Bhubaneswar: Orissa

Bhubaneswar (in Sanskrit and Oriya, “The Lord of the Universe”) is a city located on the eastern coast of India. Once the capital of ancient Kalinga, the city has a long history and is today a bustling centre for commerce and religious activity. Bhubaneswar became the modern capital of the state of Orissa in 1948, a year after India gained its independence from Britain. The city is inhabited by over a million people and maintains a high rate of population growth.

History and Character

Modern Bhubaneswar was originally meant to be a well planned city with wide roads and many gardens and parks. A part of the city has stayed faithful to the plan. But it has grown rapidly over the last few decades with the population almost doubling every decade. This has made the planning process unweildly. The city now has a population of more than a million. But it is a part of the greater urban conglomoration that includes Cuttack, Khurda, Choudwar and Jagatpur and the population of this urban conglomoration, most probably, is more than two and half million.

Having merged its intriguing past so uniquely with its modern aspirations, it forms an integral link in the Golden Triangle that [AK]incorporates the holy city of Puri and Konark, for the tourists that flock to pay their homage to the religious, cultural and natural wonders that abound here. To the east are the famous Sun temple of Konark and the Jagannath temple of Puri.

The Lingaraj temple of old Bhubaneswar, built in the 11th century, is another temple noted for its ancient history. The Khandagiri and Dhauligiri, situated on the outskirts of the city, carry monuments of inhabitions of buddhist monks in the time of King Ashoka. Another such monument is the Shantistupa, which was built as a symbol of peace at the site where the great Kalinga War took place between Emperor Ashoka and Kalinga (the old empire of Orissa).

The striking features of the city are the numerous temples and shrines that seem to be all around you. Bhubaneswar’s skyline is dominated by some of the most spectacular engineering and artistic feats of its ancient heritage. The imposing spire of the Lingaraj Temple, the quiet beauty of the Vishwa Shanti Stupa and the pink translucence of the Mahavira Jain Temple in nearby Khandagiri, inspire feelings of wonder at their sheer beauty and their cross– cultural permutations. These three alone offer an excellent insight into the ancient cultural strength of Orissa and are well-worth exploring at greater length. At least four of Bhubaneswar’s temples must he on the tourist’s agenda, to get a feel of the dynamic artistry and development of their indigenous perfection.

The temples have after all stood testimony to the area’s history, which spans 25 centuries. The Lingaraj, the Parsurameswar, the Mukteswar and the Rajarani temples are unique in themselves, not only in their architectural beauty but also in the wonderful sculptures which enhance their presence. An interesting variation figures in the Vital and Brahmeswar temples. Though the Lingaraj is closed to non-Hindus, it can be viewed from the viewing platform constructed alongside.

Bhubaneswar is the place where temple building activities of Orissan style flowered from its very inception to its fullest culmination extending over a period of over one thousand years. The State Museum of Bhubaneswar offers an excellent selection of archaeological artifacts, weapons and local arts and crafts and insights into Orissa’s natural and tribal history. The museum has world’s largest collection of palm -leaf paintings. The Tribal Research Institute Museum with its authentic tribal dwellings, created by the tribal craftsmen is a great place to get a bird’s eye view of the State’s tribal heritage.

The Regional Plant Resource Centre (RPRC) has about 500 acres (2 km²) of plantations, tissue culture and experimental laboratory and a huge lake where migratory birds make their home. The two unique features of RPRC are its status for housing the largest rose garden in the country with an area of 20 acres (81,000 m²) and having the largest collection of cacti (550) in Asia. Bhubaneswar is a shopper’s delight. Saris woven by the master weavers in silk and cotton are available in the private shops and government emporia. You can also pick up all kinds of artifacts and jewellery produced in different parts of the State. The Handloom Weavers Co-operative is worth a visit.

Geography

Bhubaneswar is situated between 21° 15′ North Latitude 85° 15′ Longitude and at an altitude of 45 meters above sea level, the average temperatures range between 15°C in winter to a maximum of 40 °C to 45 °C in summer. The south-east monsoons reaches in June. The average annual rainfall is 1,500 mm, most of which records between June and October.

Geographically, Bhubaneswar is situated in the eastern coastal plains of the Orissa and south-west of river Mahanadi whose tributaries like Kuakhai, Bhargavi and Daya wash the fingers of this city.