Orissa Attractions

There are a number of important Orissa attractions, which are commonly visited by the tourists who come to the state from the other parts of the country. Some of the major places of interest in Orissa are Chilka, Bhitarakanika, Udayagiri Caves and Mahendragiri.

Chilka is one of the major places of interest at Orissa. It is the biggest salt water lake of India. Different kinds of birds come to this lake during winter time. These different species of birds mainly come from Siberia. Quite a few islands are situated on this lake like Kalijai island, Birds island, Nalabana island, Breakfast island, Honeymoon island and Parikud island.

Bhitarakanika is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Orissa. This place houses a wide range of animal life. There are 170 types of migratory birds here including kingfishers, whistling teals, sea gulls, sea eagles, open-billed storks and darters. Animals like crocodiles, sambars, spotted deer, pythons, king cobras, wild pigs and rhesus monkeys can be viewed here.

The Udayagiri Caves are located at different heights of the Udayagiri Hills. There are 18 Udayagiri caves. the most fascinating cave is situated at the base of the hill and is called the Rani Gumpha. The other important Udayagiri caves are Bagh Gumpha, Ganesh Gumpha and Hathi Gumpha.

The Mahendragiri is one of the most well known tourist attractions in Orissa. This hill is located the midst of evergreen trees at a height of about 5,000 feet. Mahendra Tanaya, a rivulet flowing down the hill, adds to the natural beauty of the hill. The festival of Sivaratri is celebrated with pomp and grandeur at this place.

There are many other important Orissa attractions, namely, Dhauligiri, Parimalagiri, Lalitagiri, Buddha Vihar, Bhubaneswar and Gudahandi.

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