It's time for 'Experiential Tourism' in Odisha

Odisha - The land of Lord jagganath is poised to take a giant leap into the realm of ‘Experiential Tourism’. Experiential Tourism today is a modern buzzword in the industry in the new millennium. be it for the discerning traveller, the quintessential neighborhood travel agent or the online marketplace. The whole Indian travel industry is excited about the options Odisha puts up for them as a business opportunity.

The options in Odisha are various and multidimensional to say the least. The basket of selection is exciting enough for the tourists and at the same time ensures good returns due to being away from the routine market. 

Be it the rare mass nesting phenomena of Olive Ridley turtle’s annual visitation in summer for laying their eggs, or visiting the Crocodile Sanctuary in mid-year and the tiger reserves stretching up to the romance of a peaceful weekend on the pristine waters of Asia’s largest brackish water lake with choice of sea food options - Odisha has it all. Winter months are decked up with events of national and international repute, which gives a tantalising effect to all the year-end holidays in he eastern parts of India.

Apart from the numerous and unique offerings that the various religious and cultural assimilation and Cult of Jagannath preach, the teachings of Buddha and age old traditions of more than 62 tribal cultures, co existing with modern civilisation is a must see in one’s lifetime.

Apart from the numerous and unique offerings that the various religious and cultural assimilation and Cult of Jagannath preach, the teachings
of Buddha and age old traditions of more than 62 tribal cultures, co
existing with modern civilisation is a must see in one’s lifetime.

Beautiful temples, entwined everyday life of the local community, present a feeling of security here, ensuring that Gods are omnipresent in the daily chores of life.

Apart from the Rath yatra every year, the process of change of Idols in Pun Jagannath Temple, which occurs every 19 years is perhaps the one and only such event in the world and is called the Naba Kalebara Festival. The chronology of events leading up to the change of idols is nothing short of any thriller, which has been a regular event through the centuries (since 12th Century).

Naba Kalebara is an ancient ritual associated with most of the Jagannath Temples when the Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced with the new set of Idols. The process of locating the trees for the required wood is as elaborate as the temples reputation. According to different secret protocols followed from time immemorial in the temple, the provision is there for changing of the deities. As the deities are made up of Neem tree basically, along with Musk, Sandalwood and many other rare combinations, they undergo change of ‘Vigraha’ before the ‘adhika ashaadha’ ends. Different ‘agama shastra’ followed in other parts of India for Lord Vishnu worship, such as Vaikhanasa also prescribe change of deities made up of wood under specific astrological combination, It is to be noted that the deities made of stone or metal need not be changed unless damaged, but the wooden deities are to be changed within specific gap of years and the supreme power must be installed from the old one to the new one, by secret rituals. 

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Love is a Place a Time

Lovers need escape, from prying eyes and city limits. In the season when romance is in the air, we bring you a list of 10 stunning destination that make for that perfect together getaway.

February is here. And, like always, it has brought along splendid weather, fragrant flowers and that special day of love—Valentine’s Day. Now is the time to shed the ennui and take of a 9-5 job and take a romantic break. To bond. To be away from everyone, everything. To find yourself. To know the other. To rekindle love. You google ‘romantic getaways’ and a million options pop in a jiffy. Too much information can be confounding. Don’t run to the travel agent who might get into touristy spiel. Don’t pick up the brochure and head to where everyone is heading. Explore something unusual. Do something different. Take your pick from pristine beaches and tropical islands, hill stations, mountains and the backwaters. You can chug along on a luxury train, huff up hiking trails, hold hands and hop into a hot air balloon, seek nirvana by the banks of turquoise waters... There is no dearth of options. As spring prepares to unfold its glories and love wafts in the air, here are some romantic getaway ideas for you.

Minicoy, Lakshadweep 

Minicoy is so small that you can actually hold hands and walk the entire island, which is 4.8 km long. Smack in the middle of a mighty ocean, this southernmost atoll of Lakshadweep is not a destination with a huge to-do list— Minicoy is a to-be place. 

Just be and watch time go by. But do go to see the 300-foot lighthouse and the Juma Masjid which has a collection of rare artifacts. The water is so clear that if you scuba dive 10 m, you can see marine life in natural light.

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Impressive Imphal

Imphal, Manipur’s capital city, is like any other small town —buzzing with a typical kind of energy. Movie posters and hoardings along the streets give an impression of the people’s growing aspirations. Stylish Manipuri girls zipping around on their two-wheelers are only a slight glimpse into a society that’s slowly transforming into a modern one. Book well in advance if you want good accommodation in the city’s one and only deluxe hotel, the Classic.

While in Imphal, make sure you visit the famous Khwairamband Bazaar (also known as Imma bazaar), an interesting local market run and operated solely by women. This is one place where even locals keep returning again and again for the best bargains and products ranging from freshly-caught fish to freshly-picked fruit, flowers like the lotus and vegetables straight from the farm. Begin your day early to catch the energy. I have had my best buys of herbs, kitchen ingredients and saplings of rare fruits from this market. This is also a perfect place to pick up knick- knacks and souvenirs. Handlooms and handicrafts are also available, though bargaining is essential.

Kangla Fort, considered the most important historical and archaeological site, is another place to spend time seeing. Located on the bank of the Imphal river, the fort is on a sprawling 200,000 acres of land in the heart of the city. It was built in AD 33 and was occupied by the British forces in 1891. Much later, it was occupied by the Garhwal Rifles and then the Assam Rifles until it was handed over to the people of Manipur in 2004. The only time I went was to show around a friend from overseas. In the process, I learnt about its historical significance and discovered the monuments and sites within the fort. The ruins of the citadel, deities of two Kangla Sha or dragons, ruins of the Uttra which is the ancestral coronation hall of the Manipur kings, are memorable sights.

There is another place where even locals love to go for nostalgia’s sake. This is the Polo Ground, not far from Kangla Fort. That Manipur is the birthplace of polo must never be forgotten. If you are lucky, you might just catch a polo match as some locals are reviving the game and even breeding the original ponies used for polo. 

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Ratnagiri - Footsteps of History

Set in idyllic environs, on the bank of the Keluo river, Ratnagiri is veritably a ‘Hill of Jewels’ with its sculptures and architectural structures that look magnificent even in ruins. The objects excavated point to Ratnagiri having witnessed a phenomenal growth in Buddhist art, architecture, culture and religion, and having been a great centre of Tantric Buddhism.

The focal points of the Ratnagiri ruins are the massive Stupa and Monastery 1. The mammoth stupa on the hilltop is encircled by several tiers of hundreds of votive stupas. The panoramic view of the pastoral Odishan landscape from here is stunning. A large number of fine sculptural figures dating from the fifth to the 12th centuries in terracotta, stone and ivory, plentiful Buddhist antiquities including bronze, copper and brass objects, and idols of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas produced by the lost wax technique, are part of the four-galleried museum in the excavated sprawl. The remains reveal the sculptural prowess of the artisans of the times who combined coloured chlorite stones to produce stunning pieces of art.

You will be struck by the gargantuan Monastery 1, the largest monastery excavated in Odisha. It is surrounded by a pillared verandah built around a courtyard which one enters through a spectacularly carved green doorway. The unique ceremonial gateway is the highlight of Ratnagiri and forms the high point of Buddhist decorative art in India. It leads to 24 brick cells, presumably for the monks. On the far end of the courtyard is the central sanctum adorned with an impressive giant statue of the Buddha in bhumisparsha posture. He is flanked by idols of Padmapani and Vajrapani. The massive stone sculptures of the Buddha’s head in various sizes are particularly awe-inspiring. 

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