Bhubaneswar was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kalinga, which was captured by Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. Believed to have housed more than 7,000 temples in the past, only 500 are now extant. The modern capital city of Odisha was officially established in 1946. The city’s plan was done by the German architect Otto Königsberger. Apart from temples, Bhubaneswar boasts of a rich variety of crafts like appliqué, cane furniture, Ikat sarees, bidri work, etc.
Along with the cities Puri and Konark, Bhubaneswar forms an eastern ‘Golden Triangle’.
