Odisha
Conceived as the cosmic chariot of the sun god Surya, this massive, breathtakingly splendid temple was constructed in the mid-13th century, probably by…
Must-see attractions in Odisha
Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary
Odisha
Three rivers flow out to sea at Bhitarkanika, forming a tidal maze of muddy creeks and mangroves. This is India’s second-largest mangrove region, and most…
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Puri
This mighty temple is home to Jagannath (Lord of the Universe), an incarnation of Vishnu. Built in its present form in 1198, the temple – closed to non…
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Odisha
Ratnagiri is the most interesting and extensive among the three Pusphagiri sites. Two large monasteries flourished here from the 5th to 13th centuries…
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Odisha
Udayagiri's two monastery complexes were active between the 10th and 12th centuries AD. At the first one, there’s a large pyramidal brick stupa with a…
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Odisha
The weekly Chatikona market takes place at Bissamcuttack (about 40km north) and is mostly attended by the Dongria Kondh and Desia Kondh villagers from the…
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Odisha
Onkadelli is a particularly popular tribal produce market, with Bonda, Mali, Kondh and Paraja people attending to buy and sell fruit, vegetables, dried…
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Odisha
Many of Chilika Lake's million-plus migratory birds — including grey-legged geese, herons, cranes and pink flamingos — spend the winter months (November…
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Odisha
Made up of the Satkosia and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuaries, this 964-sq-km forested tiger reserve, 125km northwest of Bhubaneswar, is straddled by a…
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Odisha
In about 260 BC, 11 of of Ashoka’s 14 famous edicts were carved onto a rock at Dhauli, 8km south of Bhubaneswar. Above the edicts, the earliest Buddhist…
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Odisha
Jagannath Temple, whose whitewashed sikhara (temple spire) overlooks Koraput town, is well worth visiting. The courtyard around the sikhara contains…
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Odisha
Hidden among rice fields 15km south of Bhubaneswar, this small but serene 9th-century open-roofed temple is dedicated to yoginis (female tantric mystics)…
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Odisha
Famous for its white tigers, Odisha's premier zoological park was founded in 1960 and is known to run India's best captive-breeding program for the big…
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Odisha
In northeastern Odisha, 40km west of Sambalpur, the 347-sq-km Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary is a good spot for wildlife-spotting. It comprises the…
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Odisha
This excellent museum, overlooking the Mahanadi River, focuses on Odisha's centuries-old maritime history of boat-building and trade (particularly with…
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Puri
Puri is no palm-fringed paradise – the beach is wide, shelves quickly with a nasty shore break and is shadeless. But Model Beach, part of a sustainable,…
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Odisha
This colourful village, 16km southeast of Bhubaneswar, is notable for its locally made brilliant appliqué craft, which incorporates small mirrors and is…
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Odisha
Several monastery ruins (some dating back to 200 BC) consisting of brick foundations line a gentle incline on Lalitgiri hill. One is surrounded by several…
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Odisha
The 2750-sq-km Similipal National Park is famous for its tigers, though sightings are relatively rare. Wild elephants on the other hand are far easier to…
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Odisha
There’s a smaller market here every day, but it’s Koraput’s big Sunday Market that’s worth exploring. Tribespeople and local traders alike buy and sell…
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Odisha
The four galleries at this fine museum tell the story of the Pusphagiri ruins. Two of them display beautifully preserved sculpture from all three…
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Odisha
Rayagada’s daily market is between the train station and the bus stand; turn right out of the bus stand, take the second right and it’s on your left. Here…
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Odisha
This museum contains many impressive sculptures and carvings found during excavations of the Sun Temple.
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Odisha
Around 7km east of the Onkadelli Market, this beautiful waterfall plunges down the side of a gorge from a height of 175m. During rainy season (July to…
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Odisha
This is the region's largest produce market, taking place from Thursday afternoon until Friday afternoon. Homemade alcohol brewed from the mahua flower is…
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Odisha
A produce market attended by Kondh and Paraja people, Laxmipur is located 56km northeast of Koraput and is reachable on any Rayagada-bound bus.
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Odisha
This is a tribal textile market, featuring yarn coloured with natural dyes, located 63km northwest of Koraput.
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Puri
These hallowed cremation grounds are the final earthly stop for some 40 deceased Hindus who are cremated here daily. You can watch or walk among the open…
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Puri
The world's saddest library — featuring a few rows of dusty, locked bookcases — does a lucrative trade by offering great views of Jagannath Mandir for non…
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Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary
Odisha
Only 20km west of Bhubaneswar, the 175-sq-km Chandaka-Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary was created to preserve wild elephants and their habitat. If you’re lucky…
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Puri
This bathing place, where Vishnu is said to have resided as a neem tree, is particularly interesting in the mornings, when locals come here for their…
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Puri
The largest of Puri's holy tanks, this is where locals bathe on a daily basis. It's also where a replica deity of Jagannath is brought on an annual basis…
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Odisha
The Ushakothi Wildlife Sanctuary, 45km east of Sambalpur, shelters elephants, tigers, panthers and bears. It can be closed with no notice in the event of…
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Odisha
The sea at Chandipur remains busy with splashing Bengali holidaymakers pretty much throughout the year. It's notable because of its extreme tides — during…
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Odisha
The grandly named Chilika Ecopark is a small but pleasant palm-tree-shaded park by the jetty. On display is a 12m-long skeleton of a baleen whale that was…
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Odisha
Paraja and Mali people attend this produce market, situated 18km northeast of Koraput.
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Odisha
Closest to Barkul, this island temple really comes to life when innumerable pilgrims travel there during the Makar Mela festival in January.
