📍 Odisha, India
Odisha · 7 destinations & hidden spots
Hidden Gem
Athagarh block, Banki road, Cuttack district
A picturesque horseshoe-shaped freshwater lake spread across 141 hectares beneath the verdant Saranda Hill. Home to migratory water birds, lotus ponds, bamboo cottage eco-resorts, and walking trails leading to historic ruins atop Saranda Garh.
Biju Patnaik Colony, Cuttack
Built in the 14th century by the Ganga dynasty rulers, this historic fort stands surrounded by an expansive water-filled moat on the banks of the Mahanadi. Renowned for its monumental stone arched gateway, 9-storey palace ruins, and the adjacent Barabati cricket stadium.
Hidden Gem
Lalitgiri, Cuttack district
The earliest established Buddhist monastery in Odisha's celebrated Diamond Triangle, flourishing continuously from the 3rd century BCE to the 10th century CE. Excavations revealed a massive apsidal chaitya, four monastic complexes, and a stone Mahastupa enclosing sacred gold and silver relic caskets.
Jajpur Town, Jajpur district
An ancient 13th-century Adi Shakti Peetha situated on the banks of the sacred Vaitarani River in Jajpur (Navigaya Kshetra). The presiding deity, Goddess Biraja, is depicted as two-armed Mahishasuramardini piercing the demon with her spear while pulling his tail, worshipped with Vedic rituals.
Jobra, Cuttack
Housed inside the restored 19th-century British Maritime Workshop on the banks of the Mahanadi near Jobra Barrage. Comprises 13 interactive galleries showcasing ancient Kalinga maritime expeditions to Bali, Java, and Sumatra, traditional boat-building tools, and a 4D theatre.
Hidden Gem
Ratnagiri, Jajpur district
The crowning jewel of Odisha's Buddhist heritage, this major centre of Mahayana and Tantric (Vajrayana) Buddhism flourished from the 5th to the 13th century CE. Features a grand carved chlorite entrance portal, a colossal seated Buddha with compassionate expression, and hundreds of votive stone stupas.
Hidden Gem
Jajpur District, Odisha
The largest Buddhist complex of the Diamond Triangle (Pushpagiri University circuit) featuring a monumental Mahastupa, rock-cut Avalokiteshvara sculptures, and large monastery quadrangles.
