Things To Do in Odisha

You can watch a beautiful sunset at the Puri Beach on your visit. It also has a lot of food options to try. The culinary experience is enhanced by the presence of street food kiosks that offer seafood and Pakhala Bhata. Prawns that have been fried and grilled, fresh from the sea, grilled crabs and pomfrets, and vegetable pakoras are also available. You will also find several shops selling handloom and sea shells on the beach. Book our Puri tour packages and get an opportunity to take a tour of the Puri beach. The beach not only boasts a dredging experience but is also a center for colorful and cheap local markets that sell crafts, handmade jewelry, and local trinkets. To the right of the beach, there is another famous spiritual attraction – the temple of Lord Jagannath. It also provides lots of opportunities for water sports while enjoying the wonderful view.

The vast and beautiful Chilika Lake is located on the East Coast of India. It is one of the most diverse areas, rare, vulnerable, and endangered species of the country. During winter for instance Chilika hosts some of the largest populations of migratory birds in the country. You can observe thousands of birds arriving for food and breeding from the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, the Aral Sea, remote areas of Russia, Kirghiz steppe of Mongolia, Central and Southeast Asia, Ladakh, and the Himalayas. Chilika, being very near to the sea, has always been an integral part of the coastal system of Odisha. It is advisable to visit Chilika Lake Odisha in winter between November and February to see different migratory birds in the region. Chilika Lake is rated as one of the most beautiful places and it is also the largest salt-water lagoon in Asia.

Konark Sun Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Sun god at Konark. The temple is dedicated to King Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty who built the Odagaon temple around 1250 CE. Once used for worship of the Hindu Sun-god Surya, the remaining structure was a 100-foot high chariot with large wheels and horses sculptured in stone for the chariot. Many parts of the temple are now in ruins, it was originally over 200 feet high and contains a large shikhara tower over the sanctuary, which in turn was once much taller than the mandapa currently standing. The few surviving structures and elements are renowned for their elaborate artwork. It is also known as Surya Devalaya and is a fine example of the Odisha style of architecture or the Kalinga architecture. The Konark Temple today is a valuable source of information on the religious, political, social, and secular existence of the people of that period.

f

Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district is an exciting safari destination with mangrove forests and amazing wildlife reserves. It covers an area of more than 650 square kilometers and is famous for the valuable system of the rivers and tidal swamps making it a home to numerous animals and plants. Trying a safari in this national park is one of the best things to do in Odisha. It offers chances to identify with the parks’ most popular inhabitants, the saltwater crocodiles that are numerous here. A variety of bird species will attract the attention of bird-watching enthusiasts such as the kingfisher, and the heron among other species. It also houses a variety of reptiles, amphibians, and a plethora of species of fish. Avid bird watching and observation of other animals can be done through the boat riding exercises along the water channel that provides closer views of the Mangrove forest and other water inhabitants.

Raghurajpur 

Raghurajpur Art Village is an unspoiled rural village situated in the district of Puri of Odisha, India. It is a small village with an approximate population of 824 people in 190 or so households, the village is located in a rural and calm environment. Raghurajpur artist village is famous for its Heritage Crafts Village and the arts and crafts lore brings out Pattachitra art and Tala Patra Chitra like Palm leaf engravings, Stone Sculpture, Gotipua Semi-classical Dance, Odissi Classical Dance, Sahijata, Ram Leela, Sankirtan, toys made of cow dung, toys made of papier mache, wooden toys, and carvings etc. Betel leaf gardens are the most prominently seen around the village along with greenish padi fields and the river Bhargavi making it quite rural-like.

The Odisha Maritime Museum in Cuttack is very interesting and provides visitors with a good feel of the state’s past concerning maritime history. It is located in the center of Cuttack on the bank of the river Mahanadi and has a rich collection of ship models, ancient navigation instruments, replicas of historic maps, etc. It also has traditional fishing gear which is also made available to the public, relics from marine archaeology. Some of the exhibits include the transformation of shipbuilding technology through the ages and the substantial role of the coastal ports of Odisha in ancient and medieval periods. There are also sections on the fishing industry and marine shipwrecks with a comprehensive understanding of the nautical history of the state. The museum has made a definitive impact in educating the public, especially the younger generation to understand the history of maritime in Odisha and other parts of the Indian Ocean.

Daringbadi is a beautiful hill station in the state of Odisha. It rests majestically at an altitude of 3000 ft above sea level. Enclosed by pine trees and coffee gardens and overlooking magnificent valleys, this place is famously referred to as the ‘Kashmir of Odisha’. This hill station could be visited around the year. This place includes green hills, meadows, and a fresh cool climate as compared to the heat of the plain areas. Some of the famous attractions here are the Kalinga War Memorial, Daringbadi Waterfalls, Buddhist Monastery, etc. This area has a rich tribal flavor and the local markets sell apparel and accessories in the tribal style. Daringbadi with its natural beauty leaves the tourists fascinated. It is the perfect place for the ones who love to have a touch with nature and history. You can buy Kiomoi’s Odisha tour packages and enjoy the beauty of this hill station. 

Ratnagiri Udayagiri and Lalitgiri are 100 kilometers from Bhubaneswar city and together they form the famous Diamond Triangle of Odisha. Lalitgiri has ruins of stupas, relics, and inscriptions giving the first glimpse of a Buddhist monk’s life in India. It is famous for its well-preserved structure and relic caskets as well as a large number of Buddhist artifacts. Udayagiri with its vast compound contains a remarkable number of monastic buildings and stupas decorated with elaborate carved facades as a testimony of the architectural creativity of the first Buddhist builders. Ratnagiri is the best place to visit in this circuit, which is full of large stepped-over monasteries and many stupas that are exemplary of the pinnacle of Buddhist art and architecture. Together they illustrate the fact that the state had been an important centre of Buddhist enlightenment. There are beautiful vibes on the circuits that are perfect for history lovers and spirituality fans.

Cuttack is called the ‘Millennium City’ and the ‘Silver City’, because of its history of a thousand years and famous articles of silver filigree respectively. Durga Puja is one of the important festivals in Cuttack. It is a city situated along the right bank of the Mahanadi River, and the tourist has many options to explore. Barabati Fort is the most prominent historical model of the city because its remnants bear the strength of the region. Other attractions include Mahanadi Barrage with scenic beauty which is an ideal place for outing and having a leisurely walk and having food. There is also Cuttack Chandi Temple which is the famous temple of Goddess Chandi is an important one. The festivals in the temple are considered to be very colorful and it is aesthetically and architecturally very beautiful. Netaji Birth Place Museum, which has an ancestral house of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, offers accounts of Indian fighters.

The Odisha eco-tourism and the shopping places have a blend of tradition and modernity making this place a great place for shopping. One of the best places in Ekamra Haat in Bhubaneshwar- an open-air market selling various types of hand-made craft products such as authentic Sambalpuri sarees and Pattachitra paintings. Besides that, the Odisha State Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Society offers a good range of handwoven fabrics that can be bought for souvenirs. Another place of interest is Bade Ganeshji Market located in Cuttack, where you can find a wide range of local handmade products like silk, spices, jewelry, printed fabrics, brass works, wood carvings, and many more. Another market is the Puri Beach Market, where you can get good quality embroidered handicrafts, and local souvenirs, all with the backdrop of the beach. Rourkela’s shopping is also gradually evolving as the local markets sell both artifacts and products with a focus on the newer trends.