Are you wondering if Odisha is a good tourist destination or not? We are happy to tell you that The Odisha State has a rich cultural and natural heritage. Not only that, the state has a long coastline, forests, mountains, and a variety of historic and cultural sites that make it a diverse and interesting destination for tourists. From UNESCO World Heritage Sites to pristine beaches, there is no dearth of interesting places to explore in Odisha.
Kalijai Temple is located on an island in Chilika Lake. It is considered to be the abode of the Goddess Kalijai. Goddess Kalijai is actually Kali, the source and the first ‘Mahavidya’ of ‘Dasmahavidyas’.
Every year in January, a huge gala fair is held during the festival of Makar Sankranti.
KALIJAI TEMPLE:Kalijai temple is situated on an island or you can say a Hill. It is about 18 K.M. away from Balugan in south east direction, the residence of the Goddess Kalijai.Kalijai means Kali + Jai , Kali, the Goddess Kali and Jai a name of a village Girl of Banapur , who was drowned there during her visit to Parikuda Gada for her Marriage. An accidental storm with deep black cloud was drowned her traditional boat there near the hill and vanished. All the Boatmen with her father were alive except that Girl Jai undiscovered!!! Since then many boat men have been listened her low voice during early in the evening there and she became the adorable Goddess of the locality and became respected among Odiya People. Most of the Fisherman Community is worshiping Goddess KaliJai as their “Istha Devi”, Istha means who manages all of Istha (Good) and Anistha (Bad) times. Most of the home tourists know that visit to KaliJai is that’s all to visit Chilika.
How to Reach:we recommend to stay at “swosti chilka resort“ & they offer for Boat excursion to kalijai temple. Balugan is well connected with East Coast Rail Ways and National High Way (NH-5). Most of all Express Trains have stoppage at Balugan. And You can also find Buses from Bhubaneswar and Berhampur any time and you can find Lodging and Boarding facilities there easily. The Jetty is nearer to both the Train and Bus Station of Balugan and its walkable distance .If you want you can hair Auto or Rickshaw to reach the jetty. To visit KaliJai, Both the Motor fitted Traditional wooden Boats and Modern Boats are available for visitors. The Inland Water Transport Dept.has also providing Motor Lunch for Transportation but the scheduled Day of visit is only on Sunday. It will take 30-45 Minuit to reach KaliJai from Balugan.
You see, you can feel both anxiety of fear with pleasure during your visit with heart beating.
Queen of natural beauty, Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lake in Asia covering an area of over 1,100 sq. km is a great attraction for the tourists for fishing, bird watching and boating. Chilika Lake is the second-biggest lagoon in the world and the largest coastal lagoon in India. The Bay of Bengal is divided from the lake, which covers an area of around 1,100 square kilometres, by a short ridge of sand. The lake is a well-liked tourist site in the state and is home to a wide variety of flora and animals.
The dolphins, a critically endangered species, are one of Chilika Lake’s main attraction. Boat trips on the lake are available for visitors to see these lovely animals in their natural environment. The lake provides a haven for many migrating birds throughout the winter, making it a bird watcher’s heaven. Among the well-known bird species that frequent this area are flamingos, pelicans, and cranes.
APPROACH
By air to Bhubaneswar (Chilika is around 100 kms from Bhubaneswar), road and rail.
BEST TIME TO VISIT CHILIKA LAKE
Chilika can be visited round the year, but the ideal time to visit this place would be from October to June.
Odisha is famous for her handicrafts which exhibit the skill and creativity of her artisans. Her brass work, silver-work, terracotta art objects, and applique work are unique examples of artistic excellence.
Bhubaneswar is the biggest city in Odisha. The city is famous for its rich ancient heritage, especially its historic monumental temples. The city is popularly known as City of Temples due to the incredible ancient temples in the city
Parashurameshvara Temple is one of the Parashurameshvara group of temples, considered to be the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar.
Dedicated to the Hindu Sun God Surya, what remains of the temple complex has the appearance of a 100-foot (30 m) high chariot with immense wheels and horses, all carved from stone. Once over 200 feet (61 m) high, much of the temple is now in ruins, in particular the large shikara tower over the sanctuary; at one time this rose much higher than the mandapa that remains. The structures and elements that have survived are famed for their intricate artwork, iconography, and themes, including erotic kama and mithuna scenes. Also called the Surya Devalaya, it is a classic illustration of the Odisha style of Architecture or Kalinga architecture.
Caves at Udayagiri
Rani Gumpha “Cave of the Queen” Rani Gumpha is the largest and most popular cave among the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri,Bajaghara Gumpha. Bajaghara Gumpha is very simple and small,Chota Hathi Gumpha,Alakapuri Gumpha,Jaya Vijaya Gumpha,Panasa Gumpha,Thakurani Gumpha ,Patalapuri Gumpha
Adler Tours & Safaris 