Bhubaneswar

Known as the "Temple City of India," Bhubaneswar is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the subcontinent, with a documented history stretching back over 2,500 years. At its peak the city was home to more than 2,000 stone temples built during the Kalinga dynasty era, showcasing an unbroken evolution from the 7th-century Parasurameswara Temple to the soaring 11th-century Lingaraj — widely regarded as the finest example of Kalinga Nagara-style architecture on earth. Emperor Ashoka's devastating Kalinga War (261 BCE) was fought on the outskirts of today's Bhubaneswar near Dhauli hill; the bloodshed profoundly changed him and led to the famous Dhauli rock edicts — some of the earliest written proclamations of non-violence in human history. Modern Bhubaneswar blends this ancient legacy with tree-lined boulevards, buzzing startup hubs, and world-class institutions, earning it a Smart City designation while preserving its spiritual soul.