Bhubaneswar (Odia: ଭୁବନେଶ୍ଵର Bhuboneshworo), 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.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Bhubaneswar (ଭୁବନେଶ୍ଵର BHOO-baw-nay-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.
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. 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.
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.
1 Pathani Samanta Planetarium. The planetarium is named after the famous Odia astrologer Samanta Chandra Sekhar Mahapatra, who was popularly known as Pathani Samanta. The planetarium runs four shows daily between 2PM to 6PM – two in Odia, one in Hindi and one in English. Each show duration is of 45 minutes. The planetarium also conducts sky watching classes. Special events are also held on occasions of solar eclipse, lunar eclipse and other astronomical events. (updated May 2020) Visit the scores of parks in the city. The science park refreshes your basics and takes you back to school days.
Country Kitchen, Bapuji Nagar (2.7 km from railway station). Spicy non-veg (mainly chicken) and separate veg restaurant. Dalma, Sachivalaya Marg, Chandrasekharpur (Unit 4 and KIIT Square). Authentic Odiya cuisine. Hare Krishna restaurant (near the railway station). A vegetarian restaurant. May Fair, 8-B, Jaydev Vihar-Ekamra Kanana Road, ☏ +91 674 666 0101. Mirch Masala; petrol pump Chandrashekharpur, Patia
Not a place to really party out. But you can still chill at the following places. The Cellar (Mayfair Hotel). The latest addition to the city's night-life, where you can bowl, booze, and dance to Bollywood numbers from 21:00-23:00. This place attracts crowds. Desire, , Pal Heights. Good interiors, a good place for boozing and chilling out Rock On, opposite XIMB. Nice place to drink and to spend time with friends. Xstacy Lounge, Plot No 421B, Nandan Kanan Road, Above Canara Bank, Chandrasekharpur, ☏ +91 9437799977.
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.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Bhubaneswar typically sees ~32°C daytime highs and 28 rainy days.
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