Bhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Odisha. It is the largest city in Odisha and is a centre of economic and religious importance in Eastern India.
Bhubaneswar is often referred to as a "Temple City of India". With Puri and Konark it forms the Swarna Tribhuja ("Golden Triangle"), one of eastern India's most visited destinations.
The Abadha of Lingaraj Temple and Ananta Vasudeva Temple served for devotees is considered a vegetarian culinary delight.
Temples are made in the Kalinga architectural style with a pine spire that curves up to a point over the sanctum housing the presiding deity and a pyramid-covered hall where people sit and pray.
Dhauli, near Bhubaneswar is the site of the Kalinga War (c. 262-261 BCE), in which the Mauryan emperor Ashoka invaded and annexed Kalinga.
The modern city of Bhubaneswar was designed by the German architect Otto Konigsberger in 1946.Like Chandigarh and Jamshedpur; it is one of the first planned cities of India. The city, with an abundance of greenery and an efficient civic body has become one of the cleanest and greenest cities of the country.
Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as the capital on 19 August 1949, the year after India gained its independence from Britain. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are often referred to as the 'twin cities of Odisha'.
The name of the new capital came from "Tribhubaneswar" or "Bhubaneswar" (literally "Lord of the Earth"), a name of Shiva, the deity of the Lingaraja temple.The Legislative Assembly of Orissa was shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar in 1949.
Bhubaneswar is in Khordha district of Odisha. It is in the eastern coastal plains, along the axis of the Eastern Ghats mountains. The city has an average altitude of 45 m (148 ft) above sea level. It lies southwest of the Mahanadi River that forms the northern boundary of Bhubaneswar metropolitan area, within its delta.
The city is bounded by the Daya River to the south and the Kuakhai River to the east; the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary and Nandankanan Zoo lie in the western and northern parts of Bhubaneswar, respectively.
Bhubaneswar has been traditionally home to handicrafts industry, including silver filigree work, appliqué work, stone and wood carvings and patta painting, which significantly contributes to the city's economy.
