Bhubaneswar ('The Lord of the Universe') is the capital of Orissa. In Bhubaneswar, Shiva is known as Tribuhuvaneswara or " Lord of the Three Worlds", from which the city derives its name. Beside being the capital of ancient Kalinga, Bhubaneswar is known as Temple Town and Cathedral City on account of its many temples in the extravagant Orissan style. Modern Bhubaneswar is delightfully rural for a state capital that administers the affairs of 25 million Orissans.


Place to See
Khandagiri & Udayagiri (Jain Heritage)
The twin hills of Khandagiri & Udayagiri, 8 km from Bhubaneswar, served as the site of an ancient Jain monastery which was carved into cave like chambers in the face of the hill. Dating back to the 2nd century BC, some of the caves have beautiful carvings. The Rani Gumpha ( Queen's Cave), one of the largest and double- storied is ornately embellished with beautiful carvings. In the Hati Gumpha (Elephant Cave), King Kharavela has carved out the chronicles of his reign.

Atri
The Atri hot sulphur spring is believed to have medicinal properties and has become a popular outing spot for vacationers. The drive from Bhuhaneswar (42 km) alone is worth the trip. The countryside is gorgeous. Atri is also famous for its temple dedicated to Lord Hatakeswar.

Dhauli
Just 8 km away from Bhubaneswar looking down on the plains that bore witness to the gruesome war waged on Kalinga by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, stand the rock edicts of Dhauli. It was here that King Ashoka; full of remorse renounced his bloodthirsty campaign and turned to Buddhism. The edicts are a living testimony to the King's change of heart. He urges his administrators to rule the land with justice and compassion. The edicts are so remarkable that they have been excellently preserved, despite the fact that they date back to the 3rd century BC. A sculpted elephant, the universal symbol of Lord Buddha, tops the rock edicts. The Shanti Stupa or the peace pagoda, built through the Indo-Japanese collaboration, is located on the opposite hill.

Hirapur
The Yogini shrine at Hirapur (dated 9th century) is important for its architectural variation from the main Orissan architectural genre. The temple is open to the sky (hypaethral). There are only four temples of this kind in India and two of them are in Orissa (the other one is at Ranipur- Jharial). Yogini Goddesses were worshipped in the hope of acquiring supernatural powers. It is 15 km from Bhubaneswar.

Nandankanan Sanctuary & Biological Park
About 20 km from Bhubaneswar, Nandankanan was established as a sanctuary in 1979. In effect it was really a Biological Park encapsulated in lush and natural landscape, offering its inhabitants a true feel of their natural habitat. This factor was further endorsed when a wild tigress (Kanan) actually scaled the boundary wall and voluntarily made her home with the Park's tiger population. It was here that for the first time ever, Gharials and white tigers were bred in captivity. Gharial breeding, one of the important projects at Nandankanan, has produced over 200 crocodiles. Nandankanan also runs a Lion Safari and White Tiger Safari. Nearby is the Chandaka Elephant Reserve.

Chilika Lake
Asia's largest brackish water lake, Chilika, is located about 100 km from Bhubaneswar. A narrow isthmus separates Chilika from the waters of the Bay of Bengal. Spread over an area of 1,100 sq. km it was declared a sanctuary in 1987. Winter is the loveliest time at Chilika, with thousands of migratory birds flying in from as far off as Siberia to make their winter sojourn in strange waters. The waters come alive with their raucous cries and colourful plumage as the birds battle to find space to make their new homes. While the lake's Nalbana Island has been declared a sanctuary for its varied flora and fauna, Kalijai Island is home to Goddess Kalijai and the venue for annual Makar mela. Chital and black buck roam freely on the scrubby shores while dolphins gambol playfully in the foam of the churning waters. Visitors can hire boats at Barkul, Balugaon, Rambha and Satapara to enjoy the lake.


How to Reach
Air : Bhubaneshwar has domestic flights to and from Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur, Raipur, Varanasi and Visakhapatnam.

Train : It is well linked by trains to Bangalore, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Madras, Puri, Tirupati and Trivandrum.

Road : National Highway No. 5 connects Bhubaneshwar to Kolkata and Madras along with other major cities