After the success of the weekly Ekamra Walks for outside visitors in exploring the rich heritage of Bhubaneswar, the authorities have now decided to hold another heritage walk in Khandagiri and Udayagiri in the city.
The new walk would be held within a month for exploring the heritage-rich sites of the Khandagiri and Udayagiri hills, sources in the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) said on Friday.
A blueprint has been prepared for the programme informing the visitors about the city’s rich heritage and glory. There would be two teams to make different sites in Old Bhubaneswar and Khandagiri and Udayagiri and explore many interesting facts, the sources said.
While the Ekamra Walks have particularly witnessed Hindu tourists, the extended heritage walk would commence in Khandagiri and Udayagiri in view of influx of thousands of Buddhist and Jain visitors to the city. There would be arrangements for safety and security of the tourists at the site. The walk would begin from 6.30 am and end at 9.30 am, the sources added.
The Ekamra Walks, a joint initiative by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and the Odisha Tourism Department, which had begun from the Mukteswar Temple, recently concluded at the Ekamra Kanan. Around 2,300 tourists belonging to 23 countries participated in the 47th Ekamra Walks.
Besides, the authorities have planned a special bicycle tours by tourists to ancient heritage sites, Dhauli and Chausathi Jogini Temple.
A bicycle tour would be held for the Dhauli hill, where visitors can visit Dhauli Shanti Stupa, King Ashok’s stone script, Buddhist sculptures and many temples situated adjacent to it.
Another cycle tour would be planned for the tourists visiting the Chausathi Jogini Temple on outskirts of the city. The tourists can visit Rajarani Temple, Brahmeswar Temple, Bhaskareswar Temple and Megheswar Temple en route the Chausathi Jogini Temple.
However, the programme would be held every Saturday instead of Sundays when the Ekamra Walks are organised. Around 200 bicycles, to be used for the Patha Utsav, would be included in the heritage bicycle tour.
The aim is to make public and tourists habituated with bicycle ride by conducting such a programme ahead of launching the bicycle sharing system in Bhubaneswar, sources said.
The tour operators and guides, who would bring the visitors for the bicycle tour, would be responsible in keeping the cycles in their custody. At the end of the programme, the bicycles would be returned to the BMC, a senior official said.