Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar is the state capital of Odisha (formerly known as Orissa), India. Utkal and Kalinga are two other names for Odisha.

Bhubaneswar is known as the "Temple City of India" since it is home to over 1000 temples.

There are many Kalingan temples here, which are a combination of Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain heritage.

Bhubaneswar is also known as " Ekamra Kshetra".

Although Bhubaneswar was formally founded in 1948, the origin of the modern city can be traced back to the 7th century BCE and earlier.

On April 13, 1948, the city’s foundation stone was laid by India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

The city is famous for its ancient rich heritage particularly its historic monumental temples.

With Puri (Jagannath Temple) and Konark (Sun temple) it forms the “Golden Triangle” (‘Swarna Tribhuja’), one of eastern India’s most popular tourist destinations.

(Sun Temple, Konark)

(Jagannath Temple, Puri)

Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as the state capital of Odisha on 19 August 1949. Modern Bhubaneswar was designed by the German architect Otto Königsberger in 1946.

Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are known as Odisha’s “Twin Cities.”

Bhubaneswar is categorised as a Tier-2 city. The metropolitan area formed by the two cities (Bhubaneswar and Cuttack) had a population of 1.7 million in 2011. Bhubaneswar secured the top rank in the Smart city list in India.

Geography

The latitude of Bhubaneswar city is 20.29, and the longitude is 85.82.

The GPS coordinates for Bhubaneswar are 20° 17' 45.81" N and 85° 49' 28.34" E.

Bhubaneswar city lies an altitude of 45 metres (148 feet) above sea level.

Bhubaneswar is bordered by the Kuakhai River (East), the Daya River (South), the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary (West) and Nandankanan Zoo (North).

The city of Bhubaneswar is topographically divided into western uplands and eastern lowlands, with hillocks in the western and northern parts.

Kanjia Lake, on the city’s outskirts, is a nationally significant wetland with rich biodiversity.

The soils of Bhubaneswar are 65% laterite, 25% alluvial, and 10% sandstone.

Climate

Bhubaneswar has a tropical savanna climate, designated Aw under the Köppen climate classification.

Summers (March to June) are hot and humid. In May and June, maximum temperatures often cross 40°C (104°F).

The city experiences rain from June to September followed by a brief post-monsoon period of October to November. The annual rainfall is 1628 mm ( 64 inch). The highest monthly rainfall total, 404 mm (16 in), occurs in August.

Winter only lasts three months, from December to February. The coldest month is December, has temperatures varying from 15–28 °C (59–82 °F). 

The best time to visit the city is between November and March when the weather is cool and dry and the skies are clear.

Culture

Bhubaneswar, often known as the “Temple City of India” (also known as “Mandiramalini”), is home to nearly 700 of India’s most beautiful temples, around which the city’s religious life revolves.

Many ancient temples in this lovely city are famous for their architectural refinement and aesthetic beauty.

(Muktesvara Temple, Bhubaneshwar)

Lingaraja Temple, Muktesvara Temple, Rajarani Temple, Kedar Gauri Temple, Chausath Yogini Temple and Ananta Vasudeva Temple are some of the most well-known temples in the city.

(Lingaraja temple, Bhubaneshwar)

The twin hills of Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves were built somewhere around the 2nd century BC by King Kharavela of the Meghavahana dynasty.

Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves (also known as Kumari Parvat) were built for the Jain monks and offered them a place to stay and meditate.

Only thirty-three caves out of the original one hundred and seventeen caves have survived to this day.

The Udaygiri hill has eighteen caves, whereas the Khandagiri hill has fifteen.

Archaeological Survey of India(ASI) has listed Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves in the list of “Must See” Indian Heritage.

(Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves, Bhubaneshwar)

Dhauli Peace Pagoda (Shanti Stupa) is a well-known Buddhist heritage in India.

The place is well known for its famous rock edicts of Ashoka, an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty (isfrom c. 268 to 232 BCE).

Dhauli is 7 kilometres south of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India, on the banks of the Daya River.

The Dhauli Shanti Stupa (a white Peace Pagoda) was built by the Japan Buddha Sangha and the Kalinga Nippon Buddha Sangha in 1972.

The Peace Pagoda is built on the top of the Dhauli Hills, near the river bank of the Daya River.

Dhauli is the place where the famous battle was fought between Emperor Ashoka and the Kalinga army (Kalinga: historical name of Odisha), after which Ashoka converted to Buddhism.

According to popular legend the Daya River turned red due to blood spilled on it from the battlefield.

Even women and teenagers joined the battle to protect their motherland.

Emperor Ashoka won the war (c. 261 BCE), but the battle was so fierce and the bloodshed he witnessed changed his heart, and he transformed from Chanda Ashoka (war mongering Ashoka) to Dharma Ashoka (peace lover).

( Dhauli Shanti Stupa, Bhubaneshwar)

This city's cultural heritage is vibrant and unparalleled on the Indian subcontinent, making it a popular tourist destination.

Classical Odissi dance, handicrafts, sand arts, and sculpturing are representations of Odia culture.

Odissi is a classical dance form from the state of Odisha in eastern India.

Odissi is one of the ancient eight surviving classical dance forms of India (Sangeet Natak Akademi).

Odissi is thought to be the oldest of the surviving Indian classical dances, according to archaeological findings.

The ancient Sanskrit classic ‘Natya Shastra,’ the sacred Sanskrit literature on performing arts, provides the theoretical foundation of Odissi.

The classic Natya Shastra refers to it as Odra-Magadhi.

Odissi dance lives on in the ancient temple sculptures of Odisha and archaeological sites related to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

(Odissi dance)

Bhubaneswar is the hometown of the world famous Odissi dance.

555 dancers from 5 nations, both boys and girls, presented an Odissi performance at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar on December 23, 2011.

The Guinness Book of World Records has recorded this achievement.

Only Odissi, an Indian dance form, was featured in Michael Jackson’s 1991 hit single Black or White.

Mahari is an Odisha dance form that was once performed by devadasi dancers known as maharis at the temple of Lord Jagannatha in Puri.

The word mahari comes from the Sanskrit word maha-nari, which means ‘great lady.’

The modern classical dance form of Odissi was born from Mahari dance.

Bhubaneswar Population

According to the 2011 Indian census, Bhubaneswar had a population of 837,737, with 445,233 males and 392,504 females. The Sex Ratio of Bhubaneswar is 890 and its child sex ratio is 906.

Density

In 2011, the density of Bhubaneswar was 2,131 people per square kilometre.

Literacy Rate

• The literacy rate in Bhubaneswar is 93.15 percent. 

• Which is higher than the national average of percent 74.04. 

• The male literacy rate is 95.69 per cent, while female literacy is 90.26 per cent.

Religion

• With 95.21 percent of the population, Hinduism is the majority religion in Bhubaneswar.

• Islam is the second most common religion in Bhubaneswar, with 3.29 percent of the population.

• In Bhubaneswar, 0.92 percent of the population is Christian.

Language

• Odia is the primary language spoken in the region.

• The majority of residents, however, understand English and Hindi.

• The city is also home to migrants from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand.

Bhubaneswar population Table

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Governance and Politics

Civic Administration

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) provides a better quality of life for the residents of Bhubaneswar.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is responsible for the city's 67 wards' civic amenities.

Each ward elects a BMC Corporator for a five-year term.

The responsibilities of BMC include Health & Sanitation, Slum Development, Disaster Management, City Beautification, Citizen Services, Efficient Solid Waste Management, Underground Sewerage System in the city, Efficient Urban Planning and Development, Online Services, Vending Zones and Parking Zones.

Holding taxes, advertising taxes, rent from municipal assets such as markets, shopping malls, and kalyan mandaps (marriage halls), fees and usage charges, and grants from state and central governments are the main revenue sources for BMC.

Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha Constituencies:

• Residents of Bhubaneswar elect one member of Parliament (MP) to India’s Lok Sabha, and 

• three members (MLAs) to the state legislative assembly, through the constituencies of Bhubaneswar Central, Bhubaneswar North and Ekamra-Bhubaneswar.

Judicial

• The Bhubaneshwar has lower courts.

• The Sessions Court, which deals with criminal cases.

• The Court of Small Causes and the District Civil Court, which deal with civil cases.

Police Institutions

• The Bhubaneswar–Cuttack Police Commissionerate was established in 2008.

• Commissionerate Police is a city police force with responsibilities for maintenance of law & order, prevention & detection of crime, maintenance & promotion of communal/societal harmony.

Economy

• Bhubaneswar is a city that is known for its administrative, tourism sectors, education and information technology.

• Tourism is an important sector, with 1.5 million visitors in 2011.

• The World Bank declared Bhubaneswar the best place to do business in India in 2014.

• Since 1996, Infosys and Tech Mahindra have had offices in Bhubaneswar.

• Wipro, IBM, TCS, Genpact, Firstsource, Mindtree, Ericsson, Semtech, Reliance Communications, AnantaTek, and SA Intellect are among the other software firms.

Education

Bhubaneswar is the education hub of Eastern India, with a number of government and privately funded universities and colleges.

Some of the country’s elite institutions are located in Bhubaneshwar city, including:

• IIT Bhubaneswar,

• AIIMS Bhubaneswar,

• NIFT Bhubaneswar and

• NISER Bhubaneswar.

Bhubaneswar’s Utkal University is Odisha’s oldest university and India’s 17th oldest university.

Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sainik School D.A.V. Public School, Sai International School, Stewart School, St Joseph's High School, KISS School are some of the city’s notable schools.

Some of the other notable institutions in Bhubaneshwar city are:

• Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB),

• Institute of Physics,

• Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (off campus in collaboration with Indian Oil and IIT Kharagpur).,

• Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (IMMT) (formerly, Regional Research Laboratory(RRL), Bhubaneswar),

• Institute of Information Technology, Bhubaneswar (IIIT-BH).,

• ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA).,

• Regional Institute of Education.,

• Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), the second in the country after Gwalior, was established in 1996.,

• Institute of Life Science (ILS).,

• Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).

• Institute of Mathematics and Applications (IMA),

• College of Engineering and Technology.,

• Dr. Abhin Chandra Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital,

• Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) (formerly known as Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET))

• Utkal University of Culture.,

• BJB Autonomous College, and

• Ramadevi Women's University.

Some of the leading private institutions in the city are:

• KIIT University and

• Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan University.

Transport

Cycle:

'MO CYCLE,' is Bhubaneswar’s official Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) system, launched by the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) to provide public transport services in the city of Bhubaneswar.

The PBS system is operated and managed by CRUT, Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL) and three private operators-YULU, YAANA and HERO-HEXI.

Around 400 cycle stands have been set up across the city.

The project aims to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the city.

Using MO CYCLE is easy. Simply download the MO CYCLE app, hire a bicycle, ride it where you like, and then return it to your nearest PBS station.

Bus

“Mo Bus (My Bus)" is a public transport bus service run in Bhubaneswar.

Mo Bus service provides internal public transportation as well as connects to nearby cities such as Cuttack and Puri.

Baramunda Bus Terminal (ISBT) is the city’s largest bus terminal, covering 15.5 acres and serving both interstate and intercity bus operations. Almost 800 buses operate from this terminal every day.

Bhubaneswar is connected to cities throughout Odisha as well as the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh by OSRTC and private operators.

(Mo Bus)

Railway

The railway station in Bhubaneswar (BBS) is one of the most important in the Indian railway network.

Bhubaneswar is the headquarters of the East Coast Railway.

It has daily express and pas bysenger trains that connect it to major cities, as well as daily service to all metro cities.

New Bhubaneswar railway station (BBSN) is a satellite passenger terminal that is located on the northern side of the city between Mancheswar railway station and Barang railway station .

Airport

Bhubaneswar Airport is also known as Biju Patnaik International Airport (IATA: BBI, ICAO: VEBS).

It is located approximately 3 kilometres from the city centre. It is the only international airport in Odisha.

It is named after the famous freedom fighter, ‘Bhoomi Putra’ of Indonesia, a great leader, true son of Odisha, daring pilot-patriot of India and former Chief Minister of the state, Biju Patnaik.

Bhubaneswar is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Vishakhapatnam and Hyderabad via regular domestic flights.

Bhubaneswar has international flights three times per week to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

Air India, Indigo, AirAsia India, Vistara, GoAir and AirAsia Berhad are the major airlines that fly from Bhubaneswar.

Auto rickshaw and Taxi

The local transport in Bhubaneshwar includes buses, auto rickshaws, taxis and cycles.

In Bhubaneswar, auto rickshaws are one of the most common types of local transportation. Auto rickshaws can be hired or shared throughout the city.

For female passengers, a pink auto rickshaw is an alternative to traditional auto rickshaws. After legal verification and documentation, the auto rickshaws are driven by trained professionals.

Taxis are easily available in Bhubaneswar for hiring purposes.

They are available both for local and long-distance travel. For short trips, many tourists use app-based auto rickshaws and taxi services like Ola, or book a car and a driver for the entire day.

Where to stay?

Bhubaneswar provides hotels and lodges for all segments of visitors. It is not difficult to find good budget hotels in Bhubaneswar. There are several places where you can stay. From Star Rated Hotels to OTDC Government Hotels. Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) is a Government of Odisha undertaking operating the largest chain of hotel popularly known as “Panthanivas” in the state of Odisha. 

(http://www.panthanivas.com/)

Sports

The Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, is a multi-purpose stadium. It is centrally located in Bhubaneswar.

Kalinga Stadium is Bhubaneswar's main sporting venue, with facilities for hockey, athletics, football, basketball, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, Wall climbing, badminton, rugby and swimming.

An eight-lane synthetic athletics track, high-performance centres, and India's first Olympic-standard pink and blue water-based AstroTurf are among the stadium's other features.

Bhubaneswar is known as India's "Sports Capital" because of the large number and variety of sporting events it hosts, as well as its commitment to developing future talent.

According to a survey conducted in 2021, Bhubaneswar was ranked 3rd among India's top five sports cities in terms of a world-class sporting ecosystem and the ability to host mega sporting events. 

The Odisha government's ground-breaking agreement with Hockey India is unprecedented in Indian sports.

Everyone was surprised when Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik revealed the big partnership with Hockey India at a grand ceremony in New Delhi in early 2018.

"Hockey in Odisha is more than a sport. It’s a way of life, especially in our tribal regions, where children learn to walk with hockey sticks. The support for hockey by Odisha is a gift to the nation," the Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik said.

"No wonder Odisha has produced India’s finest hockey talent. This is a first where a state government will not just be promoting a sport within its boundaries but will also support and nurture India hockey. This is Odisha’s gift to the nation," he added.

The government of Odisha signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with Hockey India.

This is for the first time a state is sponsoring a national hockey team.

Narinder Dhruv Batra, President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Indian Olympic Association (IOA), said "Delhi is the capital of India and Mumbai is its financial capital. Bengaluru is the IT capital. For me, Bhubaneswar is the sports capital".

Odisha has produced great hockey players like Dilip Tirkey, Ignace Tirkey and Lazarus Barla in the past.

A golden throw! Neeraj Chopra, a gold medalist in the javelin throw, practised at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

At the Olympics, Neeraj became India's first track & field gold medalist.

The only international cricket ground in Odisha, Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, is about 16 miles (25 KM) away from Bhubaneshwar.

Major international sporting events at Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneshwar:

Athletics

Asian Athletics Championships : 5 – 9 July 2017.

Hockey

• 2023 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup : 13 to 29 January 2023 (upcoming).

• 2020–21 Men's FIH Pro League : 18 January – 24 May 2020.

• 2019 Men's FIH Olympic Qualifiers :1 mi– 2 November 2019.

• 2019 Women's FIH Olympic Qualifiers : 1 – 2 November 2019.

• Men's FIH Series Finals : 6 – 16 Jun 2019

• 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup : 28 November – 16 December 2018.

• Men's FIH Hockey World League :1 – 10 December 2017.

• 2014 Men's Hockey Champions Trophy : 6 – 14 December 2014.

Rugby

Asia Rugby U18 Girls Sevens championship : 26 – 28 October 2018.

Football

• Women's Gold Cup : 9 – 15 February 2019.

• 2021 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup : Cancelled (due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

• 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Second Round :TBD.

Tennis

INDIA F1 FUTURES : 26 February – 4 March 2018.

High Performance Centres (HPCs) at Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneshwar :

• Abhinav Bindra Targeting Performance (ABTP).

• KJS Ahluwalia and Tenvic Sports High Performance Centre for Weightlifting.

• Dalmia Bharat Gopichand Badminton Academy.

• JSW Swimming High Performance Centre.

• Naval Tata Hockey Academy (NTHA).

• Odisha Aditya Birla and Gagan Narang.

• Reliance Foundation Odisha Athletics High Performance.

• Khelo India State Centre of Excellence (KISCE) for Athletics, Hockey, and Weightlifting.

• AIFF High Performance Centre.

• Shooting High Performance Centre.

• SAI Regional Badminton Academy.

• Udaan Badminton Academy.

Bhubaneswar at a glance:

• Country: India

• State: Odisha

• District: Khordha

• Languages (official): Odia, English.

• PIN: 751xxx, 752xxx, 754xxx.

• Altitude: 45 meters.

• Coordinates: 20.27°N and 85.84°E

• Winter temperature: 15° C – 18° C

• Summer temperature: 30° C – 40° C

• Average Rainfall: 220 mm

Important links:

https://odisha.gov.in (Government of Odisha)

https://odishatourism.gov.in (Odisha Tourism)

https://bhubaneswarcuttackpolice.gov.in (Bhubaneshwar Police)

http://capitalhospital.nic.in/ (Capital Hospital)

Emergency Response Support System (ERSS):

'Dial 112' a toll-free number for all emergency services including police, fire, ambulance,women, health and elderly persons.

References

1. 'Temples of Orissa' by Dr. Prasanta Kumar Ray (Archeologist)
2. https://odishatourism.gov.in (Odisha Tourism)
3. https://bhubaneswarcuttackpolice.gov.in (Bhubaneshwar Police)
4. https://odisha.gov.in (Government of Odisha)
5. Wikipedia
6. https://www.bmc.gov.in (Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation)

Thank You.

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