Bhubaneshwar (pop. 843,402) is an Indian city that is a center for Hindu pilgrimage. It has been the capital of the state of Odisha (formerly Orissa) since 1948. Bhubaneshwar lies about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of Kolkata on a tributary of the Mahanadi River.
Bhubaneshwar has been an important settlement since the 300’s B.C., and it has many archaeological remains of early settlers. Formerly called Ekamrakshetra, the town flourished especially between the A.D. 400’s and 900’s, when it became the political center for many Hindu dynasties and a focus for the worship of the god Shiva. Many important temples were built there until the 1400’s, and at one time there may have been as many as 7,000 shrines standing near the town’s sacred lake. Remains of about 500 of these temples still survive.
Today Bhubaneshwar consists of the original city with about 30 ancient temples, and a planned township built since 1948. The modern township houses official buildings, a museum, Uktal University, and the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology. The city’s importance stems traditionally from local government and from pilgrims and a developing tourist trade. Bhubaneshwar lies on the national highway from Madras to Kolkata. It is also on a main railway line, and has its own airport.
