Welcome to Odisha
A favourite destination for adventurous travellers, Odisha (Orissa) rewards those who make the effort to stray off the beaten track with an intricate patchwork of archaeological wonders, fascinating tribal culture, and natural beauty, along with an old-fashioned sprinkling of sun and sand.
Top experiences in Odisha
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Odisha activities
Om Leisure Half-day temples-monuments trip of Bhubaneswar city in Odisha
Udayagiri & Khandagiri Jain Caves: One of the earliest groups of Jain rock-cut shelters, the caves of Udayagiri (Hill of Sunrise) and Khandagiri (Broken Hills) command a unique position in the field of history, rock-cut architecture, art and religion. The two hills rise abruptly from the coastal plain, about six km west of Bhubaneswar, separated by a highway. Lingaraja Shiva Temple: It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar, the capital of the East Indian state of Odisha. The temple is the most prominent landmark of Bhubaneswar city and one of the major tourist attractions of the state.Mukteswar Temple: It is a 10th-century Hindu temple of Lord Shiva. The stylistic development the Mukteswar marks the culmination of all earlier developments and it is one of the prominent tourist attractions of Bhubaneswar city.
Full-day Om Leisure tour of temple city Bhubaneswar in Odisha
Enjoy ONE DAY ( Full Day ) sightseeing tour of magnificent temple city of Bhubaneswar which is the capital city of Odisha. Get close to the culture and amazing monuments, temple architect, caves and statues, museums and parks with Om Leisure Holidays which you will cherish forever. Sightseeing places which covers following tourist attraction of Bhubaneswar city… • Famous temple of Lord Shiva - Lingaraj temple (Non Hindus are not allowed), • Bindu Sagar Lake, • Other major temples like Kedar Gouri temple, Mukteswar temple, Brahmeswar temple, Bhaskeswar temple, • Dhauli Buddhist Hills Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa), • Khandagiri and Udayagiri Jain Caves, • Regional Museum of Natural History, • Pathani Samanta Planetarium, • Odisha State Museum, • Nicco Park. Transportation by - AC Swift Dzire or similar
TEMPLES TRIBES AND TEXTILES OF ODISHA
Trip starts on MONDAY only to show the best of the trip on this routing. Visit to the Villages of Odisha will be covered in this program. Heritage sites, Beach area as well as art & craft villages are covered where you can really experience the Real India. Very knowledgeable, experienced Guides will be provided in this program who understand the sentiment of the Tribal communities & behave with sensitive way. All meals included. Hotel Transfers are included. Entrance fees to the monuments included. In the small cities we will provide mostly the Home stays provided by the local people, some places Royal Home stay as well as Eco camps provided in this program to have the best experience. Local cuisine testing is also a major attraction of this trip.
The Bhubaneswar Experience
You will be picked up by your guide and separate driver at your local hotel in Bhubaneswar in the morning around 09:00. You will be taken by a private, air-conditioned vehicle to the first destination which is the Lingaraja Temple. The temple is one of the most sacred and religious sites in India and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar. Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the temple so you will be allowed to admire the temple's impressive structure from the outside, which is almost fully viewable. This temple is also the biggest temple in Bhubaneswar and its structure is so ancient that a lot of myths and legends are shared by the locals about its conception.After viewing the famous Lingaraja Temple, you will continue with your guide and driver to your next stop, the Mukteshwar Temple. Located at a hilltop, this temple was built in the 10th Century and is another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The unique structure offers a mix between modern and ancient. At this temple you will see the extraordinary carvings with intricate details, stunning interior, and impressive structural design.The next place to visit is the ancient Parsurama Temple, believed to have been built during the 12th and 13th century. This temple is the only temple in Kerala dedicated to Lord Parusarama. Lord Parusama was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and known in the ancient scripts as a warrior. The temple is an important location for many people to come and worship their ancestors and offer prayers.After visiting the Parsurama Temple you will continue to the Rajarani Temple. This temple is believed to have been constructed between the 11th to 12th century and has many similar details to the famous Khajuraho Temples, due to its intricate details of erotic carvings. The name of the temple originates from the local sandstone which was used to build the temple. Inside the temple are many beautiful sculptures depicting different ancient legends such as guards, Varuna, and scenes from Shiva's marriage.After visiting the temples, you will be taken to the hills on the edges of the city to see Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves. These famous caves were carved by Jain monks during 2nd century BCE. There are more than 30 caves on this location with all unique details of sculptures and myths. One of the caves, the Snake Cave, got its name from the two serpents clinging to the arch of the entrance of this cave. Inside the cave are carvings telling the story of a boy chasing wild animals.The last stop of the trip is at the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artifacts which offers an unique experience to get to know the Orissan tribal culture. The museum is showcasing the ancient tribal clothing, artifacts, jewelry, hunting weapons, and many other things. This will be a delightful visit to finish off the tour. After the museum visit you will return to your hotel and conclude the tour.
Best of Odisha in 48 hours
Day 1 8 AM- Our first destination is Dhauli. This is the venue of the ancient battle which was fought in 260 BC. Emperor Ashoka, the great Mauryan King won the battle but upon seeing the bloodbath had a change of heart. He became a propagator of peace and had a big role in the spread of Buddhism in India. We will get to see edicts of Ashoka embossed on rocks using the ancient Brahmi script and Prakrit language. The rock cut Elephant sculpture is one of the oldest in India.Another highlight of Dhauli is the Shanti Stupa or Peace Pagoda. The current structure was built by an Indo-Japanese collaboration in 1972 by the Japan Buddha Sangh and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangh.We will drive to Konark to experience one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of India. Built in 13th century by King Narasimhadeva, the temple is designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses and twelve wheels, carrying the sun god, Surya, across heavens. The most interesting aspect of the architecture lies in the wheels of the chariot. The twelve pairs of wheels located at the base of the temple are no ordinary wheels. They create a sundial and tell time!We will visit Ramachandi temple besides the Bay of Bengal. The temple is surrounded by casurina plantations, and is dedicated to Goddess Chandi who is seen seated on a lotus.6PM- We arrive at beachside town of Puri. We will also see famous temple of Lord Jagannath, from outside as non-Hindus are not allowed inside. The temple is famous for its annual chariot festival. During the chariot festival, the three principal deities are pulled on gigantic chariot. In-fact this chariot festival is the origin for the English term Juggernaut!Overnight stay in Puri.Day 2630 AM- We drive for an hour to reach the magnificent Chilka lake. At Satapada we will take a boat ride on the lake. If we are lucky we can spot dolphins of Irrawady.The state of Odisha is very famous for its handicrafts. We will visit a village market at Raghurajpur. This village is home to the immensely talented Pattachitra painters whose traditional style goes back to the 5th century BC. The artists use gum and chalk and their canvas is the dried palm leaf.Khandagiri caves are dwelling retreats or cells of ancient Jain ascetics. These were built in the second century BC during the reign of King Kharavela of the Kalinga Kingdom. At the top there is a 18th century Jain temple as well.Raja rani temple is a temple constructed in the 11th century from reddish and yellow sandstone. This material was called Rajarani in the local dialect and hence the temple got its name. The temple is famous for its unique sculptures of women. Women are in poses performing Odissi the traditional dance form as well as in every day life moments.6 PM– End of Tour
Bhubaneswar tour in a day including Konark Sun Temple
8 AM- Our first destination is Dhauli. This is the venue of the ancient battle which was fought in 260 BC. Emperor Ashoka, the great Mauryan King won the battle but upon seeing the bloodbath had a change of heart. He became a propagator of peace and had a big role in the spread of Buddhism in India. We will get to see edicts of Ashoka embossed on rocks using the ancient Brahmi script and Prakrit language.The rock cut Elephant sculpture is one of the oldest in India.Another highlight of Dhauli is the Shanti Stupa or Peace Pagoda. The current structure was built by an Indo-Japanese collaboration in 1972 by the Japan Buddha Sangh and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangh.We will drive to Konark to experience one of the greatest architectural masterpieces of India. Built in 13th century by King Narasimhadeva, the temple is designed in the shape of a colossal chariot with seven horses and twelve wheels, carrying the sun god, Surya, across heavens. The Sun temple was known as ‘The Black Pagoda’ among early European sailors to the East.The most interesting aspect of the architecture lies in the wheels of the chariot. The twelve pairs of wheels located at the base of the temple are no ordinary wheels. They create a sundial and tell time!Khandagiri & Udayagiri caves are dwelling retreats or cells of ancient Jain ascetics. These were built in the second century BC during the reign of King Kharavela of the Kalinga Kingdom. At the top there is a 18th century Jain temple as well.Raja rani temple is a temple constructed in the 11th century from reddish and yellow sandstone. This material was called Rajarani in the local dialect and hence the temple got its name. The temple is famous for its unique sculptures of women. Women are in poses performing Odissi the traditional dance form as well as in every day life moments.630 PM– End of Tour