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Bhubneswar, Puri and Konark, the three temple towns of Orissa make
an interesting triangle encompassing a rare mélange of an
ancient
Like priceless gems, they
stir the imagination and attract the eye. Each of the three acclaimed
jewels on the landscape of Orissa – Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark
– has its own individualistic glitter not always flawless, but
incomparable nonetheless.
The land around
Bhubaneswar constituted the far famed Kalinga desh which was
conquered after a bloody battle by Ashoka, the great Mauryan monarch.
Appalled at the carnage, Ashoka renounced violence and embraced
Buddhism. Today, several Buddhist remnants dot the area around
Bhubaneswar. But the city is not associated with any single
religion. Shiva, the Destroyer of Hindu Trinity, is also worshipped
at Bhubaneswar as Lord of the three worlds – tribhuvaneswara,
which, abbreviated and corrupted, forms the name of the capital of
Orissa.
Every king and ruler of
this favoured region wanted to erect handsome edifices to honour the
deities, making Bhubneswar, a city of temples, almost the
cathedral city of India. Wastelands and jungles were replaced by
grand, imposing monuments in stone. Today, only a group of about 30
well preserved, noteworthy temples remain. Amongst them, the
Lingaraja temple, Rajarani, Mukteshwara and the Vaital Deul are
fascinating creations.
Against this multi-hued
tapestry of history, and the backdrop of the soaring sandstone spires
of old Bhubaneswara, anew capital has taken shape. The modern
architectural designs and materials of new Bhubaneswar contrast
starkly with the old city. But mindful of its unique status, new
Bhubaneswar is a calm, progressive city, linking he old and the new
most effectively.
Working in the shadow of
ancient temples, administrators and people of the capital are imbued
with a new sense of purpose and direction, and present day
Bhubaneswar has gamely accepted the challenging role of acting as a
catalyst in development, planning and plotting the state’s
future. But the past is never forgotten. In the shop windows and
bazaars of Bhubaneswar can be glimpsed craft technologies that date
back over several thousand years.
Just seventy short
kilometres away, on the sea coasts, Puri, a temple, festival and
beach town, shares and mirrors many of Bhubaneswar’s arts and
crafts. Yet it derives its brilliance from treasures that are
distinctively its own. A lovely expanse of golden sun, surf and
sand, the beach at Puri is being increasingly hailed as the world’s
most picturesque sea coast, ideal for surf riding. Smiling, dark
skinned Oriya fisherfolk wade gracefully through the rough waters to
guide excited bathers to a thrilling encounter with breakers rolling
in from the Bay of Bengal.
Ages ago, Puri was busy
port of call for merchants and sailors from far flung climes. In the
centuries before Christ, when the Mauryan empire was at its zenith,
it is said that shiploads of devotees, carrying Lord Buddha’s
message, set sail from this shore for Java, Sumatra and the
Phillipines. Today, Puri, is one of the four main pilgrim centre in
India.
In the exquisitely carved
temple at Puri resides Jagannath, Lord of the Universe, his sister
Subhadra and brother Balabhadra. Unlike images in other Hindu
temples, these three gods are in the shape of rough, wooden pillars
with shield-like heads, stumpy arms and no legs. While priests cite
ancient legends to explain the rudimentary forms, scholars have
attempted to account for the peculiarity by attributing the cult to
tribal origins.
Adapting to changing
times and conditions has ensured a lively future for both Bhubaneswar
and Puri, enhancing their traditional sheen, revealing glowing facets
of potential. But thirty two kilometres along the coast from Puri,
the world renowned splendour of Konark faces the stiff test of time.
On the sea shore, Surya,
the Sun God, speeding across the sky in a gorgeous chariot has been
captured in stone. With its twelve pairs of giant, marvelously
sculpted wheels, and seven richly caparisoned horses staining their
necks to pull the massive weight, the Sun Temple at Konark is often
described as “an allegory in stone,” – the highest
point of achievement in the Kalinga school of architecture.
Once a soaring, lofty
structure the Sun Temple was an important landmark through the
centuries for mariners navigating the coast. They called it the
“Black Pagoda” to distinguish it from the “White
Pagoda” ( the white-washed temple of Jagannath at Puri). Those
days are gone. All that remains now is half the main temple. A mere
fragment of Konark’s former glory, it stands in majestic
dignity amongst desolate sand dunes and still commands respect as
one of the finest temples of India.
No one really knows why a
temple was erected on this deserted stretch of coast. According to
popular legend, the temple was erected by Samba, son of Krishna, in
thanksgiving to Surya, the Sun God, who cured him of leprosy. It was
called “Konarka” – place of the Sun, from which comes
the modern name.
The temple, as we see it
today, was built by Narsingha Deva (1238-1264) also called langulia,
the one with a tail. It is surmised that he built the temple as a
supplication to Surya to remove a spinal deformity of some sort.
arsingha Deva was reputed more for his valour than his piety. This
combined with Orissa’s impressive military history, supports, in
the view of many scholars, the theory that Konark was a coloss at
tower of victory erected to the Sun God in thanksgiving for repelling
invaders.
In a little wooded
clearing near the temple, outside a hut that enshrines a carving of
the nine planets, a fair is held every Satuday. Shani or
Saturn is worshipped by priests and pilgrims, and fire sacrifices
(soma) dating back to Vedic times are performed in specially dug
pits.
To many thoughtful and
perceptive sightseers, it seems ironic that time itself is attacking
the Chariot of time. The Sun Temple has been chemically treated and
trees have been planted between the temple and the rapidly
encroaching sea to protect the edifice from corrosive salt, sand
laden winds and the gradual drifting in of the beach.
Despite the uncertainty
surrounding its future, Konark continues to compete fiercely for
attention with Bhubandeswar and Puri. Together, the three centres
form a golden triangle which encompasses a rare, precious mixture of
the eventful past and the vibrant present.
CREATIVE IMPRESSIONS
With creativity rooted in
custom, tradition and utility as a guiding star, the Oriyan craftsman
is the vital link in an unbroken chain which encircles both producers
and consumers within a socio-religious framework. The royal Mauryan
textile workshops that were established more than 2000 years ago
employed spinners, weavers and embroiderers, and in the course of
time, temple towns such as Bhubaneswar became the base for many
weaving communities. Orissa is a part of the great weaving belt that
stretches though Assam, Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The
hosting of textile exhibitions and handloom expositions is an annual
feature at Bhubaneswar
Vibrant, eloquent and
realistic, the fabrics, a variety of silks, tussars and cotton, and
designs – tribal traditional and modern – are on display at
Bhubaneswar and have found wide acceptance all over the world.
Away from the shops and
bazaars, in some friendly Oriyan household, in a temple, or at an
astrologer’s home, the ancient art of palm leaf writing still
survives. Religious texts continue to be read out from palm leaf
manuscripts rather than from printed books. Horoscopes too, are
traditionally written on palm leaves by professional horoscope makers
known as nahakas. Palm leaf was considered so sacred that even
after printing technology was introduced to Orissa, important texts
continued to be oprinted on palm leaves instead of paper. The
printing of New Year cards and wedding invitations on palm leaf is
till popular in Orissa.
Since olden times,
pilgrims to Puri have been carrying back home colourful pattachitras
or pattas - paintings on specially treated cloth as
precious mementos. Originating as a ritual in the temple of
Jagannath, pattas developed over the years as a distinct
school of painting executed by the chitrakar caste. Today,
pattas from Puri are sought by a steadily increasing number of
tourists, art lovers and emporia in India and abroad. Besides patta
paintings, the chitrakars also make attractive, circular
playing cards known as ganjifa, which are popular in villages
all over Orissa.
Over the centuries,
Puri has also preserved a superb tradition of carving dating back to
the Kalinga school. The craftsmen of Puri use soft soapstone and
hard kochila to carve replicas of temple sculptures. Stylized
animals and bird toys, meticulously carved out of wood and painted
wood carvings are a feast for the eyes.
Vying with pattas
for popularity, the appliqué art perfected by the artisans of
Pipli, a village on the Bhubaneswar-Puri route, now decorates homes
in various parts of the world. Coloured cloth, after being cut and
shaped into the form of birds, animals, flowers, leaves and other
decorative motifs is stitched onto a cloth piece fashioned as a wall
hanging, garden or beach umbrella, a lamp shade and other utility
items. Tiny mirrors in a whole range of geometrical designs and
shapes and thread embroidery are then used to create a striking work
of art.
TEMPLE TOWERS
The magnificent spires of
thousands of temples once soared skywards in the triangle formed by
Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark. Inevitably, time has taken its toll,
but the thirty odd monuments that remain spell a splendid, more than
five hundred year old story in stone.
The 10th or
11th century Lingaraja temple of Bhubaneswar has been
described as “the truest fusion of dream and reality”. A
rare masterpiece, the Lingaraja temple has been rated “perhaps
the finest example of purely Hindu temple in India” by
Fergusson, the noted art critic and historian.
Every inch of the surface
of the fifty five metre Lingaraja temple is covered with elaborate
carvings. Sculpture and architecture fuse elegantly into one to
create a perfection of harmony. Devout pilgrims who wish to go to the
Jagannath temple at Puri, must first offer worship at the Lingaraja
temple.
The Rajarani temple,
which derives its name from the stone known as the Rajarania, was
built earlier than the impressive Lingaraja. Set amongst picturesque
paddy fields, the relatively small Rajarani temple is noted for its
fascinating female figures portrayed in a stunning variety of
amorous poses and moods.
The mukteshwara temple
is much richer than one of the earliest (7th-8th
century) extant temples the Parashumeshwara, which is acknowledged
to be a symbol of all that is chaste and elegant in sculpture. At the
Mukteshwar temple can be seen contrasting themes.
There us a captivating
array of voluptuous female figures and famished ascetics, dwarfs and
animals. The beautiful and the grotesque have been skillfully
depicted through exquisite carvings.
The temple of Jagannath
at Puri is dedicated to Krishna (Vishnu) – Lord of the Universe
(Jagannath). The temple is bigger than Bhubaneswar’s striking
Lingaraja temple, and was built a hundred years after the Lingaraja
temple. It is the only celebrated temple in the region that is till
flourishing, and has preserved virtually intact the rituals and
traditions of countless years.
The Sun Temple of Konark
is in a class of its own. Fine carvings covers almost every inch of
the outer surface, portraying with uninhibited fiudelity the vast
panorama of life. The erotic and the amorous in the sculptural art of
Orisssa can be traced from Rajarani, Lingaraja and other temples at
Bhubaneswar to the temples at Puri. At Konark, chiselled love and
dalliance reach a peak.
EXPLORING ORISSA
A rich history, a
glorious tradition of arts and crafts and the geographical advantage
of being a coastal state have made Orissa a veritable treasure house
for modern day explorers. Amongst countless places that are a
synthesis of all that is unusual, appealing and desirable, a fair
number stand out because they possess a rare combination of special
features, an ambience that distinguishes them from the ordinary.
Among these, the Simlipal
Tiger Reserve and Sanctuary in Mayurbhanj district (known for its
folk dances) has over the years been drawing visitors in increasing
numbers. At Simlipal, more than 70 tigers roam in majestic grandeur
through lush green forests which are also home for elephants,
leopards, chital (spotted deer), mouse deer, flying squirrels and
other animals and birds.
Several years ago, a
tiger cub at Simlipal created a worldwide stir by allowing itself to
be ‘domesticated’. At night, this remarkable cub occupied
the most comfortable bed in the bedroom of the family who adopted
him. By day, he played with the family’s dog and pet hyena. It
was a unique, endearing relationship until tragedy struck and the
tiger died in unnatural circumstances. But if I tell you the
complete, fascinating story, it would be like disclosing the end of a
suspense film or thriller to a potential view or reader. The story of
the tiger cub and much more awaits you at Simlipal.
The hamlet of Raghurajpur
is now as well known as Simlipal – for different reasons, of
course. Situated between Bhubaneswar and Puri, Raghurajpur is a
picturesque village of painters or chitrakars. Here, on the
southern banks of the Bhargavi riger, surrounded by betel leaf
gardens and green paddy fields, groves of coconut, palm, mango and
jackfruit, alive with bird song, you can watch the traditional,
intricate process which goes into the making of a treasured
patachitra.
In another direction, at
another level.. the charms of Chilka lake – the largest inland
lake – are now being accentuated by the development of a
glamorous beach between the lake and the Bay of Bengal. The shore
line here presents some exciting trekking routes and beach camping
possibilities. Other expanses of water that are being prepared in a
more planned manner than hitherto for those in search of leisure, or
adventure, include the Nandankanan lake of Bhubaneswar, the Bolangir
waterspread area and the Hirakud reservoir of Sambalpur.
In the esturian tracts
of the Mahanadi delta of Bhittar Kanika rich tropical mangrove
forests and the criss – crossing of river creeks provide ideal
terrain for an experience that is off the beaten track. Crocodile
sanctuaries are already in existence in some creeks. The coast here
is also a traditional, favourite destination for thousands of sea
turtles who journey all the way from the Pacific Ocean to lay eggs at
Bhittar Kanika
And if you prefer
trekking or walking in the hills t a holiday on the coats, there is
much to explore. There are the Barunei Hills near Bhubaneswar,
Nilgiri Hills near Balasore, Jendamundia Hills in Koraput, the
Eastern Ghats of Phulbani, Ganjam and Koraput district, and the
beautiful forested valley of Danringibadi in Phulbani . Trekking
camps are organized on a more or less regular basis at Mahendragiri
in Ganjam distrit and the Nilgiris in Balasore district. Special
places all – they evoke feelings that transport you to a world
with a difference.
CAVES OF PEACE
Many of sixty odd caves
set in the Udaygiri –Khandagiri hills to the north-west of
Bhubaneswar were once the abode of Jain ascetics. With their ornate
carvings and delicate friezes, the 2nd century B.C. caves
are much more than major tourist attractions.
Walking through the caves
of Udaygiri -Khandagiri is a rich evocative experience which carries
you through time to the exalted period when ascetics pursued, in
virtual seclusion, not only the call of religion and a disciplined
way fo life, but also strove to elevate the spirit through art. From
where did these men of strong will and high aspirations obtain their
food, clothing, tools and other materials? Who were the masters who
taught and guided them? How and where did they die? Did they achieve
their goals and attain the desired level of spirituality? The
ascetics have vanished, but their heritage lives on, defying time. I
there a message in this?
After you have pondered
over these and many other questions in the dim half light of the
caves, there comes the sudden realization that a palpable sense of
harmony, of exquisite peace permeates each of the caves of Udaygiri
- Khandagiri and for that alone they are worth of visit.
THE RATH YATRA
In June-July every year,
Lord Jagannath’s legendary return to his kingdom on earth is
occasion for the famous rath yatra or car festivel at Puri.
Thousands from all over the country flock to participate o\in the
stately event. The proceedings commence with the installation of Lord
Jagannath, his sister Subhadra, and brother Balabhadra in mammoth,
lavishly decorated chariots. Lord Jagannath’s gigantic chariot
(whence the word ‘juggernaut’) is pulled by frenzied
devotees through the streets of Puri Subhadra and Balabhadra follow
in their own chariots.
With pilgrims vying,
pushing and jostling for the honour of helping to pull the chariot
ropes, the mile long journey to the Gundicha Mandir is accompanied
by the chanting of sacred mantras (incantations)and music.
The bejeweled deities, clad in resplendent silk, remain in the
Gundicha Mandir for nine days, after which they are carried back to
be re-installed in the Sri Jaganath Mandir. To have glimpse of the
Lord as he rides in ceremonial procession and to pull the ropes of
his chariot is regarded as a divine blessing. The car festival is
the most revered in Orissa and one of the most sacred in India.
GOLDEN SANDS
The stretch of beach
from Puri to Konark is like a delicious slice from a dream. At Puri,
there is a vast expanse of shimmering sand fringed by palm trees
that sway to the refrain of even the gentlest breeze from the sea.
Through sunlit days and moonlit nights, though the thunderous
period of the monsoon, the sands of Puri are constantly, rhythmically
swept by the wash of capri-blue waters that come rolling in from the
Bay of Bengal.
The beach at Puri is high
on aesthetic appeal, but to rough for spontaneous water activities
for the average visitor. One may, of course, hire a fisherman’s
skiff and ride the high tides to experience the thrill of a
lifetime; or procure a surfing board and whoosh over the waves and
breakers.
And if you care to drive
eight kilometres or so east of Puri, along an avenue of casuarinas
trees tossing in the wind, you can savour the delights of Balighai,
an enticing, secluded beach where you can catch glimpses of the
unusually frisky deer Baliharina.
The beautiful forty-mile
stretch of beach between Puri and Konark is soon to be developed
fully for ‘environment –friendly’ tourism.
Water-skiing, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boating are to be
introduced to the lagoons near Ramchandi on the Konark coast.
Already, the Konark
beach, with its wheat coloured sands, is acclaimed as one of the
finest, most romantic beaches on the eastern coast. The sea here is
gentler and more tranquil than at Puri. And with hthe magnificent
Sun Temple a mere three kilometres away from the beach, swimming and
sun bathing on the historic Konark sands constitute an experience
far above the ordinary.
The glistening sands on
the Gopalpur bech, sixteen kilometres from Behrampur, delights a
broad cross section of people. Creeks and sleep, languorous lagoons
canopied with thick green foliage make Gopalpur an ideal choice for
those who want to savour the experience of being on a beach, but wish
to keep a distance from the rough and tumble of the sea.
And if you’re
interested in collecting sea shells, then head towards Balasore and
the gently eddying shallow waters on the Chandipur beach. Chandipur
(fourteen kilometres from Balasore) has an equally attractive sister
beach called Chandaneswar, about ninety kilometres from Balasore.
Chandaneswar , like Konark, is an unusual beach resort, for here on
the sands, stands the shrine of Lord Chandaneswar. Closeby are the
soft, fine sands of a beach known as Talasari. And a mere five
kilometres away, the famous Digha beach beckons enticingly - but
that means leaving the multifarious charms of the shores of Orissa
and entering another state – West Bengal.
VISITING ORISSA
GETTING THERE
Bhubaneswar is
connected by air with Delhi, Calcutta, Varanasi, Hyderabad, and
Rajpur. Vayudoot flights connect Bhubaneswar to Rourkela. There are
superfast train connections to Calcutta, Delhi, Madras, Bombay,
Hyderabad and Trivandrum.
Puri has direct
rail links with Calcutta, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Bombay. The
nearest airport is at Bhubaneswar.
Konark can be
reached from Puri via the new Marine Drive. The nearest airport is
at Bhubaneswar and the nearest railway station is at Puri.
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