From convincing our parents to let their daughters go on a girls trip to planning everything to actually completing this trip and returning home safe and sound, my friends and I came a long way. It all started on a whim. Like any other group of friends, we too wanted to go on a trip on our own. Meanwhile one year had passed after college and we were more or less settled in our jobs. So, we started looking for possible destinations when one of my friends (let’s call her A) suggested that we visit her in Bhubaneswar and she will take us around the city and other places near Bhubaneswar. Since it was going to be trip of around 3days, we added Daringbadi and Chilika Lake in our trip plans. We decided on January end for our trip. We quickly booked the tickets around the end of November. And on the night of 23rd January, my other friend(let’s call her N) and I left for Bhubaneswar via Howrah-Madras Mail at around 11.45pm.
Day 1:
We reached Bhubaneshwar at around 7.15 am. A had booked us an Ola Auto and we reached her place by 7.40 am. We got freshened up and rested for a couple of hours and then left for the day’s sightseeing. The first place was a nearby temple which we reached in an Ola Auto. The first thing you will notice after entering Bhubaneshwar is it’s clean and wide roads and the beautiful graffiti on the roadside walls.
Shikhar Chandi Temple
The place was not very crowded. We visited the Goddess and offered our prayers. We clicked a few photos there. The temple is located atop a small hill. The view from there was very beautiful.
Lingaraj Temple
Next we visited Lingaraj temple. We had to leave behind our shoes and mobile outside. We paid 20 rs to one shop whose main business is keeping the valuables of tourists safely in exchange of money. Sadly we couldn’t click any photos outside. The temple was overrun with religious tourists. The priests (pandas) ask you money for even blessing you. Since I am not a very religious person, I was more interested in the architecture. The intricate designs on the walls and the crown of the temple were mesmerising. The temple, though worn by time, have withstood wear and tear and still stands tall proudly. The architecture of the temples leave you awestruck.
Udaygiri Caves
One of my favourite places in Bhubaneshwar turned out to be the Udaygiri caves. The caves were beyond beautiful. It speaks volumes about history and mythology. And since we visited at the time of sunset, we were blessed with a stunning view of the sunset. The soft breeze, the historic caves along with the Grand view made for an ultimate evening. Sadly we didn’t get the time to visit Khandagiri. It only means that I have to go back again.
In this way, we spent our first day in Orissa. We returned A’s flat for the evening by auto. We were supposed to board our overnight bus to Daringbadi that night. We packed up our luggage and left for Baramundi bus station for our bus. In the next part, I will tell you about Daringbadi and much more. Stay tuned.
Splendid experiences 