Meet & Greet on arrival at Bhubaneswar Airport and transfer to Hotel. Bhubaneswar - the capital of Orissa is also popularly known as the "Temple City of India". Being the seat of Tribhubaneswar or 'Lord Lingaraj', Bhubaneswar is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. Hundreds of temples dot the landscape of the Old Town, which once boasted of more than 2000 temples. Later on half day sightseeing, visit to Lingaraja Temple - The great Lingaraja (eleventh century), which soars above the city of Bhubaneswar and dominates the landscape as far as 15 kms away, represents Orissan temple architecture at its most mature and fully developed stage. It has, in fact, been described as 'time quintessence of Orissan architecture', Vaital Temple - The Parsurameswara and Mukteswara temples represent clear steps in the development of the major Kalinga style of Orissan temple architecture. The Vaital Temple (c. AD 800) represents an entirely different line. It belongs to the Khakhara order (a subdivision of the Kalinga school of architecture) which was used for shrines devoted to tantric cults. The duel (tower) of the temple is the most striking difference. It is rectangular in shape, positioned at a right angle to the Jagmohana (porch), Mukteswara Temple - The small and elegant Mukteswara temple (c. AD 950) is often referred to as the "miniature gem of Orissan architecture". The frequency with which the term 'gem' is employed will be immediately appreciated with the very first glimpse of this delicate, refined little structure. Return back to the hotel and overnight.
Morning after breakfast, proceed for full day sightseeing, visit to Raja Rani Temple - is locally known as the 'love Temple' because it contains some sensuous carvings of women and couples. No images can be found inside the sanctum, and hence the temple is not associated with any particular sect of Hinduism. This is perhaps exactly where the charm of the temple comes from: the temple belongs to no specific sect and is open to all people irrespective of the deity that they worship and admire. However, the figures of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati carved on the walls strongly indicate that the temple has certain associations with Shaivism, Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves - carved around 1st century B.C. by Kharavela and successors. These 18 caves, 13 in Udaygiri and 15 in Khandagiri served as retreats for Jain ascetics seeking solitude. Most caves consist of cells opening onto verandas or open spaces, initially used as dormitories. Over time, some transformed into shrines with minor alterations. Adorned doorways showcase intricate motifs of animals, flowers, and arches, Parasurameswara Temple - Constructed in 650 A.D. this temple is a unique specimen of Oriyan style of architecture. The most special feature of this temple is the presence of one thousand Lingas in the north-west corner of the complex. Besides this, it is adorned with beautiful carvings of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The artistic splendour with which the detailing of the sculptures and carvings are done reflects the glory of the era gone by, Bhaskarswara Temple - is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped as Bhaskarswara here. The Temple was built by the rulers of Ganga dynasty in the 12th century depicting a Rath of Lord Jagannath. One of the astounding features of the temple is the nine feet tall Lingam where it is said that the soldiers prayed to lord Shiva for victory in situations of war, Ananta Vasudeva Temple - Built by Queen Chandrika, the temple houses idols of Lord Balarama, Lord Krishna, and Subhadra. This temple is the only one in Bhubaneshwar where Subhadra can be seen holding a pot of lotus and jewels in her hands while Lord Krishna can be seen holding a conch, a lotus and a Chakra in his hand. The statue of Lord Balarama stands under a serpent with seven heads, Kedar Gauri Temple - Regarded as one of the eight Astasambhu temples in Bhubaneshwar, the temple is devoted to Lord Shiva and his wife, Goddess Gauri, making it one of the prominent Tourist places in Bhubaneshwar. It was built by King Lalatendu Kesari in commemoration of Kedar and Gauri, an ill-fated couple, believed to have eloped against the wishes of their community. Return back to the hotel and overnight.
Morning after breakfast, check out of the hotel and proceed to Puri - the abode of Lord Jagannatha needs no introduction. According to tradition Puri was once a thickly wooded hill inhabited by the Sabaras (Pre-Aryan and Pre-Dravidian tribes of the Austric linguistic family). The sunny beach at Puri is one of the finest in the world. Watching the sunrise in a symphony of colors is a wonderful experience. On arrival at Puri, check into the hotel and freshen up. Later on visit to Puri Jagannatha Temple - The temple of Lord Jagannatha ('Lord of the Universe') at Puri is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in India, one of the four abodes (dhamas) of the divine that lie on the four directions of the compass. The present temple structure was built in the twelfth century by the Ganga king, Chodagangadeva, replacing an earlier structure which probably dated to the tenth century. Later on visit to Sunny Beach / Puri Beach - For centuries now, the beach at Puri has been the venue of countless pilgrims taking the traditional purification dip for Puri is the abode of Lord Jagannatha and considered one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage destination. However, for decades now, both Indian and foreign beach lovers have made it their special haunt.
The fine white sands of Puri beach and the roar of the breakers rolling in from the Bay of Bengal have fascinated visitors throughout the ages. As it is with all the beaches of Orissa, overcrowding is never a problem and the sight of holiday-makers having entire. Return back to the hotel and overnight
The fine white sands of Puri beach and the roar of the breakers rolling in from the Bay of Bengal have fascinated visitors throughout the ages. As it is with all the beaches of Orissa, overcrowding is never a problem and the sight of holiday-makers having entire. Return back to the hotel and overnight
Morning after breakfast, proceed for a day excursion to Konark and visit to the magnificent Sun Temple - is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. The poet Rabindranath Tagore said of Konark that 'here the language of stone surpasses the language of man', and it is true that the experience of Konark is impossible to translate into words. The massive structure, now in ruins, sits in solitary splendour surrounded by drifting sand. Today it is located two kilometers from the sea, but originally the ocean came almost up to its base. Until fairly recent times, in fact, the temple was close enough to the shore to be used as a navigational point by European sailors, who referred to it as the 'Black Pagoda'. Later on visit to Chandrabhaga Beach - Close to the famous Sun Temple of Konark, is a lovely and quiet beach - Chandrabhaga. The beach, known for its beauty and solitude, has long served as a counterfoil to the exquisite and intricate sculptures on the Sun Temple, where visitors would let the simple lines of the sea wash away all their worries and refresh them. Return back to Puri and overnight.
Morning after breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer to Bhubaneswar Airport to board your flight back to your destination. Tour Ends.