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…
Bhubaneswar
The 54m-high Lingaraj Mandir dedicated to Shiva dates from 1090 to 1104 – though some parts are more than 1400 years old – and is surrounded by several…
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…
Museum of Tribal Arts & Artefacts
Bhubaneswar
This superb museum is a must for visitors interested in Odisha's 62 tribes or considering a visit to the state's tribal areas. Complete with interactive…
Bhubaneswar
This small but beautiful 10th-century structure is one of the most ornate temples in Bhubaneswar; you'll see reproductions of it on posters across Odisha…
Odisha
Ratnagiri is the most interesting and extensive among the three Pusphagiri sites. Two large monasteries flourished here from the 5th to 13th centuries…
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…
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…
Odisha
Onkadelli is a particularly popular tribal produce market, with Bonda, Mali, Kondh and Paraja people attending to buy and sell fruit, vegetables, dried…
Odisha
Many of Chilika Lake's million-plus migratory birds — including grey-legged geese, herons, cranes and pink flamingos — spend the winter months (November…
Bhubaneswar
Six kilometres west of the city centre are two hills riddled with rock-cut shelters. Khandagiri is topped with a fine temple. Many of the caves are…
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…
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…
Odisha
Jagannath Temple, whose whitewashed sikhara (temple spire) overlooks Koraput town, is well worth visiting. The courtyard around the sikhara contains…
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)…
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…
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…
Odisha
This excellent museum, overlooking the Mahanadi River, focuses on Odisha's centuries-old maritime history of boat-building and trade (particularly with…
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,…
Odisha
This colourful village, 16km southeast of Bhubaneswar, is notable for its locally made brilliant appliqué craft, which incorporates small mirrors and is…
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…
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…
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…
Bhubaneswar
Built around AD 1100, this temple surrounded by manicured gardens is famous for its ornate deul (temple spire). Around the compass points are pairs of…
Bhubaneswar
This museum houses Odisha’s best collection of rare palm-leaf manuscripts, as well as patachitra (scroll paintings), traditional musical instruments,…
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…
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…
Odisha
This museum contains many impressive sculptures and carvings found during excavations of the Sun Temple.
Bhubaneswar
This is an ornate Shiva temple built around AD 650. It has lively bas-reliefs of elephant and horse processions, panels of musicians and dancers, and…
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…
Bhubaneswar
Right near the airport, this gallery exhibits the best of Odisha's contemporary art. The permanent collection includes over 200 works by prominent Odishan…
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…
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.
Odisha
This is a tribal textile market, featuring yarn coloured with natural dyes, located 63km northwest of Koraput.
Bhubaneswar
This 8th-century temple, with a double-storey ‘wagon roof’ influenced by Buddhist cave architecture, was a centre of tantric worship, eroticism and bloody…
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…
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…
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…
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…
