About Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar is a city situated in the eastern part of India near the Bay of Bengal. The capital city of Odisha, Bhubaneswar, which also happens to be the largest city here, embodies both its brilliant modernity and illustrious past. In the past, Bhubaneswar was also called Ekamra Kshetra. The streets and orchards of Bhubaneswar were adorned with mango trees. Bhubaneswar has also been called the ‘Temple City’ because at one point in time there were around 700 temples. Bhubaneswar is a union of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain heritage, so the temples of these three religions are also found here.
Presently, Bhubaneswar has become an education hub, and many businesses are blossoming in the city. That is partly because Bhubaneswar also forms the Swarna Tribhuja or the Golden Triangle with Puri and Konark.
Another USP of Bhubaneswar is that it was designed by Otto Königsberger, the famous German architect, in 1946 and is ranked after Jamshedpur and Chandigarh as one of modern India's first planned cities. Along with Rourkela, Bhubaneswar is one of the two smart cities in Odisha.
A list of the best things to do in Bhubaneswar
If you are in Bhubaneswar, then you should certainly do the following things because these will account for a memorable experience –
- Go on a museum trip around the city: The museums in the city are excellent locations to learn about the fascinating state of Odisha's evolving culture, art, language, architecture, and religions. Some of the must-visit museums are the Regional Museum of Natural History, State Tribal Museum, Odisha State Museum, Kala Bhoomi Odisha Crafts Museum, Kalinga Rail Museum, and Odisha Art Museum.
- Go for a trip to the temples: If you love temples, and are intrigued by their history and heritage, then there are many options in Bhubaneswar that you can explore. Rajarani Temple, Parasurameswara Temple, Brahmeswara Temple, Mukteswara Temple, and Anant Vasudeva Temple are some of the temples you can visit. Besides that, many temples are also found near Bindu Sagar Lake.
- Explore the historical sites: Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves, Chudanga Gada Fort, and Rani Gumpha are some of the historical sites in Bhubaneswar that are worth visiting. The captivating caverns of Udaygiri and Khandagiri are amazing destinations to explore because they are a combination of ethereal natural caves and old man-made caves.
- Visit forest reserves for various animal safaris: Visit the Chandaka Forest Reserve, whose area is full of lush green dense woods and tall trees. Although this is famous as an elephant reserve, you can also go on a lion safari or a bear safari, apart from an elephant safari.
- Bhubaneswar has many amusement parks and gardens: The state has many parks like Madhusudan Das Park, Gandhi Park, Biju Patnaik Energy Park, Buddha Jayanti Park, Indira Gandhi Park, and Ekamra Kanan Park. These parks offer you the chance to stroll in the middle of nature. Apart from that, there is Nandankanan Zoological Park, which is a one-of-a-kind zoo that is housed inside a forest.
About Bhubaneswar Airport
Bhubaneswar International Airport is also called Biju Patnaik International Airport. The IATA and ICAO codes of the Biju Patnaik International Airport are BBI and VEBS, respectively. The airport serves Bhubaneswar and its adjacent areas and it is about 7 km from the city centre. The airport is named after Biju Patnaik, former CM of Odisha, who was also a reputed aviator and famous freedom fighter.