Odisha Blog

I am from Odisha but I work in Bangalore. Last month I travelled to Odisha and wanted to visit a few places I had never been. Especially The Konark Sun Temple and Chilika Lake. I couldn’t go to the Chilika for the boat ride and Kalijai temple but I had the experience to view the worlds second largest lagoon from the train  on my trip to Odisha from Hyderabad.

Chilika Lake

So I took a train to Odisha because the view is mesmerising. It took 12 hours by train from Hyderabad. If you want to save time, flight is the best option for you but I had time in hand and I didn’t want to miss out on the view hence opted for the train journey.

Splendid State

Odisha is situated on the Bay of Bengal in the eastern coast of India. Its rich heritage and culture is what attracts the tourists. The temples, stone scriptures, the architect, the classical dance forms Odissi and Gotipua  and many more. The capital of Odisha is Bhubaneshwar which is also known as the city of temples. The city has close to 700 temples the largest being the Lingaraj Temple. Cuttack was the former capital of the state also known as the silver city due to its history of 1000 years and famous silver filigree works. It is the birth place of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Best time to visit Odisha

Odisha is very hot during summer, the coastal areas are very humid as well. So if you’re planning to visit Odisha the best time to visit is post monsoon, Oct-Dec, and winter, Jan-Mar.

Places I covered during my visit: Cuttack, Konark, Kakatpur and Puri.

Cuttack

The majestic Mahanadi and its distributaries Kathajodi, Kuakhai and  Birupa river run through the city.

 

Magnificent Mahanadi

Cuttack Chandi Temple  Goddess Chandi is the deity of Cuttack, popularly known as Maa Kataka Chandi. The famous Durga Puja and Kali Puja are prominent in the temple.

 

 

Maa Kataka Chandi Temple

Barabati Stadium  Cuttack hosts most of the sports like cricket, volleyball etc in its famous Barabati stadium. It is the most iconic stadium of Odisha.

Cuttack is also known for its street food like dahi bara aloo dum, gupchup (golgappa), chaat, thunka puri and chenna tarkari and many more.

 

The city is always so lively hence I wanted to go to the outskirts and enjoy the view. So I took a ride of approx. 30 kms towards Salepur from the Cuttack city and the view was lavish. Salepur is famous for its rasogolla and many more sweets. Either side of the road is covered with paddy fields and forests. It is heaven for the photographers. The luscious green everywhere with  blue sky was a perfect marriage. On the way I came across couple of small villages surrounded by the gorgeous view.

 

 

 

Salepur Rasogolla

 

Konark Sun Temple

Although I am from Odisha this was my first trip to Konark. I usually prefer travelling in the local bus for a good travelling experience. I took a bus from Bhubaneshwar to Konark. It’s a 2 and a half hour journey and then 5 mins walk from the bus stop to the Sun Temple. Kona means corner and Ark means Sun. The temple is dedicated to the Sun god and is built like a chariot with 12 pairs of  wheels driven by seven horses. The iconic symbol of Odisha, Konark chariot wheel is the sundial and the 12 pairs of wheels represents the 12 months. The temple has been attacked many times hence now what is left are the ruins. The temple is also known for its stone carvings. There are many vegetarian and non-vegetarian restaurants near the temple.

 

Konark Sun Temple

 

The iconic wheel of the sun temple

 

 

Kakatpur

Kakatpur is known for the famous Maa Mangala temple. So I travelled from Konark to Kakatpur by a local bus again. And man the view was breathtaking. The sun was at the horizon and it had started to drizzle. It was one of the best sceneries I have ever come across. They say the road to the destination is always beautiful than the destination itself and it stood true on my part as well. If you’re craving for a road trip in Odisha this is going to be your best road trip ever.

 

Puri

Puri is one of the most religious and spiritual places of Odisha situated on the Bay of Bengal. It’s is known for the famous Jagannath Temple  also known as Sri Mandira and the beach. It’s believed that Mahodadhi (the sea) is the home of Maa Lakshmi, wife of god Jagannath. So if you visit the Sri Mandira you ought to visit the Mahodadhi. The temple has one of the biggest kitchens in the world after the Golden Temple Amritsar. The food is called Mahaprasad. I went to the beach during the sunset and boy the sky was gorgeous. During dusk the beach comes alive with sand artists, amazing sea food, chaat stalls and a dazzling flea market.

 

Sri Mandira

Puri Beach

I went to Odisha after 2 years and this time I went with the eye of a blogger. It is a small state rich in history and culture. Needless to say the food is less spicy and oily yet scrumptious.

Budget Quickie:

Bhubaneshwar ⇄ Cuttack by bus = Rs 60
Bhubaneshwar ⇄ Konark by bus = Rs 80
Konark ⇄ Kakatpur = Rs 60
Kakatpur ⇄ Bhubaneshwar = Rs 80
Cuttack ⇄ Puri = Rs 140
Food per person
Konark = Rs 100
Puri (Mahaprasad in the Jagannath temple) = Rs 50
Cuttack = Rs 100
Kakatpur = Rs 50

Tips:

1. It’s usually humid and hot in Odisha, so always keep yourself hydrated.
2. There are a lot of monkeys in Sri Mandira, so be careful. They usually snatch away bags, bottles and eatables. Also non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple. Late PM Indira Gandhi was not allowed inside the temple as she was married to Feroz Gandhi. No offence to any religion but this is the rule and the administrators are very strict about this.
3. In Konark you will see stone utensils, bargain good.
4. Odisha is also known for its handloom and patachitra (paintings or engravings on palm leaf), so do take a look at those.

Handloom Saree

5. On the way to Puri after Bhubaneshwar, there is a small town, Pipili. It is known for the applique work which is probably most well known handicraft in Puri and surrounding areas.