PURI JAGANNATH
The Jagannath Temple is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath, a form of Vishnu – one of the trinity of supreme divinity in Hinduism. Puri is in the state of Odisha, on the eastern coast of India. King Indradyumna of Avanti has built the main temple of Jagannath at Puri.The present temple was rebuilt from the tenth 10th century onwards, on the site of pre-existing temples in the compound but not the main Jagannatha temple, and begun by Anantavarman Chodaganga, the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. many rumours are spread about the temple but there is no solid proof of it.The temple is one of the 108 Abhimana Kshethram of Vaishnavate tradition.The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three principal deities are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars, Worship is performed by the Bhil Sawar tribal priests as well as priests of other communities in the Jagannath temple. Unlike the stone and metal icons found in most Hindu temples, the image of Jagannath is made of wood and is ceremoniously replaced every twelve or 19 years by an exact replica.It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites.The puri temple is also famous because many legends believe that Krishna's heart was placed there and the material that it is made from damages the heart so they have to change it every seven years.
The temple is sacred to all Hindus, and especially in those of the Vaishnava traditions. Many great Vaishnava saints, such as Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya and Ramananda were closely associated with the temple. Ramanuja established the Emar Mutt near the temple and Adi Shankaracharya established the Govardhan Math, which is the seat of one of the four Shankaracharyas. It is also of particular significance to the followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.
KONARK SUN TEMPLE
Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century CE
(year 1250) Sun temple at Konark about 35 kilometres (22 mi) northeast from
Puri city on the coastline in Puri district, Odisha, India.The temple is
attributed to king Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty about 1250 CE.
Dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya,
what remains of the temple complex has the appearance of a 100-foot (30 m) high
chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone. Once over 200
feet (61 m) high,much of the temple is now in ruins, in particular the large
shikara tower over the sanctuary; at one time this rose much higher than the
mandapa that remains. The structures and elements that have survived are famed
for their intricate artwork, iconography, and themes, including erotic kama and
mithuna scenes. Also called the Surya Devalaya, it is a classic illustration of
the Odisha style of Architecture or Kalinga architecture.
The cause of the destruction of the
Konark temple is unclear and still remains a source of controversy.Theories
range from natural damage to deliberate destruction of the temple in the course
of being sacked several times by Muslim armies between the 15th and 17th
centuries. This temple was called the "Black Pagoda" in European
sailor accounts as early as 1676 because it looked like a great tiered tower
which appeared black. Similarly, the Jagannath Temple in Puri was called the
"White Pagoda". Both temples served as important landmarks for sailors
in the Bay of Bengal. The temple that exists today was partially restored by
the conservation efforts of British India-era archaeological teams. Declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, it remains a major pilgrimage site for
Hindus, who gather here every year for the Chandrabhaga Mela around the month
of February.
Konark Sun Temple is depicted on the
reverse side of the Indian currency note of 10 rupees to signify its importance
to Indian cultural heritage.
BHUBANESHWAR TEMPLES & CAVES
Bhubaneswar has a unique position among
the cities of India. A temple town with series of ancient sandstone temples,
heritage ponds and water tanks, its wealth of monuments is testament to an
ancient continuous architectural and historical heritage covering over 2,000
years from the 3rd century BC to the 15th century AD representing most of the
important dynastic changes over the period. Bhubaneswar is dubbed the “Temple
City” – a nom-de-plume earned because of the 700 temples which once stood here.
It still boasts of a cluster of magnificent temples, constituting virtually a
complete record of Kalinga architecture almost from its nascence to its
culmination. Ekamra Kshetra[1] comprises the area of the old city of
Bhubaneswar that forms the centre of this temple architecture and is considered
a Hindu holy city.
As per the Anantavasudeva Inscription of
Paramarddi, Ekamra was a sacred area “...adorned with hundreds of mango-groves,
wherein exists a single Devakula [temple] surrounded by numerous temples.” As
per Ekamra Purana, a 13th-century Sanskrit treatise, it is believed that this
sacred kshetra was a Panchakrosa (10 miles) in circumference bordered by
Khandagiri hills in the west, Kundalesvara temple in the east, Balhadevi Temple
on the north and Bahirangesvara temple near Dhauli on the south, with Lingaraj
Temple as its centre. It is also described that there was an inner circle to
this Kshetra bound by Meghesvara temple in the east and Sundaresvara temple in
the south. Ekamra Kshetra comprised of 45 villages and was divided into
asta-ayatana[2] or eight sacred precincts, each with its water body, temples,
small shrines, tirthas and prescribed pilgrim/ritual procession routes that are
ritualistically and symbolically connected to the Lingaraj Temple.
Although Lingaraj Temple was the centre
of Ekamra Kshetra, the old town of Bhubaneswar itself was focused towards the
Bindusagar Tank in the near vicinity of Lingaraj Temple. A geomantic approach
was adopted in town planning with specific directions vis-à-vis topography,
location and orientation of water bodies, landuse zoning et al. The town
structure was a not-so-geometric but organic derivative of the Mandala concept.
The tanks such as Bindusagar, Devipadahara Tank, Kapilesvara Tank were attached
with religious symbolisms and considered holy.
This temple town contains scores of
ancient stone temple which vary in size from the gigantic structures like the
great Lingaraja, 128 feet high, to the miniatures of a few feet set up in
waysides or along the banks of the ancient tanks. The area, in which the ruined
or living monuments are scattered, extends over 10 miles and are testimony to
Bhubaneswar’s continued occupation throughout the ages.
The property, apart from its spiritual,
religious and architectural wealth, has abundance of archaeological evidence,
manifest in the extensive ruins of Sisupalgarh, Ashokan rock edicts and
evidence of ancient wall at Dhauli hillock.
The next link in the chain of the
historical monuments is found at Udayagiri and Khandagiri, the twin hillocks,
situated about 6 miles to the north-west of the temple town. These hillocks are
honeycombed with rock cut caves originally meant for the Jain ascetics. These
caves with their bas-reliefs and Bahmi inscriptions provide us with the early
specimens of art and architecture of the place, which can be approximately seen
in one of these caves, known as the Hati Gumpha. This unique historical
document throws considerable light on the early history of Kalinga and India in
the 1st BC and 1st century AD.
Next, in order of antiquity are the
numerous temples mostly situated in the present town, of which the earliest
ones, the temples of Laxmanesvara, Satrugnesvara and Parsuramesvara, according
to the chronology so far established belongs to the 6th century and the latest
one, that of Ananta-vasudeva, dates back to 1178 AD. There is thus a gap of
about 700 years between the Jain caves of the Khandagiri and Udayagiri and the
earliest temple of the place. But recent archeological evidence shows that the
limits of the temple building period can be extended on both sides and the gap
narrowed; the earliest temple can be back to the 6th century and the latest
brought down to the 15th or the 16th century CE.
If, therefore, the narrowed gap can
still be reduced or completely bridged with new discoveries, we shall have a
continuous history of the development of art and architecture of the place from
the 4th or 3rdcentury BC to the 15th or 16th century AD, a period of about 2000
years, which covers almost the whole dated history of Odisha from its very dawn
to the last Hindu dynasty.
The Kalingan temple architecture of
Bhubaneswar represents the Nagara style temple architecture with regional
ramification to be suitably called with the nomenclature Kalingan temple architecture
depicting the grace, the joy and the rhythm of life in all its wonders
varieties. The temples of Ekamarakshetra have been built by the creative
impulse of the builders within evolved canonical texts or Silpa Sastras like
Bhubanapradipa, Silpa Prakash and Silpa Ratnakosha etc. Many a terms used in
these, if not all, are even now used by the traditional Odia architects.
The temples are mostly built up sand
stone, the Khandagiri and Udayagiri hills providing the nearest quarry. The
masonry is ashlar with the surface stones finely dressed and fitted together.
Architecturally, the Odishan temples
resolve themselves into three broad orders, known in local terminology as
Rekha, Pidha and Khakhara. In a typical Odishan temple the first two go almost
side by side and from two component parts of one architectural scheme, the
sanctum with the surmounting curvilinear spire, combinedly known as the Deul
(also called Badadeul, the big temple or the Rekhadeul, a temple of which the
spire gives the optical impression of one continuous line) and the frontal
porch, called Jagamohana or Mukha-sala(also known as Bhadradeul, auspicious
temple, or Pidhadeul, a temple of which the roof is made up of Pidhas or
horizontal platforms), characterized by a pyramidal roof of receding steps.
Thus a typical Odishan temple is a combination of two types.
The cell is generally smaller and less
spacious than the porch. This is in conformity with the Hindu practices, for
the cell is meant for a glimpse of the deity and ritual worship, and the porch
for congregation where the visitor may wait, meditate or read. To these were
added in the fully developed temples two more structures on the same axis,
known as Natyamandira and Bhogamandapa (hall of offering).
This proud sculptural and architectural
wealth, coupled with its sanctity as Ekamra Kshetra, one of the five great
religious centers in Odisha since early medieval days, attracts thousands of
visitors to Bhubaneswar from all corners of the world throughout the year. Even
the most casual spectator is thrilled at the sight of the majestic and sublime
grandeur of its soaring temples, the perfect symphony between their sculpture
and architecture, the superb workmanship of their carvings and the grand
repertoire of their sculptural and architectural motifs. To the connoisseur of
fine arts, Bhubaneswar is one the most delightful resorts in India.
Total Historic Structures in Ekamra
Kshetra - 199
Centrally protected monuments - 23
State protected monuments – 11
DHAULAGIRI
The Dhauli Shanti Stupa or the Peace
Pagoda as it is known was built by the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga
Nippon Buddha Sangha in 1972. Built on the site where the famous Kalinga War
was fought, the Dhauli Stupa commemorates the mission of peace that the Kalinga
War achieved. Noted historian Shri. Ramesh Prasad Mohapatra aptly said - “The
political history of mankind in reality is a history of wars and no war has
ended with so successful a mission of peace for the entire war-torn humanity as
the war of Kalinga”.
Any article on Dhauli Shanti Stupa is
incomplete without a brief on the Kalinga War- recorded as one of the bloodiest
wars ever fought in the annals of the history of mankind.
Kalinga War
The war was believed to have been fought
in 261 BC. The reason for Ashoka invading Kalinga were primarily two things
1. Kalinga was a prosperous land
governed by valiant fiercely independent feudal chiefs and had no organized
army as such.
2. None other than Chandragupta Maurya
had failed to invade Kalinga. According to popular legend the Daya River which
meanders along the Dhauli hill turned red due to blood spilled on it from the
battlefield.
According to popular legend the Daya
River which meanders along the Dhauli hill turned red due to blood spilled on
it from the battlefield. The carvings in the Udayagiri caves located at
Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar denotes that even women and teenagers took to the
battle to defend their motherland. So fierce was the battle that it left Ashoka
bewildered and he transformed from Chanda Ashoka (war mongering Ashoka) to
Dharma Ashoka (peace loving Ashoka). Sadly the record books don’t have any
mention about the commander of the Kalinga Army.
The light and sound show elucidating the
travails of Ashoka is a must watch.
RAGHURAJ PUR
The heritage crafts village of
Raghurajpur is Odisha’s best known for its Pattachitra art. The art form is
used to decorate none other the Lord of the Universe- Lord Jagannath and his
siblings. The attachment with the holy trinity elevated the art form helped it
gain prominence.
Steeped in ancient culture, portraying
scenes from mythology with vibrant colours, superb craftsmanship,simplicity in
design, the Pattachitra has captured the imaginationof artists and art lovers
alike. The term Pattachitrameans Vastra (Cloth) and Chitra means paintings. So
Pattachitra is essentially a painting on a piece of cloth.
Located approximately 12 KM from Puri,
RaghurajpurIs a quaint village where 120 odd homes are neatly lined up facing
each other in two rows. Every house has an artist engaged in the trade making
it perhaps the only place in India where one can find such a large congregation
of artists.
The popular forms of Pattachitra are the
paintings on cloth depicting scenes from mythology and epics, the tassar cloth
Pattachitra are also quite popular, the Pattachitra etched on dried palm leaves
are picked up by tourists as souvenirs, so also the paper mache masks,
paintings on coconut and betel nut . Apart from these, artists also engage in
making toys out of stone and wood and painting them.
However things were not always as smooth
for the Pattachitra artist also known as Chitrakar’s. During the 1940’s the
artisans were under severe stress due to a sharp dip in their income. During that
time in stepped an American Lady Ms. Helena Zealy, enamoured by the beauty of
the Pattachitra, she literally took it upon herself to revive the art. She held
Pattachitra exhibitions in America and invited connoisseurs of art to examine
these mystical paintings from the land of Lord Jagannath. Soon artists were
sending Pattachitra shipments to America and getting the much desired income to
sustain themselves. In trying to save the art form Ms. Helena Zealy also
internationalized Pattachitra and established the art form across the seven
seas.
Raghurajpur also happens to birthplace
of the doyen of Odissi Dance Guru KelucharanMohapatra and the village is also
known for the Gotipua dance (a precursor to Odissi). It’s a dance performed by
young boys dressed as feminine dancers and involves acrobatic postures.
The villagers are welcome tourist, so
strike a conversation with them to know more about the art form and its
history.
CHILKA LAKE
Chilika Lake is the largest brackish
water lagoon in Asia and second largest coastal lagoon in the world, spread
over the Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the east coast
of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal,
covering an area of over 1,100 square kilometer
Chilika Lake is the largest brackish
water lagoon in Asia and second largest coastal lagoon in the world, spread
over the Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the east coast
of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering
an area of over 1,100 square kilometres (420 sq mi). Another lake in India
called Vembanad Lake[4] is the longest lake (if you consider only the length,
96.5 kilometres (60.0 mi) where the length of Chilika Lake is 64 kilometres (40
mi)) in India. Chilika Lake comes after the New Caledonian barrier reef.It has
been listed as a tentative UNESCO World Heritage site. Its salinity varies by
region, from nearly freshwater where rivers flow in, to oceanic salinity levels
due to tidal influx.
It is the largest wintering ground for
migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. The lake is home to a number of
threatened species of plants and animals.
The lake is an ecosystem with large
fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fisher–folk living in 132
villages on the shore and islands.
The lagoon hosts over 160 species of
birds in the peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake
Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Kazakhstan,
Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. These birds travel
great distances; some of them possibly travel as much as 12,000 kilometres
(7,500 mi) to reach Chilika Lake.
In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.According to a survey, 45 percent of the birds are terrestrial in nature, 32 percent are waterfowl, and 23 percent are waders. The lagoon is also home to 14 types of raptors. Around 152 rare and endangered Irrawaddy dolphins have also been reported. Plus, the lagoon supports about 37 species of reptiles and amphibiansThe highly productive Chilika Lagoon eco-system with its rich fishery resources sustains the livelihood for many fishermen who live in and near the lagoon. The water spread area of the lagoon ranges between 1,165 and 906 square kilometres (450 and 350 sq mi) during the monsoon and summer respectively. A 32-kilometre (20 mi) long, narrow, outer channel connects the lagoon to the Bay of Bengal, near the village Motto. More recently a new mouth has been opened by CDA which has brought a new lease of life to the lagoon.Microalgae, marine seaweeds, sea grasses, fish and crab also flourish in the brackish water of the Chilika Lagoon. Especially the recovery of seagrass beds in recent years is a welcoming trend which may eventually result in re-colonization of endangered dugongs.
NOTE: This above tentative itinerary is for your reference only. Final itinerary will be issued only after the confirmation of Air tickets / Hotel Bookings.
Bengaluru - Bhubaneshwar - Bengaluru Airfare ₹ 11,000 /- approximately.
Special Note for Chilika Lake : Please do not buy any stone / metal / gemstones / pearl at Satpada. Be aware of the things. At Satpada there are few points of entry / jetty. You can go to Mirzapur, Gabakunda, Sipakuda or Satpada. OTDC is situated in Satpada. You can hire the boat from there. Else you can hire boat from these points. Boat charges are mentioned on the counters. The other counters are certified by Collectorate of Puri. So decision is yours. You can coordinate with the driver and fix the place. Boats are subject to availability at the time of arrival at the place.
Insurance is complimentary and Adigas Yatra is only
the service provider, and all claims and settlements will be settled by the
Insurance company as per IRDAI rules and regulations