The annually held popular ‘Adivasi mela’ already kicked off from 26th January, on the 71st Republic Day evening at the exhibition ground in the Unit III area in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. This famous 15-day long Tribal Fair event was inaugurated by the honourable Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Mela is hosting different tribal art forms and cultural programmes with full enthusiasm and zeal. More than 180 stalls have been set up this year.

The Mela is showcasing tribal life, tribal food court, tribal market, forest produces, tribal agricultural produces and everything related and depicting the living of tribal people and different home-grown communities. At the event, there are around 24 mud houses backed with thatched roofs at the exhibition ground revealing more to visitors about tribal culture, day to day routine and lifestyle. The 28 stalls of self-help groups of the tribal people have been set up there at the location and about 36 stalls are there displaying varied handicraft items locally made by the people. The arrangement is been done and stalls have been set up by the State Government.

Being an initiative of ST and SCRTI Department, the Adivasi Mela is celebrated aiming to laud the art, handicrafts, dance and culture of Odisha’s integral, domestic and native communities. This 2020 Mela is definitely a huge crowd puller as genuine, attractive and affordable priced tribal organic items, food and jewellery is up for sale. In fact, after looking at the large footfall in the Mela, the Mo School Abhiyan Parichalana Sangathan has introduced a grand size exhibit at the event. It is displaying and showcasing the activities that were undertaken earlier by the Mo School Abhiyan. Beautiful and well-structured newsletters, backdrops, audio visuals, leaflets, and more are displayed at the exhibition to let people and everyone coming, know about the parents, students, alumni and feel free to connect, collaborate and contribute to their Alma as desired. Even, a picturesque selfie point is there for the visitors to rejoice the dream of the reckoned Mo School Abhiyan. Several tribal cultural performances have been added to add to the fun, glory and amazement of the Mela. Feel free to connect with Best Choice Holiday, a reliable travel agent and tour operator to make your arrangements to come to Odisha, stay in a comfy place and visit the worth-seeing Adivasi mela and other attractions of Odisha.

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Are you planning to enjoy and visit the widely popular and acclaimed Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav, celebrated at a large scale with so much grandeur and fun, on the foothills of Dhauli Shanti Stupa and foothills in Bhubaneswar, Odisha this year? The Mahotsav is celebrated in association with the renowned Odisha Dance Academy and the intent is to keep Odia culture, heritage, and traditions alive. A huge part of the land was formerly been recognized as Kalinga, which is seen as the place of brutal deaths and murders of martyrs during the time when Ashoka reigned. It is basically the destination where Ashoka thought to begin a non-violent, peaceful and isolated life. This Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav is basically celebrated to mark the win over war. The festival is celebrated to simply pay tribute and honour to all those martyrs belonging to the Mauryan dynasty and is visited not only by locals but also by national and international enthusiasts and visitors from all corners.

This Mahotsav is a perfect blend of classical, martial, folk and temporary genres of arts, everything at the single platform and definitely a visual treat for all connoisseurs and art lovers. This festival is known to be hosted since 2003 and over the period, it got fame and recognition like anything at both national and international levels. At present, the event is hosting more than 500 artists from all over, giving their talent and expertise a chance to showcase in front of others and get the real experience. The rich and worth seeing 3-day festival is a celebration and appreciation of beauty and strength of Odissi music and dance. Along with Odissi dance and music, tourists can check out different cultures and art forms of different states altogether and many a time, even foreign tourists also participate.

The venue, Dhauli foothills is by the Daya riverside and it is that place that is believed where Emperor Asoka fought his last battle of Kalinga war before giving up to humanity and embracing humanity. The private cab and auto facilities are available for travellers and their convenience. Also, feel free to contact Best Choice Holiday, a leading travel agent to make your trip to Dhauli Kalinga Mahotsav, sightseeing and visit to Odisha memorable, easy, comforting and as desired.

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The ‘City of Temples’, Bhubaneswar has a history of more than 2000 years and is a worth exploring destination indeed. Rajarani Music Festival is one of the events, which is going to be a lifetime experience for sure. The people of the state Odisha have always explicit their interest for innovation in any form. This amazing music festival held at the Rajarani temple complex is one of the events meant to cherish the origin and richness of the great Indian classical music. The evening concerts by the experts of Indian classical music simply fill the air with endearing bells. When the artisans play on their musical instruments, listeners get enthralled by the soul soothing and enriching music.

The highlights of the Rajarani Music festival covers the chance to see and hear the classical music legends, vocalists and instrumentalists who come at the same platform to perform and let others have the best of time. Also, music and dance enthusiasts who come by from different corners of the world to know the history to enjoy the music festival even can attend Mukteswar dance festival which is celebrated two days before this amazing event. Rajarani temple is an 11th century Hindu temple and is locally famous and regarded as the ‘Love Temple’ reckoned for its erotic sculptures and other images. Every year in January, the music festival is held here at the temple and it just comes to life with music recitals and dance performances attended by music and art lovers, musicians, tourists and research scholars from all around. The entrance of the temple, trees around are decorated with lamps, lanterns and lights making the music event as an eye treat and worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.

The famous Rajarani Music Festival is arranged by the Odisha Tourism Department in cooperation with Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy and Odisha Tourist Development Corporation. The start of the festival is usually by a traditional performance, and people who have interest in the music and dance can find it as one of the soothing experiences to cherish to. Do feel free to get in contact with the preeminent travel agent, Best Choice Holiday to make the relevant arrangements related to your visit to the city and attend the event.

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After a meeting, the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Pratap Jena stated that Sisir Saras has been an important part of the state’s cultural calendar that is held in every first two weeks of the month January each year. The annual Mela plays a pivotal part of the Government’s poverty alleviation programme that is organized in the city of temples annually. As stated by the Minister, ‘The fair provides ample of opportunities and a large platform for display of items and sale made by PGs and SHGs. The purpose is to build the market linkage and association of rural producers and urban consumers. This all is being arranged in linkage with the Odisha Livelihoods Mission, H and CI, Mission Shakti, KVIB, KVIC, and the Nabard.’ This mega event will provide a perfect glimpse of mini India. Silk and rot iron works, decorative flowers, bamboo crafts, handloom, winter garments from UP, household decorative and adorned items from Gujarat and Rajasthan, Tasar from Chhattisgarh and MP, home furnishing products and handloom from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, food items from Maharashtra, woollen dress materials from Jammu and Kashmir, Phulkari garments from Punjab and so much more are going to be the prime attraction here. Adding to this, PGs and SHGs from all 30 districts of the state are going to participate showcasing local and handmade products including handloom items, terracotta items, forest products, food and spices, Sabai, Kaincha Works, teak wood items, etc. This year in 2020, a total of 300 are going to be put up in the Mela. The grand fair is also going to be arranging cultural events every evening. The ORMAS CEO SR Pradhan stated that the Mela earned Rs. 14 Crores from sales last year and this year, it is expected out to be crossing the Rs. 15 Crores mark. Also, Joint Secretary Swyam Prava Mohanty said that the cultural events including Odia, Odissi dance, folk dance, Hindi melody nights and light comedy shows are going to entertain the visitors.

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The famous Mukteswar Dance Festival is organized every year in an open-air auditorium from 14^th to 16^th of January and at the premises of the much renowned Mukteswar temple situated at the old Bhubaneswar town. This amazing and breathtaking 3 days function exhibits the finest Odissi dance forms and it is well organized by the Odisha government. The daily program time is in between 6 PM to 8:30 PM.

The ancient Mukteswar temple in Bhubaneswar, Odisha is popular for its magnificently carved arched gateway and it is indeed among one of the finest examples reflecting Odissi architecture and style. The complex of the temple acts as the perfect venue for the dance festival celebrating the incomparable and excellent charm and magnetism of the classical Odissi dance form. The star Odissi dancers and artisans tapping their feet to the beating strokes of the instruments, leave the audience in awe and speechless matching the classical movements and appealing attire. The duet, solo and group performances by the artists involving Bangi, Abhinaya and Mudra actually give the people a mystical and spiritual experience to cherish for.         

The Mukteswar temple is situated within the ancient city of Bhubaneswar, and is around at 5 km distance from airport, rail station and bus stop. The local cabs and transport is available to get by to the temple from any part and the temple is specifically decorated and embellished for this program with beautiful lighting arrangements and erecting backdrops emphasizing on giving the best views of the dance performances and artisans. Artists at both national and International level perform here and usually it starts with Shiva Vandana, which is a group song dedicated to Lord Shiva. Then the solo performances starts followed by duet Odissi dance forms and end with group Odissi dance. The prime focus is majorly on Odissi dances of various groups and artists. Do feel free to get in touch with the leading tour operator, Best Choice Holiday in arranging your visit and attending the dance event.

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The 14th Toshali National Crafts Mela 2019 is going to start soon and will be held in between 15th December till 27th December, 2019 in the capital city of the state Odisha, Bhubaneswar. The Mela will showcase many unique and artistic crafts made by craftsmen and artisans from all over the country. The event is organized and managed by the State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC), Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Department Government of Odisha and interested parties who are looking forward to participate and represent their talent through the crafts mela are requested to contact them.

The talented weavers, artisans, sculptors and painters from each corner of the country participate in this amazing National Crafts Mela and portray their traditional as well as contemporary handloom and handicraft products. The event is organized every year with a motive to provide this spectacular platform for all weavers, artisans and sculptors. Also, the focus is on providing a market for art and crafts where the traditional forms could be nurtured and preserved and let others know about the skills and expertise that these craftsmen have and how they made those products. A large number of visitors come by every year to see the crafts mela and buy memorandums for their places taking back memories that could be cherished lifetime.

Along with handlooms and handicrafts stalls from different states, food stalls and a lot more facilities are arranged focusing on the convenience of the tourists, locals and visitors. Every evening, cultural programmes would get hosted by preeminent groups and artists invited from all over the nation for the entertainment and fun of visitors. During the Crafts Mela, many awards and acclaims were also given, keeping up the spirits high of everyone. To attend the Mela and visit Odisha, arrange tickets from accommodation and everything, and feel free to connect with the leading travel agent and adviser, Best Choice Holiday.

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Bhubaneswar, as the capital city of Odisha, is really vibrant and has got some amazing tourist destinations. There’s temples, heritage, architecture, museums, galleries, wildlife sites and so much more. Also, there are few nearby places around this city which are of great significance, have become a weekend escapade for residents, and also have been attracting tourists for the serenity it offers.

Just few kms in the outskirts of Bhubaneswar is located the pristine Dhauli hills, which is surely crowded during the peak hours, but not in the early morning hours. Set off on your two-wheeler or four-wheeler, and reach to the top of the hills, only to find yourself in utter solitude. It’s also best if you can catch the sunrise over here. The place looks simply beautiful when the day breaks.

Next, if you’re planning to stay out for the weekend, and to reconnect with nature, then you can head towards the Deras Dam, which is not more than 20 kms from Bhubaneswar. Here you can not only get to enjoy the scenic views, but will also enjoy settling down for some time near the dam. And if you’re planning to stay there, you should definitely be at the Deras Nature Camp, which is nicely tucked in the lap of nature, and will let you explore a lot of wilderness. Also, don’t forget to bring your camera along, as you are going to catch some excellent, panoramic views, which can go on your Instagram profile without any filters.

While Puri and Konark are considered to be the easiest weekend getaways from Bhubaneswar, yet if you’re someone who likes to skip the crowd and have a relaxing time, then head towards the Ramchandi Beach. Take the Puri – Konark Marine Drive route, and thank us later for the views. If you’d like to stay there, you can either be at the Lotus Eco Resort or the Rangers Adventure Foundation, wherein you can also indulge in some adventurous water sports like Stand Up Paddling (SUP), Kayaking etc. We suggest, this will be one of the best ways for you to spend the weekend, which you’ll remember forever.

Another weekend getaway which will give you some fantastic views to remember is the Chilika, wherein you can even spot some rare, exotic birds. The place looks gorgeous during early morning hours, or while the sun is setting, so it’s always better to plan ahead.

Moreover, if you have an extended weekend, and have more days in hand, then make your way towards the Gopalpur Beach. Have a fantastic one night or two night’s stay in the Mayfair Resort, and plan ahead to visit the spectacular Jirang Monastery.

Be it a short or long weekend getaway, there are plenty of options in and around the city for having a nice time. Any day if you feel like exploring, you can drive or ride outside the city, and be amazed at all the new places which you’ll discover.

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As far as the accommodation is concerned, there are plenty of medium budget to luxury budget options available in Bhubaneswar for a comfortable stay. Always better to choose and pre-book your stay. The city has got a lot of tourist destinations, starting from museums, to art galleries, to majestic temples, a wildlife sanctuary, historic caves and so much more. To soak in the artistic vibe of this place, head to the Odisha Crafts Museum – Kala Bhoomi; for some learning on architecture and history visit the Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves; for eternal blessings be at the Lingaraj Temple or any other temple of your choice; and for a wildlife tour head to the Nandankanan Zoological Park. That pretty much sums up the top sightseeing spots of Bhubaneswar.

Also in terms of food, the city has got multiple varieties of restaurants that offer almost all kinds of cuisines. What you should definitely try here is the street food in one of the “KhauGallis.”

Now the next day, while you are on the way to Puri, stop by at the Dhauligiri and take some time out to relax, breathe the fresh air, admire the Shanti Stupa and be mesmerised at the scenic views which the Dhauli hills have to offer. Another brief stop you can make while on your way to Puri, is Pipili, and its market which is highly renowned for patching cloth design locally known as Chandua. You can buy some really vibrant lamps/lanterns from here, as a memento.

On completing these two destinations, enter into the holy town of Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath, and the place where the annual Rath Yatra is conducted. It’s better to have a one-night stay in Puri to cover all the nearby scenic spots as well. While visiting the Jagannath Temple is a must here, you also cannot miss out on watching the sunrise/sunset at the Puri Beach, for a memorable view.

The next morning leave early, and go towards the Satpada, which is almost an hour’s road journey from Puri. You can go boating in Satpada to spot the dolphins and also catch the sight of rare, exotic birds at Chilika.

Last but not the least, you can end your Bhubaneswar Puri Konark Tour at Konark, and visit the much revered Konark Sun Temple. On the way stop at Chandrabhaga beach & don’t miss out on the Ramachandi temple by the side of sea.

No matter what, you’ll really enjoy and always remember the kind of diversity and serenity which these places offer. We’re sure along with plenty of lovely memories; you’ll also take back a lot of precious moments which can only be enjoyed in this Golden Triangle Tour.

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Each district and corner of Odisha is unique in every sense, and has varied landscape, different cultures, which can elevate the curiosity of any regular traveler to see more and learn more about the region.

Talking about some really interesting facts and facets of Odisha, we’ve got some little and big things about this state which make it even more spectacular. You may not know but the ancient rocks of Mayurbhanj date back to 3 billion years old. It’s a fascinating fact because earth itself is 4.5 billion years old. In Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha, there are around 600 temples, owing to the fact that this city is also renowned as the “Temple City.”

The tribal communities of Odisha are no secret. But what’s not known is the fact that there are more than 62 distinct tribal groups in Odisha and each have their own culture and traditions. Plan your tribal tour with us.

Lord Jagannath is revered all around the world, yet Odisha is blessed to have the Lord’s abode in its Puri district. Surprisingly, the Jagannath Temple here, houses the world’s biggest kitchen, where everyday food is being cooked by 400 cooks for a minimum of 2 lakhs devotees.

Chilika Lake of Odisha is a birdwatcher’s paradise, but did you know it’s also the saltwater lagoon in the world? Yes, that’s true you can spot the rare migratory birds here, endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, and also let the world know, about this spectacular fact of Chilika.

While the list of what only Odisha is comprised of is still on, we’d like to bring to light the fact that this state has the only leaning temple of the world, which is the “Leaning Temple of Huma”, situated in the Sambalpur district. Not just that, this district is also home to the Hirakud Dam, which is fourth largest in the world, besides being the longest earthen dam in the world as well as the largest artificial lake of Odisha.

The state’s pristine beaches are so amazing and serene, that it can give even the beaches of Goa a run for their money. Especially the Chandipur beach is so special, that it’s termed as Odisha’s hide-and-seek beach, because of the fact that it appears and disappears with every high and low tide, to an approximate of 5 kms.

Being a state of enchanting wildlife, Odisha is also renowned for its world’s largest saltwater crocodile in the Bhitarkanika Park, apart from being a home to the white tigers at Nandankanan Zoological Park, and also for being the breeding ground of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles at the Gahirmatha Beach of Kendrapada district.

With so much uniqueness to the state, one cannot miss out on visiting Odisha, and experiencing the multiple joyous moments which Odisha is best known for, and all the breathtaking views which it provides.

For an amazing tour of this state, book your odisha tour package today.

The post There’s Something About Odisha Tour Which Cannot Be Found In Any Other State first appeared on Best Choice Holiday.

Citadel of Temples

Bhubaneswar has been aptly christened as the Temple City of India. The cultural extravaganza of this capital city is so unique that people from far and wide come here to visit the age-old temples and learn about its historic tales. Especially the Lingaraj Temple, Rajarani Temple and Mukteswar Temple have such impressive Kalingan architecture that it leaves everyone in a state of awe. Boasting of intricate sculptures as well as immaculate carvings, you must never fail to miss out on temple-hopping in Bhubaneswar.

Scenic Destinations

If the temples are not where you’d like to go, you can head to some other destinations of this city and be surprised at all that Bhubaneswar offers. Visit Odisha Crafts Museum – Kala Bhoomi for a splendid experience, or go to the Khandagiri Udayagiri caves to delve in some history. Or if you are a wildlife lover, you can spend half a day at the Nandankanan Zoological Park to catch a glimpse of the White tiger and much more.

Delightful Food

Be it on the street or in some fancy restaurant, the food culture of Bhubaneswar is quite relishing and never disappoints. You must definitely try some of the Odia delicacies here like Pakhala, Dalma, Santula etc. or gorge on some excellent street-food dishes in the ‘Khau Galli’ located behind Ram Mandir, KIIT lane etc. Also, the café culture of this capital city is unique and you’ll find a variety of cuisines like Italian, Chinese, Mexican, North-Indian, South-Indian, Japanese, etc. to lay your eyes and hands on. With such amazing food options in Bhubaneswar, you can never go hungry!

Kalinga Stadium

Sports Destination

You may or may not know about this, but some of the major national and international sports have been featured in Bhubaneswar. Apart from hosting the prestigious Champions Trophy hockey tournament in 2014, the city has also been renowned for successfully hosting Asian Athletics Championships, Hockey World League 2017 and the very recent Hockey World Cup 2018. There’s so much more in sports coming for Bhubaneswar that its tag of ‘India’s Sports Capital’ is much rightly reserved for it.

Ekamra Road

Multiple Shopping Options

Who doesn’t like to shop? To cater to all kinds and age groups of shoppers, Bhubaneswar offers something for everyone and is just one of the ‘happy destinations’ to shop-till-you-drop. You can shop to your heart’s delight at Market Building, Unit -2, or pick some impressive hand-crafted memoirs from Ekamra Haat. Handloom lovers looking for a great Sambalpuri sari, or some gorgeous traditional and ethnic prints can head towards the Boyanika store for picking the best of it all.

Majestic Places Nearby

Not just inside Bhubaneswar, there are several places in close proximity to the city which are easily accessible and have some of the most amazing views to offer. You can either go to Dhauligiri for an enlightening Buddhist experience, or visit Mangalajodi, Chilika to spot some rare birds. And if you have no time crunch and are wishing to go for an adventure, you can always experience the magic of Satkosia and Bhitarkanika.

Above all, it’s the people of Bhubaneswar who make everything easy for the tourists, who’re looking for wonderful memories to take back with them. People here so friendly, generous & helpful that youwill certainly remember their hospitality forever.

If you’re also inspired by these words and want to have a complete tour of the city, then register for this ‘Bhubaneswar City Tour’ and #VisitBhubaneswar like never before.

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