Home >> East India Tour >> Orissa

Orissa Vacation Tour

ORISSA as early as the 5th and 4th century BC, seaports flourished in this area. The first king of Ceylon, Vijaya, is believed to have been a Kalinga prince. Colonists from Kalinga did not stop at Ceylon but went as far as Java, Sumatra, Bali and carried Indian civilization with them. And before the emergence of the Christian era, there was maritime relationship between Orissa and South East Asia. Ashok, a Mauryan king, invaded Kalinga around 261 BC and ultimately conquered it. But the terrible bloodshed changed Ashoka which took him to Buddhism and for the rest of the life preached peace.

Exotic Orissa, on the coast along the Bay of Bengal, just grows on you. It's green valleys, blue hills, lush green forests and golden beaches have a magical impact. Orissa is also a kaleidoscope of past splendor and contemporary expression. Bhubaneshwar's 500 glorious temples today stand testimony to the glory of the prosperous kingdoms that emerged here. Konarak's stupendous Sun Temple is the crowning glory of Orissa and is one of the wonders of ancient India. Puri, on the eastern coast of Orissa, is a magnificent beach resort and is one of the four great Hindu pilgrim centres.
 

Tourist Attractions of Orissa

» Jagannath Puri Temple
Puri, one of the most sacred pilgrimage in India, is one of the four 'Dhamas' of the Hindu religion. The city is home to the world-famous Jagganath temple. The temple enshrines Krishna-Jagannath in the form of a wooden image along with shrines of Balabhadra and Subhadra (brother and sister of Krishna respectively)

» Konark Temple
The Sun Temple is located in Konark, which is very close to the holy city of Puri. Konark derives its name from Konarka, the presiding deity of the Sun Temple. A distinctive feet of Kalinga architecture, it depicts the grace, joy and the rhythm of life. An architectural grandeur, the temple is covered with marvelously designed sculptures in all sizes. Although the Sun temple has lost its main sanctuary, but the remaining structure and the relics around testify the boundless creativity of Orissan artists and their contribution to the treasury of Indian Architecture.

» Lingaraja Temple
The 11th century Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar represents the traditional Orissan type of temple in its full maturity. The 147 ft high temple dominated the city landscape. Legend has it that Shiva once told Parvati that he likes Bhubaneshwar more than Benaras. Puzzled Parvati went to inspect the city, as a cowherdess. There two demons (Kritti and Vasa) proposed her for marriage. She put up a condition before them to carry her upon their shoulders, to which they agreed. Parvati sat on their shoulders and crushed them under her weight. Seeing this, Shiva created a lake (Bindu Saras) for her wife and took abode there as Lingaraja.