Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar (Odia: ଭୁବନେଶ୍ଵର Bhubaneśvara, Hindi भुवनेश्वर Bhuvaneśvar), the capital of Odisha, lies on the banks of the River Kuakhai which is part of the Mahanadi River delta. Together with Konark and Puri, it forms the Swarna Tribhuja or Golden Triangle of Odisha tourism. This city makes an ideal starting point for the traveller who wishes to explore the magnificence of Kalinga architecture, worship at its grand temples or enjoy the beaches of Puri.

Bhubaneswar is 30 km from Cuttack, the commercial capital of Odisha. It is also an important business centre in its own right. It is considered one of the fastest-growing cities in India, with its manufacturing and information technology as the growing sectors. With more than 100 educational institutes in the city, Bhubaneswar is also very popular for students from Eastern India.

Understand
Bhubaneswar (ଭୁବନେଶ୍ଵର Bhubaneśvara bhoo-baw-neh-swaw-raw) is often referred to as a Temple City of India because of its numerous Hindu temples, which span the entire spectrum of Kalinga architecture. Together with Puri and Konark, it forms the Swarna Tribhuja ("Golden Triangle"), one of eastern India's most visited destinations. The modern city was designed by the German architect Otto Königsberger in 1946, along with Jamshedpur.

Talk
Odia is the most common language spoken within the city. However, with a culture-shifting towards cosmopolitanism, Hindi and English are very much understood and accepted.

By plane


There are two officially sanctioned options for getting a taxi at the airport - Carzonrent, a private cab agency, and a prepaid taxi service run by the airport. Both have counters at the exit. The Carzonrent salesman will try to upsell you day trip packages when you are looking for just a ride. Ignore him as you are bound to find better options within the city. Also, the other prepaid taxi is available only once you get past the security barrier, while Carzonrent is available both inside and outside. You are better off making your decision only after you step out. Another good option, if your destination is within the city, is to call for a radio cab.

By train
Bhubaneswar is the headquarters of the East Coastal Railway (ECoR), and it is on the main line from Kolkata to Chennai. It is well-connected to most major Indian cities. Bhubaneswar has two long-distance railway stations, where several express trains have a stop. For timings and other details check the Indian Railways website.

Express trains that stop at Bhubaneswar:
 * From Chennai: Coromandel Express, Howrah Mail
 * From Howrah: Chennai Mail, Coromandel Express, Dhauli Express, Falaknuma Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Puri Shatabdi Express, Puri Superfast Express, Puri Vande Bharat Express, Yesvantpur Express
 * From Mumbai CSMT: Konark Express
 * From New Delhi: Duronto Express, Purushottam Express, Tejas Rajdhani Express
 * From Hyderabad: Falaknuma Express, Konark Express, Visakha Express
 * From Bangalore: Howrah Express, Prasanti Express

By car
Bhubaneswar is on the National Highway 16 (NH 16) that runs between Kolkata and Chennai. It is 480 km from Kolkata, 445 km from Visakhapatnam, 1,225 km from Chennai, 32 km from Cuttack, 130 km from Chilika Lake (Barkul), 184 km from Gopalpur, 64 km from Konark, and 62 km from Puri.

By bus
Buses travel to and from major cities in the region, originating at Baramunda Bus Station. The station should be reached by auto as it is not central at all. Tickets can be booked at the station, which is serviced by a good number of eateries, fruit and grocery stores and even a barber. Buses are decrepit, but quirkily decorated and very cheap (an overnight ride to Kolkata cost ₹400 in early 2015).

Get around
Bhubaneswar's roads are well-laid out by Indian standards, and the newer parts of the city are well-planned. Getting around is easy and inexpensive.

By bus
Town buses ply throughout the city. These are government-run and cheap. DTS (Dream Team Shahara) is a partnership between the government of Odisha and Sahara, a private company, that runs a public bus service. Buses ply all over the city, between 06:30AM and 10:30PM at about 20 min intervals, though the timings for specific routes vary. Fares are very reasonable, a 15 km journey costs ₹25. Tickets are bought on the bus - by cash only. Caution is advisable in using these buses as typical of any other Indian city as they can be very crowded.

By taxi
There are several online cab-hailing companies, such as Ola Cabs (Auto, Share Taxis, Cabs, Full day rental cabs), Uber (Cabs), Clear Car Rental (Cabs), TaxiBhubaneswar (Cabs), TravelSangi (Cabs), Jugnoo (Auto) and Rapido (Bikes) operating in Bhubaneswar. Ola and Uber can be hired for visiting day trips to Puri, Konark or Chilika. However, you can easily find safe and reliable hired taxis also, that will do so.

By auto-rickshaw
Auto-rickshaws are the lifeline of Bhubaneswar and can be found on most streets of the city. Drivers are generally courteous and honest. They can be hired for short distances or booked for a period of time covering predetermined tourist spots. They don't run on meters, so prices should be fixed before the tour starts. Negotiate a rate beforehand, and make sure that the driver understands your destination. A short journey of around 5 km will cost you about ₹100. There are also shared autos that make journeys for as little as ₹5/km.

On foot
The temples of Bhubaneswar are clustered around a small area. The area is overcrowded and connected with narrow roads and lanes, this area is best explored on foot.

See
Temples are undoubtedly the most important attractions of this city. Bhubaneswar is an ancient city where the major religions of India, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism, have all had a presence during some time in its history. All the religions have left their architectural footprints here. In particular, this is a place where the Kalinga style of Hindu temple architecture flourished between the 10th and the 13th century; you will see some of the finest examples of the style here. Unfortunately, a few of the temples, like Ligaraj and Kapileswar do not allow entry to non-Hindus. Most of the oldest temples, around 400 of them, are concentrated around the Old Town area. The temples are spread around a small area and are connected by an intricate network of lanes and bylanes, so walking is a good option. Covering all the temples listed below can take a minimum of 3 to 4 days. Bhubaneswar also has its share of Buddhist and Jain sites along with nearby archaeological sites. The city also houses a huge zoological park offering safaries. The city also has a couple of museums and a botanical garden.

Major temples
Apart from the Chausathi Yogini Temple temple all the other major temples of Bhubaneswar are concentrated in the old town area centred around the Buindu Saravor. They are best explored with a combination of walks and auto-rickshaw rides. Exploring all of them will be a long and tiring day.

Lesser known temples
Many of these lesser-known temples are housed in large temple complexes, housing several other shrines and tanks. Many have intricate ornamentation on its outer walls. In spite of all odds, these temples must only be visited by tourists, who have a genuine interest in Odiya or Indian Temple architecture.

Do

 * Visit the scores of parks in the city. The science park refreshes your basics and takes you back to school days. Or go around the rose garden in CRPF square or the NICCO park.
 * There may be an odd play going on in Rabindra Mandap, opposite the General Post Office. Or a dance program at Soochana Bhavan. This place also had radio news broadcasts (May 1998) and a newspaper library. Visit places such as the hall of dance called Natamandira or the bhoga-mandapa, meaning hall of offering. Though these particular places can be found around the temple, the temple itself is off limits to non-Hindus.
 * There may be an odd play going on in Rabindra Mandap, opposite the General Post Office. Or a dance program at Soochana Bhavan. This place also had radio news broadcasts (May 1998) and a newspaper library. Visit places such as the hall of dance called Natamandira or the bhoga-mandapa, meaning hall of offering. Though these particular places can be found around the temple, the temple itself is off limits to non-Hindus.

Work
Bhubaneswar has developed as an information technology hub. Mindtree, Infosys, TCS, IBM, Wipro, Mindfire, Reflekt Vision, Lyfsoft Technologies and others have their offices here. It is also growing into an education hub. There are many engineering colleges and some good Business schools. XIM and KSOM are two prominent B-schools in Bhubaneswar.

Other than the new-economy companies, historically, the largest employer in Bhubaneswar has been the government.

Buy
Bhubaneswar is a great place to buy the traditional handicrafts of Odisha. Silver filigree work, Applique work, items made of jute and papier-mâché items are some of the things you should consider taking back from your trip. The best place to buy these, though is not the city itself, but Pipili, 8 km from Konark Sun Temple.

Colourful wooden icons of Jagannath, sandstone icons and gemstones are a few other artifacts that you can take back as mementos.

Hand-woven textiles, known as "handlooms" as in the rest of India, are exquisitely beautiful. For women: sarees and clothes that can be stitched into salwar kameezes, or kurtas. Shirts or kurtas for men are a good buy.



Eat

 * Mirch Masala; petrol pump Chandrashekharpur, Patia
 * Mirch Masala; petrol pump Chandrashekharpur, Patia
 * Mirch Masala; petrol pump Chandrashekharpur, Patia
 * Mirch Masala; petrol pump Chandrashekharpur, Patia
 * Mirch Masala; petrol pump Chandrashekharpur, Patia

Drink
Not a place to really party out. But you can still chill at the following places.



Sleep
There is a variety of options from as cheap as ₹150 up to ₹4000.



Stay safe
Bhubaneswar is one of the greenest cities in India and it has a clean look, with adequate arrangement for dustbins made by the local municipal authorities. It is a generally peaceful city with hardly any history of violence. Nevertheless, you should avoid travelling late in night as the city tends to sleep early. Also, wear cool, white clothes in the summer.

Be aware of the many touts near to the tourist places: railways, temples and hotels. The pāṇḍās can be notorious if not shown respect. But be within your limits and a polite no (sometimes repetitive) will be ok to avoid getting scammed. In case you have an issue with an auto rickshaw driver or taxi then report immediately to a police outpost, or call 100.

Respect
The temples are managed in the age-old traditions so be aware of the Hindu rituals and traditions before entering them. Make sure to take off your footwear when you enter a temple or any household. Women in particular needed to be cautious in their clothing and hygiene, but things are more equitable now.

Go next

 * Baliguda, roughly 270 km south from Bhubaneswar is home of Khonds and Kutia khonds. This is known as gateway to tribal tourism in the state. You can enjoy the nearby attractions like Belghar Sanctuary, Sapanala River Valley and Daringbadi, and get good hotel accommodation in Baliguda. Hotel Bivab is the best hotel to stay in this area.
 * Bhitarkanika National Park, roughly 120 km north of Bhubaneswar, is home to the largest population of Saltwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in all of India and is home to the largest known living crocodile at 23 feet in length. The park also features a wide variety of other wildlife, including a rare Albino Saltwater Crocodile.
 * Chilika Lake is highly regarded by birdwatchers. It is about 100 km from Bhubaneswar. The brackish water being the reason for its amazing bird diversity, it is the second largest brackish water lake in Asia.
 * Konark
 * Koraput - NALCO and HAL plants
 * Manglajodi in Chilika is a fishing village on the banks of the lake. it would be better to contact the local conservation group Wild Odisha, who will suggest a good guide who can take you around and will help you hire a boat too.
 * Puri
 * Rock City Kodala is nicknamed Rock City, it is around 60 km from Brahmapur.
 * Rourkela - about 340 km north from Bhubaneswar. Direct train is available. Rourkela is one of the bigger cities of Odisha, and is also known as "Steel City".
 * Sambalpur - Hirakud Dam and wildlife sanctuaries.
 * Silk city  Brahmapur (also spelled Berhampur) is nicknamed Silk City. It is around 180 km from Bhubaneswar.
 * Simlipal National Park