The
capital of Odisha (Orissa), famous for its role as the ancient capital of the Kalinga
Empire.
It is the architectural legacy of that period which is Bhubanewar's
greatest attraction. There are a lot of sites in the city which
testify the importance of the region far earlier during the period
from the 7th to 11th centuries when the Kalinga kings ruled Odisha (Orissa) and
regions beyond. The Jain and Buddhist shrines give a clear picture
about the settlements around Bhubaneswar in the first 2 centuries BC,
and one of the most complete edicts of the Mauryan Emperor Asoka, dating
from between 272-236 BC, remains carved in rock just 5 miles to the south
west of the modern city. The Sisupalgarh, the remains of a ruined city
have been excavated to show that it was occupied from the beginning
of the 3rd century BC to the middle of the 4th century
AD. Bhubaneshwar is comfortable round the year, but the best season
to visit the city is during the months of October to April.
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