It seemed almost unreal that we were aboard the train to Orissa after all the confusion about deciding on a holiday destination. A pleasant train journey marked the beginning of a wonderful trip. We reached Balasore sleepy eyed on a cold morning, and were ready to go but not before a refreshing chai at the railway tea stall. A couple of inquiries landed us in a decent hotel in a bustling market area by a 10 min rikshaw ride. Food was our major concern, but a marwari basa nearby proved to be a blessing.
After lunch, a ride by the trekker (jeep) took us to Chandipur beach. The sight of the trekker reminded of the our own MTC buses, the locals were hanging from all sides. Reaching the beach, the sight really had us stumped. Twice a day, its waters recede a good 5-km offshore and proceeds rhythmically back by evening, giving water lovers the ultimate pleasure of walking into its shallow depths. There was thin film of water beneath our feet and lumps of sand were set in a wave-like pattern. Given my mom’s paranoia for water, I and my sister managed only 2 kms into the sea. It was getting dark fast and eerie thoughts of water gushing in from the sea was enough to hasten us back to the shore.
Next morning, we took a passenger train to Bhadrak, which got its name from the Bhadrakali temple situated little away from the town. It was an hour’s ride by auto on muddy and bumpy roads, through villages lined with mud houses and curious onlookers. The shrine was serene, untouched by modern civilization.
We share a passion for the Indian Railways within the family. So coming back to the station, it was not surprising that we spent the next 3 hrs on the platform (literally!) enjoying the passing trains, before we left for the temple city of Bhubaneswar. The train was late by an hour and we reached there in the stillness of the night (read 11:30 PM). A rikshaw-puller helped us get accommodated at a hotel in a nearby shopping area.
Our first day in the city, we visited the temples of Lingaraj, Mukteswara, Baital Deul and Raj Rani. The temples at Orissa are based on the Indo-Aryan style of temple architecture, with the Lingaraj temple being the quintessence of Orissan architecture - the beauty of it unparalleled! But with all due respect to the temple, the visit would have been more enjoyable if not for the annoying guides.
The second day was marked by visits to Dhaulagiri, Udayagiri, Khandagiri and Pipli. Dhauli is famous for the Ashokan rock-edicts and Shanti Stupa (peace pagoda). Udayagiri and Khandagiri hills are Jain centers and the rock-cut architecture is worth seeing. Pipli is known for its appliqué work and vibrantly colored cloth lanterns.
The next day we visited the sulphur hot springs in Atri and thanks to my friend, had the pleasure of spending an evening by the side of Mahanadi river. The sunset was a spectacular sight and I was lucky to capture the moment on film. A visit to Bhubaneswar is not complete without a trip to Nandankanan zoo, famed for its white tiger population , along the rippling waters of the Kanjia Lake. We enjoyed the simple pleasures of boating, toy train ride and cable-car ride.
Reaching Konark the next day, we spent a full day marveling at the architectural beauty of the magnificent Sun Temple. Puri, the site of renowned Rathyatra festival, was our next halt. It looks a quaint old town, but the scene changes as we reach Badadanda road, with a plethora of shops lined up on either side of the road and hawkers selling their wares. Puri is also famous for pattachitras (palm leaf paintings), horn work and wood carvings.
After a good darshan at Lord Jagannath temple, we took a passenger train to Balugoan, one of the nearest points to Chilika lake. Chilika is the largest salt water lake in Asia and attracts migrating birds in winter. We stayed in a small hotel overlooking the lake, paying a ‘premium’ for stay in the 1st floor. But here again, the sunrise merited it. We touched upon bird island and Kalijai island during our four hour boat ride. The boat ride was a pleasurable experience where a music troupe retold local folklore.
With our holiday concluded, we returned to Bhubaneswar to take the train back to Chennai. Regretfully, we were not able to visit Taptapani hot springs, Gopalpur-on-sea, Koraput and few other places, but there is always next time!
After lunch, a ride by the trekker (jeep) took us to Chandipur beach. The sight of the trekker reminded of the our own MTC buses, the locals were hanging from all sides. Reaching the beach, the sight really had us stumped. Twice a day, its waters recede a good 5-km offshore and proceeds rhythmically back by evening, giving water lovers the ultimate pleasure of walking into its shallow depths. There was thin film of water beneath our feet and lumps of sand were set in a wave-like pattern. Given my mom’s paranoia for water, I and my sister managed only 2 kms into the sea. It was getting dark fast and eerie thoughts of water gushing in from the sea was enough to hasten us back to the shore.
Next morning, we took a passenger train to Bhadrak, which got its name from the Bhadrakali temple situated little away from the town. It was an hour’s ride by auto on muddy and bumpy roads, through villages lined with mud houses and curious onlookers. The shrine was serene, untouched by modern civilization.
We share a passion for the Indian Railways within the family. So coming back to the station, it was not surprising that we spent the next 3 hrs on the platform (literally!) enjoying the passing trains, before we left for the temple city of Bhubaneswar. The train was late by an hour and we reached there in the stillness of the night (read 11:30 PM). A rikshaw-puller helped us get accommodated at a hotel in a nearby shopping area.
Our first day in the city, we visited the temples of Lingaraj, Mukteswara, Baital Deul and Raj Rani. The temples at Orissa are based on the Indo-Aryan style of temple architecture, with the Lingaraj temple being the quintessence of Orissan architecture - the beauty of it unparalleled! But with all due respect to the temple, the visit would have been more enjoyable if not for the annoying guides. The second day was marked by visits to Dhaulagiri, Udayagiri, Khandagiri and Pipli. Dhauli is famous for the Ashokan rock-edicts and Shanti Stupa (peace pagoda). Udayagiri and Khandagiri hills are Jain centers and the rock-cut architecture is worth seeing. Pipli is known for its appliqué work and vibrantly colored cloth lanterns.
The next day we visited the sulphur hot springs in Atri and thanks to my friend, had the pleasure of spending an evening by the side of Mahanadi river. The sunset was a spectacular sight and I was lucky to capture the moment on film. A visit to Bhubaneswar is not complete without a trip to Nandankanan zoo, famed for its white tiger population , along the rippling waters of the Kanjia Lake. We enjoyed the simple pleasures of boating, toy train ride and cable-car ride.
Reaching Konark the next day, we spent a full day marveling at the architectural beauty of the magnificent Sun Temple. Puri, the site of renowned Rathyatra festival, was our next halt. It looks a quaint old town, but the scene changes as we reach Badadanda road, with a plethora of shops lined up on either side of the road and hawkers selling their wares. Puri is also famous for pattachitras (palm leaf paintings), horn work and wood carvings.
After a good darshan at Lord Jagannath temple, we took a passenger train to Balugoan, one of the nearest points to Chilika lake. Chilika is the largest salt water lake in Asia and attracts migrating birds in winter. We stayed in a small hotel overlooking the lake, paying a ‘premium’ for stay in the 1st floor. But here again, the sunrise merited it. We touched upon bird island and Kalijai island during our four hour boat ride. The boat ride was a pleasurable experience where a music troupe retold local folklore.
With our holiday concluded, we returned to Bhubaneswar to take the train back to Chennai. Regretfully, we were not able to visit Taptapani hot springs, Gopalpur-on-sea, Koraput and few other places, but there is always next time!
