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Cuttack
Cuttack, the former capital and one of the oldest cities of Orissa
is the administrative headquarters of the district. The town is
situated at the apex of the delta formed by the rivers Mahanadi
in the North and Kathajodi in the South. It serves as a convenient
base for touring the various places of interest in the district.
Excursion
Stone Revetment of Cuttack
The river banks of Cuttack are protected by stone revetment, a great
engineering marvel of the 11th century A.D. and a remarkable example
of ancient technological skill of Orissa.
Barabati Fort
The ruins of a medieval fort with its moat and gate and the earthen
mound of the nine-storeyed palace on the bank of the river Mahanadi
are noteworthy. Adjacent to the fort are two modern stadiums.
Temple of Cuttack Chandi
Being the shrine of the presiding deity of the city, the temple
of Cuttack Chandi is normally visited by every Hindu visitor.
Quadam-i-Rasool
A sacred shrine both for the Hindus and Muslims, Quadam-i-Rasool,
having a compound wall and towers at each corner has inside three
mosques with beautiful domes and a Nawabat Khana (music gallery).
It is an object of veneration for Hindus and Muslims alike.
Choudwar
Choudwar, a growing industrial area was once the capital of Somakuli
Keshari Kings of Orissa. Eight prominent Siva pithas were established
by the Keshari dynasty in the vicinity of Choudwar which is now
in ruins. Tradition records that it was the capital of Virat, the
brother-in-law of Kichaka. The five Pandava brothers with their
consort Draupadi took shelter in Choudwar in their secret exile.
Chhatia
Popularly known as Chhatiabata, Chhatia is a sacred place of pilgrimage.
The shrine of Lord Jagannath at Chhatia is a modern piece of Orissan
temple architecture. Nearby one can find the archaeological remains
of Amaravati-Kataka, one of the five important forts of Chodaganga
Deva. Amaravati with the backdrop of the hill "Dhania"
presents an attractive sight.
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Naraj
A picturesque scenic spot, Naraj was a famous seat for Buddhist
culture and learning. The scenic view of the river Mahanadi at the
origin of its branch Kathajodi is simply bewitching.
Chandikhol
Chandikhol in the lap of thickly wooded hills and by the side of
a perennial stream is an extremely ideal picnic spot. The Ashram
of Baba Bhairavananda is an added attraction of the place. Adjacent
to Chandikhol, Mahavinayak enshrines the five god heads in one Lingam.
It is a place of worship for Ganapati.
Dhabaleswar
A small island in the Mahanadi, the temple of Dhabaleswar is situated
on a hillock. Though a new structure, sculptures of 10 / 11th century
A.D. are found in the temple premises.
Niali-Madhava
Niali is famous for the shrine of Sovaneswar. There is an archaeological
sculpture shed here. 8 km from Niali is Madhava, a small village
where is enshrined the lovely image of Madhava. It is also a beautiful
picnic spot.
Bhattarika
This place
is famous for the shrine of goddess Bhattarika, often crowded by
pilgrims and picnickers.
Ansupa
Ansupa, the small but picturesque lake holds a prominent position
in the tourist map of Orissa and offers an asylum to the migratory
birds in winter. The play of the shadow of Saranda mountain and
surrounding bamboo and mango groves on the rippling waters of Ansupa
make it a real thing of beauty. One can have a boat journey or go
for fishing in the lake. Ansupa is 70 km from Cuttack and 20 km
from Raja-Athagarh station, connected with regular bus service.
Kendrapara
Known as "Tulasi Kshetra", Kendrapara is famous for the
temple of Lord Baladeva. A grand car festival is held here annually
which draws a mammoth crowd.
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Jajpur
Otherwise known as Vaitarani Tirtha, Jajpur with Goddess Viraja
(Durga) as its presiding deity is one of the sacred places of pilgrimage
in Orissa. The place has its unique importance in India as Navigaya
Kshetra where pinda is offered for the satisfaction of the ancestors.
The shrine of Sweta Varaha (the white boar incarnation of Vishnu)
along with hundreds of other shrines here made Jajpur a Tirtha par
excellence. The "Dasasvamedha Ghat", the flight of steps
leading to the Vaitarani where the ten horse sacrifices were performed
is a great sanctified spot for the Hindus.
Paradeep
Paradeep, a major sea port of India for trade activities with a
fine sea beach and a marine drive is an enjoyable tourist resort
attracting large number of visitors from far and wide.
Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri, Udayagiri
These three hills comprise a remarkable Buddhist complex. Hieun-T'sang,
the Chinese pilgrim found it to be the seat of a flourishing Buddhist
University called "Puspagiri". Extensive ruins of brick
pagodas, sculptured stone portals and esoteric Buddhist images testifying
its ancient glory have been unearthed.
Ratnagiri is the gem of this complex. The magnificently carved
door jambs of the Vihar and superbly finished Buddha images form
perhaps the greatest concentration of Buddhist sculpture of the
post-Gupta period.
Ratnagiri is 70 km, Lalitgiri is 55 km and Udayagiri is 60 km from
Cuttack.
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Handicra fts
of the Region
For shopping and souvenirs, Cuttack is one of the best places in
Orissa. The famous silver filigree works with intricate interwoven
wires, horn and brass products, tie and dye textiles of Maniabandha
and Sambalpur, applique works of Pipli in exquisite cloth designs
and the stone works of Puri are preferred most by the tourists.
Getting There
By air
The nearest airport is situated at Bhubaneswar .
By Rail
One can catch direct trains from Bhubaneswar, Puri , Calcutta ,
Delhi , Hyderabad and Chennai.
By Road
Cuttack is 29-km from Bhubaneswar by road The National Highway No.
5 passes through the city.
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General Information & Accomdation info on Cuttack city of Orissa - India
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