About Buguda Town, Its History, and Momentous Antiquities:

Buguda in Ganjam district is one of the less-explored and outstandingly beautiful spots of Odisha. The Buddhist circuit and archaeological remains belongs to Odisha’s rich cultural ancestry. The site gets its name from the Budhikhalo river that is the meeting point of old caves. The interesting thing is that the place adheres to Shaivism and Buddhism, having both Shiva temples and Buddhist images. Ganjam, the legendary treasure land in South Odisha, is the ideal mix of native beliefs, culture, and civilization. With time, folk music, art, and events have faded a bit, but here, it is still maintained in its original self. What really makes Ganjam Odisha unique is the small town of Buguda. The historic Biranchi Narayana temple in Buguda is famous as Odisha’s mural capital.

Have you heard of the Raja Srikar of Ghumsar? The art scholars and visitors must have heard, as his contribution specifically to art and culture is impeccable and can’t be forgotten. Srikar came to rule here in the year 1790, and after leading for about nine years, he disavowed to live the life of a true devotee of Lord Shri Rama. In that tenure, he got exposed to several mural heritage in Southern India. Once again, he started ruling and started experimenting with his deepest desire for murals, art, and his adored Ghumsar. The major project was the construction of stone and wooden Biranchi Narayana temple. The building has murals all over, and it looks so astonishing and breath-taking that it is said that the divine artist Viswakarma made it himself. In 1820, the temple was constructed. Over the time and years, the condition of the temple deteriorated a bit, but the remnants feel thankful to have the surfaces over where murals were drawn and painted. The thought-provoking aspects of Buguda murals are as follows.

• The fascinating attribute of the Buguda panels is that the murals are not in any sequence. It seems like the jigsaw puzzle or something really catching to look at if you see them. The irregularity in them depicts varieties and uniqueness, not making it too monotonous or predictable for others.    
• The highlight of the Buguda paintings is the landscape.
• The overlapping lobes on the edges of the hills in the four iconic Buguda panels are outlined in beautiful and striking hue and edges. They have curved cross-hatching and are populated with different distinctive plants and creatures. To name a few, it has bears, monkeys.

Recently, the educational and cultural services in Odisha have introduced the Buguda’s Biranchi Narayana temple open for all to render them with mesmerizing travel experience. It is undoubtedly Odisha’s best place to visit if you are a historical place aficionado. The best time to visit Buguda is in October to March. Though, tourists and visitors come by almost throughout the year as the land has so much to see, from wildlife to beaches to nature to temples to a lot more. It is preferable to come by here in Buguda in the daytime and do not miss out on trying out local cuisines made with so much love, fewer spices, amazing aroma, and full of taste. As it is about 167 km away from the capital city Bhubaneswar, you can opt for a car rental service from a reliable tour operator for convenience and comfort. The other major attractions that you can visit in the state close to Buguda are many. To name a few, it includes Lord Jagannath temple Puri, Radha Krishna temple, Sai temple, Puri beach, Gopalpur beach, Potagarh fort, Ujjaleswar, Taratarini temple, Chilika Lake, Aryapalli beach, Nalabana bird sanctuary. The destinations that lie close to Biranchi Narayana temple, Buguda, cover the following.

1. Daringbadi
2. Berhampur
3. Bhubaneswar
4. Cuttack
5. Puri

Are you excited now to unleash this small town in South India’s Ganjam district, Buguda – known for preserving the remarkable wooden and mural temples belonging to the early 19^th century? Discover this gem heritage, and do contact the Best Choice Holiday tour operator to make all the necessary arrangements, from travelling to staying to sightseeing and anything at best quotes. Do get to know the Orissa tour packages price, customize the itinerary if you feel like it, and be on an unforgettable travel experience to Buguda.

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Eastern India is one of the widely popular and sighted tourist destinations. Have you ever heard of the Golden Triangle tour package Odisha? The Golden triangle tour package covers the three most exquisite destinations to explore, Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Konark. And every tourist love to visit them again and again. It is one of the top 10 Odisha tour packages. Want to know more about the breathtaking Odisha tour packages itinerary, how to plan, and what to expect in the tour? A well-devised and planned tour to Odisha’s golden triangle is definitely going to be filled with ancient temple architecture, incredible historical sights, golden sand-dune pristine beaches, native migratory birds and species, a peek into tribal lives, and much more.

Odisha is famous as the land of the rising sun. Let’s explore more of the top-notch and preferable Golden Triangle Tour Package and why it would be worth experiencing to visit the places at least once in your lifetime. Depending on the time availability, one can plan a 4-day or a 6-day relaxing and comfortable trip to make the most of the tour package.

• Bhubaneswar – The capital city of Odisha, and the ancient temple city, having an airport and well-connected road connectivity, is the perfect point to start the tour. The car rentals and taxi services will make the trip even more enjoyable and simpler to move around to other spots. Do look for a morning flight or an early reach to the city so that by afternoon you can plan to visit tourist spots by getting enough time to settle in at your hotel. The temple city has thousand of ancient beautiful and historic temples presenting the rich heritage of India. A few must-to-visit temples include Lingaraja, Mukteswara, Rajarani, Parsurameswara, Bharateswar, Satrughaneswar, and Laxmaneswar. You can even plan to visit the handicrafts house, Odisha state museum, and the rich Buddhist heritage site that is Dhauli Hills. Situated at approximately 8 km away from the city, the Shanti Stupa at Dhauli holds a lot of prominence and followers of Lord Buddha.    

• Konark – From Bhubaneswar, it is a maximum 2-hours drive to Konark. The famous handicrafts village – Pipli, is in the route in between and is known for its exquisite applique artwork and unique souvenirs. Next, make sure to visit the 13^th century Konark Sun temple built by King Narasimhadeva I. Try visiting the temple during the early morning or evening and get the help of a guide to understand the history of the stunning ancient site. You can also shop for the amazing local handicrafts and art from different stalls on the way to the temple.

• Puri – From Konark, it is advisable to visit Puri following the simply breathtaking Marine drive route, admiring the awe-inspiring views of the sea, landscapes as well as casuarinas forests. The travel will be a maximum 1-hour drive. En-route, you can stop by at pristine Chandrabagha beach; a perfect beach lover stop to rejuvenate. Puri is one of the most famous religious centers of India and attracts tourists and visitors in large numbers every year. Undoubtedly, the major attraction is the Lord Jagannath temple. It is a huge temple, and it is preferable to look for some guidance from the priest to understand its importance. The travel agency or your hotel can also arrange a local guide. Many visitors prefer to visit the temple in the evening to attend the Dhwaja ceremony holding 800 years old history. The trained individuals climb atop to change the flag at the temple, and evening aarti is blissful. The different by lanes near the temple is another must stop by and check-out places to pick up souvenirs, knick knacks, sarees, and try out mouth-watering delicacies. A few must-try cuisines include mushroom pakora and biryani, Chhena Poda, matar ka paani, bhog – Khaja prasad, malpua, kheera puli, and many other delicious sweets around the temple. Another famous attraction is the Puri beach, and a must-visit spot to try out flavorsome and divine seafood at extremely cost-effective prices, enjoy by the sea and sand, and make moments with loved ones. At the beach, you can find numerous shops selling beautiful handicrafts and accessories made of seashells. If time crunch is not there, make sure to stop by at Raghurajpur village, a few kilometers away from Puri, famous for Patta Chitra artwork. Another must-visit destination from Puri is Chilika Lake, a well-known and fantastic bird’s paradise. The second biggest brackish water lake in the world attracts many travellers from every corner, especially honeymooners. You can even plan to opt for the Puri Jagannath temple tour package if you like to and spend quality time with family and friends. The itinerary can be customized according to the preference. The best way is to contact Best Choice Holiday tours for your comfortable and relaxing stay in Odisha.

The best time to visit Odisha is now, from December to March. So, book your Odisha tour packages and make your Golden triangle tour time one of the lifetime memories to cherish and enjoy.

The post Visit unexplored Eastern India’s Golden Triangle and make lasting memories first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

Museum tours may be considered boring, but it’s also a fact that museums are an amazing storehouse of a place’s history, heritage, tradition, arts, crafts, people, wildlife, and so much more. Bhubaneswar, Odisha’s capital city also has its share of excellent museums – some housing rare artifacts, some displaying exotic discoveries and others showcasing the precious pieces. One of the museums which nicely stands out from the rest in this city is the “Kala Bhoomi – Odisha Crafts Museum”.

Nicely tucked in a peaceful area of the city, the 13 acres museum display the spectacular masterpieces of Odisha’s craftsmen, and is a one-stop destination for exploring the state’s handloom as well as handicrafts. To celebrate and beautifully showcase the crafts, the museum has been divided into two blocks, features a display area, and also comprises of a live section. Right from entering, the museum looks enticing, as it has been constructed using laterite stone, which was primarily used in some of the oldest monuments and heritage structures of Odisha.

Featuring 10 galleries in the museum, 8 of which are open, the Kala Bhoomi campus even includes some impressive amenities. The galleries cover terracotta, traditional paintings, stone and wood carving, metal crafts, natural crafts, tribal crafts, pre-weaving techniques and cocoons. That apart, it also displays the brilliant handlooms of the state. The handlooms galleries display unique and antique raw materials and equipment as well as variety of Handlooms from across the state. Several handloom and handicraft items are very rare and over a 100-year-old. Besides, there is an outdoor amphitheatre, special workshop area, children’s play area, an outdoor canteen and a souvenir shop as well from where visitors can buy gorgeous souvenirs for their friends and family.

A unique feature of the museum is the outdoor display sections in the form of courtyards, dedicated to the tribal life. Temple architecture forms a part of the museum complex, while the entry courtyard which leads up to the museum has a special large container display section and also a Kuldevi temple.

Also, one of the best parts of this museum is that it doesn’t just educate visitors, it also engages them, by creating a dynamic and interactive learning experience within the premises. Visitors can engage in pottery or craft sessions, and have a hands-on experience, which cannot be found in any other museum.

To better experience the museum and to understand its intricacies, people can even ask for a guided tour which is free and open to all, and is available in English, Hindi as well as Odia languages. That apart, the museum also conducts a special curated Sunday Museum Walk at Kala Bhoomi, from 3:30 pm onwards.

Another great concept of this museum is “Friends of Museum” which enables people volunteer across multiple areas such as tours, knowledge generation, hospitality, activities, events, planning, management, security, and a lot more. Interested candidates can apply online from their official website.

With such amazing insights, the museum surely lives up to its vision to give people the chance to engage with the handicrafts and handlooms of Odisha in a bid to increase awareness and appreciation. To plan a tour book the Bhubaneswar Tour Package today.

OPENING HOURS
Mon – Sun: 1000 hrs – 17:30 hrs

Ticket Counter will close at 17:15 hrs.

Closed on specific National Holidays ( 2019 ):

6th October – Maha Ashtami
8th October – Vijaya Dasami
27th October – Diwali / Kali Puja

The post Kala Bhoomi Museum, Bhubaneswar – Why It’s A Must Visit For Art & Crafts Lovers first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.