Bhubaneswar

Odisha's capital and 'Temple City of India', packed with ancient Kalinga-style temples such as Lingaraj, and ringed by Jain caves, Ashoka's Dhauli Hill and the Buddhist 'Diamond Triangle'.

Bhubaneswar is the capital of Odisha in eastern India, on the southern edge of the Mahanadi Delta, and is known as the 'Temple City of India': at its height the old town is said to have had more than 700 temples, and hundreds of Kalinga-style sandstone temples from the 7th–13th centuries still lie scattered among its lakes and residential neighborhoods. The city's history goes back to the ancient kingdom of Kalinga before the Common Era; the Jain caves on the western outskirts and Dhauli Hill to the south, site of Ashoka's Kalinga War, both bear witness to this early past. The modern new town was planned by a German architect after 1948.

Highlights: the old-town temple cluster (Lingaraj, Mukteswar, Parasurameswar, Rajarani, Vaital Deul, Bindu Sagar) can be covered in a day on foot or by auto-rickshaw; allow half a day to a full day for the Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, the Odisha State Museum, the Tribal Museum and the Kala Bhoomi crafts museum. On the outskirts are Dhauli Hill, the Chausath Yogini Temple at Hirapur and Nandankanan Zoo. The Buddhist 'Diamond Triangle' of Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri and Udayagiri, about 70 km northeast, makes a good day trip by hired car. To the south, Puri's Jagannath Temple, the Konark Sun Temple and Chilika Lake are covered under the Puri destination and together form the 'Golden Triangle' route.

Climate: October–March is cool, dry and the best time to visit; April–June is scorching and humid; July–September brings monsoon rains and occasional cyclones. Note that Lingaraj and several other major temples do not admit non-Hindus, who can view them from outside viewing platforms; remove your shoes and dress modestly when entering temples.

Getting there: Biju Patnaik International Airport is only about 3 km from the old town, with direct flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and other cities; trains to Kolkata take about 7 hours. Get around town by Ola/Uber or auto-rickshaw. Plan to stay 2–3 days.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries