Often named as Black Pagoda, The Konarak temple was built by King Narasimha of the Eastern Ganga dynasty in the thirteenth century. The temple is today known for its amazing legendary stories and unique Kalinga architecture. Konark Sun temple is located on the shores of Bay of Bengal and signifies the glory of the Sun God. The entire temple is in the form of a chariot for the Sun God with twelve giant wheels depicting the twelve months of a calendar and driven by seven horses resembling the seven days of a week. It has three significant sections known as the Sanctum with images of the sun god, Natyamandir or the area where the Devadasis’ used to perform their dances and Jagamohana. Mayadevi Temple and Vaishnava temple has also been discovered near the main temple. It is included in UNESCO as a world heritage site, unfolds many mysteries about the architectural excellence of those days.

This largest coastal lake of India and Asia’s largest in-land salt water lagoon enriched with picturesque view that soothes to your soul. This huge lake has many islands treasuring many beautiful assets. The migratory birds visit the Nalaban forests around the lake all the way from regions like Siberia for nesting during the winters, the lake also proudly flaunts the ‘Bird Island’ which is extremely popular amongst the tourists for its rich aquatic life and an impressive population of the native and the migratory birds. The Kalijai Island is famous for the temple of goddess Kalijai. Satapada houses the astonishing Chilika Dolphins in their natural abode. Parikud and Malud are the other islands while Brahmaputra is known for its scenic beauty.

The state capital has several names as per its treasures. From very old known as temple city Bhubaneshwar of Odisha is now got a new name as Smart city of India houses many places of tourist attraction. It is the site for many ancient temples, Bhubaneswar the prominent ones amongst them being the Lingaraj Temple, which was built in the medieval period, when the architecture was in its zenith in Odisha. Lord Shiva is worshiped in this temple made up of granites. The 7^th century Parshurameshwar temple is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar. The Rajarani Temple is popularly known as the love temple because of the graceful sculptors of females and couples carved on the temple wall. The 10^th century Mukteshwar temples are the classic examples of ancient Kalinga Architecture. The city also has a state museum showcasing coins, stone inscriptions paintings and other articles of historical significance. You can explore the art works of Odisha in the Handicrafts Museum of Bhubaneswar. The city also has many parks and a zoo for your kids.

Bhubaneswar is fortunate enough to have treasures like ancient Jain monuments which are turned as most popular tourist destination for world over tourists. Located at distance of 6 kilometers this is the site for the caves on the hilltops of Udayagiri earlier known as Kumari Parvata and Khandgiri known as Kumara Parvata. There are thirty three 2^nd century built caves built by King Kharavela of Chedi dynasty. Rani Gumpha, Hathi Gumpha, Bagh Gumpha and Ajanta Gumpha are the impressive caves, with symbols of Jain religion and paintings depicting the glory of the kings, on their walls.

Apart from the promising Jagannath temple, the Puri temple complex is home to vivid temples, ponds, old age trees and the amazing old new kitchen, which is believe to be world’s largest kitchen that serve Mahaprasad for everyone. Every day there is good rush to visit all these areas by the devotees and tourists to know more about Puri temple and experience amazing things.

If you want to go for a long drive then nothing is better than Puri-Konark Marine Drive Road. Get best scenic views, when you shoot the marine drive road of Puri-Konark. The place is very much attractive which causes most of the film makers love to have scenes for their filmshere. If you want to know more then go to local people as film makers are new to this place. So to get firsthand information like what to do, whom to contact will make things easy for them by get in touch with locals. Film makers can make things easy by choosing local people or even local companies at Bhubaneswar and Puri to work with for the best results.

PURI RATHA YATRA

Puri the spiritual land of Odisha is famous for many reasons but the prominent two are the Lord Jagannath temple and the Rath Yatra or the chariot festival. It is the only festival in Odisha that land Odisha in world tourism map. The famous car festival is one of the prominent annual festivals of Odisha that falls every year in the month of June / July. Best thing about this festival is, here every religion devotee get chance to see Lords in naked eyes, which was normally not possible inside the temple as other religion people are not allowed to see Lords within the temple. On the first day, all the three lords are coming out of the temple in their respectable newly built chariots and visit to another temple named as Gundicha temple for nine days. Nine days later, the journey is repeated in the opposite direction. If you want to enjoy this experience never give a miss to Rath Yatra at Puri.

In the Puri Rath Yatra the Lord and his siblings Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra – the deities enshrined in the Jagannath Temple, the most famous among the Temples in Puri, are carried in colorful procession every evening for 21 days to the Narendra Tank where they cruise in a bright decorated boat.

Toshali Sands offers amazing packages for Puri Rath Yatra Festival Tour for you so that you can have a hassle-free journey and accommodation in this most crowded city during that time. In gaiety and color, this festival stands next only to the Car Festival. Enjoying the Rath Yatra Tour, you can experience lots of color of this festival. On the full noon day of Jyestha (June), the Snana Yatra or the bathing festival is observed when the images in worship are actually brought out for public viewing before the festival of Rath Yatra at Puri. And you will be witnessing all this during your Rath Yatra Tour.

After the bathing festival, the deities spend 15 days in seclusion during which period they are repainted and prepared for the Jagannath Rath Yatra. The Rath Yatra of Puri is celebrated on the second day of the bright fortnight of Ashadha (June-July) and the deities are taken on a journey of around 3 Kilometers in stupendous and decorated chariots for sojourn in the Gundicha Ghar till the return Car Festival which is held 9 days later.

The chariot of Lord Jagannath, known as Nandighosa, is 23 cubits high and has 18 wheels. The chariot of Balabhadra, which is 22 cubits in height and has 16 wheels, is named Taladwaja. Devadalan the chariot of Subhadra, is 21 cubits in height and has 14 wheels.

The chariots are made anew every year in accordance with strict and ancient specifications and are pulled by several thousand devotees at a time. In terms of splendor and fervent devotion, the Rath Yatra in puri is one of the world’s most incredible spectacles.

Different Tour Packages for Puri Rath Yatra let you understand about Odisha culture and tradition and help you to have a very convenient and fruitful spiritual journey. So, go for Puri packages to achieve a great lifetime experience.

KONARK SUN TEMPLE

One of architectural marvel of Odisha that includes in the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Konark Temple. It is a treasure of Odisha tourism, includes in the most beautiful and sacred temples list dedicated to the God Sun. Every year, thousands of devotees and travelers from other parts of the world come here to pay homage and explore amazing architecture of the temple. This globally renowned Konark temple was constructed by using weathered ferruginous and oxidized sandstone in 13^th century on the instructions and wishes of King Narasimha Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. It was built to commemorate military successes against Muslim invaders.A perfect amalgamation of Odishan and Dravidian style architecture speak all about the Konark Sun temple in Odisha. Very close to the shoreline, this popular temple of Odisha makes the tourism popular at global level; while add another gem in the crown of Incredible India.

As far as the architecture of the sun temple Konark is concerned, it is designed and built in the form of a huge chariot of God. It feels like seven spirited horses of God are pulling it on twelve pairs of well decorated wheels. Interestingly, the entire complex of the Konark Temple also contains erotic sculptures seen in the globally renowned temples of South-India.

Entrance of the temple, guarded by two giant lions, leave a remarkable impression upon visitors and persuade them to speak something in the appreciation of the glorious Odisha temple. Moreover the Sun temple at Konark complex is spread in the area of 261 x 164 meters that is big enough to explore. On the other hand, the eastern entrance of Konark Sun Temple is an isolated pillared hall (also known as Bhoga Mandir) is built on a well decorated platform that is also considered as dance hall (Nata Mandira).

Interior of Konark Temple in Odisha is mind blowing that lures the attention of travelers from all parts of the world and persuade them to visit this historical Odisha temple again and again. Especially for those travelers who want to know the basics of ancient architecture of India, prefer to explore Konark Sun Temple at least once in their life. It is one a few kilometers distance from the famous Jagannath Puri temple and the Puri beach.

However, major part of the temple has converted into ruin, but traveler can see the real art of sculptures that are placed in the Sun Temple Museum. However, sculptures like military procession, hunting scenes, elephants uprooting trees, feeding young ones, men attempting to capture elephants, journeys, rows of athletes, lady cooking and more secular scenes of everyday life speak all about the rich and amazing architecture of ancient time.