ORISSA
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| ORISSA as early as the 5th and 4th
century BC, seaports flourished in this area. The
first king of Ceylon, Vijaya, is believed to have
been a Kalinga prince. Colonists from Kalinga did
not stop at Ceylon but went as far as Java, Sumatra,
Bali and carried Indian civilization with them.
And before the emergence of the Christian era, there
was maritime relationship between Orissa and South
East Asia. Ashok, a Mauryan king, invaded Kalinga
around 261 BC and ultimately conquered it. But the
terrible bloodshed changed Ashoka which took him
to Buddhism and for the rest of the life preached
peace.
Exotic Orissa, on the coast along the Bay of
Bengal, just grows on you. It's green valleys,
blue hills, lush green forests and golden beaches
have a magical impact. Orissa is also a kaleidoscope
of past splendor and contemporary expression.
Bhubaneshwar's 500 glorious temples today stand
testimony to the glory of the prosperous kingdoms
that emerged here. Konarak's stupendous Sun Temple
is the crowning glory of Orissa and is one of
the wonders of ancient India. Puri, on the eastern
coast of Orissa, is a magnificent beach resort
and is one of the four great Hindu pilgrim centres.
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Tourist Places :
Bhubaneswar :
About Bhubaneswar |
| Bhubaneswar, capital
city of Orrisa in India, is very well known for
the temples and shrines. The city can also be
called as ' Temple Metropolis of India'. The city
boasts of more than 500 temples. Although there
was a time when the city had more than 7000 temples
and shrines. Some of the temples are more than
2000 years old. These temples exemplify the art
and architecture of ancient and medieval India.
The construction dates back to 3rd century B.C.
to 16th century A.D.
Bhubaneswar has very elegantly combined its rich
cultural heritage with the modern aspirations.
One can see the mixture of traditions and novelity
in the culture of city. Apart from the temples,
the city has 2 Museums, one of which hosts world's
largest collection of palm -leaf paintings. The
city is home to The Regional Plant Resource Centre
(RPRC). The unique features of RPRC are its status
for housing the largest rose garden in the country
(an area of 20 acres) and having the largest collection
of cacti (550) in Asia. |
Puri :
About Puri |
Puri, also known as "Sri Purusottama Dham"
is a sacrosanct centre for Hindus all over the globe
for the Jagannath temple and is also known for the
good stretch of the beautiful white sand beaches
on Bay of Bengal. Thousands of pilgrims visit Puri
for the Lord Jagannath temple and the annual Rath
yatra festival. The beatifying effect of the temples,
wide beaches that offer scenic view of sunrise and
sunset, traditional fishing farms where the clasical
old methods of fishing are
Situated 35 km from Puri, Konark is home to the
Sun Temple, also called the Black Pagoda. Konark
is a must visit for its historical and architectural
importance. The Konark beach is said to be one of
the finest and most romantic beaches on the eastern
coast. |
Konark
Temple |
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The Sun Temple is located in Konark, which is
very close to the holy city of Puri. Konark derives
its name from Konarka, the presiding deity of
the Sun Temple. A distinctive feet of Kalinga
architecture, it depicts the grace, joy and the
rhythm of life. An architectural grandeur, the
temple is covered with marvelously designed sculptures
in all sizes. Although the Sun temple has lost
its main sanctuary, but the remaining structure
and the relics around testify the boundless creativity
of Orissan artists and their contribution to the
treasury of Indian Architecture.
Konark has been one of the earliest centres of
Sun worshipping in India. Konark is mentioned
in the Puranas as Mundirasvamin (later replaced
by Konarka). Other religious books also talks
about the presence of a Sun Temple in this region.
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The
Legend |
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One can also visit the Archaeological Museum, which
is just outside the Sun Temple to witness many sculptures
and carvings found during the temple excavations.
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Konark
Beach |
| For a change, 3 kilometres away from
the temple is the Konark beach. Hire a bicycle or
cycle-rickshaw to reach the beach and walk along
the beach. |
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