The Old Town of Bhubaneswar is the Ekamra Kshetra of the Sanskrit texts — "the field of the single mango tree" — one of the great sacred landscapes of eastern India. Tradition says the area once held seven thousand temples around the tank of Bindu Sagar; several hundred survive, from roadside shrines to the tower of Lingaraj.
Bindu Sagar, the great rectangular tank at its centre, is believed to hold drops of water from every holy river in India. The ghats around it, the Ananta Vasudeva Temple on its eastern side and the island pavilion in the middle, where Lingaraj’s festival image is brought during the Chandan Yatra, make it the best place to feel the Old Town as a living place.
Top things to do at Ekamra Kshetra & Bindu Sagar
Walk the ghats of Bindu Sagar at dawn
Between 6 and 8 am, bathers, priests and flower sellers crowd the steps. Walk the circuit of the tank and you will pass dozens of small shrines.
Join a guided heritage walk
Odisha Tourism has run guided early-morning heritage walks through the Old Town (often branded "Ekamra Walks"), and private guides offer the same route. A short guided walk is the easiest way to find the hidden temples.
See the Ananta Vasudeva Temple
This 13th-century Vishnu temple on the eastern bank is famous for its kitchen, which cooks sacred food in earthen pots. Like Lingaraj, its inner sanctum is generally restricted to Hindus.
How to get to Ekamra Kshetra & Bindu Sagar
- Location: the Old Town lies around Lingaraj, 4–5 km south of the railway station.
- Best approach: take an auto to Lingaraj or Bindu Sagar and explore on foot — lanes are narrow and parking is scarce.
- Guided: see our ranked tours for walks and city tours.
Insider tips
- Start early — by 10 am the lanes are hot, and many temples close to visitors around midday.
- Carry small notes for shoe-minders and donations.
- Some temples restrict entry to Hindus; watch for signs and ask before entering.
- The Chandan Yatra (sandalwood festival) in spring brings Lingaraj’s festival image to Bindu Sagar by boat.
Best tours & tickets for Ekamra Kshetra & Bindu Sagar
These experiences are the easiest way to see Ekamra Kshetra & Bindu Sagar with a guide and transport sorted:
Walking tour from US$21 Bhubaneswar: 2-Hour Guided Heritage & Cultural Walking Tour
A short private walk through the Ekamra Kshetra, the sacred Old Town around Bindu Sagar, pairing well-known temples with the small shrines and tanks tucked between houses. Reviews are mixed, so treat it as a budget introduction rather than an in-depth tour.
- The Old Town on foot with a local guide
- Temples, tanks and lanes most visitors drive past
- The cheapest guided option in the city
City tour from US$102 Mystical Bhubaneswar: Temples, Caves and Dhauli Hills Tour
Everything inside the city limits in one well-paced day: the Old Town temples, the rock-cut Jain monasteries on Udayagiri and Khandagiri hills, and the white peace pagoda at Dhauli above the battlefield of the Kalinga War. Hotel pickup included.
- Lingaraj, Mukteswar and Rajarani temples
- The 2,000-year-old Jain caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri
- Dhauli Shanti Stupa and the Ashokan rock edict
