Forever Golden
The tourist circuit of Bhubaneswar-Konark-Puri—famously known as Golden Triangle—draws maximum number of tourists in Orissa. Alaka Sahani gives a lowdown on this famous tourist trail.
Bhubaneswar: Charming capital city
I confess: I am in love with Bhubaneswar.
After spending close to five years (a long period in my nomadic existence) there, visiting the capital city is like homecoming for me. And in this case, familiarity breeds belongingness. Besides, it’s a beautiful place, steeped in history and with all the charms of a laid-back city. It offers that perfect blend of modernity and history, which comes with being a planned city and home to several ancient temples.
Over the years, the city has been changing continuously, and fastidiously, like a young girl keen to follow all the fashion trends. But luckily, its original character has remained intact. Malls, cafes and bars have come up (I hear the city will have Inox soon) during the last few years, but the Jain monuments at Khandagiri, Nandankanan zoo, Lingaraj temple and the Dhauligiri stupa (also see the Buddhist circuit section)—situated in and around the city—still continue to be crowd-pullers.
It’s quite a paradox for those who don’t understand Bhubaneswar’s ways.
The zoo used to be our favourite haunt as kids. My father would take out his scooter, and we will head for a Sunday picnic there. This place never lost its charm for me even after several visits. However, I have to admit that of late I have not been there.
The Buddhist stupa on Dhauligiri—which used to be another option for our Sunday outings—is a place that remains an eternal pull for me. Why? Every time I am there, a feeling of peace overcomes me. I can sit on its steps for hours together, brooding or just looking at the giant statues of Lord Buddha (there are four). Or simply enjoy the view of the Daya river flowing nearby, cutting though the green swathes of paddy fields.
Legend has it that Emperor Ashoka had a change of heart on the banks of Daya after the famous Kalinga war. The river had turned red with the blood of slain soldiers whose bodies were strewn on its banks.
But it is Bhubaneswar’s Old Town that can be called the city’s tourist hub. It is also the place that has a number of strikingly beautiful temples—with each flaunting its unique look and architectural style.
The centre of Old Town is Lingaraj Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The 54.8-metre tall structure, located in the middle of a high-walled compound, is surrounded by several smaller shrines. Outside the temple, there are several florists and prasad stalls. Their business and number of devotees shoot up on Mondays. Adjacent to the temple are the huge Bindusagar water tank and Anant Vasudev temple.
A trip to Old Town is not complete without a round of Parsurameswara, Rajarani, Vaital, Mukteswar, Siddheswar and Kedargauri temples. All these temples have their own individual style and exquisite stonework.
The 7th century Parsurameswara temple, with classic engravings, is one of the oldest in the city. Rajarani temple, popularly known as the ‘love temple’, is adorned with erotic carvings. Manicured garden adds to the 11th Century temple’s charm.
Mukteswar, Siddheswar and Kedargauri temples are situated side by side. This cluster of temples is not very far from the Parsurameswar temple.
The 10th Century Mukteswar temple, with its stone arch, is the most striking among them. I feel that the arch almost serves as the tourist emblem for Bhubaneswar. The outer wall of the main structure as well as the compound’s are embellished with intricate carvings. It has a large water tank. In the afternoon, this is crowded by children. The attraction for them are its friendly and playful fish.
Presenting a different world from the Old Town are the twin hills of Khandagiri (Broken Hill) and Udayagiri (Hill of the Sunrise)—honeycombed with Jain caves. The caves supposedly modelled by the great Jain king Kharavela, who ruled from 168 BC to 153 BC, were meant for Jain monks. The caves have the Pali records engraved in the Hathi Gumpha where the 13-year megalithic record of King Kharavela is engraved.
Standing on the Khandagiri hill that is 40 metre above the lateritic surroundings one could get a view of the Dhauli Stupa—situated at another end of the city. And yes, those visiting the hills should be extremely careful of monkeys—a regular feature there—though they are mostly friendly.
Several scenes of Kareena Kapoor and Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Ashoka’ were shot here. I had then reported the film’s shooting. I remember the crowd going crazy to catch a glimpse of Kareena.