Budget hotels in Orissa

Population: 35 million
Capital: Bhubaneswar
Area: 155,700 sq km
Best Time to Visit: November to March
Main Language: Oriya
Literacy Rate: 48%

Orissa is a tropical state located on the east coast of India, south of West Bengal. This state has a long and renowned history, and some of the most beautiful scenery in India. Its main holy place is Puri (Jagannath Puri). Also prominent are Bhubaneswar, the state capital, and the famous Sun Temple at Konark.

History
The first known ruler was the King of Kalinga. In 260 BC he was defeated by Emperor Ashoka in a bloody battle, which was the catalyst that turned Ashoka toward Buddhism and nonviolence. The Kesari dynasty (7th–12th centuries) and the Ganga dynasty (12th–15th centuries) built many of the temples now existing. Hindu rulers continued to rule Orissa until the Mughals conquered it during the 16th century. At this time, many of the Hindu temples were destroyed. After Clive’s victory in Plassey in 1765, the East India Company took control of part of Orissa. By 1803, the British controlled the entire state.

Temple Design
The Orissan temple architectural style is known as Nagara. As a rule, an Orissan temple consists of two essential parts: the deul and the jagmohana. The tall, main structure (deul in Orissan) is a spiraling, elevated tower crowned with a lotus-shaped top. At the center of the deul is the inner sanctum where the temple deities are located. In front of the deul there is usually a porch structure (jagmohana) that is rectangular in shape.

There may also be a dance hall (nata-mandira), a congregational hall (bhoga-mandapa), bathing tanks, and subsidiary shrines enclosed by a wall.

Places Around Bhubaneswar & Puri

Udayagiri & Khandagiri Caves
The caves here are ancient (over 2,000 years old) Jain caves located about 7km west of downtown Bhubaneswar. There are two sets of caves carved into two opposite hills. Altogether, there are forty-four caves carved out of sandstone, some of which are natural and some carved out of the rock. Jain monks used the caves around the 1st or 2nd century BC. All the caves are numbered (gumpha means “cave”).

This place can be reached by auto-rickshaw or bicycle from Bhubaneswar. It takes two or three hours to see everything.

Admission Rs 100. Open 7am to 6 pm. There is a government restaurant here. Each year in late January for a week or so, an assembly of sadhus congregates in this place, which is a popular event.

Udayagiri Caves
On the right side of the road are the Udayagiri caves. To get to the caves, walk up the main path, then take the path to the right. At the end of the path, you will come to the two-storey Rani ka Naur (Queen’s Palace), Cave 1. It is the largest of the caves and contains some interesting carvings. You then come back on the same path and proceed to the Chota Hathi Gumpha (3), which contains carvings of elephants, a lion, and winged animals. Then follow the path to the two-storey Jaya Vijaya Cave (5), which has interesting carvings. Then climb the hill and to the right is the two-storey Swargapuri Cave (9).

Then take the path to your right to the Ganesh Gumpha (10). There is an elephant in front and a carving of Ganesh on the right side of the back wall. You can then go up the hill to the top from where there is a good view of the surrounding area. Then follow the path around to the left. You will come to Bagha Gumpha (Tiger Cave), Cave 12. The entrance is carved like a tiger’s mouth. Then return to the path, and on the left is the central Hathi Gumpha (Elephant Cave) (14), which is especially interesting. It has an inscription in the ancient language of Magadhi describing the history of King Kharavela, who funded the carving of some of the caves.

Then return to the Hathi Gumpha and proceed to the Pavana Gumpha (Purification Cave). Then go to Sarpa Gumpha (Serpent Cave), which has a three-headed cobra above the doorway.

Khandagiri Caves
On the other side of the road are the Khandagiri caves. The caves can be reached by going up the steps next to the entrance to the Udayagiri caves. If you climb these steps, when the path divides, take the right path and you come to Caves 1 and 2. They are known as the Parrot Caves because of the birds carved over the doorways. Return on the path for 30m and then climb some steps to the Ananta Cave (3), which has carvings of elephants, women, and a bird carrying flowers. It has the best sculptures of the Khandagiri Caves.

You can then climb the hill, passing the Jain temples, and at the top, there is an 18th century temple dedicated to Mahavir, the 24th tirthankara (Jain teacher). From the temple there is a good view of Bhubaneswar, including the Lingaraja Temple.

Dhauli Hill
Ashoka, the Mauryan Emperor, inscribed his decrees on a rock called the Ashoka Rock Edicts at the foot of Dhauli Hill. These are the earliest known inscribed records in India. Above the edicts there is a sculpture of a frontal view of an elephant, which is the earliest known sculpture in Orissa. It is said that after Ashoka’s army killed 150,000 people in a battle near here in 265 BC, he renounced the path of violence and decided to follow the path of the Buddha.

There is the impressive Buddhist Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda) on top of this hill. It is a beautiful, white-domed building built in the 1970s by Japanese and Indian Buddhists. The Dhaveleswara Temple, a Siva temple, is on the top of the hill. There are good views from the top of the hill.

This hill is 8km from Bhubaneswar. The OTDC organized tours are a convenient way to visit this spot. If you don’t travel in your own vehicle, be prepared to walk about 2km from where the public bus lets you off (ask for Dhauli Chowk). To come here by auto-rickshaw is around Rs 100 roundtrip (there are no rickshaws available at the site) plus waiting time.

Nandankanan Zoo
This zoo has a lion safari,20 white tigers, and elephant rides (Rs 8 per person between 3 pm and 4:30 pm).. There is an exotic Botanical Garden. Boat Rides for 30 minutes for Rs 25 to Rs 50 per person. There is a cable car that go across a lake (Rs 30 return) that you can get off in the middle and walki to the Botanical Garden.

The most excellent thing for me when I visited here was the Lion Safari (Rs 12) and Tiger Safari (Rs 12) in an open air protected bus. When I went we drove up about 10 feet from a lion sitting peacefully in the grass. My friend had his arm hanging a little out the winder so I warned my friend that the lion might jump up and eat it. The bus driver jsut waved his arm like there was no problem and say they get enought to eat.

Open daily except Mon 7 am to 6 pm in the summer and 8 am to 5 pm in the winter. Admission Rs 50. Camera/video Rs 5/200. There are several places to eat outside the zoo, but none inside.

It is 20km from Bhubaneswar, from where there are hourly buses (1 hr; Rs 20) from the Old bus stand and near the Lingaraj Mandir and Padma Hotel from Kalpana Square. to the zoo.

The OTDC bus tours from Puri and Bhubaneswar come here, but only for an hour, which is not enogh for most people.. It takes 1½ hr to ride here by bicycle from Bhubaneswar.

Sakshi Gopala Temple
This is an important Krishna temple that is dedicated to Sakshi Gopala. Sakshi Gopala means “the witness Gopala.” This Deity was originally in Vrindavan.

Once, two Vidyanagara Brahmins, one elderly and the other young, after touring many places of pilgrimage, finally reached Vrindavan. While in Vrindavan, to reciprocate with the service the younger Brahmin had rendered him, the older Brahmin promised his daughter in marriage. He made this promise before the Gopala Deity in Vrindavan.

Some time later, after having returned to Vidyanagara, the young Brahmin reminded the older Brahmin of his promise. Due to pressure from his family members, the elderly Brahmin said he could not remember having made any such promise. The younger Brahmin then returned to Vrindavan and told the whole story to Gopalaji. Being obliged by the young man’s devotional attitude, Sri Gopala followed him to South India, where he bore witness to the elderly Brahmin’s promise. Hence, by the Lord’s grace, the marriage was performed. The Deity was later moved to Cuttack, then to the Jagannath temple, and finally to its present location.

Non-Hindus can not enter this temple. This temple is 10km west of Puri. You can take a train here, as it is a stop on the Puri-Bhubaneswar line. You can also take a bus or taxi.

Chilka Lake
Located 45km southwest of Puri, this lake is known for the many birds that migrate here in December and January, including flamingos, pelicans, cranes, and ospreys. The lake is about 75km long and 15km wide, and is separated from the sea by a thin sand bar. There is a Kali temple on Kalijai Island.

There are OTDC Tourist offices in Barkul Panthanivas (06756 220855) and the Satapada Yari Nivas.

From the boat jetty in Balugaon, visitors can rent a boat to Kalijai Island (2-hr round trip) or Nalabana Island (4-hr round trip), to visit the bird sanctuary.

Yatri Niwas, Satapada, 45km from Puri, has good, inexpensive rooms. There are several buses from Puri to here.

Barkul Tourist Bungalow (06756 20488) at Balugaon, 5km south of Barkul, has poorly maintained rooms for Rs 400 and Rs 600 with A/C. You should bring mosquito repellent, as the mosquitoes can be vicious. To get to this place, take a bus to Barkul and a rickshaw from there. There is an OTDC bus coming here directly from Puri. You can rent a boat here

Rambha Panthanivas (06810 78346),, near the railway station at Rambha, has rooms with bath and a balcony overlooking the lake for Rs 400 and Rs 700 with A/C. You can rent a boat here to go out onto the lake. The hotels in Balugaon are near the railway station. You can rent a room here just for the day for half the rate.

Satapada Panthanivas (0674 432-177), on the shore of the lake at Satapada, 55km south of Puri. It has good, clean rooms for Rs 200.

Cuttack
Pop: 500,000 Area
Phone Code: 0671

Cuttack was the capital of Orissa until 1956. It is 35km north of Bhubaneswar. There is nothing to see in this city. Kadam Rasul has the footprints of the Prophet enshrined in it.

There is a Tourist Counter at the railway station. Tourist Office (261-2225) is on Link Rd on the road to Bhubaneswar.

State Bank of India, near the High Court, changes money.

Where to Stay
Hotel Neeladri (261-4221)< Mangala Bagh, has rooms for Rs 300/450 and A/C rooms for Rs 800.
Panthanivas Tourist Bungalow (230-6916), Buxi Bazaar, has rooms for Rs 450 and Rs 800 with A/C.
Hotel Ashoka (264-7509; fax 261-3091, College Square, has rooms for Rs 250/350 and Rs 700/900 with A/C.
Hotel Akbari Continental (622-342), Haripur Rd., near the railway station, has A/C rooms for Rs 1200/1500.

Travel
Cuttack is on the main line between Calcutta and Chennai. There are trains to Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, Chennai, Puri, Delhi, and Hyderabad. There are regular buses to Bhubaneswar.

Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri and Udaigiri
Located on top of three hills, about 100km north of Bhubaneswar and 65km northeast of Cuttack, are these ancient Buddhists ruins.

Lalitgiri, dating back to the 9th century, contains different sculptures, including a large sculpture of a head of the Buddha. A stone box with some gold and silver artifacts was found in a stupa believed to contain relics of the Buddha. There is a small museum containing sculptures found in the area (Tues to Sun 10 am to 5 pm; often closed).
At Udaigiri, there is a large brick stupa, with a carving of the Buddha on each side. There is a group of monasteries. One monastery has carved doorways and a large, seated Buddha in the main shrine. The Lokeswar Buddha statue is 3m (10 ft) high.

Ratnagiri, there are the ruins of two large monasteries dating back to the 6th to 12th centuries. There is a large stupa, believed to have contained relics of the Buddha. There are large carvings of the Buddha, and some carved doorways. Ratnagiri is 20km from the main road.

Practicalities
There is the OTDC Rest House near Ratnagiri, which has basic rooms. Panthasala Tourist Bungalow, near Lilitgiri Hill, has rooms for Rs 150, which can be reserved at the tourist office in Cuttack.

These places are basically inaccessible by public transportation. The best way to get to them is to rent a car in Bhubaneswar (about Rs 750) or Cuttack. Buses go only to Lalitgiri.

To visit these places you could take a bus to Chandikol (45km from Cuttack) and then take an auto-rickshaw to these places for (Rs 300 for all three places).

Bhitar Kanika Wildlife Park
This park is located between Chandipur and Paradip, on the coast at Gahirmatha Beach, 125km from Bhubaneswar. This is the nesting place of over 200,000 Olive Ridley marine turtles, which come to the mouth of the Brahmini River each year during February and March to lay their eggs. Some come from as far away as South America and Australia. They come onto the shore and bury their eggs, then return to the sea and swim home halfway around the world. Admission: Rs 10.

The turtles nest for three or four days. Visitors can inquire at the OTDC tourist office in Bhubaneswar to find out when the turtles will arrive. The turtles don’t seem disturbed that people are watching.

To visit the park and the rest houses you need permission to enter the park at Divisional Forest Officer (06729 272460; in rajnagar 754225) or in Chandbali (06786 220072). Upmarket tours can be arranged by Pugmarks Nature Resorts (033 2287-3307; fax 2240-7737; Web Site: http://www.pugmarks.org), in Kolkata.

There are almost no facilities here. The only convenient way to come see the turtle nesting is by taxi. There are Forest Rest Houses in Dangmal and Chandbali. There are rooms for Rs 150 at the Ray Lodge (06797 2201).

Baripada
Phone Code: 06792

Visitors may stop here while traveling to Simlipal National Park.

Bishram (58535), near the bus stand, has basic, inexpensive rooms.

Hotel Ambika (52557) has rooms with bath for Rs 150/200 and better rooms for Rs 350/450. The manager here is helpful and can arrange transportation to Simlipal National Park. It has a restaurant.

Durga (52338), 3km out of town, is a colonial building with basic rooms.

Balasore (Baleshwar)
Phone Code: 06782

Balasore is the first major town in Orissa coming from Calcutta, about halfway between Calcutta and Puri. Balasore means “Town of Baby Krishna.” This is the nearest train junction to the Gopinath Temple at Remuna.

Where to Stay and Eat
Deepak Lodging, across from the cinema, is a decent place. From the train station, go to the main road and turn left. The hotel is on the right, across from the cinema.
Hotel Swarnachuda (73440), Sahadevkhunta Rd, near the bus stand, is a good, well-managed place with rooms for Rs 200/250 and A/C rooms for Rs 350/500.
Suraj (72657), near the bus stand, has basic rooms for Rs 150/200.
Top of the line is the Hotel Torrento (63481; fax 64084), 3km out of town on NH #5. It has large, comfortable rooms, most with central A/C, for Rs 1200/1450. Recommended.
Rainbow Restaurant is a good vegetarian place. Recommended.

Travel
Balasore is on the Calcutta-Chennai line. There are regular trains to Calcutta, Puri, Chennai, and Bhubaneswar (five daily). The railway station is just off the main street. It is a ten-minute rickshaw ride (3km) from the railway station to the bus station.

There are regular buses to Remuna, Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, and Chandipur.

Chandipur
Phone Code: 06782

Chandipur, on the coast 16km from Balasore, has one of the best beaches in Orissa. The tide recedes 5km each day. You can get an OTDC Tour from Chandipur that visits the temples in the area. It departs twice daily.

Practicalities
OTDC Panthanivas Tourist Bungalow (72213), near the beach, is a colonial building with rooms for Rs 350 and Rs 500 with A/C. It is well-managed and friendly.

Shubam Hotel (72025) is in an old colonial building and has a nice garden. Rooms are Rs 450/500.
Chandipur Hotel (72313) has good rooms for Rs 175/225.
Yarica Yatri Niwas (72374) is a modern place with rooms built around a courtyard for Rs 250 and Rs 500 with A/C. It also has dorm beds.

There are five buses a day going between Balasore and Chandipur. An auto-rickshaw costs about Rs 75 from Balasore to Chandipur.

Sambalpur
Pop: 150,000
Phone Code: 0663

Sambalpur is in western Orissa, near the border of Madhya Pradesh. It is where many of the Orissan saris are made.

Where to Stay
Indhrapuri Guest House (21712), by the bus stand, is a basic place with rooms for Rs 70/90.
Hotel Sujata (240-0403; fax 400-662) has good rooms for Rs 230/600.
Hotel Uphar (240-0519), near to the bus stand, has rooms with bath for Rs 400/450 and Rs 750/800 with A/C and TV. They often give a 30% discount.
OTDC Panthanivas Tourist Bungalow (241-1282), at the end of the main street on top of a hill, has decent rooms with bath for Rs 230 and Rs 650 with A/C.

Travel
There are trains to Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Chennai, and Calcutta. The railway station is 3km from the center of town (Rs 30 by auto-rickshaw).

The bus station is in the center of town. There are three direct buses daily to Puri (9 hr). You can also take a bus to Cuttack (7 hr), and then another bus to Puri. There are deluxe night buses to Puri and Bhubaneswar, which should be reserved in advance.

Bhubaneswar

Pop: 650,000
Phone Code 0674

Bhubaneswar is the capital of Orissa and is said to once have had 7,000 temples. Now only a few hundred ancient temples remain. The Lingaraja temple is one of the most impressive temples in India. Regrettably, non-Indians are not permitted to enter, but can view the temple only from the outside.

Orientation
There is no real downtown area; rather, everything is spread out. The railway station and the old bus stand are close to each other in the center of town. The New long-distance bus station is about 5 km west of the center of the town. Most of the temples are located in the southeast section of the city, near the Bindu-sarovara Tank.

Information and Tours
The OTDC Tourist Office (243-1-99; Web Site: http://www.orissa-tourism.com), 5 Jayadeva Marg, near the Panthanivas Tourist Bungalow, has a good free map of Orissa and can arrange tourist taxis and guides (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm). There are also tourist counters at the airport (253-4006) and railway station (253-0715) open 24 hr.

The OTDC has a luxury bus tour that goes to the temples and museums, Dhauli, Nandankanan, Khandagiri, and Udayagiri from 9 am to 5.30 pm daily except Mon. You can book this tour at the tourist office.

There is a daily OTDC tour to Puri and Konark, which stops at Pipli village for applique. It departs from the railway station at 8.30 am (9 am from the Panthanivas Hotel) and returns at 6 pm (Rs 150). It has a good guide. They also organize a two-day tour to Chilika and Gopalpur.

The Government of India Tourist Office (243-2203), BJB Nagar, around the corner from the Panthanivas Hotel (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm).

Swosti Travels (253-5778; Web Site: http://www.swosti.com), Janpath, next to the Hotel Swosti, does well-organized trips to national parks and the tribal area. They arrange deluxe tours. Travel Club (259-0830; fax: 259-0819; email: travelclub@cal2.vsnl.net.in), BDA Market, Palaspail is a traust worthy travel agent to arrange a tour of the area.

Practical Information
You can change money at the State Bank of India on Raj Path, opposite New Market (may not change American Express travelers cheques); Indian Overseas Bank, corner of Janpath and Station Square (may ask to see purchase receipt to change travelers cheques). Some banks are closed on Mondays.

The GPO is on the corner of MG Marg and Sachivalaya Marg by the bus stand. There is a man outside to make packages. The middle counter is the poste restante.

Com-Cyber Tech (425-180), Ashoka Market, southeast end of Station Square, has internet and email facilities. A good place for Internet is Net4U, Raj Path, next to Hotel Sahara for Rs 20 per hour.

Genesis Travel (56493), at the Jajati Hotel, is an established travel agent. Prime Tours and Travels, Pushpak Complex, Kalpana Square, arranges car rentals and deals with train and airlines tickets. High-end tours to Puri and Konark can be arranged by Swosti Travels (508-738; fax 520-796), 103 Janpath. They can also arrange village and tribal tours.

Shopping
Most shops are closed from noon to 4 pm every day and all day on Thursdays.

The Modern Book Department, New Market, Station Square, has a good selection of books on Orissa.

Good fabrics can be purchased at Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative, Hall No 2, West Market Building (closed Sundays).

Utkalika, the Orissa State Emporium at East Tower Market Building, has a good selection of quality Orissan items, but may be a little more expensive than other shops. Most of the year, however, the government emporiums offer discounts, and the quality is guaranteed.

Temples
Most of the temples are located near the Bindu-sarovara Tank, about 2km south of the city center. They are all situated within a 3km (2 mile) area of one another. Lingaraja and Vital Duel temples are located west of the tank.

Parasurameswar and Mukteswara temples are east of the tank. The Rajrani and Brahmeswara temples are a ten to fifteen-minute walk east of the Mukteswara Temple.

As there is active worship in many of the temples, it is best to dress conservatively. If a temple priest shows you around a temple (with your consent), it is appropriate to give a donation (approximately Rs 25). If you look rich, they will ask for more (the sky is the limit).

There is a good small book published by the Archaeological Survey of India called Bhubaneswar, by Debala Mitra. It is available from the State Museum in Bhubaneswar, or directly from ASI.

Bindu-sarovara Tank
It is said that Lord Siva established this tank as a place of pilgrimage by bringing water from all the holy places. Taking bath here and drinking the water of this lake is said to cure stomach diseases. It is located immediately next to the Lingaraja Temple. A pilgrimage to Bhubaneswar should be begun by bathing at this spot. On the eastern bank is the Ananta Vasudeva Temple, dedicated to Krishna and Balarama.

The Lingaraja deity is brought to the pavilion in the middle of the tank and ritually bathed during the annual Car Festival (Ashokastami). The best time to visit is around sunrise. Sri Chaitanya took bath in this lake when he first came from Bengal to Puri.

Lingaraja Temple (11th century)
The xe "Lingaraja Temple" Lingaraja Temple is one of the most impressive and beautiful temples in India. It is considered to be the pinnacle of Orissan temple architecture. The main tower is 55m (180 feet) high. The present temple was built between 1090 to 1104, but parts of the temple are over 1400 years old.

The presiding deity is the svayambhu linga, Hari-Hara Linga, which is half-Siva and half-Vishnu. He is also named Tribhuvaneswara, the “Lord of the three worlds.” The linga of Lingaraja is an uncarved block of granite 2.5m (8 ft) in diameter raised 20cm (8 inches) above the ground. The Siva linga is bathed daily with water, milk, and bhang. There are also many other deities residing in this temple. In the northeast corner there is Parvati.

Tradition says that one should first visit this temple before going to Puri. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu came here before going to Puri.

There is a four-day chariot festival every March-April when Lingaraja is drawn on his chariot to the Rameswara Temple.

Non-Indians are not permitted to enter the temple; and this rule is strictly enforced. There is a 6m (20 ft) high viewing platform along the northern wall of the temple, and from this vantage point you can get a good view of the temple compound. You will be asked for a donation at the platform and shown a book to indicate that some people have given over Rs 1000, but Rs Rs 10 or so is alright. This temple is immediately south of Bindu-sarovara Tank.

Vaital Deul Temple
This interesting 8th century temple is dedicated to Chamundi (Kali). She wears a necklace of skulls and is shown as the eight-armed slayer of the buffalo demon. Her robes usually hide her necklace of skulls and the corpse upon which she is sitting. In her arms she holds a snake, bow, shield, trident, thunderbolt, and an arrow with which she is piercing the demon’s neck, thus displaying the most terrifying aspect of the Goddess Kali.

This temple is close to the Bindu-sarovara Tank, and it has some intricate exterior carvings. To get a good view of the temple’s interior, a flashlight is needed.

Mukteswara Temple
Built in the late 10th century, this small, elegant temple has been described as the most exquisitely ornamented temple in Bhubaneswar. It has an 11m (35 ft) high tower. The sandstone carvings are this temple’s most notable feature. It is known for its decorative gateway, carved dwarves around the windows, and intricate motif carvings of a smiling lion with beaded tassels in its mouth. On the gate in front of the main entrance is a decorative gateway (torana) complete with two reclining female figures. Mukteswara means “the Lord who bestows freedom through yoga.”

The Siddeswara Temple (11th century) is on the same grounds. It has interesting carvings of Ganesh and Karttikeya (Siva’s son) on the tower.
The small Marichi Kund, between the Mukteswara Temple and the road, is known to cure infertility in women. It is a pleasant place to sit for awhile.

Parasurameswar Temple
This temple is the oldest Siva temple in Bhubaneswar (built in the late 7th century). It is full of intricate carvings and is the best preserved and most impressive of the city’s early temples. It has carvings of elephant and horse processions and all the windows are carved. On the east wall of the tower there is an interesting carving of the marriage of Siva and Parvati.

There are also panels depicting Lakulisha, a Shaivite, who helped revitalize Hinduism in Orissa in the 5th century. He is seen on the west wall of the tower meditating under the sculptures of Nataraj (dancing Siva), and on the east wall with disciples at his feet.

In the corner of the courtyard is the Sahasra-linga, 1,000 small lingas joined together. This temple is close to the Bhubaneswar-Puri road, on the east side of Bindu-sarovara, northeast of the Lingaraja temple.

Eastern Temples
These temples are located about a fifteen-minute walk from the Mukteswara Temple. To get to these temple from Mukteswara, head north on Jayadev Nagar. When you get to the intersection, turn right on Tankapani Rd and walk until you get to a park on the right.

Raj Rani Temple
The Raj Rani Temple (11th century), surrounded by a nice garden, is no longer used for worship. This temple was dedicated to Lord Brahma and is known for its well-carved 18m (59 ft) high tower. It is about 1km east of the main road and is one of the later Bhubaneswar temples. Admission Rs 100 for foreigners. Open 6 am to 6:30 pm.

Around the temple are carvings of the eight dikpalas (temple guards) who protect the temple from the different directions. The dikpalas are: Indra (east) the king of the heaven, Agni (southeast) god of fire, Yamaraja (south) god of death, Nirritti (southwest), Varuna (west) god of water, Vayu (northwest) god of air, Kubera (north) god of wealth, and Isana (northeast).

Brahmeswara Temple
This temple was built around 1050 and is a Siva-linga temple with active worship. It is known for its intricately carved sculptures. On the north wall of the porch is a carving of Lakshmi. Over the entrance is a carving of the nine planets. It is about 1km east of the main road, a good walk from the Raj Rani Temple.

Orissa State Museum
This museum has a collection of religious sculptures, weapons, coins, and musical instruments. It also has a good collection of antique paintings and palm-leaf manuscripts in a small room at the end of the corridor on the first floor.

It is located at the top of Gautam Nagar (Lewis Rd), not far from the Hotel Ashok. Open Tues to Sun 10 am to 5 pm.

Tribal Research Center
There is an exhibit of traditionally constructed Orissan tribal houses, including the Juang, Saora, Santal, Kondh, and Gadaba. There are also nice murals on the buildings, and a collection of tribal dresses, jewelry, and weapons. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm. The museum is located between the center of town and the New bus station on National Hwy No 5.

Handicrafts Museum
Located on Secretariat Rd, this museum contains a collection of stone sculptures, metalware, patta-chitras, masks, jewelry, and toys.

ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple
The beautifully built modern ISKCON temple (413-517) is located on National Highway No 5, Nayapali. The Deities in the temple are Krishna-Balarama, Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra, and Gaura-Nitai. There is also a Radha-Krishna temple. Srila Prabhupada laid the cornerstone for this temple in February 1977, and construction was completed in 1992.The temple has a small guest house. with rooms with attached bathrooms. Guests are expected to follow the ashram rules. There is a vegetarian restaurant.

Where to Stay—Lower
Yatri Niwas (257-5838), Cuttack Rd, has dorm beds for Rs 40.
Venus In (401-738), Cuttack Rd, is a good place with rooms for Rs 175/300 and with A/C for Rs 500. 24-hour checkout.
Lingaraj (416-342), Old Station Bazaar (exit platform 4 from the railway station), has clean rooms. It is a good value.
Hotel Janpath (405-547), near the railway station, is a good value place with rooms with bath for Rs 120/150 to Rs 500 and with A/C for Rs 600. Recommended.
Pushpak (231-0185), Cuttack Rd, Kalpana Square, is a decent value, having large rooms with bath for Rs 250 and Rs 550 with A/C.
Hotel Raj Mahal (402-448), junction of Rajthpath and Janpath, has clean rooms for 150/200.
Bhagwat Niwas (231-1345), 9 Buddha Nagar, behind the Pushpak, is well-managed. It has basic but clean, economical rooms with bath and TV for Rs 300/450 and Rs 800 for A/C.
Hotel Padma (51198), Kalpana Square, has rooms with bath for Rs 150/225.
Bhubaneswar Hotel (231-3245), Cuttack Rd, on the east side of the railway station, is a popular place with clean, comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 250/400 and with A/C for Rs 700/900. Some rooms have balconies. Recommended.

Where to Stay—Middle
The popular Tourist Guest House (500-857) is a very good place with comfortable, clean rooms with bath for Rs 300/400 to Rs 450/500. Recommended.
Hotel Natraj (54842) has rooms for Rs 225/250 and Rs 400/450 with A/C.
OTDC Panthanivas Tourist Bungalow (243-2314), Lewis Rd, Jayadev Nagar, is close to the ancient temples. It has comfortable rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 500 and Rs 850 with A/C. 8 am checkout.
Hotel Anarkali, Station Square, near the railway station, has standard rooms with TV. The less expensive rooms are a good value.
Meghdoot (405-802), 5-B Sahid Nagar, has standard rooms as well as fancy ones with wall-to-wall carpeting and bathtubs. It is good value, but is a bit out of the way.
Sahara (402-337), 76 Budhanagar, near the railway station, has clean, spacious rooms with bath and hot water. Pleasant and recommended.
Park View Guest House (400-664), Ekamra Marg, near the airport, has rooms with TV for Rs 500/600.
The new Hotel Oddisi High (417-084) has modern clean rooms for Rs 500/600.

Where to Stay—Higher
Hotel Keshari (253-4994: Email: keshari@orissa.india.com), 113 Station Square, has rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 800/900 and Rs 1700/1900 with A/C.
The five-star Hotel Sishmo (243-3600: fax: 243-3351), 86/A-1 Gautam Nagar, in the center of town, is a well-managed place with a pool and bookshop. Rooms are Rs 2500/3400. It is a good value. Recommended. Non-guest can use the pool.
Prachi (402-366, fax 403-287), 6 Janpath, has rooms for Rs 1400/1900. This hotel has good facilities, including a garden, a pool surrounded by palm trees (Rs 100 for non-guests), and a tennis court.
The ITDC Hotel Kalinga Ashok (431-055; fax 432-066), Gautam Nagar, is a modern place with rooms for Rs 1800/2100.
Hotel Swosti (504-178; fax 520-794), 100 Janpath, a five-minute walk from the railway station, is an excellent, well-managed four star place with rooms from Rs 2100/2700. Recommended.
Mayfair Gardens (405-412; fax 400-053), Janpath, is a luxury place with a pool and health club.
The five-star Oberoi Bhubaneswar (440-890; telex 6348; fax 440-898), Nayapalli, located on 12 acres of land, is an excellent hotel designed like an Orissan temple. Rooms are $105/125. It is 4km from city center, but is close to the airport. It has a pool, tennis court, and health club.

Where to Eat
Shanti Restaurant is a good place.
South Indian Hotel is a very good place.
Athiti Bhavan, near the Lingaraja temple, has good Chinese and very good Bengali thalis at inexpensive prices.
Aahar Restaurant, near the temples, serves Orissan and Bengali food.
Sangam Restaurant, in the Kenilworth Hotel, is one of the best places in town.
Hare Krishna Restaurant (407-186), Lal Chand Market Complex, Station Square, has excellent vegetarian food, but is not cheap. It is the most highly recommended place in town. Hare Krishna devotees manage it.
Venus Inn, 217 Bapuji Nagar (2nd floor), is a good South Indian vegetarian restaurant.
Bhuvanashree Vegetarian Restaurant, MG Marg & Janpath Marg, has good South Indian food s and good dosas. Nice place.
East & West, near Kalpana Sq, is a very good place with Indian and Chinese food. It has good service.
Pushpak, Kalpana Square, has a good South Indian restaurant.
Prachi Hotel, 6 Janpath, has a very good Chinese and South Indian restaurant.
Kenilworth Hotel has a good Chinese restaurant.
Mithal Shop & Vegetarian Restaurant, Raj Path has dishes from all over India and excellent sweets and ice cream. This place gets high recommendations.
There is a vegetarian restaurant at the ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple.

Local Travel
An auto-rickshaw from the New bus station to the center of town costs Rs 55. A city bus costs Rs 7.

You can hire a bicycle-rickshaw to bring you on a temple tour for about Rs 50, and from temple to temple for Rs 10.

Travel
Air There are Indian Airlines (253-0544) flights to Hyderabad (3 weekly, $190), Calcutta (6 weekly, $110), Delhi (1 daily, $250), Mumbai (3 weekly, $300), and Chennai (3 weekly, ($250).

The Indian Airline office 253-0544; Airport: 401-084) is on Rajpath, by the Old bus stand (Mon to Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm).

The airport is close to town (Rs 55 by auto-rickshaw, Rs 110 by taxi, and Rs 150 to Oberoi). If you have an early morning flight, it is a good idea to have your hotel arrange a taxi the night before and pay a little more.

Train Bhubaneswar is on the main Calcutta-Chennai line, so many trains stop here. The Coromandal Exp leaves Calcutta at 2.30 pm and arrives in Bhubaneswar around 10 pm. The return train leaves about 4 am and arrives in Calcutta at noon. The Howrah–Puri Exp departs from Howrah at 10 pm, arrives in Bhubaneswar at 5.40 am the next morning, and goes on to Puri, arriving at 8.10 am. This train returns to Calcutta, leaving Bhubaneswar at 8.10 pm, and arrives in Calcutta at 5.30 am the next morning. There are other, slower trains between Calcutta and Bhubaneswar.

The Howrah-Bangalore Mail (Mon, 6:30 am, 30 hr) and Guwahati Bangalore Exp #5626 (Mon, Wed, 12.55 pm, 31 hr) go to Bangalore. The Coromandel Exp #2841 (daily, 9.47 pm, 21 hr) is a good train going to Chennai.

There are direct trains to Delhi (25 to 42 hr), Agra (39 hr), Remuna (five daily, 5 hr), and Varanasi (21 hr). The Rajdhani Exp #2421 goes to Calcutta on Wed and Sun (7hr, 9 am) and then continues on to Delhi (24 hr). The Rajdhani Express #2422 (5 pm, 25 hr) departs from Delhi on Tues and Sat to Bhubaneswar. The Puri-New Delhi Exp #2815 (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat 10.50 am, 30 hr) is a good train to Delhi.

Bus Most of the long-distance buses depart from the New bus stand (Baramunda bus stand), inconveniently located about 5km from downtown on the main road to Calcutta. When you arrive in town, it is usually best to ask to get off the bus in the center of town, near the railway station or Old bus stand, where the hotels are located. From the New bus stand there are buses to Calcutta, Cuttack (1 hr), and other places in Orissa. Buses to Puri also leave from this station. To Sambalpur there is a morning and night bus (9 hr, Rs 90).

The best way to get from Bhubaneswar to Puri is on one of the Canter minibuses leaving from the Old bus stand in the center of town, the New bus stand, and from the petrol station opposite the Ashok Hotel. They take a little more than an hour to arrive. There are also larger buses going to Puri, but they are slower. It is best to get an express bus to Puri, which makes only one stop enroute.

There is a direct bus to Konark at 10 am (1½ hr, City Bus Stand). If you don’t get the direct bus, you can take a Puri bus to Pipli, and from there another bus to Konark.

Gopalpur-On-Sea

Population: 6700
Phone Code: 0680

This is a popular beach town and holiday place for Bengalis. Swimming and sunbathing are likely to draw a crowd of local watchers. Otherwise, it’s a relaxing place.

It is easiest to get here via Berhampur (16km), from where there are frequent buses and shared jeeps.

Where to Stay
The high season is from November to January. The hotels are fifty percent cheaper at other times of the year.

Holiday Inn Lodge has basic rooms with bath for Rs 100/125.
Hotel Rosalin (242-071) has rooms with bath for Rs 150/200. It is a family-run, friendly place.
The well-managed Hotel Kalinga (242-067), next to the beach, has rooms for Rs 350/450.
Hotel Sea Pearl, (242556), next to beach, has clean comfortable with balconies and TV rooms for Rs 750. It is a clean, nice place.
The well-located Hotel Song of the Sea (282-347) has clean rooms for Rs 800.
Hotel Mermaid (282-050), Beach Rd., has comfortable rooms for Rs 500/550.
Oberoi Palm Beach Hotel (242-021; fax 282-300) is a retreat surrounded by a coconut grove with rooms for $75/185, including meals.

Berhampurt
Berhampur can serve as a stop-over point.
Hotel Moti (0680 203-641), a five-minute walk from the bus stand, has rooms for Rs 200/250 and Rs 500/550 with A/C. It has a restaurant. There are railway Retiring Rooms.

Remuna

The Kshira Chora Gopinath Temple is located in Remuna. It is a small town 9km east of Balasore (Baleshwar), about halfway between Calcutta and Puri. The name “Remuna” is derived from the word “Ramaniya,” meaning “very beautiful.”

It is said that Sri Rama carved Gopinath with his arrow and that Sita worshiped this Deity in Citrakoot. King Langula Narasingha Dev, the king of Orissa, brought this Deity to Remuna in the 13th century from Citrakoot. This king also arranged to dig the two large tanks, Brajapokhari and Kutapokhari.

Gopinath Temple
Sri Gopinath is the Krishna Deity who stole sweet-rice for Madhavendra Puri. Pilgrims can purchase the famous and delicious kshira here (amrita-keli). The Gopinath kshira is a preparation of condensed milk, sugar, and cream, with a sprinkling of raisins. It comes in pots of various sizes and is distributed to the public. Sri Gopinath is known as Kshira Chora Gopinath because he stole and hid a pot of kshira in order to have it delivered to his devotee, the Vaishnava acarya Madhavendra Puri. Chora means “thief.” Western devotees are permitted in the temple.

Rasikananda renovated the present temple after Muslim invaders destroyed the original temple. Rasikananda found the Gopinath Deity in a pond 4km from the temple, where he had been hidden to protect him from the Muslim king.

During Chandan-yatra, the Deities are smeared with cooling sandalwood pulp (chandan). The temple priests apply chandan to the chest of the temples’ three Krishna Deities, Madana-Mohan, Govinda and Gopinath. On Aksaya-tritiya the Deities’ entire bodies are smeared with sandalwood.

In The Area
In the area is the Samadhi of Madhavendra Puri (2 min from the temple), the Samadhi of Rasikananda Prabhu (inside the Gopinath Temple compound), and a Siva Temple where Gargamuni is said to have had his ashram. Madhavendra Puri established an ashram in Remuna and stayed here for some time. His wooden sandals are worshiped in this ashram.

Near the Gopinath temple there is a Jagannath Temple and a few other temples.

Where to Stay and Eat
Remuna is a small village, so there is not much in the way of accommodations. There is a small guest house near the temple with a few basic rooms with private bath for Rs 75.

You can arrange prasada with the temple. There are two types of meals, one economical and the other more expensive.

Travel
The nearest railway junction to Remuna is at Balasore, the first major town in Orissa coming from Calcutta. You can take a night train from Calcutta that stops in Balasore in the early morning. From there you can take a taxi or bus to Remuna. If you arrive in Remuna in the morning, you can see the Deities and then catch a night train to Puri.

Puri

Pop: 162,000
Phone Code 06752

Puri is one of the four holy dhamas of India (Puri, Dwarka, Rameswaram, and Badrinath), and it is considered that a pilgrimage of the temples of India is not complete without making the journey to Puri. Puri is located 60km from Bhubaneswar, on the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

Puri is called Sri Purusottama Dham (the abode of the Supreme Being) or Martya Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Vishnu on earth. Other names are Sri-ksetra (best of all sacred centers), Nilachal, and Jagannath Dhama. Puri is about 2km wide and 4km long.

The Jagannath Temple here is one of the most important temples in India. The worship of Lord Jagannath is so ancient that there is no idea how long it has been in existence, and the present temple is only one in a long succession of previously built temples that have been destroyed by time.

Sankaracharya visited Puri and established one of his four main Maths (monastery) here. Sri Ramanuja visited Puri between 1107 and 1117. Vishnu Swami visited Puri during the second half of the 12th century. He too established a Math, the Vishnuswami Math, located near Markandeswar Tank. Nimbarka Acharya came to Puri on pilgrimage, and Srila Prabhupada visited in January 1977.

The main reason Puri is so important to the Gaudiya Vaishnavas is because Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu spent so much of his life here. Many pastimes with his most intimate associates took place at different sites in the Puri area.

Non-Hindus (actually, non-Indians) are not permitted to enter the Jagannath temple. This is strictly enforced.

Puri has one of the best beaches for swimming in India. It is popular with young foreign tourist. It is a pleasant place.

Getting Your Bearings
The Jagannath Temple is in the middle of town at one end of Grand Rd, the wide road running to the Gundicha Temple, 3km northeast. The Jagannath Temple is about 1km from the beach, where most of the hotels are located. Most of the foreign visitors stay at the eastern end of the beach, on or near Cakra Tirtha Rd. By the Puri Hotel there is another fairly crowded area of hotels. There are spiritual sites throughout the town, and it is best to have some kind of transportation to get around.

Information
The OTDC Tourist Office (222-664); Station Rd, (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm) is on Station Rd. There is a 24-hour tourist counte (223-536) r at the railway station and .

The GPO is on Kutchery Rd, near the State Bank of India; for poste restante. Use the door on the left side of the building. There is a post office on Temple Rd. Postal code: 752001.

SCB Medical College and Government Hospital are the best hospitals in the area.

You can rent a bicycle at different shops on Chakra Tirtha Road (Rs 25 per day).

Email at Harry's Cafe, Chakratirtha Rd. Nanako.com and Juggernaut Infotech, near CT Rd, are good places for Internet.

Loknath Bookshop, CT Rd, next to Raju’s restaurant, sells and rents used books (Rs 8 per day).

Navadvipa and Jagannath Puri, published by Spiritual Guides, gives a detailed explanation of Puri’s spiritual places.

Money
You can change money at the State Bank of India, VIPR Rd. Changing money here can take an hour or more. The Allahabad Bank on Temple Rd, 250m from the temple, changes money efficiently. The Andhra Bank, Kutchery Rd, accepts Visa and MasterCard.

ICIC Bank, 1 Naya Plaza, Grand Rd, has a 24-hour ATM machine.

The South Eastern Railway Hotel changes cash and travelers cheques. Trade Wings, opposite the Z Hotel, changes money. At the Hotel Gandhara you can change travelers cheques and obtain cash advances on certain credit cards. They charge a three percent fee.

Weather
Temperatures reach a low of 17°C (62°F) in the winter and a high of up to 32°C (90°F) in the summer. You can swim in the ocean or sunbathe all year round. It is comfortable to swim even in December, although less so in January. Because of the generally temperate weather, Puri is an ideal place to visit during any season. The Ratha-yatra in June-July is held during the rainy season, and it often rains hard.

Tours
There is a daily OTDC Luxury Coach going to Konark, Dhauligiri (Buddhist temple), the temples of Bhubaneswar (Lingaraja, etc.), Khandagiri, Udayagiri, Nandankanan Zoo, and the Shakshi Gopal Temple for Rs 105. It starts at 6.30 am and ends about 7 pm. It makes a long day. This tour can be arranged by the many travel agencies in Puri.

Tours go to Chilka Lake on Mon, Wed, and Fri (6.30 am to 6.30 pm) for Rs 120 by OTDC Luxury Coach. It is the biggest inland lake in the country, and attracts a large number of migratory birds in the winter.

Travel Agencies
Gandhara International (24623) is located by the fishing village on Chakra Tirtha Road, by the hotel of the same name. This is a discount ticket place that can arrange for tickets to most destinations in India as well as international tickets. Om Travels, CT Rd, is a discount travel agency.

Heritage Tours (223656; fax: 224595; Email: heritagetours@hotmail.com, located at the Mayfair Hotel, is reliable and is recommended by Puri residents. They usually arrange more upscale tours. Arranges trip to Konark, Chilka Lake, Bhubaneswar and to tribal areas.

Beach
The beach is nice and the swimming is good. There is no shade near the beach, and it is nowhere near as tourist-orientated as the beaches in Goa or Kovalam.

The locals use the beach as a toilet, so be careful where you put your hands in the sand. The fishing village area is the worst. At the east end of the beach near Chakra Tirtha Rd, there is a large sewer flowing into the ocean and it is not advised to swim in this area. The cleanest and most quiet beach area is fifteen minutes east of the fishing village. The west (south) end of the beach, past the Hans Coco Palms Hotel, is a clean, secluded area.

If women sunbathe in the crowded areas on the beach, they can expect to attract a crowd of spectators. Indian women would not even think to sunbathe in public.

Warning The ocean current can be strong in Puri, and drownings are not unheard of. Be careful when swimming.

Gundicha Mandir (Temple)
This temple is located at the end of Grand Road (the main road) about 3km northeast of the Jagannath Temple. At the time of the Ratha-yatra festival, Lord Jagannath goes to the Gundicha Temple and stays for one week. After that, he returns to his original temple.

It is said that the wife of Indradyumna, the king who originally established the Jagannath temple, was known as Gundicha. The cleansing of the Gundicha temple takes place the day before the Ratha-yatra festival as mentioned in Chaitanya-caritamrita.

Non-Hindus are not permitted into the temple building.

Narasimha Temple
This temple is located near the Gundicha Temple. There are two Deities of Lord Narasimha, one behind the other. The Deity in front is called Santa Narasimha (sober). Anyone who sees this Deity will have his anger, frustration, and anxiety vanquished.

The Deity in the back is called Raga Narasimha (angry). He is the internal mood of Narasimha. When the Muslim Kalapahad attacked Puri and was smashing Deities, he saw Santa Narasimhadeva and his anger subsided; hence he could not break the Deity as he had planned. Santa Narasimha’s features are human-like. He has a sharp human nose, a large curly mustache, and an outstretched tongue. Non-Hindus are not permitted in the temple, but the Deities are visible from the door.

Haridasa Thakura’s Samadhi
The samadhi temple of Haridasa Thakur, the nama-acharya (teacher of the chanting of the holy names) is located by the beach in the Swarga Dwara area near the Purusottama Gaudiya Math. If you are walking on the beach, there is a sign for the Sea Hawk Hotel. The Samadhi is right behind this hotel. Many rickshaw-walas know where it is located.

Within the temple, the chapel structure is Haridasa Thakur’s samadhi. There is a nice painting of Haridasa Thakur in the samadhi. On the center altar is a wooden Deity of Sri Chaitanya; on the right, Prabhu Nitya-nanda; and on the left, Advaita Acharya.

Residence of Haridasa Thakura
Siddha Bakula is the bhajan-kutir of Haridasa Thakura, the place where he chanted 300,000 names of God daily. About 30m (100 ft) away in the same compound is the Sri Haridasa-Sadbhuj Temple. There is a Sadbhuj-murti (six-armed form) of Sri Chaitanya on the altar. Beside this Deity is Prabhu Nityananda on one side and on the other side a shorter Advaita Acharya. A murti of Haridasa Thakura is in front, to the side of the main altar. There is also a Deity of Lord Narasimha. You can take pictures at Siddha Bakula for an Rs 51 donation.

Gambhira
Gambhira is located close to Siddha Bakula. There is a sign over the door reading “Shri Shri Radhakanta Math, Gambhira.” It is about half a km from the Lion Gate, going toward Swarga Dwara or the ocean. On the left of the entrance is a small temple with Deities of Radha-Radhakanta (Krishna) and Lalita and Vishaka. Radhakanta was worshiped by Gopalaguru Goswami, the disciple of Vakreswara Pandit. On the far right is a deity of Sri Chaitanya, and on the far left is Nityananda.

This house was once the residence of Kasi Misra. You can look through a small barred window into the room called Sri Gambhira. This is the room where Sri Chaitanya lived. There is a lamp here that is never extinguished. You can see Sri Chaitanya’s original wooden sandals, his quilt, water pot, and bed. Sri Chaitanya lived in this room for twelve years. On a marble throne, a statue of Sri Chaitanya is encircled by a cloth, so that just his face is visible.

Upstairs there are dioramas depicting Sri Chaitanya’s life.

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya’s House
This house is about 1km south of the Simha-dwara (main gate) of the Jagannath Temple. If you walk out of the Jagannath Temple, turn right and follow the road toward Swarga Dwara (the ocean). Pass the first right, which circles the temple, and walk about another 100m. Make the next right to Sweta Ganga Tank. Sarvabhauma’s house, better known as Gangamata Math, is on the left.

There are Radha-Krishna Deities called Radha-Rasikaraja in this house, said to have been worshiped by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. Inside there are paintings of devotional scenes all over the walls.

Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura’s Birthplace
This place is located about 1km from the Jagannath Temple on Grand Road. There is a Gaudiya Math temple here, with Jagannath Deities and a murti of Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja. There are also murtis of the heads of the four Vaishnava sampradayas—Vishnuswami, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, and Ramanuja.

Jagannath Vallabha Gardens
Sri Chaitanya used to meet here with Ramananda Raya. Ramananda Raya used to train girls here to dance for Lord Jagannath’s pleasure. This place is about 1km from the Jagannath Temple on Grand Road. Non-Hindus are not permitted to enter the temple, but are allowed to walk around the gardens. There is a small lake here.

Tota Gopinath Temple
Gaudiya Vaishnavas accept that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ended his manifested pastimes in Puri by entering into the knee of the Tota Gopinath Deity.

On the far left altar are Lord Balarama and his two wives, Revati and Varuni. On the middle altar is Tota Gopinath, accompanied by black deities of Radha and Lalita. Tota Gopinath is in a sitting position. If you come in the morning around 7 am, you can give a donation to see the golden streak on his knee into which Sri Chaitanya entered. On the right altar are the Deities of Radha-Madana Mohan and Gaura Gadadhar. Sri Gadadhar used to worship Tota Gopinath regularly.

This temple is located by a large, white water tower in the Gaurbat Sahi area. It is a five-minute walk from the Chatak Parbat Purushottam Gaudiya Math temple. It is a fifteen-minute walk from Haridasa Thakura’s Samadhi.

Chatak Parbat Gaudiya Math
This temple is in the area where Sri Chaitanya mistook the sand dune hills to be Govardhan Hill. The bhajan-kutir of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja is here, as well as his bed. There is a murti of Veda-Vyasa in the bhajan-kutir.

This temple is near a large white water tower, about a ten-minute walk from Haridasa Thakura’s samadhi. It is a five-minute walk from Tota Gopinath Temple.

Radha Syamasundara Temple
If you ask the devotees at the ISKCON temple they can direct you to the Jagadananda Math. Across the road from the Radha Giridhari Temple, where Jagadananda broke the pot of sandalwood oil is the Radha Syamasundara Deities of Brahmananda Bharati. You may have to ask at the Radha Giridhari Temple to be shown where these Deities are located.

Narendra Sarovara
This is a large tank where the boat festival called Chandana-yatra is held during which Lord Jagannath goes for a boat ride. Since Lord Jagannath is very heavy, the vijaya vigraha (festival Deity), known as Govinda, rides in the boat. Sri Chaitanya and his devotees took part in this festival.

There is a small temple on an island about 30m (100 ft) into the tank, with Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra.

It is located off Grand Road, on the same side as the Jagannath Temple. To take a picture of the temple in the middle of the tank, you are expected to pay a Rs 5 fee. If you take a picture without paying the fee, a priest will insistently demand payment.

Alalanatha
Alalanatha is also known as Brahmagiri. It is about 25km from Jagannath Puri. There is a temple of Lord Jagannath here, and a large stone slab marked with the impression of Sri Chaitanya’s transcendental body. The stone melted while he lay there in ecstasy. Anyone can view the stone, but non-Hindus are not permitted into the temple.
Sri Chaitanya would often come here during the two weeks when Lord Jagannath remains in seclusion before the Ratha-yatra festival. At the rear of the temple tower is a sculpture of Narasimha with Hiranyakasipu on his lap.There is also a sculpture of Lord Vamana piercing the outer shell of the universe.

Visitors can also visit Ramananda Raya’s house in a place called Benta Pura a few km away, near a rice mill. It is located in a small village on the way back to Puri. The house contains a Deity of Sri Chaitanya with a shaved head, with Ramananda Raya seated beside him in saffron robes. Many of the locals and the Alalanatha temple priests can provide you with directions.

To get to the Alalanatha temple, it is possible to take a minibus at the back of Narendra-Sarovara, to Brahmagiri. The trip takes about one hour. To go there and back by taxi costs about Rs 700.

Atharanala Bridge
This bridge is at the entrance of Puri. It has eighteen arches (athara means “eighteen). This bridge is symbolic of the emotion of arriving or departing from Jagannath Puri. The present bridge is an addition, constructed directly on top of the original brick bridge. From this bridge, visitors can see the temple cakra.

Ratha-yatra Cart) Festival
During this festival, the deities of Jagannath, Balarama, and Subhadra are carried out of the temple and are then placed upon three large chariots, which are pulled with ropes by thousands of devotees.

This famous festival begins on the second day of the bright fortnight of Asadha during June/July. The deities are pulled on their carts the entire length of Grand Road, from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple (about 3km). The deities stay at Gundicha for nine days, then return to the main temple on the tenth day. This is called Bahuda-yatra, or the return cart festival. The festivals—cart and return cart—are the only opportunities in the year for non-Hindus to see the Jagannath Deity.

The chariot of Lord Jagannath, known as Nandighosh, is 13.7m (45 ft) high. It has eighteen wheels and is covered with brightly colored yellow and red fabric. A wheel rests on top of the car. Lord Balarama’s chariot is 13.2m (44 ft) high and has sixteen wheels. It is called Taladwaja, and the fabric on the roof is red and green. It is crowned with a tala fruit. Lady Subhadra’s cart is 12.9m (43 ft) high and has fourteen wheels. It is named Padmadhwaj or Darpadalan and is covered with red and black fabric. There are side deities on each of the carts. With the exception of the kalasa (the pinnacles on top of the chariots), the fourteen side deities, and the wooden charioteers and horses, which are all reused, the carts are newly constructed each year according to strict and ancient specifications.

The Pahandi, or Deity procession from the temple to the carts, is the most colorful part of the festival. First, Sudarsana Cakra is brought from the temple and placed on Subhadra’s chariot. Then Balarama, Subhadra, and finally Jagannath are each placed on their respective carts. The deities are extremely heavy, and it takes many strong men to move them step by step. The king of Orissa then sweeps the street in front of the carts with a golden-handled broom.

There is no steering system for the carts. If a cart does not reach the Gundicha Temple by sundown, the journey continues the next day. Not reaching the destination is common; the streets are so crowded with pilgrims that the journey always takes longer than expected.

When the festival is over, the carts are dismantled and broken into pieces, then sold as sacred relics.

Other Puri Festivals
Chandan-yatra (April) is when the processional Deities are taken for a boat ride in the Narendra Tank after they are bathed in sandalwood (chandan) scented water. The festival lasts forty-two days. The first twenty-one days are called Baha Chandan. During these days Rama, Krishna, Madana Mohan, Lakshmi, and Saraswati are taken on boat rides. The last twenty days are called Bhittara Chandan, and this festival takes place at the temple.

Snana-yatra refers to the bathing of the main deities. This is done on Jyestha Purnim. The Jagannath deities along with Sudarsana are brought to the snana-mandapa in procession, and around midday, 108 pots of water are poured over them. The deities then return to the temple in procession and remain in seclusion for fifteen days, as they are said to have caught a cold during the bathing ceremony and need to recuperate.
The word Anavasara is used when Sri Jagannath cannot be seen in the temple. During his recovery and convalescence, he is removed to his private apartment and offered special healing foodstuffs.

During the Anavasara festival it is said that Lord Jagannath suffers from fever and is offered an infusion of “drugs” in the form of soups and fruit juices.

The body of Lord Jagannath, having been washed, is in need of yearly repainting. This is known as Anga-raga. It takes about two weeks to complete this work. The renovation festival is also called Nava-yauvana, which indicates that the Jagannath Deity is being fully restored to youth.

Nava-kalevara is when Lord Jagannath gets a new body. This takes place whenever a double Asarha occurs in a year. This usually happens every 8, 11, or 19 years (the last one took place in 1996).

ISKCON (Hare Krishna)
There are two ISKCON centers (06752-23740) in Jagannath Puri. One is located in the Swarga Dwara area by Haridasa Thakura’s samadhi. This is where Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s had his bhajan kutir. It has a temple and a small guest house. It also has a restaurant that serves out good cheap thalis.

There is another ISKCON center, located about 5km from the Swarga Dwara area past the Hans Coco Palms Hotel. The land itself is nice, and Gaura-Nitai Deities are installed there. However, there are very few facilities available as of December 2001.

Where to Shop
The main shopping areas are Grand and Temple roads, near the entrance to the Jagannath Temple and on Swarga Dwara Rd, near the beach. These are good places to get Orissan handmade cloth and gift items.

Sudarsana Das Mahapatra at Goldie Photo Studio on Temple Road, has beautiful photos of Lord Jagannath. If you walk out of the main entrance of the Jagannath Temple and continue to walk straight down Temple Road, his shop is about an eight-minute walk on the right.

Sun Craft, run by Gajendra Maharana, has a good collection of Jagannath Deities, stickers, and paintings. It is located on Armstrong Road, not far from the railroad station in the Tini Konia Bagicha area.

The small town of Pipli has many shops selling applique work, including fancy, colorful wall hangings and mirror-work umbrellas. This is where most of the applique items you see in Puri are made. It is located halfway between Puri and Bhubaneswar.

Raghurajpur, 14km from Puri, is famous for Patta Chitra, or leaf paintings. You can get the paintings much cheaper here then anywhere else, but most likely you will need a translator.

Jagannath Temple

The name Jagannath literally means “Lord of the Universe.” It is said that the present temple was begun by King Chora Ganga Deva and finished by his descendant, Anangabhima Deva, during the 12th century.

The main temple structure is 65m (214 feet) high and is built on elevated ground, making it look more imposing. The temple complex comprises an area of 10.7 acres and is enclosed by two rectangular walls. The outer enclosure is called Meghanada Prachira, 200m (665 ft) by 192m (640 ft). The walls are 6m (20 feet) high. The inner wall is called Kurmabedha, 126m (420 ft) by 95m (315 ft). The walls were built during the 15th or 16th century.

This temple is said to have the largest kitchen in the world, and feeds thousands of devotees daily. The kitchen can prepare food for 100,000 people on a festival day and 25,000 is not unusual on a normal day. There are thirty-six traditional communities (Chatisha Niyaga) who render a specific hereditary service to the deities. The temple has as many as 6,000 priests.

There is a wheel on top of the Jagannath Temple made of an alloy of eight metals (asta-dhatu). It is called the Nila Chakra (Blue Wheel), and is 3.5m (11 ft 8 in) high with a circumference of about 11m (36 ft). Every day, a different flag is tied to a mast attached to the Nila Chakra. Every Ekadasi, a lamp is lit on top of the temple near the wheel.
Thirty different smaller temples surround the main temple.

The Narasimha Temple, adjacent to the western side of the Mukti-mandapa, is said to have been constructed before the present temple.

In front of the main gate is an 11m (36 ft) pillar known as the Aruna Stambha. This pillar was once in front of the Sun Temple in Konark. It was brought to Puri during the 18th century. The figure on top of the pillar is Aruna, the sun-god’s charioteer. In the passage room of this gate is a Deity of Lord Jagannath known as Patita Pavana (“Savior of the Most Fallen”). This Deity is visible from the road, so non-Hindus may take his darshan.

There are four gates: the eastern Singhadwara (Lion Gate), the southern Ashwadwara (Horse Gate), the western Vyaghradwara (Tiger Gate), and the northern Hastidwara (Elephant Gate). There is a carving of each form by the entrance of each gate. The Lion Gate, which is the main gate, is located on Grand Road.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to regularly visit the Jagannath Temple. In front of the altar of Lord Jagannath is a column on which the statue of Garuda is situated called the Garuda Stambha. This column is revered because Sri Chaitanya usually saw Lord Jagannath from behind this column.

Behind the column is also a moat-like kund or ditch which was sometimes filled with Sri Chaitanya’s tears. Also, an impression of Sri Chaitanya’s handprint is imbedded in the column.
“If one is not allowed to enter the temple, or if he thinks himself unfit to enter the temple, he can look at the cakra and wheel from outside, and that is as good as seeing the Deity.” (Cc. Madhya 11.195) Non-Hindus (non-Indians) are not permitted in the temple. Also, if you are Indian and wish to enter the temple, it is best not to dress in Western clothing. I know of at least one case of an Indian man who was living in America and was on pilgrimage in Puri being denied entrance for wearing Western clothing. The guards will speak only in Hindi or Oriyan.

Lord Jagannath & Other Deities
The main Deities in the temple are Lord Jagannath, his brother, Baladeva, and his sister, Lady Subhadra. Lord Jagannath is another name for Lord Krishna.

“Being absolute, Lord Jagannath is identical with his name, form, picture, qualities, and pastimes. If one thinks that the form of Lord Jagannath is an idol made of wood, he immediately brings ill fortune into his life. A pure devotee who knows the science of Krishna consciousness makes no distinction between Lord Jagannath and the actual form of the Lord. He knows that they are identical, just as Lord Krishna and his soul are one and the same.” (Cc. Antya 5.146–152)
Some of the other temples within the walls of this temple house Deities of Satya Narayana, Sri Chaitanya, Ramachandra, Gopal, Hanuman, Narasimha, Varaha and others.

Temple Compound Sites
1. Baisipahacha—Twenty-two steps that take one from Grand Road and connect the inner and outer walls.
2. Kalpavata—Kalpa means a thousand years and vata means banyan tree. The tree is toward the south side of the temple and is considered able to fulfill all desires.
3. Mukti-mandapa—It is a sixteen-pillar hall known as Brahmasava (divine assembly).
4. Niladri Vihar—Approached from the western gate, it is situated between the outer and inner enclosures. It is an art gallery, depicting the pastimes of Lord Jagannath as well as the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
5. Sona Kua (golden well)—Near the northern gate. The water of this well is used to bath Lord Jagannath during Snana-yatra.
6. Koila Vaikuntha—In the western portion of the temple between the outer and inner walls. It is approachable from the northern gate. During Nava-kalevara (new incarnation ceremony), when Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra are newly carved, the old images are buried here.
7. After you come up the twenty-two steps by the Lion Gate, on the right is Ananda Bazaar, where maha-prasada may be purchased.

Main Temple
The main temple is the home of their Lordships Balarama (white), Subhadra (yellow), and Jagannath (black). They are seated on the Ratna Singhasan. Devotees can circumambulate the deities between 8.30 and 9.30 am.

1. Mukhasala—Next to the main temple is the hall of audience, which can be entered through four separate doors. The Kalaghata door leads to the sanctum sanctorum. The southern door leads out of the temple and the northern to the Ratna Bhandar (Treasury house).

2. Nata Mandira—This is a spacious hall, 21m (65 ft) in length and 20m (61 ft) wide. This is where the Garuda Stambha is located, where Sri Chaitanya used to stand. It is believed that the potency of a devotee’s prayers to the Lord is increased when he stands near this sacred pillar.

3. Bhoga Mandap—Next to Nata Mandir is this spacious hall, 18m (60 ft) in length and 17m (56 ft) wide. There are sculptures and paintings of Lord Krishna’s pastimes and other stories in this hall.

How to View the Temple
You can get a view of the temple from the Jaya Balia Lodge or the roof of the Raghunandan Library on Grand Rd, opposite the main entrance of the temple. You can also view some ancient leaf books in the library for a small donation. The library is open daily except Sunday 9 am until noon and 4 to 8 pm.

Maha-Prasada
Maha-prasada is pure vegetarian spiritual food offered to Lord Jagannath. Just by eating this maha-prasada one makes great spiritual advancement. Every day, fifty-six varieties of prasada are offered to Lord Jagannath. The main offering of the day becomes available anywhere from 3 to 5 pm (sometimes later). The offering times are not exact and change day by day.

To purchase maha-prasada, go to the main gate of the temple on Grand Road. There, one of the local pandas (Brahmins) will approach you and ask if you want maha-prasada. You can usually request maha-prasada in the morning at your hotel and they can send someone to bring it for you. If you are Indian, you can enter the temple and purchase it yourself.

Unless you are fond of rice, make it clear how much you want while ordering. Even if you say it ten times, you will probably be brought way too much the first time. Normally, maha-prasada means a few small pots of sabji (vegetables), dhal, and a pot of rice ten times the size of the small sabji pots.

There can be a wide selection of items, and often what you receive will depend on the ability and connections of the person getting it for you. I have had as little as three preparations and at other times more than ten.

Konark

Pop: 16,000
Phone Code 06758

Konark, also known as Arka-Tirtha, is known for its fantastic temple of Lord Surya, the sun-god. It is situated on the seashore, 33km north of Puri and 64km from Bhubaneswar. It was constructed of black stone in the beginning of the 13th century, and it is considered one of the most vivid architectural showpieces of Hindu India. Despite the fact that the “Black Pagoda” is in ruins, the remaining porch area and other structures of this temple complex remain a crown jewel of Orissan artwork.

Information
There is an Orissa State Tourist Office (236821) in the Yatri Niwas Hotel.

Canara Bank, near the post office, changes money.

There is a small Archeological Museum on the main road (daily except Friday 10 am to 5 pm) which contains sculptures found during the temple excavation. Visitors can purchase the Archaeological Survey of India’s Sun Temple-Konark here for Rs 10. It is not sold at the temple itself. Admission Rs 5.

Most evenings the temple is floodlit until 9 pm. It looks inspiring at this time.

Registered guides (those wearing a badge) can show you many interesting sculptures and sites you may miss on your own (Rs 50 per hour).

The Konark Dance Festival, featuring classical Indian dancing, is held in November. There is a similar dance festival held in February.

Konark is a major tourist spot, and fighting away the hawkers and vendors can be tedious. These people will try to charge you double or triple the correct price for anything they sell, except the booklet about the place.

There is a quiet beach about 3km south of the temple. The currents can be strong there, however, so swimming may be dangerous.

Not far from the beach is a pond where Krishna’s son Samba is said to have been cured of leprosy. Every year during the full moon phase in the month of Magha (Jan-Feb) there is a festival called Magha Saptami Mela. People bathe in the pond at night and then watch the sun rise over the sea the next morning.

Sun Temple
This temple was built in the 13th century by the Orissan King Raja Narasimhadeva I. It took 1,200 workmen over sixteen years to build. The temple is covered with intricately carved sculptures. The temple was no longer used from the early 17th century after it was desecrated by Muslim invaders. In 1904, the sand around the temple base was cleared.

The story of the temple is that Samba, the son of Lord Krishna, was cursed to suffer from leprosy for twelve years. Because he had been cursed by the sun-god, he built a temple dedicated to Surya. Sailors once called this temple the Black Pagoda because it was supposed to draw ships to shore and cause shipwrecks.

This impressive temple resembles a huge chariot with twenty-four wheels pulled by seven horses. Great pairs of large, intricately carved wheels were sculpted on both sides of the 4m high platform upon which the temple sits. Some say the wheels represent the twenty-four hours in a day; others say they represent the 12 months. The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week.

There is a dancing hall, an audience hall, and a high tower. The main entrance has two large stone lions crushing elephants. Between the entrance and the main part of the temple is an intricately carved Dancing Hall. The main tower, which has since collapsed, was 70m (220 feet) high. The Jagmohana (porch) is over 39m (125 ft) high and is filled in and fortified with rocks to keep it from collapsing. Both the tower and porch were built on a high platform. All over the base, walls, and roof are intricate carvings. Many of the carvings are erotic in nature, similar to the ones at Khajuraho. Visitors can climb down to the inner sanctum by the temple’s west side.

There are three impressive chlorite figures of Surya facing different directions in order to catch the sun at dawn, noon, and sunset. The three statues of Surya change their facial expressions from wakefulness in the morning (south) to weariness toward the end of day (north).

There is a small shrine dedicated to Mayadevi, Surya’s wife, in the southwest corner of the enclosure. At the north part of the enclosure, to the right of the entrance, is a group of stone elephants. At the south side is a group of stone horses rearing and trampling men. To see the entire temple takes about two hours.

There is also a temple containing the nine planets: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rahu, and Ketu, located to the right of the main entrance before you enter the complex.

Where to Stay
Labanya Lodge (35824; fax 35860), in a quiet area, is a popular place with travelers and has rooms with common bath for Rs 100/125.
Lodging Sunrise (236403) is the least expensive place in the area.
Yatri Niwas (235820) is a good value with clean rooms for Rs 260 and Rs 500 with A/C.
Orissa Tourism’s Travellers’ Lodge has A/C rooms for Rs 300; however, the rooms are not well-maintained.
The OTDC Panthaniwas (235831), opposite the main temple entrance, is in a good location and is a clean, well-maintained place with double rooms with hot water for Rs 300 and Rs 650 with A/C.

Travel
Konark is located 65km from Bhubaneswar and 35km north of Puri on Marine Drive, near the sea. There are regular buses to and from Puri (1 hr). From Bhubaneswar, with a change of buses at Pipli, it takes two to four hours.

There is a direct A/C OTDC tourist bus leaving from the Old bus stand in Bhubaneswar at 10 am. Visitors must pay the full cost of a day tour if they wish to take this bus.

There is a daily tour going to Konark from Puri and Bhubaneswar (Tues to Sat). You can take a taxi from Puri for about Rs 400 roundtrip.

Simlipal National Park

Phone Code: 06792

Located in the northeast section of Orissa between Bhubaneswar and Calcutta, this park covers 2750km and is part of Project Tiger. The park is home to tigers (about seventy-five), elephants, leopards, sloth bears, porcupines, moniter lizards, flying squirrels, pythons, mugger crocodiles, mongooses, different kinds of deer, and over 200 species of birds. It is a beautiful park with hills, waterfalls, and nice forest. It is closed from July to October.

Most of the tigers stay within the core zone, an 850 sq km area, to which visitors are not permitted. The mosquitoes are vicious.

Park Information
The easiest way to visit the park is on an organized tour. Heritage Tours in Puri (06752 23656) and Swosti Travel in Bhubaneswar (0674 408-526) can arrange transportation, accommodations, and permits quickly and efficiently.

Visitors are required to reserve accommodations in the park one month in advance by writing the Field Director of Simlipal Tiger Reserve, Baripada, Mayurbhunj District, Orissa 757002 (06792 52593). You should reconfirm your booking at the Simlipal Park Office (06792 52593) in Baripada.

There are two entrances to the park, one at Pithabata near Baripada on the east side of the park, and the other at Joshipur on the west side. In Joshipur there are several hotels. Entry is Rs 100 for foreigners, Rs 5 for Indians; camera extra.
To enter the park you have to rent a car. Taxis go for Rs 1000 to 1500 per day and can be hired by the bus stand in Baripada or through the trustworthy manager of the Ambika Hotel in Baripada.

You can also stay in Joshipur, where the hotels are less expensive and which is closer to places in the park (makes the taxi cheaper).

Practicalities
There are few facilities here and no restaurants.

There are several Forest Rest Houses in the park, all of them basic. A room costs Rs 100.

The best place to stay for seeing wildlife is in Chahala (85km from Baripada), which used to be a maharaja’s hunting lodge. It is near a salt-lick visited by the animals just within the core zone.

There are forest rest houses at Newana;

Barehapani, near a waterfall; Joranda (65km from Baripada); and Gudgudia (25km from Joshipur).
Aranya Niwas Tourist Lodge (253297), at Lulung, about 10km into the park (30km from Baripada), has rooms for Rs 600 and dorm beds for Rs 105. There is not much chance to see wildlife from this place.
You could also stay at the Tourist Lodge in Joshipur, which has rooms for Rs 125. You can hire a jeep from there.

The nearest major railway station is in Balasore. There are regular buses from Baripada via Lulung, 30km west. Sphere: Related Content