Visit
Orissa,
Calcutta and The East
The gateway to Orissa is Bhubaneswar, a short flight south from Calcutta. The former capital of the Kalinga Empire, the city was chosen by Mark Twain as one of the wonders of the world. The region is famed for its fantastic temples, both Jain and Hindu, decorated with the most ornate and detailed carvings. A couple of days in the region will allow you to visit the cave temples at Udayagiri and Khandagiri where the friezes depict stories of kings, gods and goddesses, elephants, tigers and snakes.