Bhubaneswar (also spelt as Bhubaneshwar), the capital city of the Indian state of Odisha, (formerly known as Orissa), is known for its architecture and ancient temples. This city is most renowned for making Mauryan Emperor Ashoka embrace Buddhism after witnessing the gory mass deaths of the Kalinga War, which he himself had waged out of a desire for conquest. Asokan inscriptions still stand testimony to this.

The city of Bhubaneswar is supposed to have had over one thousand temples, earning the title of the "Temple City of India". The locals speak the Oriya language and consider their meals incomplete without rice, fish and sweet indulgences such as the Rasgulla. Classical Odissi dance, music, theatre, handicrafts, sand artistry and sculpturing are the main sources that depict the folk art of the state.

Best time to visit:

Bhubaneswar offers a tropical climate with much temperature variation between the seasons. The best time to visit the city is from October to March.

Top five places to see:

The Odisha State Museum – The museum offers archaeological artefacts, weapons, local arts and crafts as well as insights into Odisha's natural and indigenous history. It houses a rich collection of sculptures, coins, copper plates, stone inscriptions, Lithic and Bronze Age tools, rare manuscripts written on palm leaves, traditional and folk musical instruments, as well as rare epigraphic records that are preserved in the Epigraphy Gallery.

The Twin Hills of Kumargiri and Kumarigiri – Known as Khandagiri and Udaygiri, these hills with their artistic carvings contain a variety of rock-cut caves, built mainly for the Jain monks, dating back to 2nd Century B.C. The Rani Gumpha (Queen's Cave), one of the largest and double-storied, is ornately embellished with beautiful carvings while King Kharavela’s reign engraved in the Hati Gumpha (Elephant Cave) is a magnificent specimen of Pali records so far found in India.

Lingaraja Temple – The great Lingaraja Temple represents Orissan temple architecture at its most mature and fully developed state. It has been described as ‘the truest fusion of dream and reality’, a rare masterpiece. Every inch of this 55-metre tall temple is covered with elaborate carvings where sculpture and architecture fuse elegantly to create a perfect harmony.

Cactus Garden – Situated close to the 'Ekamara Kanan' in Bhubaneswar, the Cactus Garden, with its huge collection of Cacti should definitely not be missed.

Nandankanan Zoo – About 15 kms. outside of Bhubaneswar, the zoo has some rare species of animals and is particularly well-known for its white tigers and a Botanical Garden that is adjacent to it. A beautiful lake inside the zoo offers tourists serene boat-rides and a scenic view.