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Bhubaneswar is the capital of the East Indian state of Orissa.
Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa, is known for its architecture and ancient temples. It is also a Buddhists and Hindu pilgrimage destination. The 10th century Lingaraja temple, dedicated to Shiva, has been described as "the truest fusion of dream and reality." The surface of the 55 meter high Lingaraja temple is covered with carvings. Sculpture and architecture fused elegantly to create a perfect harmony. The best times to visit are between October and March
This city is most renowned for changing the conqueror Asoka to the conquered. The great Kalinga War took place here between Emperor Asoka and Kalinga (the old empire of Orissa). Asoka was overwhelmed at the gory of blood that flowed like a river. Asokan inscriptions still stand testimony for this. Having merged its intriguing past so uniquely with its modern aspirations, it forms an integral link in the Golden Triangle that incorporates the holy city of Puri (Jagannath Temple) and Konark (Sun temple). The twin cave groups of Kandagiri and Udayagiri are evidence of the region's antiquity, dating to the 2nd century BC or the early Jain monastery.
Modern Bhubaneswar is a well planned city with wide roads and many gardens and parks. The plan was made by Otto H. Koenigsberger, a German town planner. Though part of the city has stayed faithful to the plan, it has grown rapidly over the last few decades and has made the planning process unwieldy.
By plane
Bhubaneswar air port(http://www.bhubaneswarairport.com/) is well connected to most of the major cities of India.
Air India operates daily flights to and from
Delhi- Bhubaneswar - Delhi Mumbai - Bhubaneswar - Mumbai Bangalore- Bhubaneswar - Bangalore Hyderabad - Bhubaneswar - Hyderabad . Check Flight Schedule
Jet and JetLite (previously Sahara Airlines) operate a direct flight to and from Delhi and 2 flights daily from Kolkata(one in the morning and one in the evening).
Kingfisher operates direct flights daily from Mumbai, Delhi, Banglore and 2 direct flights daily from Kolkata(one in the morning and one in the evening).
INDIGO Airlines operates daily to Delhi(direct) and Mumbai(via Hyderabad).
[edit]By train
Bhubaneswar is the divisonal headquarters of East Coast railways. It is situated on the main line from Kolkata to Chennai and is well connected by direct train service to most major Indian cities. For timings and other details check the Indian Railways website [1]. Some major trains connecting Bhubaneswar with:
New Delhi
Rajdhani Express, Neelachal Express, Kalinga Utkal Express and Purushottam Express
Mumbai (Bombay)
Konark Express and Lokmanya Tilak Express etc.
Chennai (Madras)
Coromandel Express, Chennai Howrah mail etc.
Howrah (Kolkata)
Dhauli Express, Janasatabdi Express, Coromandel Express, Howrah Puri Express, Shri Jagannath Express, Falaknuma Express, Howrah Chennai Mail, Howrah Yesvantpur Express, EastCoast Express etc.
Hyderabad (Secunderabad)
Falaknuma Express, East Coast Express, Konark Express, Visakha Express etc.
Bangalore
Prashanti Express, Yeshwantpur Howrah Express, Yeshwantpur Guwahati Express(only on Mondays), Guwahati Express (wed, thu, fri)
[edit]By road
Bhubaneshwar is situated on the National Highway no.5 that runs between Kolkata and Chennai. It is 480 km from Kolkata, 445 km from Visakhapatnam, 1225 km from Chennai, 32 km from Cuttack, 130 km from Chilika Lake (Barkul), 184 km from Gopalpur-on-sea, 64 km from Konark, 62 km from Puri.
From Bhubaneswar after traveling 20 km there is a place known as Pipili. This place is famous for patching cloth design locally known as Chandua. From the center of Pipili market one has to take left turn to go towards Konark and the straight road goes to Puri.
[edit]Get around
Getting around in Bhubaneswar does not take much time, due to the perfect town planning and well laid roads. Travel within Bhubaneswar is cheap even by Indian standards.
By Train Bhubaneswar has no suburban train network. Except for a couple of passenger trains to Naraj if you want to visit Nandankanan by train.
By Bus Town buses ply throughout the city. These are government-run and extremely cheap. You can buy bus tickets enroute. Extreme caution is advised in using these buses as typical of any other Indian city.
By Taxi Auto-rickshaw drivers in Bhubaneswar are courteous and helpful. Still, negotiate a rate with the driver beforehand, and make sure that the driver understood your destination. For the budget traveler, Bhubaneswar offers shared autos, where you can make journeys even for Rs. 5.
There are several taxi companies operating in Bhubaneswar. They charge by the distance. There is a minimum fare for first few kilometres and for every subsequent kilometre they charge in increments. Cabs are the best choice in case
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