Best Attraction Tourist Places in Cuttack
Cuttack used to be the capital of Odisha till 1948 and even after Bhubaneswar took over as the capital, it continues to be home to some of the best colleges, temples, official buildings and scenic beauty. There are many attractive visiting places in Cuttack that continue to draw tourists and also Cuttack is famous for silver filigree work, horn work, dhokra casting, patta chitra, wood carving and terracotta. Though there are a plethora of tourist places in Cuttack, we will take you through some of the more famous ones.
- Cuttack Chandi Temple
- Dhabaleswar Temple
- Netaji Birth Place Museum
- Mahanadi Barrage
- Barabati Stadium
- Anantashayana Vishnu
- Barabati Fort
- Paradip Beach
- Singhanath Temple
- Deojhar Waterfall and Park
- Lalitgiri Buddhist Complex
- Ansupa Lake
- Bhattarika Temple
- Dabarkhola Waterfall
Situated near the banks of the river Mahanadi, Goddess Chandi is worshipped as the presiding deity and attracts throngs of people during Durga Puja. Referred to as Maa Kataka Chandi, it is one of the famous Shakti Pithas of Cuttack and is visited by thousands of devotees every year.
This temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is situated on an island in the river Mahanadi about 35 kilometres from Cuttack to Choudwar. Though there are many Shaiva Pithas in Cuttack, this is considered the most important and unique. It boasts of a hanging bridge which is the longest suspension bridge in India. An extremely peaceful and pleasant place, it is very popular amongst tourists.
Located at Oriya Bazaar in Cuttack, this is Subhash Chandra Bose’s ancestral home and birth place which has now been converted into a museum. He played a pivotal role in India’s freedom struggle and is much admired by all Indians who regard him as a source of inspiration. This is the place where the great leader who changed the history of India grew up till he completed his schooling and it draws numerous tourists till date.
Mahanadi barrage is constructed on the Mahanadi River and its greatest attraction is a road bridge, which is built on the down-stream of the dam. The barrage offers a spectacular view of the river water cascading down. You can also savour the local delicacies available there. A variety of fresh fish can be bought on the pavements of the road bridge and some enthusiastic tourists can try their luck at fishing.
Spread over an area of 25 acres, this stadium stands on the ruins of the Barabati Fort and can seat 48,000 people. Many sports events of the city as well as the State are held here due to its impressive infrastructure. Close to it is the Jawaharlal Nehru indoor stadium with a seating capacity of 6000 people.
Anantashayana Vishnu, is a large and ancient rock sculpture of the Hindu god Vishnu, carved during the early 9th century in Saranga village. This natural rock-cut sculpture shows Vishnu in a reclining position on the left bank of the Brahmani River and is one of the major tourist places in Cuttack.
Situated about 8 kms. from Cuttack town, this fort was built during the Ganga dynasty on the banks of the river Mahanadi. The fort is in a dilapidated state but is rich in history. This fort was surrounded by a 40 feet wide moat. It is believed that the Muslim ruler Sirajuddaula was once imprisoned in that fort. It was taken over by the British in 1803 and only the ruins stand testimony to the glory of the Ganga dynasty.
This beach is a nice place to spend an evening of quality time with family or friends. There’s an aquarium nearby with a wide variety of sea animals. The famous Bali Jatra is held near the beach every year and the sunrise and sunset at this beach are a big attraction for tourists. It’s also a great picnic spot near Cuttack.
Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of this temple that is situated on an island in the river Mahanadi near Badamba. Situated on top of a hill, it is a famous Shaiva Pitha of Cuttack. The scenic beauty of this place is incredible and festivals like Mahashivratri, Dussehra, Makar Sankranti and Kartik Purnima are celebrated here with a lot of pomp and show.
Located in the Hindol Badama forest range, this waterfall also referred to as ‘Dian Dhar’ is visible from a kilometre away. This place is very popular for its natural beauty and forest cover. During winter, it’s a much visited picnic spot near Cuttack and a lot of people bathe in the clear spring water.
Situated 55 kilometres from Cuttack, this Buddhist complex came into being in the 1st century AD. It is home to several stupas and a sandstone hillock. It is believed that earlier it was a Buddhist university called Pushpagiri with students from China, Japan and Indonesia. The excavated sculptures are evidence of the various schools of Buddhist art. In 1985, golden caskets were discovered which contained sacred bone relics of Tathagat. This complex also has a museum with huge figures of Buddha, Bodhisattva, Jambala and others.
Of the many tourist places in Cuttack, Ansupa Lake cannot be missed. The entire lake is surrounded by mango and bamboo trees and many migratory birds can be seen there in winter. Situated about 45 kilometres from Cuttack, this fresh water lake is on the north side of the river Mahanadi near the Saranda hills. Tourists can enjoy paddle boating in this lake and is one of the popular visiting places in Cuttack.
Located on the banks of the river Mahanadi, the deity of this temple is Maa Bhattarika and during Durga Puja which is the main festival celebrated here, buffaloes are sacrificed at the temple to honour her. It’s also known as Tarini Pitha and on Maha Ashthami during Durga Puja devotees throng here.
Located about 90 kilometres from Cuttack in the Hindol Badamba forest range, there are 2 waterfalls here — the small Dabarkhola and the large Dabarkhola waterfall. Tourists come to enjoy its natural beauty and it’s a great picnic spot.
Cuttack is famous for many other tourist attractions like the Charchika temple, Sovaneswara temple, Harachandi temple and the Damani dam to name a few. Some tourists also like to visit the Olasuni temple, Vadreswar temple and Naraj barrage. Cuttack abounds in tourist attractions and there is something for everyone.
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