Bhubaneswar: There is no substitute to first-hand experience in knowing a place and its history. The 76th edition of Ekamra Walks, a weekly guided heritage tour initiated jointly by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and the tourism department, too, unfailingly provided a group of 35 people, which included four Indian Administrative Service probationers, with just that.
The Mukteswar, Parsurameswar, Kotitirtheswar, Ananta Vasudev, Lingaraj, Chitrakarini, Sari Deula, Vaital, Bharti Mutt, Old Dharamsala and Bindusagar Lake offered the visitors vivid glimpses of Kalingan architecture, which were lent perspective through detailed explanations. The trip ended with a visit to Ekamra Van, the garden of more than 220 varieties of medicinal plants.
IAS probationers S Upadhyaya, Ashish Kumar Patil, Anwesha Reddy and Hemakanta Shaw “had a great time” learning about the rich culture, art and temple architecture in the heritage trails of the old city. Upadhyaya, from Bihar, said: “The walk is nicely curated for any visitor to experience the rich heritage and culture of Old Bhubaneswar. The story behind each temple and monument is beautifully explained, which makes the walk a memorable experience. We will surely suggest this walk to others.”
Anwesha, one of the other probationers, said she was enthralled by the fine carvings on stone and the architecture of the iconic temples of Old Bhubaneswar. “Ekamra Walks provide an excellent opportunity for people to learn about the glorious temple architecture of Odisha and everyone, be it residents or visitors, should utilise the opportunity to learn about the rich traditions, culture and artistic excellence of our previous generations spanning over 2,000 years.”
Viswanathan Nair, wife Uma and son Arvind, from Kochi, who were among the participants, was all praise for the intricate carvings on temple walls and the architecture unique to Old Bhubaneswar. The urban planner working as a consultant with Brahmapur Development Authority, said it was their second visit to Bhubaneswar and the first time to Ekamra Walks.
For Abhishek Prusty, Umakant Nayak and Sourav Patra, who recently finished schooling, the programme was a means to not just strengthen friendship but to also get selfies with heritage monuments.
Film-maker from Sambalpur, Divyajeevan, relished the walk for the interesting stories behind the temples and monuments that he feels “need to be shared with the world at large”.