About Cuttack

Country: India | State: Orissa

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Cuttack: Cuttack, Bhubaneswar (27 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Cuttack: October to February

Peak Season: November to January

At a distance of 27 km from Bhubaneshwar, 82 km from Konark, 83 km from Puri, 173 km from Balasore, 266 km from Sambalpur, 305 km from Rourkela, 315 km from Kharagpur, 533 km from Raipur, 424 km from KOlkata, and 484 km from Ranchi, Cuttack, officially Kataka, is a commercial city in the state of Orissa (Odisha). It is the headquarters of the Cuttack district, and among the must-include places in Orissa tour packages.

Often referred to as the cultural capital of Odisha, Cuttack is the former capital and the second largest city in Odisha. The name 'Cuttack' is derived from the word 'Kataka,' which means 'The Fort' in the local language which refers to the ancient Barabati Fort, around which the city initially developed. Cuttack is often referred to as one of the twin cities along with Bhubaneswar due to their close proximity. Besides, the city is famous world over for its famous silver filigree work that one can shop as part of Cuttack tour packages.

Known to be one of the oldest cities in India, Cuttack has a rich and eventful history. The erstwhile capital of the state is more than a thousand years old and often referred as the Millennium city. The city was founded by King Nrupa Kesari in 989 AD as a military cantonment. After the death of the last Gajapati ruler Mukunda Deva I in 1568 AD, Cuttack fell into the hands of the Mughals, followed by the Maratha's in 1750 AD and finally the British in 1803 AD. It served as the capital of Orissa under British rule until it was shifted to Bhubaneswar in 1956. However, Cuttack remains an important commercial center in the state, showcasing and trading the local handicrafts.

Cuttack offers a wide range of tourist attractions, including ancient monuments, landmarks of the freedom struggle, and the mesmerizing silver filigree works. Some of the top places to visit in Cuttack include Cuttack Chandi Temple, Deer Park, Barabati Fort, Stone Revetment, Netaji Museum, State Botanical Garden, Dhabaleshwar Island, Paradeep Beach, Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, and Odisha Maritime Museum. Visitors can also indulge in shopping for souvenirs at Nayasadak, where a variety of silver filigree works are available.

About 31 km from Cuttack, Biju Patnaik Airport, Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport, and is well connected by flights with major international destinations like Sri Lanka, Dubai, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, USA, Europe and domestic destinations including Bangalore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Cuttack is well connected by train with with other major destinations in the country including Bhubaneshwar, Puri, Vishakhapatnam, Secunderabad, Guwahati, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Howrah, Kochi, Chennai, Mumbai, Rourkela, Patna, Ahmedabad, Mysore, Tatanagar, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Vijayawada, Dhauli, Kanyakumari, Surat, and Pondicherry. Cuttack is well connected by bus with Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Rourkela, Hyderabad, Sambalpur, Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Vijayawada, Durgapur, Kolkata, and Raipur.

The city of Cuttack is always buzzing with cultural activities and plays host to a variety of festivals throughout the year. Cuttack is famous for its Durga Puja which is one of the most important festivals of Odisha. Another notable festival is Bali Yatra, which is celebrated on a grand scale and is recognized as the second largest trade fair in Asia. During this fair, traders from Southeast Asian countries come to Cuttack to purchase goods and sell them in the city. Additionally, Kartikeshwar Puja and Dusserah are widely celebrated with great enthusiasm throughout the city.

The best time to visit Cuttack is from October to February when the weather is pleasant and perfect for sightseeing. On the other hand, it is advisable to avoid visiting the city during the summer months, as the scorching heat can make traveling uncomfortable. From July to September, Cuttack experiences moderate rainfall, providing an opportunity to explore the city during this season as well.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Good
STD Code: 0671
Languages Spoken: Odia, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi, English
Major Festivals: Durga Puja, Bali Yatra, Kartikeshwar Puja and Dusserah
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Cuttack

By Air

Nearest Airport: Bhubaneswar - Biju Patnaik Airport (31 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Cuttack Railway Station (0 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Cuttack Bus Station (3 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Cuttack

#1 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 5 km from Cuttack Railway Station, Netaji Birth Place Museum is located at Oriya Bazaar in the city of Cuttack. It is one of the prominent places to visit in Cuttack.

Netaji Birth Place Museum is the ancestral house of Subhash Chandra Bose, the great freedom fighter of India. He was given the title of Netaji for his immense love for the country and his continuous struggle during the freedom movement. Janakinath Bhawan is the place where Netaji used to live and now has been meticulously restored and turned into a museum in 2007 that displays various artifacts, photographs, and documents related to Netaji's life and India's struggle for independence.

Nestled amidst a vibrant garden adorned with blooming flowers, the rooms of the house have been converted into galleries that depict his birth, early upbringing, and subsequent achievements, both as a Congress leader and as the head of the .....

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#2 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 16 km from Cuttack Railway Station, the State Botanical Garden is a sprawling garden located inside the Nandankanan Wildlife Sanctuary in Cuttack. It is one of the prominent places to visit in Cuttack especially for nature lovers.

The State Botanical Garden spreads over an area of 75 ha in the sylvan settings of the moist deciduous forest of the sprawling green Nandankanan sanctuary hemmed between two wetlands. Established in the year 1963, it was under the management of Horticulture Department initially and was transferred to Nandankanan in the year 2006. This is one of the pioneering plant conservation and nature education center of the State. Kiakani Lake with an area about 25 ha is located inside the State Botanical Garden.

The garden covers 24 different satellite gardens and parks spread all over undulating landscapes which includes Japanese Garden, Mughal Garden, Dry Garden, Evolution .....

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#3 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 4 km from Cuttack Railway Station, Odisha State Maritime Museum is a museum located on the banks of River Mahanadi near Jobra. It is one of the prominent places to visit as part of Orissa packages.

Odisha State Maritime Museum came up in the old dilapidated complex of 'River Boat Construction and Repair Workshop' constructed during the British era. The workshop was renovated and converted into the present day Odisha State Maritime Museum in 2013. It was established to preserve and showcase the state's maritime traditions, including boat building, navigation techniques and the rich collection of maritime artifacts.The Museum is situated near the Barrage of Mahanadi at Jobra.

Spread over an area of more than 4 acres, the Odisha State Maritime Museum is first of its kind in the entire country. Featuring 10 galleries, the museum is an incredible mix of the old and new. The exhibits in the museum are displayed .....

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#4 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 5 km from Cuttack Railway Station, Cuttack Chandi Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located near the banks of the Mahanadi River in Cuttack. It is the oldest and most famous temple to visit as part of Cuttack tour packages.

Cuttack Chandi Temple is dedicated to the Goddess Chandi, the presiding deity of Cuttack. The temple houses an idol of Goddess Chandi with four hands, each holding Ankusha (goad), Paasha (noose), gestures dispelling fear (Abhaya), and granting boon (Vardaan). The people of Cuttack consider Maa Chandi as the Living Goddess and one of the forms of Goddess Durga.

Goddess Chandi is worshipped daily as Bhuvaneshvari Mahavidya (the queen of the universe) by Sevayatas from the Utkala Brahmin community. Legend has it that the land where the temple now stands was barren where Late Sri Hansa Panda, the Purohit of the then King of Kanika, used to graze cattle and sheep there. One day, while resting .....

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#5 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 7 km from Cuttack Railway Station, Barabati Fort is an ancient fort located in the city of Cuttack. It is one of the top heritage sites near Bhubaneswar, and among the must-include places in Cuttack packages.

Situated on the banks of the river Mahanadi, the construction of Barabati Fort began in 987 CE by Marakata Keshari of Somavanshi dynasty while building a stone embankment to protect Cuttack from floods. King Anangabhima Dev III later shifted his capital to Cuttack and built the fort. In the 14th century, Chalukyan King Mukundadev Harichandan constructed a nine-storey palace. The city passed through various rulers until coming under British rule in 1803. Today, only the remnants of the fort remain.

According to the Archaeological surveys, the fort was roughly rectangular in structure having an area of over 102 acres, and was .....

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#6 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 18 km from Cuttack, Dhabaleswar Temple is a Hindu temple located on an island on River Mahanadi near Mancheshwar. It is one of the prominent places of pilgrimage in Orissa, and among the must-include places in Orissa tour packages.

Dhabaleswar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and date back to the early 10th and 11th century. The temple structure was constructed during the rule of Somavamshi dynasty by King Yayati Keshari while the present day temple was renovated and repaired by Bir Kishor, ruler of Khurda. Built in the Kalinga style of architecture, Dhabaleswar Temple is regarded as one of the oldest temples in Odisha.

According to the folklore, once a thief stole a black bull calf from a village and fled to this temple. He hid himself with the calf in the sanctum while the angry crowd waited outside the temple. So, the thief prayed to God to save him. Finally, .....

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#7 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 70 km from Cuttack, and 70 km from Bhubaneswar, Singhanath Temple is an ancient temple situated in the Gopinathpur village, Baramba tehsil of Cuttack district, Odisha. Located atop a hill in the middle of the Mahanadi River, it is one of the oldest temples in Orissa, and among the most prominent places to visit as part of Cuttack tour.

Singhanath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped by Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu. It is believed to have been built in between the 8th and 9th centuries and is one of the most revered places of pilgrimage sites near Bhubaneswar. The temple is unique for its sculptural embellishment of both the Saivaite and Vaishnava sects.

The temple is built in the Panchayatana style of architecture where the main shrine is built on a raised platform with four smaller subsidiary shrines at the four corners. .....

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#8 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 91 km from Cuttack, and 96 km from Bhubaneshwar, Dabarkhola waterfall is a pristine waterfall located in the Hindol Badamba Forest Range near Narsinghpur. It is one of the most stunning waterfalls in Odisha, and among the top places to visit near Cuttack.

Nestled amidst verdant forests and untouched landscapes, the Dabarkhola Waterfall serves as a testament to the breathtaking splendor of nature. Within this locale, there are two waterfalls: a small Dabarkhola waterfall and a large Dabarkhola waterfall. The towering Bada Dabarkhola waterfall reaches an impressive height of approximately 200 feet. The waterfall has been a perennial source of life for the nearby communities, providing sustenance and an enchanting backdrop for their daily lives.

Often regarded as a hidden paradise awaiting discovery, the Dabarkhola Waterfall is tucked away in a secluded corner amidst the unspoiled surroundings. The .....

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#9 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 81 km from Cuttack, and 87 km from Bhubaneswar, Bhattarika Temple is a Hindu temple located at Sasanga village in the Baramba tehsil of Cuttack district in Odisha, India. It is one of the popular pilgrimage sites in Orissa, and among the top tourist places near Cuttack.

Located on the banks River Mahanadi, Bhattarika Temple is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Maa Bhattarika. She is worshipped as an incarnation of Shakti, the goddess of power, by the people of Odisha. There is no official record of the exact date of construction of the temple. The temple is also entitled 'Shakti Pitha' which means the native place of Goddess Shakti.

This Shakti Peetha holds significance for the Hindus as legend has it that Goddess Durga had appeared and blessed Parasurama at the very spot where the temple stands today. The temple is also believed to have its connection .....

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#10 of 18 Places to Visit in Cuttack

At a distance of 143 km from Cuttack, and 167 km from Bhubaneswar, Bhitarkanika National Park is a national park situated in the Kendrapara district of Odisha. It is one of the largest national parks in India, and among the top places to visit as part of Cuttack packages.

Bhitarkanika National Park is one of a kind that sprawls over 672 sq. km and boasts of rich marine vegetation, salt tolerant varieties of trees and plants, rivers and creeks. It used to be the hunting grounds of the erstwhile King of Kanika. It was designated as national park in the year 1998 and obtained the status of a Ramsar site in 2002. It is the second Ramsar site of Odisha after the Chilika Lake. The national park and wildlife sanctuary is inundated by the rivers Brahmani, Baitarani, Dhamra, and Pathsala.

It is surrounded by Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, and Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary, which is the nesting ground for hundreds of Olive .....

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Cuttack Related Packages

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