My Visual Travel Experience: Bhubaneswar

In 2007, I got a chance to visit Bhubaneswar on work. As I always did whenever I got the opportunity, I clubbed my work with a weekend, and managed to stay in the city for three days. I visited some of the city's best known temples, and I also had an added incentive - back then, my cousin was living there with her British husband. It was great to spend time with them. And it was a delightful experience to see the city's ancient, yet beautiful temples!

Bhubaneswar is the capital of the eastern Indian state of Odisha. The city has a population of over 830,000 and is also popularly known as the Temple City of India, thanks to the large number of well known temples it boasts of. 

The history of the region can be traced back to the 7th century BC. Many of the city’s temples date back to the 7th to the 14th centuries, and are a beautiful example of Kalinga architecture. The Mauryan Emperor, Ashoka, annexed Kalinga in 262 BC. In subsequent centuries, the region was ruled by several dynasties – the Mahameghavahana Dynasty, the Satavahana Dynasty, the Gupta Dynasty, the Matharas Dynasty, the Shailodbhava Dynasty, the Keshari Dynasty (which ruled from the 7th century till the 14th century), and the Karrani Dynasty.

In the 16th century, the region came under Mughal control. In the mid 18th century, the Marathas came to power. In 1803, the British took control. The region was then a part of the Bengal Presidency (1803-1912), Bihar and Orissa Province (1912-1936), and Orissa Province (1936-1947). After India’s independence from the British in 1947, Cuttack was made the capital of Orissa.

Despite the region’s rich history, Bhubaneswar itself is a modern city. The German architect, Otto Konigsberger, designed it in 1946. In 1949, the capital of Orissa shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar. The decision was taken due to space constraints in Cuttack, and the city’s vulnerability to floods. Bhubaneswar is one of India’s few planned, modern cities, along with Chandigarh and Jamshedpur. In 2011, the name of Orissa was changed formally to Odisha. 

Lingaraja Temple is the city’s largest and best known temple. It has a 55 meter tall tower. The temple has a large complex wall, and there are a total of over 50 shrines inside. Lingaraja Temple dates back to the 11th century.

Lingaraja Temple

Rajarani Temple was built in the 11th century. It is also known as “Love Temple” because of the erotic sculptures of women along the temple’s pillars. The temple’s tower rises to a height of 18 meters. 

Rajarani Temple

Apsara, Rajarani Temple

Carved Pillar, Rajarani Temple

Mukteswar Temple is a 10th century temple. The temple has a distinctive torana, or entrance gateway, that makes it stand apart from other Bhubaneswar temples. The tower is 10.5 meters tall. The temple’s interior has beautiful sculptures of female forms, with nagas and naginis. 

Mukteswar Temple

Main Shrine, Mukteswar Temple

Gateway, Mukteswar Temple

Linga, Mukteswar Temple

Parasurameswara Temple dates back to the 7th century. It is one of the city’s oldest temples, and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has a tower that has a height of 12 meters. It is a ticketed monument, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). 

Parasurameswara Temple

Siddheshwar Temple dates back to the 10th century. It is situated within the premises of Mukteswar Temple. The sanctum sanctorum is dedicated to Lord Shiva, but the temple is also famous for a Ganesh idol. 

Siddheshwar Temple

I didn't get to see all the famous temples in the Temple City of India, but I did get to see some of the best known ones. The sheer beauty of the temples was mesmerising, and I was even more awe-struck when I discovered that the temples I saw were all around a thousand years old! It was also very heartening that the temples have been maintained well, and kept very clean. All in all, Bhubaneswar was a pleasure to visit.

My Visual Travel Experience: Venice

I've had the opportunity of visiting Venice on a couple of occasions. I went there as a teenager on a family trip in the late 1980s, and then I went for a few days in 2007. I was really taken in by this unique, beautiful city, with its unique canals and bridges, and its grand churches. On my first visit, I had my pouch around my neck, and my pouch had my passport and other valuables. As a restless teenager, I was on a gondola ride, and I started swinging my pouch around. It slipped from my hands and fell into the Grand Canal! Gosh, that could have had disastrous consequences, but the friendly gondola rider of the gondola behind ours managed to use his oar to fish out my pouch!

Venice is one of the world’s most unique cities. It has a population of about 260,000, and is situated in north-eastern Italy. It is built on a group of 118 small islands, separated by canals, and connected by 400 bridges. No vehicles are allowed in the city, and one has to go either by foot or by boat. Public transport in Venice means going in the boat “buses”! Venice is considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful and romantic cities, and is immensely popular with tourists. The city has been sinking at the rate of 1 to 2 mm per year, and this has been an area of concern.

The city was the capital of the Republic of Venice from 697 to 1797. In the medieval ages, Venice was a major centre for finance, trade, culture, music, and art. It was an extremely prosperous city, but it was devastated by the Black Death in 1348 and 1575-77, and by the Plague in 1629-31. The Republic of Venice was annexed in 1797 by the Austrian Empire after the Napoleonic Wars. In 1866, it became a part of the Kingdom of Italy. 

The Grand Canal runs through the city, and is the widest of Venice’s many canals. It ends in the sea, close to the city’s main landmark, St Mark’s Basilica. Venice has numerous churches, and St Mark’s Basilica is by far the best known. From the many bridges present in the city, Rialto Bridge is the most famous. The city is also known for the Doge’s Palace, close to St Mark’s Basilica, and several prominent museums. 

The world renowned St Mark’s Basilica has stunning Italo – Byzantine architecture. The church dates back to the 11th century. The church is famous for the Horses of St Mark, the interior based on a Greek cross, a series of domes, mosaics covering the interior, and the treasury. The basilica stands close to the end of the Grand Canal, where it meets the Adriatic Sea.

St Mark's Basilica

Mosaic, St Mark's Basilica

Mosaic of the Deposition, St Mark's Basilica

St Mark’s Square is a large public square outside St Mark’s Basilica. Besides the basilica, other landmarks along the large square include the 98 meter tall St Mark’s Campanile (the basilica’s bell tower), and St Mark’s Clock Tower (completed in 1499). At any time of day, the large square is full of tourists, and countless pigeons! There are many restaurants and cafes around the square.

St Mark's Square

St Mark's Campanile, St Mark's Square

St Mark's Clock Tower, St Mark's Square

Santa Maria della Salute is a Roman Catholic church built in 1687. The white coloured church has a large dome. The church was built after a major outbreak of the plague in 1630, where scores of Venetians were killed.

Santa Maria della Salute

San Giorgio Maggiore is a Beneditine church on San Giorgio island. The church was completed in 1610. From the campanile (Bell tower), one gets great views of Venice. 

San Giorgio Maggiore

San Giorgio dei Greci is a Greek Orthodox church, completed towards the end of the 16th century. The white coloured church has a dome and a bell tower. The interior boasts of some famous icons.

San Giorgio dei Greci

Santa Maria della Pieta is a church that was completed in 1760. It lies adjacent to the Doge’s Palace, near St Mark’s Basilica. The interior has fresco paintings by the famous Italian artist, Tiepolo. 

Santa Maria della Pieta

Vittoria Emmanuelle II Statue outside Santa Maria della Pieta

San Zaccaria is a church completed in 1515. The interior of the church has some prominent works of art by famous painters like Giovanni Bellini. 

San Zaccaria

Rialto Bridge is the oldest of the four bridges over the Grand Canal. The stone arch bridge was completed in 1591. Two covered ramps, full of shops, lead up to a covered portico. The bridge is a major tourist attraction.

Rialto Bridge

Ponte della Paglia is a bridge completed in 1847. The original bridge was built in 1360. The bridge offers a great view of the Bridge of Sighs.

Ponte della Paglia

The Venetian experience is incomplete without a romantic gondola ride along the city’s canals - gondola riders sing romantic Italian songs to couples.

Gondola Riders at St Mark's Square

Venice is truly fascinating. Yes, the city is not without its share of troubles, because it is often prone to flooding, plus the sheer number of tourists can be quite daunting. Still, the city has a charm like no other place. The city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is rightly known by various apt names, including "Queen of the Adriatic", "City of Water", "City of Masks", "City of Bridges", "Floating City", and "City of Canals". An unmissable experience indeed!