Places to Visit Nearby
The Jagannath Puri temple is a sacred temple devoted to Lord Jagannath along with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra. Lord Jagannath is considered to be a form of Lord Vishnu by Hindus. The Jagannath Temple is one of the four pilgrimage sites of Char Dham Pilgrimage by the Hindu population.
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Konark Sun Temple is famous for its unique architecture. Its geometrical patterns and carved wheels used to serve as sun dials. One can witness three images of Sun God at three directions to catch the rays of the Sun at dawn, noon and sunset.
Chilika Lake is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds, on the Indian sub-continent. The lake is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals. It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the country.
The twin hills of Khandagiri and Udaygiri, also known as Kumargiri and Kumarigiri, are renowned for their rock-cut caves, that were built for Jain monks sometime during 1st and 2nd centuries BC. They also feature the lithic record of 13 years of Kalinga king, Kharavela’s reign.
The uniqueness of Shree Lingaraj Temple lies in the fact that the Shiva Lingam in the sanctum sanctorum is considered to be a self-originated one and is worshipped as both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. Goddess Bhubaneswari or Parvati first discovered the Lingam worshiped under a large mango tree. It is famous for its annual ‘Shivaratri’ festival, which is considered the most significant event at the temple.