried to Calcutta from Bhubaneswar. The inscription indicates that the temple was built in 1058 AD by King Udyotakesari's mother Kolavati Devi during the Somavamsi king's 18th ruling year.

The temple is built in the traditional Kalinga architecture style by using of stones. The temple is classified as a panchatanaya temple where four subsidiary shrines situated in the four corners of the main shrine. This pyramid shape temple has two parts namely the Vimana and Jagamohana. The Vimana of the temple is around 18.96 m. It was during the construction .....

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Heritage

#3 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 4.5 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Ananta Vasudeva Temple is a famous Hindu Temple located on the eastern bank of Bindu Sarovar in Bhubaneswar. Situated near Lingaraja Temple, Ananta Vasudeva Temple is one of the few Vaishnavite temples in Bhubaneswar and also one of the top Bhubaneswar Tourist Places.

Dating back to 13th century AD, Ananta Vasudeva Temple is the worship place of the complete idols of Lord Krishna, Lord Balarama and Goddess Subhadra. According to the legends, Lord Vishnu was worshiped at the place where Ananta Vasudeva Temple stands at present. The new temple was built in the 13th century by Queen Chandrika, the daughter of Anangabhima III, during the reign of the king Bhanudeva. The Marathas, who extended their empire up to river Mahanadi, were responsible for renovating the Vishnu Temple at Bhubaneswar in the late 17th Century.

The architecture of this temple looks like Lingaraja Temple and has Vaishnavite sculptures. It has longitudinal .....

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Heritage

#4 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 9 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Udayagiri & Khandagiri are two ancient Jain rock-cut caves located in the vicinity of Bhubaneswar. Called as twin hills caves, these caves are one of the most popular places to visit in Bhubaneswar and also one of the best places of heritage in Odisha.

Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves have derived their names, owing to their location on two hills, Udayagiri and Khandagiri. Mentioned as Kumari & Kumara Parvatas in Hathi Gumpha inscription, the two caves face each other across the road. These two hills represent one of the earliest groups of Jaina rock-cut architecture in eastern India in the field of architecture, art and religion. The caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri, called Lena in the inscriptions, were dug out mostly during the reign of Kharavela for the abode of Jaina monks during 1st century BC. These caves were first brought to the notice by A. Stirling in 1825 AD.

There are total 33 rock-cut caves on both the hills .....

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Heritage

#5 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 4 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Mukteswara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple in Bhubaneswar city of Orissa state. It is one of the oldest and the famous temples in Bhubaneswar and also one of the most visited Tourist Places in Bhubaneswar.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is renowned for its beautiful carvings and exquisite sculptural work. Built in 10th Century AD, the temple is a monument of importance in the study of the development of Hindu temples in Odisha. According to legend, the temple is considered to be one of the earliest temples of Somavamsi dynasty. Many scholars believe that this temple is the successor temple of Parasurameswara Temple and built earlier to the Brahmeswara Temple.

The temple is known as 'Gem of Odisha' because of its architecture. Mukteswara Temple is the real specimen of ancient and modern Kalinga School of architecture, blended perfectly in construction. The temple is a massive structure of 35 feet high and .....

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Heritage

#6 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 4 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Rajarani Temple is one of the most renowned and the famous temples situated towards north-east of Lingaraja Temple in Bhubaneshwar. Maintained by Archaeological Survey of India, it is one of the must visit tourist places in Bhubaneswar.

Built in 11th century CE, the Rajarani Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is referred in the traditional Sanskrit texts as Indresvara Shiva Temple. The temple is known for its sculptural excellence, profusion of ornaments, exuberant architectural features and multiple scroll work. The present name Rajarani has been derived from the local sandstone used to build it. Rajarani Temple is also called as 'Love Temple', because the temple contains the erotic carvings of women and couples. The temple has a lot of historical importance.

Rajarani Temple is built in the pancha ratha style on a raised platform with two structures, a central shrine called the Vimana with a bada (curvilinear spire) .....

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Pilgrimage

#7 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 1.5 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Shri Ram Mandir is a beautiful temple situated near Kharavel Nagar in Bhubaneswar. Situated in the heart of city, it is one of the most famous temples for the devotees of Lord Rama and also one of the pilgrimage places to visit in Bhubaneswar City.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is home to the beautiful images of Lord Rama, Lord Lakshmana and Goddess Sita. Built and managed by a private trust, the temple complex also comprises shrines devoted to Lord Hanuman, Lord Shiva and other gods. The idols are beautiful and garden in front of temple is well maintained. One can spend the whole evening with evening aarti with great peace of mind & spiritual feeling.

This newly built temple is characterized by large spires which can be visible from many parts of the city. The major festivals celebrated are Ram Navami, Vivaha Panchami, Janmashtami, Dussehra, Shivaratri, and Pana Sankranti. .....

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Beach | Pilgrimage

#8 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 36 km from Konark, 58 km from Bhubaneswar, 82 km from Cuttack, 390 km from Rourkela, 407 km from Jamshedpur, 434 km from Vizag, 495 km from Kolkata, and 522 km from Ranchi, Puri is an ancient temple town situated along the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha. Puri is one of the places of original holy Char Dham Yatra of Hinduism and also one of the top places to experience Odisha Tourism.

Earlier called as ShriKhetra, Purushottama Khetra, and Jagannath Puri, Puri is home to the world famous Sri Jagannath Temple. Often referred as the spiritual capital of Odisha, Puri forms the Golden Triangle of Orissa along with Konark and Bhubaneswar. Puri became an important center of pilgrimage with the arrival of Gangas in the 12th century and emerged as one of the centers of Vaishnavism. Anantavarman Chodaganga, one of the powerful rulers of Puri, established the Purushottama Temple and later came to be known as the Jagannath Temple in the 15th century.

According to history, .....

Distance (From Bhubaneswar): 58 Kms
Trip Duration (From Bhubaneswar - Including Travel): Full Day
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Heritage

#9 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 36 km from Puri, 61 km from Bhubaneswar, 111 km from Ratanpur, 394 km from Rourkela, 408 km from Jamshedpur, 462 km from Vizag, 482 km from Raigarh and 522 km from Ranchi, Konark is a small town in Puri district of Odisha along the coast of Bay of Bengal. Renowned world over for the Sun Temple, Konark is one of the top tourist destinations in Odisha and also one of the popular places of heritage in India.

The name Konark is derived from two Sanskrit words - Kona meaning angle and Arka meaning sun, in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun God. Also known as the Black Pagoda, the Sun Temple was built in black granite during the reign of Narasimhadeva-I. The temple resembles the mythical chariot of the Sun God and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. The temple is now mostly in ruins, and a collection of its sculptures is housed in the Sun Temple Museum, which is run by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Konark Tourism presents a multitude .....

Distance (From Bhubaneswar): 61 Kms
Trip Duration (): Not Available
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Heritage

#10 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 1 km from Rajarani Temple and 5.5 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Bhaskareswara Temple is an ancient temple situated near Brahmeswara Temple on Tankapani Road in Bhubaneswar. It is one of the oldest temples in Odisha and also one of the heritage places to visit in Bhubaneswar.

The temple was built by Gangas during 13th - 14th century CE. This temple is quite different from the other temples of Bhubaneswar in terms of its architecture. Built in the traditional architectural style of the temples of Orissa, Bhaskareswara temple is a double storied temple. The bada that is built in two tiers is a unique feature. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva worshiped as Bhaskareswara. The unique feature of the west facing temple is the 9 feet tall Shivalingam located in the sanctum sanctorum. It can be seen from both the floors. The lingam has been described in the local sacred texts as Vrihalingam. The local people believe that the idol is growing day by day.

The .....

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Heritage | Pilgrimage

#11 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 4.5 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Kedar Gauri Temple complex is a popular religious site located in Bhubaneswar. Situated behind the Mukteswara Temple, it is one among the eight Astasambu temples in Bhubaneswar.

Kedar Gauri Temple is actually a complex which consists of two separate temples, one is dedicated to Lord Shiva and another is to Goddess Parvati. Legend holds that King Lalatendu Kesari constructed these temples in dedication to two lovers named Kedar and Gauri. Even today, the lovers who want to get married come to this temple to get the blessing of the deities. Another legend holds that Lord Shiva along with Goddess Parvati came to this place from Varanasi, as he preferred a more silent place.

Kedar Temple is one of the two temples in the Kedar Gauri Temple complex. The architectural features of this temple resembles with Siddheswara Temple located in Mukteswara Temple complex. It was built by the Ganga Kings in the 12th century CE. This .....

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Museum

#12 of 22 Places to Visit in Bhubaneswar

At a distance of 5 km from Bhubaneswar Railway Station, Regional Museum of Natural History is a famous museum located near Acharaya Vihar Square on Sachivalaya Marg, Bhubaneswar. Because of its huge collection, this museum is considered as the third best Regional Museum of Natural History in India and also one of the best Tourist Places in Bhubaneswar.

The Regional Museum of Natural History in Bhubaneswar was established in the year 2004 under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. The main motive behind the establishment of the museum is to create awareness about the environment and promoting conservation education among the general public and students.

The museum exhibits plants, animals and vibrant geology of Odisha, North East region and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Visitors are taken through the fascinating biodiversity gallery and a separate section dedicated to the lesser-known north-east biodiversity. Other interesting displays of the museum .....

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Top 5 Bhubaneswar Tour Packages