Orissa

Located on the east coast, Orissa, also known as The Soul of India, is a mystical land where the ancient past and the modern today form a harmonious blend. A land filled with awe inspiring monuments, thousands of master craftsmen and artists, numerous wildlife sanctuaries, stunning natural landscapes.

Orissa is also a place where you can relax on the tranquil beaches or make friends with dolphins at the Chilka Lake. Whatever your hearts desire, you’ll find it here! As delighted visitors to our state have said – it is a wonder that such a vast and fascinating collection of sights and experiences can be found at one place.

Bhubaneshwar is a city of 500 Temples, named after the Lord of the Universe. Well-known attractions in and around Bhubaneshwar are Puri, Konarak and Gopalpur-on-Sea, the Dhauli Pillar. Apart from these the ruined city of Sisupalgarh and the Nandankanan gardens are of interest.

Former capital of Orissa and now it’s business capital, Cuttack, is also one of the ancient cities of the state. Ancient monuments apart, Cuttack has a wide range of tourist attractions as it is home to picturesque destinations and pilgrim centers. It is famous for handicrafts and cuisines too.

For those with a particular religious faith, Puri might bring to mind the famous Jagannath Temple and the Sun Temple. For nature lovers, the beautiful beaches in the land may hold attraction. The vibrant land is famous for many festivals being a temple-rich place and it enjoys heavy footprints from all parts of the world.

It is natural that your mind races to Sun Temple when you think of Konark. The 13th century temple stands tall in the minds of tourists in spite of the fact that it is now in ruins. Konark has a few other ancient temples on its land for both history lovers and religious minds.