Temples Tours India

"The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see"

The tropical state of Orissa lures the adventurous traveler with its mystic of indigenous tribes and ancient temples. The Sun temple at Konark acted as a beacon for sailors for nearly a millennium while the great and architecturally astonishing temples of Bhubaneswar and Puri have drawn pilgrims in their millions from across India. Accomodations at few places in Tribal belt are basic and the roads can be rough ; but those with a passion for tavelling' off-the - beaten -path', Orissa is a rewarding experience.

Duration 16 Days
Best Time November to March
Focus Stunning Stone Temples , Beaches , Lake , People, Villages & Tribes.
Destination: Kolkata - Bhubaneswar - Konark - Puri - Chilika Lake - Gopalpur - Taptapani- Raygada - Kothgarh - Jaypore - Onukudelli - Gupteswar - Vishakapatnam - Delhi.

DAY 01 - KOLKATA (CALCUTTA) - BHUBNESWAR :
Arrive Kolkata, garland welcome, assistance and transfer to the Fairlawn hotel. Morning relax-OR stroll the local market. Afternoon visit the Kalighat Temple & Victoria Memorial, built in 1809 on the site of a much older temple, Kalighat gave the city its name Kolkata which was anglicised into Calcutta. Today the city has reverted to its original name. The patron goddess of the city, legend has it that when Shiva's wife corpse was cut up, one of her fingers fell here making it an important place of pilgrimage. From this bastion of Hindu faith we travel to yet another landmark in the city which marks the British reign in India, the Victoria Memorial, a combination of Italian renaissance and Mughal architecture, it was the British attempt to replicate the Taj Mahal and is a museum dedicated to the Raj. Later transfer to the domestic airport for flight to Bhubaneshwar. Arrive and check into the Hotel.

DAY 02 - BHUBNESWAR :
Bhubneswar is the capital of the ancient kingdom of Orissa, and is famous as the temple city of India. Travelling through the state of Orissa is a blend of art, architecture and ancient cultures. This morning we tour Bhubneswar, which has some stunning temples clustered around the Bindusagar Tank. Of the original 7000 only 500 remain dating from the 7th century to the 11th century. Of these the most outstanding is the 11th century Lingaraja Temple which represents the peak of Orissa art and the late 10th century beautifully decorated Muktesvara Temple which belongs to the end of the phase of temple building. Outside the city limits are the Udayagiri and Khandgiri caves which date from the 2nd century, during the time of Jain and Buddhist occupation of this region. The Jain caves are among the earliest in India and all the caves were built during the 150 years before Christ. In contrast to the stark décor of the Jain caves, the Buddhist caves are decorated with excellent friezes and sculptures.

DAY 03 - BHUBNESWAR - KONARK :
On the drive to Konark (75kms), we will stop at Dhauli where the Kalinga warlord Ashoka renounced bloody warfare and embraced the teachings of Buddha. We visit the Peace Pagoda known as the Shanti Stupa built in early 1970 by Japanese Buddhas. We also stop at two ancient rock edicts, today eclipsed by the presence of the Pagoda. Dating from 260 BC they outline Ashoka's detailed instructions to his administrators to rule with gentleness and fairness. Our next stop is the colourful village of Pipili where we can see Orissan Handicrafts, the speciality famous appliqué work. We arrive to the hotel early afternoon. O/n Guest House. This evening we will be among the audience to witness the dance festival* which is held with the stunning ruins of the Sun Temple as the backdrop. Renowned exponents of Indian classical dance forms participate at this festival. *(Dance Festival - held mostly in January).

DAY 04 - KONARK - PURI :
Visit to temple Chariot of the Sun God, built by King Langula Narasimha Deva in the thirteenth century AD in the golden era of Orissa art. This crowning peace of Orissa architecture and sculpture is sheer poetry in stone. Everyday the Sun God rises from the lap of the blue ocean close by and casts his great gentle rays on the sanctum sanctorum and then circles the temple during the course of the day, illuminating the three magnificent images of the morning sun, the mid-day sun and the setting sun. As you approach the water, you will see rising from the golden sandy beach, one of the country's most vivid archaeological treasures - The Sun Temple. For a millennium, this temple has been a beacon to sailors at sea. Despite the fact that the Black Pagoda, as it was referred to by European soldiers who wanted to distinguish Konark from the whitewashed Jagnath Temple in Puri, lies in ruins, the structure is magnificent. Afternoon drive to Puri takes about 2hrs. O/n Hotel.

DAY 05 - PURI :
This the popular beach, is one of the four holy abodes in India. It offers the rare experience of watching both sunset and sunrise from the same beach. Pre-Dravidian and pre-Aryan history relates that a tooth of Buddha was temporarily enshrined in Puri before being moved to Sri Lanka. Supporting the theory that Buddhism prevailed in this area, the Jaganath Temple, to the Lord of the Universe, and the main attraction in Puri, was believed to have originally been a stupa. The extraordinary from Jaganath takes in this temple is said to be the unfinished work of the craftsman god, Vishvakarma. Angry at Vishnu, he left his portrayal of the god incomplete. Overnight in hotel.

DAY 06 - PURI - CHILKA LAKE :
The drive to Chilka Lake takes us through scenic countryside and attractive villages. Chilka lies in the heart of coastal Orissa. Spread over 1,100 sq km, this is the country's largest lake. It is dotted with islands, has the richest variety of aquatic life, and is a bird watcher's paradise when migratory birds arrive in winter. Sunset and sunrise are memorable experiences here. O/n Guest house.

DAY 07 - CHILKA LAKE - GOPALPUR :
Rising early we visit the lake to view the avian life and Kalijai Temple, abode of the presiding deity of the lake, located on the tiny island. In the winter the lake attracts migratory bird from Iran, Central Asia and Siberia. We will also be able to watch the fisherman at work, who come here in search of prawns, mackerel and crabs. After breakfast we will drive to Gopalpur on Sea, an ancient seaport not often visited by tourists. Sand dunes, groves of coconut palm and casuarinas separate the small town from the beach. O/n Resort.

DAY 08 - GOPALPUR - TAPTAPANI :
Morning relax at the hotel. Afternoon drive to Tapatapani (150 km). Enjoy the small hot springs in this peaceful village. Water from the very hot sulphur springs discovered here in a forest setting, is channelled to a pool for bathing. There is a shrine of goddess Kandhi inside the original pool, which is believed to cure infertility. You may also like to visit Chandragiri, 36 kms away, where a community of Tibetan refugees support themselves by weaving carpets. O/n Inspection Bunglow.

DAY 09 - TAPTAPANI -RAYAGADA :
Orissa has the third highest concentration of tribal in India and because of the remoteness of the area where they live; the tribes are untouched by modern times. Each has a distinct language and pattern of social and religious customs. Though economically challenged and a very low rate of literacy, the tribal groups have highly developed artistic skills as seen in their body paintings, ornaments, weaving and wall paintings. Music and dance also are an integral part of their ceremonies and seasonal festivals. During the next few days we will be visiting some of these tribal settlements. On the 220 km drive today we will stop at the villages of the Saoras, a major tribe who live in hilly areas. In contrast to other tribes who live in clans, the Saoras live in extended families descended from a common ancestor. The village is administered by a headman who is assisted by a religious leader and village shamans, or medicine men, who are able to communicate with deceased ancestors. The walls of the mud houses are decorated with remarkable paintings, traditional designs. Monday is the market day for this tribe so we will have time to wander the tribal market. O/n Hotel.

DAY 10 - RAYAGADA - KOTHGARH - RAYAGADA :
The excursion today takes us to the Kothgarh tribal area (180 km). The most numerous, speak Kuvi, a language derived from the Dravidian strain of Southern India. Human sacrifice has now been replaced with animal sacrifice, offering the blood to their supreme goddess represented by a piece of wood or stone to ensure fertility of the soil. The members of this tribe still use bows and arrows to protect themselves from wild animals. Tuesday is the market day. Return to Rayagada. O/n Hotel.

DAY 11 - RAYAGADA - JEYPORE :
Drive to Jeypore (250 km/7hrs.) through Chatikona, visit a few Dongariya Kondh villages. O/n Hotel.

DAY 12 - JEYPORE - ONUKUDELLI :
The area we visit today is the home of the approximately 6000 members of the fierce Bondas (naked people) of Tibetan-Burmese origin. They live in the remote hills and keep themselves isolated. They grow rice by shifting cultivation and keep domesticated cows and goats. They can only be seen when they come to trade at the local market, and we must time our visit to coincide with the weekly market day on Thursday. The Bonda women are noticeable by their bead necklaces, striking brass and silver necklets and their shaved heads decorated with plaits of Palmyra leaves. We will also visit the colourful Gadabas, A munda tribe who speak in the Austro Asiatic dialect. O/n at Inspection Bunglow in Machkund near Onukudelli.

DAY 13 - ONUKUDELLI - GUPTESWAR - JEYPORE :
A day excursion today to Gupteswar (140 km) to visit the caves, which was believed to have been the refuge for Lord Rama during his days of exile and the place he worshiped Shiva. On the way we will visit a few Dhuruba villages. Return to Jeypore, O/n Hotel.

DAY 14 - JEYPORE - VISHAKHAPATNAM - DELHI : Today we leave hotel early in the morning at 0600 hrs. and drive to Vishakapatnam (210 km / 4 hrs.) and straight transfer to airport for flight to Delhi.
Late night transfer to the International airport.
DAY 15 - DELHI-EUROPE - USA : Early morning transfer to International airport for flight back your home or onward destination.