Shri Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu lord of the Universe is the supreme solace and saviour of countless devotees around the world. since time immemorial, His monumental and magnificent Shrine at Shri Purusottam-Kshetra (Puri, Orissa) one of the four major Dhamas of India has been a most sacred centre of pilgrimage and worship symbolising and uploading one of the greatest spiritual and cultural heritages of the world.

Konark is one of the well known tourist attractions of Orissa. Konark, Konark houses a colossal temple dedicated to the Sun God. Even in its ruined state it is a magnificient temple reflecting the genius of the architects that envisioned and  built it. Bhubaneshwar Konarkand Puri constitute the Golden triangle of Orissa, visited in large numbers by pilgrims and tourists.

Sri Sri Baladev Jew Temple is situated in the small town Ichhapur, in Kendrapara District, Orissa. Baladev Jew Temple is very famous temple in Orissa and Lord Balabhadra is the main God of this temple. However Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra are also worshiped here along with Lord Balabhadra in the Ratna Sinhasan in the main temple.Idol of Goddess Tulasi in sitting position is there after the sacred seven steps.
Architecture and Construction of Baladev Jew Temple Baladev Jew Temple is constructed over an area of 2 acres of land. There are 2 parts in the total area, in one part, different temples are there and another part is a beautiful garden. There is a big boundary around the temple, which is 14 meters high. There are four main parts of Baladev Jew Temple are Sri Mandir, Natya Mandir, Bhoga Mandap and Mukhashala. The main temple height is 75 feet and width is 40 feet.

It is beautiful temple situated near Devakunda. Devee Ambika Temple (Incarnation of Goddess Durga) is a temple which can spellbound every visitor. It is surrouned by great waterfalls and think forest. This temple was built by the royal dynasty of Mayurbhanj in 1940. More to allure you, there are multi colored butterflies and chirping birds all around. In Devakunda. Large fishes come closer and eats food offered by the visitors because fishing is prohibited as this place is considered as the Goddess’ place.
Bus route: Regular private bus services to Udala (59 km). From Udala jeeps are available to reach at Devakunda (28 km from Udala). The remaining 5 km trail is through a thick forest surrounded with hills.
Train route: Nearest major railway station is at Balasore/Baleshwara. Local trains connect to Baripada from where Devakund is more nearer.
Perfect for: Picnic, Wild Photography, Trekking, Sight seeing. Accommodations available at: Balasore and Baripada Nearby spots: Similipal tiger reserve, Khiching Kichakeshwari temple, Baripada, Devakunda waterfall, Balasore.

Baliharachandi is a temple dedicated to goddess Harachandi at 27km south west of Puri on the national highway 203 leading from Puri towards Brahmagiri and Satapada. On this road there is a place known as Kathuari chowk, from this chowk take a left diversion and after 5 kilometers you will reach village Palanka, this temple is located at a distance of 1 kilometer from the village Palanka. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is mounted on a sandy hill near the ocean.

The exact geographical location of this temple is LONGITUDE 85041’39” E and LATITUDE 19045’28” N. Puri About this sound pronunciation (Odia: ପୁରୀ ) is district headquarter, a city situated about 60 kilometres (37 mi) south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa.
It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple (built in the late eleventh century). It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dhampilgrimages. It is considered that a pilgrimage of the temples of India is not complete without making the journey to Puri. Puri also has one of the best beaches for swimming in India and is also a popular beach resort, positioned in a unique place so that both sunset and sunrise can be viewed from the beach.

Panchalingeswara Temple is situated on the hilltop of the Eastern Ghats in Panchalingeshwara, Nilagiri, Baleswar district. It's a beautiful place for picnic, darshan of Shiva Linga and breath some fresh air from the real nature. You can hire a car from Balasore/Baleshwara and open your glass while travelling through the countside road to really feel the actual nature. From Balasore town Your car goes straight till Sergarh. While travelling the prowdy Swarnachuda Hills of Nilagiri looks foggy and enchanting. After 12 kms of straight drive you need to take right from Sergarh and go straight till Nilagairi.

There you can stop for a while to taste the mouth watering sweets of at Kuchery Bazaar, Nilagiri. They are really great. Then you can ask anyone the exact route to Panchanlingeswara.Then drive through the country road till the waistline of the hills of Panchanlingeswara. Park your car and start climbing the steps made on the hills to see a panoramic view of the beautiful hill. It's green everywhere except the sky and you. You can smell the freshness of wild flowers and twitter of the winged fauna. A natural bio-reserve of thick flora and exinct fauna could enamore you for a long time. On the top of the hill there is a hill spring.

You can wash your hand but not your leg as the water goes and touched Lord Shiva of the temple there. The five round "Shiva Linga" are worshipped as Panchalingeswara (Pancha means five in Odia). The whole pllace is a marvelous arrangement of spirituality and devotoin of God and nature. Bus/Car route- From Balasore/Baleshwar regular bus/car service is available. It's 12 km from Nilagiri town. Rail route- Nearest railroad is at Balasore. From Balasore bus/car service is there. Hotel- There are good hotels available in Balasore town. There is also a Government Panth Nivas available in Panchalingeshwara. You can find a really good picnic spot for your friends and family.

Lingaraj Temple is a temple of the Hindu god Shiva and is one of the oldest temples of the Temple City Bhubaneswar, a revered pilgrimage center and the capital of the state of Odisha.The temple of Lingaraja, the biggest of all at Bhubaneswar is located within a spacious compound wall of latte rite measuring 520 feet by 465 feet. The wall is 7 feet 6 inches thick and surmounted by a plain slant coping.

Alongside the inner face of the boundary wall there runs a terrace probably meant to protect the compound wall against outside aggression. Bhagaban Lingaraj is half Shiva and half Vushnu. HE is neither worshiped with BEL leaf nor with only TULSI leaf. He is offered with both BEL & TULSI leaf for puja There is one Bow (Dhanush) on top of the temple unlike other Shiv Temple where TRISHUL is placed on top of the other Shiv temples. The Shibalingam in the sanctum of the Lingaraja temple rises to a height of 8 inches above the floor level, and is 8 feet in diameter. The Bhagawati temple is located in the northwest corner of the courtyard. There are several other shrines and temples in this vast courtyard.

History:- Lingaraaj means 'the king of Lingas', 'Linga' or 'Lingam' being the symbol of Lord Shiva worship.The temple is more than 1000 years old, dating back in its present form to the last decade of the eleventh century, though there is evidence that parts of the temple have been there since sixth century AD as the temple has been emphasized in some of the seventh century Sanskrit texts.
This is testimony to its sanctity and importance as a Shiva shrine. By the time the Lingaraj temple was constructed, the Jagannath (form of Vishnu) cult had been growing, which historians believe is evidenced by the co-existence of Vishnu and Shiva worship at the temple. Bhubaneshwar the capital of Orissa is a city of temples, several of which are important from an architectural point of view. The Lingaraj temple is the largest of these. It is about a thousand years old.

Konark is one of the well known tourist attractions of Orissa. Konark, Konark houses a colossal temple dedicated to the Sun God. Even in its ruined state it is a magnificient temple reflecting the genius of the architects that envisioned and  built it. Bhubaneshwar Konarkand Puri constitute the Golden triangle of Orissa, visited in large numbers by pilgrims and tourists.

The temples are situated at a height of about 2239 feet from sea level. The main tower of the temple is 60 feet tall. There are two approaches for the temple. One is by climbing 1352 steps and the other is 'Barabanki' or travelling by the twisting way.King Narasinghdeva I of Ganga Dynasty constructed the temple for Sri Chandrasekhar in 1246 A.D as indicated in the Kapilash temple inscription.

In the left side of the temple the 'Payamrta kunda'and in the right side the 'Marichi kunda' exist. The temple has a wooden Jagamohana. Sri Ganesh, Kartikeya, Gangadevi, etc. are found in the temple. Patita pavana Jagannath is installed in the temple as the 'Parsa deva'. Lord Vishwanath temple is also situated in Kapilas. According to some scholars this temple is older than the Chandrasekhar temple, hence it is known as 'Budha linga'. There are many legends about Kapilash pitha and its significance. Tradition describes it as the ashram of Kapila, to some scholars it is the second Kailash of Lord Shiva. Shridhar swami who wrote commentary on Bhagavata Purana stayed there. There are some monasteries in the premises.

Maa Tarini is the presiding deity for all Shakti and Tantra peeths or shrines in Orissa. The origin of Shakti or worship of the Earth as a female embodiment of power is found across many cultures all over the world. In Orissa which has a high density of tribal population whose religious practices have been assimilated into the mainstream Hindu faith, the worship of natural formations such as rocks, tree trunks, rivers is widespread among the tribes. Maa Tarini is always depicted as a red face with two large eyes and a mark in the middle which serves as an indication for a nose and also a tilak.

This primitive conception is symbolic of the simplicity of tribal beliefs and ceremonies. The red colour has been attributed to dyes made out of iron ores or ocher which are quite plentiful in the state and would thus have been used by the tribes for anointing and decorating the sacred figures of worship.
The ornate letters in the background mean "Maa" or Mother in the Oriya language. They were a much later addition although the Oriya script did change very slightly over the millennia. In this form she is very similar to the conception of the Goddess Kali at Kalighat. Although the two are embodiments of the same divinity, Kali is the Goddess of death and destruction whereas Maa Tarini is the force of life. Interestingly, two of the names of Kali are Maa Taara and Tara Tarini.

Samaleswari Temple is a Hindu temple in Sambalpur, Western Odisha, India dedicated to the goddess known as 'Maa', also known among the natives as samalei maa, meaning Mother Samaleswari. Shree Shree Samaleswari, the presiding deity of Sambalpur, is a strong religious force in western part of Odisha and Chhattisgarh state of India. On the bank of the river Mahanadi the mother goddess Samaleswari is worshipped from ancient times as Jagatjanani, Adishakti, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati.

The region in which the temple is situated has a rich cultural heritage. Sambalpur region is popularly known as Hirakhanda from ancient times. Ptolemy has described the place as Sambalak, according to Tavernir, the French traveller, and Edward Gibbon, the English historian, diamonds were exported to Rome from Sambalpur. The temple is of Sandhara order.

It is built of a kind of stone durable as granite, cemented with lime mortar, the whole building is plastered, but in the course of time the surface has become mouldy. The temple comprises two separate structures. The square sanctum sanctorum enshrining the deity is four step below the 10-foot-wide (3.0 m) covered circumambulation, which is supported by 12 stone pillars. Eleven parswa devis (side Goddess), are embedded on the outer wall of the sanctum, so that the devotees can worship those deities during parikarma through the vaulted circumambulation.

The Idol of Shree Shree Samalai Devi consists of a large block of Granite rock with an inverted, trunk like projection at the bottom. A shallow cut on her “Baraha” like face symbolises her mouth.
Traditional Sambalpuri nose ornament of pure gold hangs down from her imaginary nose Beaten gold leave fixed on two disproportionate golden eye like depression on the face acts as substitute for her eyes in an attempt to define the face of the mother deity on a mass of self shaped rock, the devi’s idol inspires sublime sentiments of awe, fear, reverence, devotion, love and affection towards all-pervading motherhood.

Maa Ghanteswari's Temple is one of the most holiest and beautiful place in Sambalpur. As the name indicates, there are bells (Ghanti) everywhere. People offer bell to Maa after their the fulfillment of their wishes. A large number of pilgrims visit this place everyday from acrooss the state. This is treated as Heart of Chipilima (a beautiful picnic spot). The specialty of this temple area is, thousands of bells hanging all around, the only place of its kind in Orissa.

Ghanteswari's Temple is located at 33 kms south-west of Sambalpur and on the bank of river Mahanadi. It was playing an important role for navigation in the past. It was called a light house without light! The place got its name from goddess Ghanteswari. Earlier there were some big size bells on this spot and with the help of wind those were creating enormous sound which made the navigators aware of this trechorous spot and they never came near it.
This area being the conglomeration of three streams of water of river Mahanadi, the water current here is very trechorous forming a whirlpool. Due to this many boats were drowned while nearing this spot. Here the wind blows quite heavily and with the help of it the bells were producing sound. Now after the construction of Hirakud dam, this spot became safer.

Not only do people from all over the world come to see Lord Jagannath, but so do gods and goddesses. It is believed that these devas are most fond of seeing the last ceremony of the day known as Pahuda, after which Jagannath retires to bed. This occurs some time after midnight.
Three beautiful beds made of ivory and decorated with the sweetest-smelling flowers, especially white jasmine, are brought before the deities. Flowers are scattered all over the beds to the sound of devotional music, and three miniature golden forms representing Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra are laid down on the beds to sleep. Then arati-the offering of a lamp is done, the flowers are scattered all around overhead to be collected by the gods and goddesses as a token of Lord Jagannath's blessing. So it is also the duty of all the gods and goddesses to be present at the time of this ceremony every night.

Biranchi Narayana Temple- Located in Palia village of Bhadrak district, which is 17 Kms far from Bhadrak., This is an one and only one old Lord Brahmaa Temple in World by the god’s creation .Biranchi Narayana Temple draws devotees who are enchanted with the divine sanctity of the place.
It was rebuilt in 18th century. How to Reach:- o Air - 130 Kms far from the nearest Airport is Bhubaneswar. o Rail - 17km far fom Bhadrak Railway Station. o Road - Being on NH.-5 it is connected by all weather motor-able roads within the state and neighbouring states and this is just 17km far from Bhadrak.

Lord Gupteswar meaning Hidden God, is a cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Gupteswar is located in a small town Jeypore in Koraput district of Odisha. The Siva Lingam is 2m high. It is called Gupteswar(Hidden God) as it was liying hidden for a long time. This sacred cave is very famous tourism attraction in Odisha. Devotees from Odisha, Chattishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh come to Gupteswar during festivals of Lord Shiva.

On Shiva Ratri the Gupteswar In Orissa is flocked by pilgrims all day and all night long. Men, women and children visit the temple on that auspicious day with offerings of flowers, fruits, milk, sweets and bhang. The Gupteswar Jeypore offers quite a feast for the non believers as well, since the cave shrine offers a panoramic view of the surroundings and makes a beautiful sight in itself. Gupteswar Jeypore is located 58 km from Jeypore town and regular buses, taxis and auto rickshaws are available from the town centre to the shrine.
It is better to hire an auto for the to and fro journey if you are in a group of three or four. Gupteswar is surrounded by deep forest. So, it will be a very interesting trip and you will definitely enjoy the natural beauty. You can plan for picnic also.

This is one of the oldest temples of Baleshwara district. The temple was built by Langula Narasinha Deva, the mighitiest king of the royal Ganga dynasty in the 12th century. The deity worshipped here is the incarnation of Shri Krishna and named a Khira Chora (“Khira” means the highly condensed sweetened milk/Rabiddi and “Chora” means the person who steals something in Odia/Oriya) after the incident of the Lord stealing the Khira Bhoga for his greatest devotee Madhavendra.

The legends say. From those days Khira Bhoga is served to the Lord daily. The temple also has the landmarks of Chaitanya deva, the founder of Vaishnva sect during his visit to the Krushna/Jagannatha temples of Odisha. The temple shops have delicious Bhoga (food offered to god) items like Khira bhoga, Khaja, Sandesha, coconut, etc. Healthy and delicious Mahaprasada (Meal of God) is available during lunch time in the temple premises. The mandap for marriages and Vrataponayan are available in cheaper price in the temple premises.

After the Snana Purnima in the month of Jyeshta, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Subhadra are kept away from public view, for a period of fifteen days, and all the daily rites in the Shreemandira are suspended. According to Skanda Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed the wooden deities, he had arranged this bathing ceremony. During this period, popularly known as 'Anasara' or 'Anabasara' (literally meaning 'improper time for worship), instead of having darshan in Jagannath Temple, Puri peoples believe that Lord Jagannath during this time manifests as Alarnath Dev, at the Alarnath temple in Brahmagiri, which is about 23 km from Puri.

Due to ritualistic bathing using 108 vessels(suna garas) of water, there is a popular belief that the deities get fever and the their idols get discoloured. So the Supreme Trinity take rest in 'Anasara Ghara' and are treated by the Raja Vaidya(King's Physician) using Dasamulas(medicine).
During these fifteen days the Daitas (descendants of Viswavasu, the Savara), repaint and restore the Deities and Jagannath's fineries. On the sixteenth day, called 'Netrotsava'(festival for the eyes), the deities give the 'Navayauvana' darshan in their new appearance. According to the Shilpa Shastras and Agamas, the deities become suitable for worship only after the rite of 'Chakshurunmilana'(opening of the eyes) Thousands of devotees visit the temple during the period to have a darshan of Lord Jagannath as Alarnath Dev and to have the delicious Kheer bhog (Prasad) at the Alarnath temple. Pujapandas of Puri say as this Alarnath is the alternate besha of Lord Jagannath.

During the 'Anasara' period, the great devotee Prabhu Chaitnya Dev had visited the temple, and had the Darshan of Lord Jagannath as Alarnath. Historians point of view , Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Dev was visiting all day to Jagannath Temple for Lord Jagannath Darshana, but after Snana Purnima was over, Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Dev was not able to see Mahaprabhu in the temple and asked to all Pujapandas as where is my Prabhu Jagannath ? Pandas replied to him, as Sri Prabhu Chaitnya Maharaj ji now you can't see Jagannath as He is suffering from fever ,
then Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Devji told them that if he would not get to see Him today then he will commit suicide in the Ocean, this time Lord Jagannath Himself told to Sri Prabhu Chaitanya Dev- O Chaitnya, I am doing a 'leela' in the form of Brahma in Brahmagiri, now you come to this place to have My Darshan, It is believed that devotees get the same 'phal' here as they desire from a darshan of lord Jagannah in Puri.

The place got prominence when Sri Chaitanya came to see Alarnath as Lord Jagannath in the sixteenth century. Since then the place has become popular as the temporary abode of Lord jagannath.During these days, same amount of Prasad is offered to Alarnath everyday as it happens in Jagannath Temple in Puri.
It is believed that within these fourteen days if one sees lord Alarnath, s/he is free from all the sins. Here the lord is offered by 'Payas' or 'Kheer' Bhog prepared with milk and rice. This temporary abode of lord Jagannath is believed to be another specialty of Jagannath Cult.

In this temple Lord Vishnu is worshiped as Lord Alarnath. The deity has four arms, He holds chakra inHIS upper right hand, Lotus in his lower right hand, Conch in his upper left hand and club in his lower left hand, Lord Vishnu's carrier eagle , known as Garuda, kneels at the feet of the deity with his hands folded in prayer position. The deities of Lord Krishna's queens Rukmini and Satyabhama are also find inside the temple.
Deity of Lord Chaitnya is also founded inside the temple. There os a stone slab in front of the deity which bears impression from Lord Chaitnya body. When Lord Chaitanya first lay in full respect in front of Lord Alarnath, the stone below Lord Chaitnya melted from His blissful touch . There is a lake behind the temple where Chandan Yatra is celebrated for 21 days in every year.

The Sarala Temple is located 75 km from Bhubaneswar, at Jhankad in Odisha/Orissa. It is 15 km away from Jagatsinghpur town. The main deity of the temple is Goddess Sarala. Here Goddess Saraswati is worshiped as Goddess Sarala. Mahabishuba Sankranti, and Raja Sankranti are the main festivals celebrated here.

If you wish, then visit the holy shrine and seek the blessings of MAA SARALA.The Celestial Mother always fulfills the wishes of her devotees. She is the goddess who blessed Sarala Das and he became the renowned poet.

Kantilo nilamadhaba temple is very old and famous Vaishnav temple which is near to the bank of Mahanadi temple. which is present near to the twin hills with a surrounding of green forests A permanent flow of holy water from the feet of Lord Nilamadhaba. Lord Siddheswar are the highlights of the place. Lord Nilamadhaba occupies a prominent position in the cult of Lord Jagannath. Lord Siddheswar are the highlights of the place.

Best for: The most popular picnic spots in Orissa which is 100 kms away from the capital and 33 kms from Nayagarh town.90 and 12 km from Khandapara. * Best place for Bol Bom Siva devotees , taking water from Mahanadi. Famous for: 1. Maghasaptami Festival is the best festival over here. 2. It's famous for Brass and bell metal utensils.
How to reach:- * 100 km from Bhubaneswar , by bus. * 33 km from Nayagarh. * 12 km from Khandapara.

Goddesses Tara-Tarini have been regarded as the presiding deity(Ista-Devi)in almost every house in South Orissa. This important and famous Shakta Pitha is situated on a hill top at a distance of 30 Kms towards north of Brahmapur on the south bank of river Rushikulya. The height of the hill is approximately 708ft. and the total area spreading over 180 Acres of land. The hill is popularly known as Tara Tarini Hill(Parvata) and is surrounded by natural beauty .

The picturesque scenery of the temple,from the hill top down to the bank of river Rushikulya gives immesse pleasure and a thrilling experience of nature and divinity to each pilgrim - visitor and often captivates its mind and soul. There are 999 steps on the front side of the hill leading to the temple and also a pucca road for vehicle on the backside of the hill facilitating devotees to reach at the Pitha. Provisions of electricity, drinking water and a small market complex at the site with articles of puja /archana are additional features of this Pitha.

This famous Akhandalamani temple, the abode of "Lord Siva" is nicely located in the bank of river Baitarani, at Aradi, 37km away from the district head quarter of Bhadrak towards east by road via Asurali, Kothara and Dhusuri. This place is also linked with Chanbali by boat through the river Baitarani. From Chandbali ferry ghat to Aradi it will take hardly 2 hrs by boat.

This temple is also called Biraja Devi or Girija Devi temple. It is one of 51 shakthi peethams and it is where Sati's navel fell. The temple was built in 13th century. Jajpur town has grown around temples. The main temple is that of Birajadevi(biraja mandir). Mounted on a lion she carries a spear with one arm and holds the tail of Mahishasur with the other. Festivals are held at Durga Puja & Kali Puja.

Jajpur is another Hindu pilgrimage. It was named after king Jajati Keshari. In course of time this became Jajpur. It was once the capital of Orissa. Its distance from Calcutta 337 km, Cuttack is another 72 km and Bhubaneswar 100 km more. Navi gaya is found here inside the temple. The materials put in the Navi Gaya is supposed to go to Samudra(Sea). Car festival is also seen here during Durga Puja.

With out considering the tourism potentiality, when state government is interested for mining in the Gandhamardhan hill, the decision of the Chhattisgarh government to spend Rs.two crores for the development of the Nrusinghnath, natural tourist spot located on the foothill of Gandhamardhan makes everyone happy.

Gandhamardhan, the famous range of hill which covers Nuapara, Bargarh and Balangir district of the state is well-known for its medicinal value of having thousands of rare species of medicinal plants.
Nrusinghnath in one side and Harisankar on the other side attract lakhs of pilgrims every year. But over the past, state government does not give much attention on the development of these spots because it is interested on the bauxite that reserves in the hill.

Chandi Temple (5 km)The temple of Goddess Chandi, the presiding deity of the city, to the south of the Barabati area is visited by hundreds of devotees everyday. The image of the deity is older than the temple. The present piece of land, where the holy temple is located, was lying fallow before.

Late Sri Hansa Panda, who happens to be the Purohit of the then King of Kanika, used to graze cattle’s and sheep’s in the land. One day Sri Panda was feeling tired and took rest on a heap of dry mud present there. While taking rest,he experienced a strange unusual feeling within himself.

Surprisingly on the same night, The Goddess “Chandi” appeared in his dream and requested him to take her out of the land. There after he went to the King and told everything about the strange experience he had that night. With the help of the king, Late Hansa Panda dug up the same piece of land.
It is being said that around forty numbers bullock carts of Red Sindoor came out while digging and then emerged The Deity of Maa Katak Chandi. Then the temple was built on the same land. Here in Cuttack, people strongly believe Maa Katak Chandi as The Living Goddess.

The Kakatpur Mangala Temple is a temple in Kakatpur, Puri, Orissa. Dedicated to Goddess Mangala a manifestation of the Mother Goddess Durga, the Temple is located in the town of Kakatpur in the Puri District of Orissa. The temple is built in typical Kalinga style and is a major pilgrimage for devotees of Shakti cult.
Pilgrims frequent the temple seeking boons from Maa Mangala.There is a bed made of solid stone on which it is said Maa Mangala rests after touring the entire universe everyday.As if to attest to this the bed looks worn out in just the same way it would if it were in use for centuries.

The name Dhabaleswar ( Dhabala or White + Eeswar or God ) is attributed to a miracle performed by Lord Shiva. Once a thief stole a black bull calf from a village and fled to a Shiva temple. He hid himself with the calf in the sanctum while the angry crowd waited outside the temple. The crowd could clearly hear the calf calling out. The thief prayed fervently to Lord Shiva to deliver him from the crowd.

Taking pity on him, the Lord appeared as a Sanyassin before the crowd and asked them the cause of their agitation. On being told that they suspected the thief of hiding in the sanctum along with the black calf, the sanyassin brought the calf outside to dispel their doubts.
The calf turned out to be white, seeing which the crowd let the thief go. The sanyassin disappeared and the thief realized who had come to his aid. He confessed and apologized to the crowd. He took a vow to spend the rest of his life in the service of the Lord. The act of turning a black calf to white caused Lord Shiva to be also known as Dhabaleswara.

It is located at a distance of 14 km. from Talcher . There is a temple Goddess Hingula here .Hingula Yatra is observed here for 9 days during the month of Chaitra . In the fifteenth Century A.D., the illustratious poet Sarala Das has described Goddess Hingula in his Mahabharat as the Manifestation of the Goddess Sarala. In fact he always worshipped Goddess Sarala asGoddess Hingula. It is believed that one can achieve his desired object if he/she worships or mediates on Goddess Hingula. It is also believe that cooking foods become delicious through the blessings of the Goddess.

It is described in the Mahabharat that Goddess Hingula was worshiped by King Nala of Surya Vanshi. It is by her grace that king Nala was able to prepare Gouri-Sauri Paka . Thus the name of Goddess Hingula is associated with cooking with perfection.
The successors of king Nala of Vidarbha also worshiped the Goddess Hingula. As Nala was the King of Vidarbha, his successors are worshiping Goddess Hingula from generation to generation. The holy place (peetha) of the Goddess Hingula is situated on the bank of the river Simhada in the West of Talcher.

The temple of Budhi Thakurani is situated at Angul town. Near the temple , an exact replica of Puri Jagannath Temple is built . It is famous as Saila Srikhetra . The presiding deity of Angul is Goddess Budhithakurani . Angul has earned celebrity as a Sakta Centre since 8th Century A.D. with the rise of the Sulkies on its soil. Goddess Budhithakurani is worshiped in the form of a stone icon covered with vermellion . The shrine draws huge crowd throughout the year. Pilgrims of different parts of Orissa visit the place for a darshan of the Goddess.

Located 14 kms away from Nayagarh, Sarankul stands proud with the 15th century shrine of Sri Ladukeswar, popularly known as Ladu Baba. The presiding deity here is known to be the combined form of Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiv) as is the case with Sri Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar. The festivals and rituals of Sri Ladukeswar are also similar to that of the Lingaraj temple. This shrine is the most prominent one from amongst a good number of Shaivite shrines dotting the region. Pilgrims from far flung places flock to Sarankul on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.

Tourists can avail medical facility at CHC, Odagaon which is nearest to the place. SBI Odagaon is the nearest Bank to the spot. Tourists can reach Sarankul by choosing the state highway that is connected through Bhubaneswar Odagaon road. It is located approximately 100 kms away from state capital Bhubaneswar and 14 km away from district head quarter Nayagarh.

The garden was renovated and inaugurated by the chief minister, the late Biju Patnaik of Odisha. The height of the statue is 75 feet. Every year on 23 February it celebrates its foundation day. Other temples inside the premises are 12 Jyotirlingas, Batta Mangala Devi, Sarala Devi Temple, Jagannath Temple, Lakshmi, and Santoshi Mata Temple. One Kalyan Mandap is built to accommodate public gatherings and functions. The Hanuman statue was built by Sri Lakshman Swami of Hyderabad.

Another 6 km towards west from Digha, there is Chandaneswar, which is famous for a Shiva Temple. In the month of Chaitra i.e., in the last month of Bengali calender year, an annual fair is organised around this temple. Pilgrims from all over the country, especially from Orissa, Bengal, Bihar come to this fair.
There are bus/rickshaw services from Digha to Chandaneswar. Apart from this, Calcutta-Chandaneswar, Howrah-Balasore, Digha-Baripada buses ply via Chandaneswar. Information:Chandaneswar is located 88 Km from Balasore and famous for Chandaneswara temple. Description:Chandaneswara temple is a holy place. About 4 km from Chandaneswar and 4 km from Digha in West Bengal is the tranquil beach at Talasari, surrounded by casuarina groves.

Manikeswari is one of the popular Hindu deity in Orissa. There are many Manikeswari temples present in Western and Southern part of Orissa. Manikeswari temple in Bhawanipatna is well recognized in Orissa. Manikeswari is also the primary deity associated with the royal family of Paralakhemundi in Gajapati. Chhatar Jatra is one of the most popoular festival of Manikeswari at Bhawanipatna. Khandasadhaka is a festival associated with Manikeswari in Paralakhemundi.

Situated on the confluence of the river Tel and Uttei, two tributaries of the river Mahanadi, Belkhandi has gained prominence as a centre of religious activities and archaeological importance with a picture-sque site. Besides the temples now standing therein, ruuins of 12th Century monuments have been excavated from there in the recent past.
Among the sculptures unearthed images of Sapta Matruka (Seven Mother Goddesses) and Uma Maheswar arenote-worthy. The ruins of Belkhandi are preserved in a small museum adjacent to the temple premises. It is also an ideal site for an outing. This place is 67 K.Ms from Bhawanipatna.

This village is situated at a distance of 28 Kms, on Angul- Bagedia road. The village is known for its shrine dedicated to Goddess Ramchandi. She is believed to be possessed of great powers. It is believed that by worshipping Goddess Ramchandi sterile women will obtain children. On the foundation of the old temple one magnificent temple was constructed. A Yatra is held here on the second day of Krushna Pakshya Bhadra.
This Yatra is known as Ramchandi Yatra or Kaduali Yatra (July- August). This Yatra is celebrated with big ceremony every year. Thousands of people attend this Yatra.Kosala is 28 Kms away from Angul. One can reach Angul by bus or train. There is regular bus service available to Kosala from Angul.

A rock art sleeping image of Lord Vishnu is located at Bhimakanda village about 30 km north of Talcher town and 50 km from Angul & on the right bank of river Brahmani . The imagedates back to 8th – 9th century A.D. and has the distinction of being the largest sleeping idol of Lord Vishnu. The image reclining to its right is about 42 (126.5 CM) long & 8 wide.