One of the most rewarding things about my job lately has been the opportunity to travel “off the beaten path” to rural and lesser known areas of India, and see how these states are harnessing and developing their tourist potential and presenting their cultural heritage to the world. I feel blessed and privileged to not only experience it, but also to do my bit to promote their attractions.
Late last year, I went to Bihar, and visited the Sonepur Fair and Bodhgaya. Last week, I was in Orissa (recently renamed Odisha) to attend an international conference exploring the state’s potential as a destination for Buddhist tourism. Similar to Bihar, Odisha is one of India’s poorer states, but is gradually emerging.
As many of you will know, my husband’s parents come from Odisha and until now I’d never been there (and indeed it’s been more than two decades since my husband has been there, although his parents often go), so the trip had extra meaning for me. As well as discovering Odisha’s important but largely unknown Buddhist heritage, I was also looking forward to discovering my husband’s heritage — it was long overdue!
In addition, on my trip I got to meet a long-time reader of my blog, Professor Chitta Baral, also from Odisha but now living in the US (he runs the Odisha Links website). Professor Baral was instrumental in facilitating the conference on Odisha’s Buddhist heritage, and Odisha Tourism did a magnificent job of holding it right near the Buddhist sites (not an easy task, as they’re located around two hours drive from Bhubaneshwar) for extra effect.
As I discovered at the conference, what’s particularly exciting about Odisha’s Buddhist sites — made up of the “Diamond Triangle”: Ratnagiri, Udayagiri, and Lalitgiri — is that not only do they have some unique features and major historical significance, they’re so newly excavated that they’re yet to appear in any text books. Odisha Tourism has spent the last couple of year developing tourist facilities around the Buddhist sites and is now introducing them to Buddhist scholars, monks, and the travel sector.
The sites consist of a series of monasteries, temples, shrines, stupas, and sculptures of Buddhist images. As well as this, the excavations turned up objects including three relic caskets (two containing small pieces of charred bone) found inside the stupa at Lalitgiri. They’re presumed to have belonged to the Buddha himself, or one of his prominent disciples. It was fascinating to wander around the sites and let my mind imagine what it was like there long ago, during the life and times of the Buddha.
While I was in Odisha, I was also fortunate to spend some time exploring the city of temples, Bhubaneshwar (although delightfully, it felt more like a village, coming from Mumbai). Apparently, there are more than 700 temples in the city, mostly dedicated to Lord Shiva. I saw a handful of them, and was impressed by their intricate carvings and immaculately maintained grounds.
Perhaps what I loved most about Odisha was the lack of crowds, which made it possible to peacefully enjoy the sites and soak up their ambiance. Early morning at the tantric cult Yogini temple, shrouded in fog while the temple priest performed a puja, was an experience that was almost out of this world.
Odisha also has a wonderful folk and tribal culture, which is rich in the arts and handicrafts.
Strangely enough, even though Odisha was very unfamiliar to me, I felt like I’d already been acquainted with it. It was comforting hearing everyone speaking Oriya and sounding just like my mother in law, even if I didn’t understand any of it. I can’t wait to go back, this time taking my husband with me.
Here are a few photos from my trip. You can see all my amazing Odisha photos in this Facebook Album, or on Google+. Detailed articles will be coming soon on my About.com India travel site!
Near the Buddhist sites.
Paddy fields on the way.
Udayagiri Buddhist stupa complex outlook.
Excavated ruins with rock cut Buddhist images.
Presiding Buddha at Udayagiri monastry complex.
Ornate shrine chamber at Udayagiri, and me.
Closeup of carvings.
Traditional performers blowing conch shells to welcome delegates to the conference.
Inside the conference.
Dance performance at the conference.
Priceless Buddhist relic caskets, found in the stupa at Lalitgiri, on display.
Lingraj temple complex grounds in Bhubaneshwar.
Muktesvara temple in Bhubaneshwar.
Early morning at Yogini temple, near Bhubaneshwar.
Temple bells.
Sitting in the Yogini temple.
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{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow Sharell ! Great photos, great article !
As always, looking good in desi-wear !
Guess you’re saving Konark for your next trip to Odisha !
Hear they also have some nice beaches in Odisha.
Thank you!
Konark is one of the things to see next. I also want to go to the Raghurajpur handicraft village, Chillika lake, and a few beaches. Chandipur beach is supposed to be great. There’s also Gopalpur-on-sea (they’re at extreme ends of the state). And did you know, there’s even an annual Surf Festival in Odisha!
Shaell,
You will enjoy all the places you listed (if things remained the same from when I visited). I visited Konark, Jagannath temples, Chilika Lake and Gopalpur beaches as part of our family vacation to Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. During this trip we also visited Bodh Gaya, Rajgirh, the hot spring near it (I forget the name) and Calcutta (around late 80′s). This was during my high school years after learning about architectural styles in India in my history lessons.
This was my first trip to a non south Indian city and it proved to be a valuable cultural experience. For the first time in my life I experienced the serenity that Buddhism had to offer, admired the intricate carvings and grandeur of the Konark and Jagannath temples, experienced my first tram and metro rides in Calcutta and was awed by the Howrah Bridge and Victoria Memorial.
Chilika Lake was very beautiful back then and we went on a local fisherman’s simple boat. We had to work our way through brackish waters to get into the boat. Being a teen, I secretly cursed my father for not having us board a “docked motor boat or ferry” where I could still have my footwear on. But looking back I think this adventure and lack of the engine noise made it peaceful and memorable. The birds and wildlife we saw were truly magical.
We stayed in an OTDC guest house “Panthanivas” and enjoyed fried fish (the only time I ever ate or enjoyed fish) after that adventure. This was also my first time seeing an albino peacock (for that matter any real peacock) which was caged in the guest house. It was early monsoon and I would spend hours watching them spread their feathers.
I hope all these places have not deteriorated over the years. Please do update your experiences….I really want to see through your lens, how much has changed in these two decades.
Great post, Sharell ! What places would you recommend to someone interested in exploring Buddhist sites/Buddhism in India?
Well, I would say Bodhgaya (where the Buddha became enlightened) as the number one place. There are plenty more important Buddhist sites in Bihar, I’ve listed many of them here: http://goindia.about.com/od/spiritualplaces/tp/Bihar-Tourist-Attractions.htm
If you simply want to do a Buddhism related course, Dharamsala/McLeod Ganj (in Himachal Pradesh) has a lot of offerings. As you might be aware, the headquarters of the Tibetian Buddhist community in exile is there. It’s also home of the Dalai Lama.
Thanks for the information. I even read about the Buddhist Rail Tour packages that you have written a blog about. However, I find them to be very expensive (10 day tour – $185 per night). Are you aware of any cheaper bus/train packages for local Indians interested in Buddhism. I would love to do one when I visit India.
Unfortunately not. I don’t think there’s a lot of demand for that sort of thing from Indians, who don’t venture past their own religion. I’ll let you know if I come across something though!
Thank you. I was born in a Jain family, but I see something positive in every religion.
Me to! I’m not religious in that I don’t belong to a particular religion, but I like to explore the teachings of all.
Hi Sharrel,
Did you go to Puri to the Jagganath Temple. It is said that the visit of Orissa is incomplete without a visit of the Lord’s temple and eating the prasad. Do visit it next time with your husband and seek his blessings.
My earliest memories of Orissa are very pleasant. It was a different world, unspoilt and innocent. People were simple and religious in Puri. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Udaygiir and Khandagiri, the tour guide indicated that the caves had different shaped some resembling gods and goddesses and some like animals like frog and tiger. There were so many beautiful temples. I remember there was a zoological park called Nandankanan. Each evening we went to sea, and watch artists create sand sculptures. The prasad of the Jagganath temple was divine, sweet, sour and everything in between. Prices were reasonable and none of the rudeness and fenitic pace of Delhi. All in all a beautiful experience.
A little clarification. Buddhism is India’s and Indians own religion, though a minority religion.
Obviously… the Buddha was born in India and became enlightened here. I think you are aware that I am referring to the majority of Indians who are not Buddhist.
BTW I was confused what was more pretty, the intricate carvings or the lady in black salwar kameez.
“Ornate shrine chamber at Udayagiri, and me.” why do i love that sentence? lol:)
Gorgeous photos, Sharell! What a dream job!
Speaking of architecture, I also noticed during my trip to rural Orissa, that many houses had carvings of fish on their main entrance doors. These houses were old and stately with grand entrances made with heavy wood and intricately carved wood work. It was interesting to note how the environment dictated their architecture which was quite different from the old stately homes of South India.
To discover these you have to take the off the beaten track. We were lucky to visit the ancestral home of our close friend and that is when I noticed such richness even in every detail.
Great post and great photos, Sharell ! I think you said before you expected the place to be full of bigotry, but it looks like a clean serene place. I think your photographing skills are getting better and better. I’d love to go to that Yogini temple sigh.
It’s great that you found out about your husband’s origins. Have you triggered his interest to go there ?
It could possibly be that I would have a different experience if I travelled with my husband rather than appearing as a simple foreign tourist. I acted how they expected me to act…. I’m not sure how they’d deal with us as a couple! My husband is happy that I liked it there, but is still reluctant to go. He has their “village mentality” stuck in his mind, but in cities it could be different. I think I could convince him to come with me. I need his language translation skills there!
Oh, and thanks for the encouraging words about my photography!
Beautiful photos and temples! Thank you for sharing them. I’ve loved all the Buddhist wats and temples we’ve visited in SE Asian countries, and need to explore more Buddhist influence in India some day.
I am so thrilled that you finally made it to Orissa and loved it. It is one of my favourite places in India, and a world away from the chaos of Mumbai. Next time, I hope you make it to see the Konark Temple and down the coast to Chilika Lake. Great photos too!
Hi Sharell,
My in-laws are from Orissa as well (bhubaneswar). It was the first time I saw the state with a different perspective, last december.
I would also highly suggest Raghunathpur (an artists’ village) and Chandrabagha beach – they are not touristy but there is an charm and I just cannot seem to get over it!
I intend to share my experiences there as well. Sometimes, the journey can be so enriching, transitioning from one city to another, meeting people along the way and walking barefeet in the paddy fields.
Beautiful photos!!
the one photo of you reminds me of lady di at the taj: “Odisha of the broken-hearted”?; speaking of wish saw your book in Landmark yesterday; even thought 70 percent off i read alot of it in the bookstore; hope youre not mad? lol:)
Hi Sharel,
….
Have been following your blog since few years now with a great interest, yet have never posted anything. I am married to my Indian husband since past 7 years now, and he is from Orissa (Rourkela)!
We do currently live in Canada, and I have not ever been to India yet, neither have met anybody from his family unfortuately…We have been trying to go since past few years, but something always came that we had to postpone. I have to admit, I also have been quite hesitant of going there…because of the unknown factor of it all, and I guess sense of insecurity….I thank you for the insight though and for motivation in your stories… It gives me more courage
Oh, my sister in law used to live in Rourkela (she got married and moved to Orissa, but she’s back in Mumbai now). Don’t worry, there’s a lot to like in Orissa.
Sharell, you’ve thrilled the history buff in me! Thank you for showing me my own beautiful country–I truly appreciate it!
First off, I feel compelled to offer a compliment. Your dress suits you perfectly. And I feel the overall look you present in the first photo suits you perfectly. You come off as elegant.
I know that critiquing is easy, and any fool with an opinion can do it, but please do these sort of write ups where you go to states in India where you haven’t been or have not fully explored. it is very intriguing to read about your experiences and provides a unique perspective on an alien culture for me.
Hi Sharell,
Saw your blog while doing a google and found it interesting.Am an Indian punjabi fella living and working in S.Korea.Travelled places including perth and enjoyed the beaches and the pinnacles as well as the white sandy bus rides.You are gorgeous and indeed your indian man is a lucky dude. Do you have a look alike sister or a friend who’s single ? -lol.
ciao
Haha, no, unfortunately I’m an only child. My parents decided they only wanted one kid — if only they knew that I’d turn out well and there would be demand for more like me, hey!
I am available and live in the us.
Hello Sharell,
Just today I found out about this blog. I must say that I’ve become a fan instantly after reading your blogs. Its funny and engaging. I love the way you describe little things with so much passion. And 1 more thing, I being an Odia, I am extremely happy and proud that you’re an “Odia ghara bahu”.
-Santosh
Hey Santosh, a big welcome to you (especially since you’re from Orissa!).
I’m so glad you like my blog. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy it too. I do write from time to time about things that are part of Oriya culture and my experiences.
A nice post indeed, my wife showed it to me and we were cracking up, because I am an Odia from Cuttack, Odisha and she’s a white Canadian from Kitchener-Waterloo, ON. We do follow your blog and she feels a lot connected to it. Next time you visit Odisha, try the Konark, Puri sector inc. chilika; no doubt it’s a bit over rated but still there’s a lot in it to see, feel and enjoy. The Western, Northern & Southern Odisha have lots of beautiful, enchanted and serene places as well, unfortunately they have to face their share of the tourism department’s “gross negligence” and hence not recommendable.
Having visited Hirapur’s 64 yogini, I guess you would have visited Dhauli as well. Though there isn’t much to see in Dhauli, compared to Ratnagiri-Lalitgiri sector other than, the feeling of peace and tranquility, but a place close to Dhauli called “Sisupalgarh” is a treasure trove and so are the Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves of Bhubaneswar.
Once again, Thanks a lot for your blog it touches the right chord, especially among expats and/or people who are connected to India in some way or the other. I hope your next trip to Odisha, will be a great one as well.
Regards
Sam & Mel