Things to do in Bhubaneswar
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Khana Khazana
A popular street stall with a few chairs and tables scattered outside. Alfresco diners savour tandoori chicken, chicken biryani or large serves of delicious chow mein featuring chicken, vegetables and prawns. Traditional Bengali hot rolls (try the tandoori chicken) are the cheapest and tastiest snack in town for Rs. 20.
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Discover Tours
A helpful, recommended agency specialising in tribal and textile village tours as well as Bhitarkanika and Similipal.
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Raja Rani Mandir
This temple, built around 1100 and surrounded by manicured gardens, is famous for its ornate deul (temple sanctuary) and tower. Around the compass points are pairs of statues representing eight dikpalas (guardians) who protect the temple. Between them, nymphs, embracing couples, elephants and lions peer from niches and decorate the pillars. The name of the temple isn’t for a particular king and queen, but is the name of the stone used in the temple’s construction.
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Tangerine 9
If you’re not ready to surrender to vegetarianism, step in to Tangerine 9 where there’s all the meat you can handle and all the dishes burst with the flavour of fresh herbs and spices. There’s a big range of Indian (especially tandoori) and Chinese, plus some nicely executed Thai dishes. Pan-Asian starters include momos (Tibetan dumplings) and salt-and-pepper prawns. Decor is blonde wood and signature tangerine.
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City Tour
The OTDC runs a city tour every day except Monday, covering the Nandankanan Zoo, Dhauli, the Lingaraj and Mukteswar temples, the State Museum and Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves. Another tour goes to Pipli, Konark and Puri (non-AC/AC Rs. 180/250, daily). Both tours leave from the Panthanivas Bhubaneswar hotel. These prices don’t include entry fees, which can add up to more than Rs. 300 for foreigners.
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Hare Krishna Restaurant
The menu says ‘Surrender to the pleasure of being vegetarian’, and it’s not difficult at this excellent veg restaurant. In dimly lit, upmarket surrounds you can enjoy mainly Indian dishes, including a wide range of tasty biryanis and pilaus, along with a good selection of soups and desserts. The lassi is outstanding. It’s upstairs; enter through the shopping arcade.
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Regional Science Centre
Kids will love this parkland museum with its giant dinosaurs. Included in the admission is a 30-minute movie screened hourly. Other treats are hands-on demonstrations of the laws of physics and displays on astronomy and insects. You may have the whole place to yourself if a school group isn’t there.
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Maurya Gardens
A darkened restaurant where you may have trouble reading the menu of Indian, Chinese and continental dishes. The curries are nice and hot, but if you want a beer to cool it down you’ll have to eat (same menu) in the bar next door. Nearest to the train station, it’s suitable for pre- or post-travel drinks.
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Truptee Restaurant
This clean and cool basement restaurant has all the South Indian favourites (and it opens at 7.30am, so it’s ideal for an idli – spongy, round, fermented rice cake – and vada breakfast) plus a range of northern curries, including a few good paneer (unfermented cheese) dishes.
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OTDC
A city tour offered by OTDC, covers the Nandankanan Zoo, Dhauli, the Lingaraj and Mukteswar temples, the State Museum and Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves. Another tour goes to Pipli, Konark and Puri. Both tours require a minimum of five people and leave from the Panthanivas Bhubaneswar hotel.
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State Museum
This museum boasts Orissa’s best collection of rare palm-leaf manuscripts, traditional and folk musical instruments, Bronze Age tools, an armoury and a display of Orissan tribal anthropology. Don’t miss the salvaged colonial gravestone on the front lawn.
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Mithai Shop & AC Restaurant
In addition to its range of North and South Indian curries, this place is Jagannath's gift to thali lovers and connoisseurs of Indian sweets and ice cream. Cyclone-force fans make it difficult to hold the menu but are most refreshing when the heat strikes.
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Deep Down South
Here you'll find all the South Indian culprits expertly executed. First have a lassi, and then go for a masala dosa served on a plastic banana leaf, backed with an all-you-can-eat sambar. Room left over? There's a sweet shop attached.
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Orissa State Handloom Cooperative
Orissan textiles, including appliqué and ikat (a technique involving tie-dyeing the thread before it’s woven) works, can be bought at the Orissa State Handloom Cooperative and a number of shops nearby on Rajpath.
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Ekamra Haat
A wide-ranging exposition of Orissan handicrafts (and snack stalls) can be found at Ekamra Haat, a permanent market in a large garden space. While the gates open at 10am, many stalls don’t get going until later.
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The Zaika
A clean, modern oasis on busy, dusty Lewis Rd. As well as excellent curries and tandoori there is an extensive Chinese menu but alas no beer. Fresh prawns and pomfret are ritually tandooried on Wednesday and Sunday.
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Museum of Tribal Arts & Artefacts
For anyone considering a visit to the tribal areas, this museum, off National Hwy 5 (NH5), is recommended. Dress, ornaments, weapons, household implements and musical instruments are displayed.
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Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves
Six kilometres west of the city centre are two hills riddled with rock-cut shelters. Many are ornately carved and thought to have been chiselled out for Jain ascetics in the 1st century BC.
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Cafe Coffee Day
Janpath (New Marrion Hotel); Nayapalli (Ginger, Jayadev Vihar) Yes it’s a chain but you’ll appreciate the real coffee beans, the refreshing iced drinks and the chilly AC on any typically sweltering day.
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Modern Book Depot
Maps, English-language novels, coffee-table books, postcards and books on Orissa. If you’re interested in learning some Oriya, ask the owner about the well-regarded Oriya in Small Bites.
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Park Inn Bar & Restaurant
A cinema-dark bar with attentive waiters always ready to suggest another cold beer. Lots of nice cooking smells from the kitchen make you hungry for chicken, fish or prawn dishes.
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Orissa Modern Art Gallery
Housing a high standard of contemporary art by local artists, this small gallery also has prints and originals for sale.
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Mandeep
Rabindra Mandeep is a concert venue periodically used for music or dance performances. Phone the venues to find out what's coming up.
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Soochana Bhawan
Soochana Bhawan is a concert venue periodically used for music or dance performances. Phone the venues to find out what's coming up.
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Building
Orissan textiles, including appliqué and ikat works, can be bought around Market Building
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