It is famous for the Golden Triangle meaning three significant places close to one another which visitors should see and experience. They are Bhubaneswar ( capital of Orissa ), Puri with its long white beach and the Lord Jagannath’s “car race” of Rath Yatra and Konark wherein the Sun Temple ( a World Heritage site) is situated.
Another highlight of Orissa is the so-called Adivasi who comprises the indigenous peoples of the place equivalent and which members twenty five percent (25%) of the total population.
We visited several temples in Bhubaneswar. We learned that Lingaraj Mandir is the biggest. Non-hindus could not enter the place although there is a viewing platform for us to see substantial part of the temple. (In hindsight, this is where a Caucasean took picture of us without consent while the guide was in the act of taking my picture which may not be proper,)
All Orissan temples including Unganah Mandir (as cited above), Jagannath Mandir (Puri) and Sun Temple in Konark follow similar architectural patterns.
There are two structures: the jagamohan (assembly hall); and the deul, where the image of the temple deity is kept and above which the tower rises.
In other temples, there are additional halls before the assembly hall like the bhoga-mandapa (hall of offering) and natamandir (dancing hall).
On our way to Puri, we passed by Dhauli which is a famous historic place where Ashoka converted himself to Buddhism after killing thousands in the battlefield.
We visited thereafter Konark to see the Sun Temple. Most of the carvings are presentations of erotic positions.
According to the guide, eroticism or the acts described in Kamasutra are healthy to purify the minds of the faithful before entering the temple.
Being a married man before, it could be true as there appears the feeling of being liberated from tension after sex.
At Puri, we visited the biggest temple called Jagannath Mandir – which is popular as all hindus are allowed to enter without any caste distinctions.
Jagannath is a key of the universe, which is the reincarnation of Vishnu.
Our guide further explained that the reason behind the appearance of Jagannath which is likened to a circle with a pair of round eyes together with his siblings came about in view of the manifestations to some faithfuls that He would appear in the form of logs.
It is my aspiration to see the indigenous peoples but I could not do so because of the distance involved and time constraint. We were able, however, to visit the Museum of the Indigenous Peoples at Bhubaneswar.
We learned that there are sixty two (62) tribal groups which include the Kondh, Santal, Saura and the Bonda known as the “Naked People.”
I hope I could see their habitats. I bought also a big appliqué.