Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, also known as the temple city of India, is currently hosting the FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 at the Kalinga Stadium. Odisha is now quite the hotbed for new talent for hockey, but there is not all that there is to the state and Bhubaneswar. It is now earning a reputation for its IT centres and software parks. Here are five spots in Bhubaneswar that you must add to your sightseeing tour.
Museum Of Tribal Arts And Artefacts, CRPF Square
Established in 1953, the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artefacts will give you an insight into tribal life with its display of immaculate replicas of tribal huts, artefacts ranging from attire to ornaments and utensils, and even a showcase of the food habits of the people. Odisha has over 60 tribal communities, and the museum gives an insight into the different stages of the evolution of tribal cultures. You can shop for souvenirs in the shops on the museum premises. The museum also organises two fairs and a dance festival during the year The National Tribal Crafts Mela in the third week of November, the Adivasi Mela in January/February, and the National Tribal Dance Festival.
Timings 10 am to 500 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and state government-declared holidays.
Entry fee Yes.
Nandankanan Zoological And Botanical Park, Jujhagarh Forest Block
Located 15 kilometres from Bhubaneswar, the Nandankanan Zoological and Botanical Park was started in 1960. Famous for its white tigers, it is built inside the forest and is thus set amidst a natural environment which is helpful to the beings here. The enclosures are spacious and replicate each animal's habitat. Nandankanan has many firsts to its credit, one of them being that it is the first zoo to breed the endangered gharial in captivity. The park holds regular drawing and sketching workshops and competitions for children. The botanical park was opened in 1963, and it was in 1981/82 that the two parks were combined and renamed the Nandankanan Zoological and Botanical Park. The botanical garden is on the banks of Kanjia lake.
Timings 800 am to 500 pm. The park is closed on Mondays.
Entry fees Yes.
For more information, check the website.
Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary
The sanctuary's name, spread over 795.59 square kilometres, comes from the narrow stretch of River Mahanadi, known as saat kos, or seven miles, approximately. It is at this point near Tikarapada, about 60 kilometres south of Angul, where the Mahanadi cuts across the gently sloping Eastern Ghats, where you will see the gharials, Mugger crocodiles, and the rare freshwater turtles such as the Chitra indica, and Trionyx (Aspidiretes gangeticus). Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary became a notified area in 1972 under the Government of Odisha, Forest, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Department U/s 18(1) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
For more information, check the website.
Pathani Samanta Planetarium, near Acharya Vihar Square
This is one of the few places in the country that conduct shows in astronomy, astrophysics, and space science to generate awareness among people about the physical concept of stars, planets and galaxies that make up the universe. Built in 1990 by the Science and Technology Department of the Odisha Government, it is named after famous Odia astronomer Mahamahopadhyaya Chandrasekhar Singh Harichandan Mohapatra Samanta, popularly known as Pathani Samanta. He has done groundbreaking work and penned the book Siddhanta Darpana, which found special mention in the American and European press back in 1899. The shows are scheduled in Odia, Hindi, and English language. The planetarium also conducts the Safe Sky Watch program during solar and lunar eclipses and on days of rare astronomical events. It also organises the Young Astronomer Talent Search (YATS) program every year since 2007.
Timings 1000 am to 500 pm. Odia 200 pm and 500 pm Hindi 300 pm and English 400 pm. The planetarium is closed on Monday.
Entry fees Yes.
Odisha State Museum, BJB Nagar, Lewis Road
Launched in l932, on the premises of the Ravenshaw College, Cuttack, by historians professor NC Banerjee and professor Ghanshyam Dash, who had started a collection of archaeological treasures. In l938, the Government of Odisha transformed it into the Provincial Museum of Odisha. The Provincial Museum was also shifted with the state capital from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar in l947-48. In l960, the museum was moved to a new building and renamed the Odisha State Museum. There are several galleries within the museum, such as the epigraphy and numismatics gallery, the natural history segment, the armoury gallery, and the manuscript gallery. The Paika Gallery is the new museum addition and focuses on the Paika revolution against the British.
Timings 1000 am to 500 pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and state government-declared holidays.
Entry fees Yes.
For more information, check the website.
The Information
How to get there
Bhubaneshwar is well-connected to the rest of the country by air, rail, and road. The Biju Pattnaik Airport is four kilometres from the town centre.
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