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Best time to visit :

Bhubaneswar can be visited round the year, but the ideal time, especially for visitors from colder climates, would be from October to March.

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Handicrafts of the Region :

Silver filigree, Stone and Wood carving, Patta paintings, Tie and Dye textiles, bamboo basketry, brass and bell metal work, horn work, and many other famous handicrafts of Orissa can be selected as souvenirs from the local markets. Purchases can be made from Utkalika (run by the Department of Handicrafts) or at the many privately run shops.

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Some of the other important tourist spots of Bhubaneswar are:

The twin hills of Kumargiri and Kumarigiri known as Khandagiri and Udaygiri contain varieties of rock-cut caves, built mainly for the jain monks around 1st - 2nd century B.C.#The thirteen years lithic record of King Kharavela engraved in Hatigumpha (elephant cave) is a magnificent specimen of Pali records so far found in India.

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Ancient Temples

Rajarani Temple Mukteswar temple Bhaskareswar Temple Chandana Temple Dwarabasini Temple Kedareswar Temple Lingaraj Temple (c. 11th century A.D.) Mukteswar   (c. 10th century A.D.) Parsurameswar Temple (c. 7th century A.D.) Satrughaneswar Temple (c. 6th century A.D.) Taleswar Temple Vaital Temple  (c. 8th century A.D.)

Ananta Vasudeva  (c. 13th century A.D.) Brahma Temple Chitrakarini Gosagareswar Temple Kotitirtheswar Makarewswar Mohini Temple Rajarani Temple (c. 11th century A.D.) Subarneswar Tirtheswar Temple Vimaleswar / Gaurisankar

Bharateswar Temple   (c. 6th century A.D.) Brahmeswar Temple (c. 11th century A.D.) Daiteswar Temple Kainchi Temple Laxmaneswar Temple (c. 6th century A.D.) Markandeswar Temple Papanasini Rameswar Temple Swarnajaleswar Temples (c. 7th century A.D.) Uttareswar Temple Vishnu Temple Khandagiri & Udaygiri caves (c 1st century B.C.)

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Fairs and Festivals of the region

Fairs / Festivals Shiva Ratri Khandagiri Mela Ashokastami Ramanavami Jhamuyatra Anla Navami

Place Bhubaneswar, Atri Khandagiri Bhubaneswar Odagaon, Bhubaneswar Kakatpur Sakshigopal

Period February - March January - February March-April March - April April - May October - November

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Places around Bhubaneswar

• Dhauli
• Hirapur
• Nandankanan
• Atri

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Distance from Bhubaneswar

Dhauli (8 km)*

Surrounded by paddy fields, the Dhauli hill brings back memories of the historic 'Kalinga war' which was fought around here. It is here that Ashoka, the terrible, was transformed into Ashoka, the compassionate and championed the cause of Buddhism. On the foot of the hill one can see the Rock Edicts of Ashoka and the forepart of a skillfully sculpted elephant hewn out of a huge rock. Dhauli has gained prominence due to the establishment of a Buddhist Peace Pagoda, popularly known as Shanti Stupa, built in the early seventies by the Japan Buddha Sangha and Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha. An old temple of Lord Dhavaleswar , reconstructed in 1972, also stands on the hill-top.

Sisupalgarh

Just two km from the famed Lingaraj Temple of Bhubaneswar lie the ruins of Sisupalgarh. Dating back to the third or fourth century BC, these ruins show that even at that early date there was a well fortified city here, and establish the fact that the Orissan civilization has very ancient roots.

Hirapur (15 km)*

Hirapur has the 11th century Hypaethral temple of sixty four Yoginis. It is second of its kind in Orissa and one of four such unique temples in India .

Atri (42 km)*

Situated amidst greenery and famous for the hot sulphur water spring, Atri, 42 km. from Bhubaneswar and 14 km. from Khurda, is also a holy place with the shrine of Hatakeswar. A bath in the spring water is reputed to cure skin diseases apart from being a pleasant experience.