No matter how exhausted or stressed we might be, stepping into the paths of nature is the only way to get healed ourselves. Isn’t it true?
Starting the year with the blessings of Lord Jagannath in Puri, marvel at the exquisite art and architectural designs, and vibing with the songs of nature. As a native of Delhi, it was my first time to enjoy Odisha tourism. The experience was amazing with the culture, food, people, and unique aura of Odisha state. Due to time constraints, we can explore only two cities of Orissa that are worth knowing and travelling to.
Orissa or Odisha is an eastern side state of India. There are various attraction spots in this state such as temples, beaches, waterfalls, wildlife sanctuaries, and much more. This state has a great historical past from Ashoka to the Kalinga battle.
We started our tour from Delhi to Puri and then from Puri to Bhubaneshwar. So now let me take you through the whole journey. Initially, we went down to Puri.
PURI: It is always associated with spiritualism surrounded by eye-catching artefacts of temples, shrines and much more. The city is one of four major dhams of Hinduism which means without visiting the Jagannath Puri temple in puri the pilgrimage tour would not be considered complete. The temple has three huge idols of Jagannath(krishna), his brother Balram and his sister Subhadra. Rath yatra is another prestigious highlight of the city.
Although there are numerous places to visit in Puri, I am mentioning a few of them here,
Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri: As earlier mentioned, this temple consists of three idols of Krishna, Balram and Subhadra. This temple was built in the 11th century by the ruler of the Ganga Dynasty, King Indradyumna. Auto drivers, guides, and priests (pandits) told us so many stories about the temple. For instance, the deep blue ocean is the father in law of Jagannath God and the four entrance gate of the temple has seven steps representing the fish and when the water of the ocean reaches the steps of oceans, the whole universe will collapse.
Beaches in Puri: Puri Beach, also known as Golden Beach, is one of the most visiting coastlines in East India, bordering the Bay of Bengal. If you are going with your family or friends, this beach is the perfect place for roaming around, swimming, and enjoying the food of small stalls around the beach. The view of the sunset was amazing and reunites your inner soul with the external environment.
There are other beaches also, like Chandrabhaga which has another importance for the city.
Konark Temple: Another attraction is the Sun Temple in the city which also makes Odisha’s golden triangle along with the Jagannath Puri Temple and Bhubaneswar. The temple has huge chakras and photography spots. Even though this temple is one of the most popular tourist places in the state, it is also considered an inauspicious place due to many stories linked with it.
Chilika lake: It is the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia. Chilika supports some of the largest flock of migratory birds in the country, particularly during the winter. Boating and enjoying with the family members by watching Dolphins, a variety of birds and Seashore behind the lake. Behind the lake, there is Ranjhans island linked with the Classic Beach which took me to a place called both peaceful and anxious.
BHUBANESHWAR: It is the capital of the state ‘Orissa’. Though there were many places in Bhubaneswar, we visited only a few of them. Some of them include the Lingaraj Temple, Temples of Khandagiri and Udaygiri and Nandankanan Zoological Park.
The Udaygiri and Khandagiri caves are milestones in Odisha Situated in Bhubaneswar, these historic caves are carved to amuse the eyes of the viewers.
On the other hand, the Nandankanan Zoological Park is one of the amazing zoos in India. The zoo is set up in an entirely natural atmosphere. This has several biodiversity including white tigers, tigers, lions, alligators, white peacock, deer, ostrich and many more. The zoo also offers numerous leisure activity facilities like lion safari, boating and cable car.
If you are a wanderlust kind of person, then keep telling us in the comment section about your journeys.
*The writer is Ms Lakshmi and I can be reached at any time via email @bhar.lakshmi.waj@ gmail.com