Itineraries

Monuments of Orissa

From ancient times, Orissa is known for its unique school of architecture. Meticulously carved monuments following strict codes lay down by ancient religious texts and adorned with symbolical motifs of virtue and immorality. Cultivating a unique culture, numerous monuments of Orissa have been influential on its thousand years old history and heritage that stretches back to 2000 BC. From pre-historic caves, to exquisitely carved temples and monasteries,magnificent forts and palaces, Orissa is dotted with ancient monuments of distinct manner.

Prehistoric Caves of Orissa

The rock edicts in Dhauli, Jaugad and Sisupalgarh, excavation findings at Vikramkhol in Jharsuguda carrying rock engravings and murals, and rock edicts in Sundergarh, Sambalpur and Kalahandi exhibit fine prehistoric cave carving skills of Orissa 2000 years ago. The statuette of elephant in Dhauli is considered as the first ever three dimensional rock cut sculptures of India.

Jain and Buddhist Caves and monasteries in Orissa

Rock carvings on the wall panels at Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves on the contemporary life of first century BC; findings of effigies of Jain Tirthankaras and Sasanadevas with their emblems at caves in Puri, Keonjhar, Balasore and Koraput, Buddhist shrines of 261 BC to 12th century AD, including figurine of the Bodhisatva and Avalokiteswara and the monasteries proliferate in Lalitgiri, Udayagiri and Ratnagiri unveil monumental wonders of Buddhist and Jain monuments and monasteries flourished in different periods to enrich the Orissan style of architecture.

Temple Architecture of Orissa

Stepping ahead of the rigidity of the ancient grammar of architecture, Orissan school architecture thrived under the patronage of the Ganga dynasty between the 7th and the 13th century AD. The Lingaraj temple and the Mukteswar temple in Bhubaneswar, the Sun Temple at Konark, and the Jagannath Temple in Puri are some of the monuments demonstrating excellent sculptural skills of the ancient Orissan craftsmanship.

Apart from these world famous monuments and temples, the semi-cylindrical roof of the lopsided boat shaped Vaital Temple in Bhubaneswar the barrel shaped tower of Varahi temple and enshrining the images of Bhairav and the yoginis in the circular design roofless Chausathi Yogini Temple of Hirapur, the leaning temple of Huma, ruins of Shisupalgarh, the multi storey Barabati fort are unique in their stance.