bhubaneshwar

Bhubaneswar, an ancient city is the capital of India’s eastern state of Odisha. The city is famous for its food and festivals which are celebrated around the year.

Bhubaneswar hosts some of the popular festivals like the Car Festival, Ratha Jatra which attracts a large number of devotees from in and around Odisha. The city is also home to one of the oldest temples known as Hindu Lingaraja Temple.

The ancient city of Bhubaneswar is extremely rich in cultural heritage and natural beauty. The city has been able to maintain its ancient richness with its incredible economic progress. The city is on track to become the first “Smart City” in India. Some of the best places to explore in Bhubaneswar are-

• The Lingaraj Temple (Dedicated to Lord Shiva)
• Hirakud Dam (Houses a major dam established during the year 1956)
• The Bindu Sarovar (A water tank which is believed to be sacred by Hindus)
• Orissa State museum (Known for an exclusive collection of some unique and ancient art and craft objects)
• Biju Patnaik Park (Dedicated to the chief minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik)
• Nicco Park (An amusement park with beautiful landscaped gardens and areas)

Bhubaneswar is mainly known for its old temples and architecture. Tourists love to visit this city again and again as it has a number of historical places to explore. Some of them are-

• Lingaraja Temple - The largest and one of the oldest temple.
• MukteshwarTemple - Built in the mid-10th century, the temple is covered with carved figures of ascetics in different meditative positions
• Dhauligiri Shanti Stupa - Located on top of the dhauligiri hills and is a buddhist peace pagoda built by King Ashoka
• Ashokan Rock Edict - A collection of more than thirty inscriptions on the pillars, as well as boulders and cave walls
• Udayagiri Pilgrimage - A cave surrounded by greenery

Bhubaneswar houses many museums. If you’re eager to explore the culture of the city and learn more facts about the history, than visiting below listed museums is must:

• Odisha State Museum - Famous for a rich collection of unique manuscripts written on palm leaves, copper places, traditional musical instruments, terracotta, contemporary art, bronze etc.
• Regional Museum Of Natural History - Known for preserving a huge skeleton of Baleen Whale.
• Museum Of Tribal Arts & Artifacts - The museum has been declared as one of the best and well maintained tribal museums in India by UNESCO which houses items like clothing, wooden, metal, stone objects and other jewelry items.
• Buddha Art Gallery - Famous for artwork

We all know that Bhubaneswar is a city of Temples. Tourists from all over the world come to visit the world famous old temples but Bhubaneswar is not not just limited to it. The city offers a number of shopping spots and malls. Some of them are:

• Utkalika - Famous for various types of handloom and handicraft products.
• Esplanade One Mall -Known for the great collection of top brands.
• Epari Govindam Pvt. Ltd -Famous for various types of traditional sarees and lehengas.
• BMC Keshari Mall -Known for various types of designer apparels, quality cosmetics etc.
• Ekamra Haat -Famous for Sambalpuri sarees, handloom sarees, wooden products, and dress materials.
• Station Square - Known for Horn Work, Bamboo Basketry, Local crafts of Odisha, Patchwork, Brass and Bell Metal Work.

Bhubaneswar has a number of things to offer to the visitors in terms of history, culture, and cuisine. The people here are non-vegetarian and dishes made from fish, crabs, lambs and chicken are very common. Below is the list of some popular dishes that are-

• Maccha Ghanta - Made from fish pieces, Bengal gram, onion, eggplant, potato and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, etc.
• Crab Kalia -A seafood dish made from fresh crabs cooked along with potatoes, onions, gingers and a variety of spices.
• Bhendi Bhaja -Ladyfinger stuffed with fillings of spices, ginger and garlic paste and is shallow fried.
• Khichdi -Prepared with rice cooked with lentils together with a lot of ghee.
• Murg Saagwala -A chicken dish made with chicken pieces that are cooked in spinach gravy.

From ancient temples to stunning architecture, the city has a lot to offer. The ideal way to keep discovering the city’s culture, is heading to a relaxing restaurant. Below are some of the best restaurants where one can enjoy local cuisine-

• Zaika - Known for multi-cuisine.
• Truptee - Known for best vegetarian meals.
• Tangerine 9 - Famous for delicious Chinese or Tandoori dishes.
• Kanika - Known for traditional Odisha cuisine.
• Hare Krishna Restaurant - Known for delicious breakfast or dinner that are prepared without onions and garlic.

Bhubaneswar is known to be one of the most visited tourist destinations and interestingly owns a good number of amazing hotels which gives the visitors a homely vibe. Some of the best hotels are-

• Trident Bhubaneswar - From INR 5000 Onwards.
• Fortune Park Sishmo - From INR 3999 Onwards.
• Hotel Pal Heights - From INR 5000 Onwards.
• Ginger Bhubaneshwar - From INR 3000 Onwards.
• Hotel Pal Heights - From INR 5000 Onwards.

Being a commercial city, Bhubaneswar offers a good nightlife experience. Although, it’s not up to the standards of Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, but the nightlife is pretty decent. Scroll down to find some of the best pubs and bars in the city-

• Aangan Horizon -Known for the modern look, the swinging seats and the groovy posters of musicians.
• 10 DC – Lounge Bar & Pub - Famous for a large pool table.
• The Cellar – Mayfair Lagoon - Known for unique cocktails like the Pub Special or the Chocolate Knight.
• Hi-5 – The Lounge Bar (Famous for cool interiors.
• Pegasus Bar Known for unique cocktails like Green Dimples and the Tequila Mockingbird.

The city of Bhubaneswar is well-known for its vibrant culture. There are many festivals in the city that are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Some of them are-

• Durga Pooja -Celebrated for three – four days and holds an important significance for the Hindu devotees.
• Kalinga Mahotsav -It is celebrated to mark the victory of peace over war.
• Chandan Yatra -A 42-day long festival, celebrated by worshiping the deities with sandal mixed water.
• Rath Yatra -Also known as Car Festival, dedicated to Lord Jagannath who is believed to be an avatar of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna.
• Konark Dance Festival -It is celebrated to pay tribute to the beauty of Konark Temple.

• Police - 100
• Fire - 101
• Ambulance - 108
• Senior citizen helpline - 1090
• Child helpline - 1098
• Women helpline - 1091, 181
• Electricity - 1912

Odia is the most spoken language in Bhubaneswar but English and Hindi are understood by most residents.

Oria:

• What's your name? - Tumoro naamo?
• What happened? - Kono hela
• Did you have your lunch? - Khayilo ki?
• Come home - Gharo ku aasa
• Please sit - Doyakari basontu
• Thank You - Dhanyabado