Road Trip to Bhubaneswar Konark Visakhapatnam
Bhubaneshwar
Bhubaneshwar is the capital of Orissa and also the former capital of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga. It is often referred to as the ‘Temple City’, because it had a thousand temples at one time. Dominating the skyline of Bhubaneshwar is three easy to identify monuments, the Lingaraj Temple with its soaring spire, the white-domed peace pagoda atop Dhauli Hill and the pink temple of Lord Mahavir on the Khandagiri Hills. Other attractions include the Mukteshwar Temple, which with its famous stone arch at the entrance is known as the gem of Orissan architecture.
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Located on the outskirts in the Khandagiri Udayagiri complex is the very impressive Rani’s Gumpha or Queen’s Cave. On the Dhauligiri Hills, around which the bloody Kalinga battle was fought and which finally converted Ashoka the Great into an apostle of peace, stands a modern monument dedicated to world peace – the `Vishwa Shanti Stupa’. This impressive peace pagoda has been built with Indo-Japanese collaboration. Other places worth a visit include the Orissa State Museum, the Handicrafts Museum, Tribal Museum and the Nandankanan Zoological Park. It was here that for the first time ever, gharials and white tigers were bred in captivity. Nandankanan also offers a lion and white tiger safari.
Konark
The Sun Temple in Konark is one of the most stunning symbols of temple architecture in India and is also a world heritage monument. Built in the 13th century, the entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot, to carry the Hindu Sun God, Surya. There are seven horses to pull the chariot temple and the 24 giant wheels of the chariot symbolize the division of time. The Sun Temple is a brilliant chronicle in stone, with thousands of sculptures and images including deities, heavenly damsels, musicians, lovers, dancers, birds, animals, and a plethora of different scenes from everyday life, including several erotic sculptures that vividly portray the delights of gender.
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Every day, the Sun God, rises from the lap of the blue ocean close by, and casts His first gentle rays on the temple built for Him. He then circles the temple and during the course of the day, illuminates the three magnificent images of the morning sun, the mid-day sun and the setting sun. The gigantic figures of the war elephants holding aloft a dazed soldier, or the lions guarding the entrance to the temple, or the beautifully carved couples engaged in myriad modes of pleasurable physical union, are all a glorious tribute to the skill of the artist and the richness of Orissa’s past, frozen forever on the shores of time. The Noble Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore provided possibly the best description of the Sun Temple by saying, “The language of man here is defeated by the language of stone”.
Konark also has a pretty and peaceful beach that offers a good view of the sunrise. It is also a good place to observe the lives of local fishermen. Accommodation for tourists is very limited but there are several eating places. Given this, it is best to spend the day in Konark and then proceed to Puri.
Gopalpur
Situated on the East coast of Orissa, facing the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal is the white-grained beach of Gopalpur-on-Sea. Goplapur was once a humming seaport buzzing with maritime activities. You can still see the crumbling walls and pillars of the old jetty and the eye-catching lighthouse, all of which are proof of the past commercial glory of Gopalpur.
Gopalpur is an attractive destination but as it has to yet establish itself with tourists, the choice of accommodation is limited, with the Swosti Palm Resort being the best choice. Another interesting option is the family run, Hotel Song of The Sea, which is located on the beach and right next to the lighthouse. It is aptly named because the song of the splashing surf can be heard from every room. Simply delightful!
Visakhapatnam
With the Eastern Ghats on one side and the Bay of Bengal on the other, Visakhapatnam also known as Vizag, was once a small fishing village. Over the years it has witnessed the reign of Ashoka, the Pallava, Cholas, Gangas and the British, who transformed it into a port town. Now it is the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh and also has India’s largest shipbuilding yard. Visakhapatnam is famous for its several golden beaches and the green hills that surround it. Other attractions include the Buddhist sites that have recently been excavated and the exquisitely sculpted Simhachalam Temple.
For more information on road trip to Bhubaneswar Konark Visakhapatnam contact Swan Tours, one of the leading travel agents in Connaught place.
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