Places of Interest
In Cuttack City
Netaji Birthplace Museum :
The name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose fills every Indian with pride and with emotions of patriotism. Everyone acknowledges that he was a great leader, who changed the course of history of India. In the struggle of India’s Independence against the British, his Contribution has been unique. He sacrificed his everything to attain independence and even today is a source of inspiration to the Indian people.
Janakinath Bhawan, the ancestral house of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, is located at Oriya Bazar in Cuttack city of Orissa. Subhas Bose was born in this house on 23.1.1897 and spent his early childhood at Cuttack. He lived in this house with a large family of eight brothers and six sisters. His father Janakinath Bose was a lawyer by profession and a man of repute during his time. Subhas Bose passed Entrance examination from Ravenshaw Collegiate School in 1913 and thereafter went to Calcutta to pursue higher studies.
Interesting collections in the Museum include 22 original letters written by Netaji from Geneva, Milan in Italy, Mandalay Jail, Rangoon Jail in Myanmar, Presidency Jail, Alipore New Central Jail in Calcutta and Berlin to his parents and family members.
Madhusmruti :
Madhusmruti, the ‘Karma Bhumi’ or residence of Utkal Gaurav Madhusudan Das, is located at Cuttack. Madhusudan Das lived in this place from 1892 to 1934, till his death. Presently the building is used as the administrative block of the S.B. Women’s College.
Madhusudan Das was born in 1848 at Satyabhamapur village of Cuttack district. He had his early education in the village, Cuttack Zilla School and Calcutta University. He was the first Graduate of Orissa from Calcutta University in 1870. He did his M.A. in English and Law Degree later and he was a flourishing lawyer in the Patna High Court.
It is said about Late Madhusudan Das, that he was born as a man but died as an institution.
Maritime Museum:
Featuring ten galleries, the Odisha Maritime Museum is an incredible mix of the old and new. The modern museum exhibits beautiful ancillary displays in galleries distinguished under maritime history, boat and ship building, monuments on Odisha coast, jobra workshop, ritual and navigation. There is even a special category of displays that features a saw mill, a boat shop (shed), boat repairing jetty, children activity room, library and a research Centre.
Ananda Bhawan Museum & Learning Center:
Anand Bhavan, the ancestral house of legendary Biju Patnaik at Tulsipur, Cuttack, has been dedicated to the people of the state as a museum cum- learning center. Certain old belongings of Biju Babu with a large number of photos remain to be part of the museum.
Swaraj Ashram:
The Swaraja Ashram is located on the Kathajodi river front. It is an old building and it has historical significance and importance for its association with the Freedom Movement in Orissa and the Congress party and well known leaders of Orissa in the Freedom Movement. The original building is found at the centre, built in two storied during the colonial period. There is another two storied block behind the building. It is a protected monument under the State Archaeology.
Barabati Fort :
The ruins of Barabati Fort with its moat and gate and the excavated palace complex and base of the Ganga period temple lie on the bank of the river Mahanadi as the silent witness of the vicissitudes of Orissan history. This historical fort has been the capital of ancient and medieval Orissa and the famous Ganga kings like Anangabhima III, Narasimha I, Kapilendradeva, Purushottamadeva and Prataparudradeva had ruled their vast empire from this place. It is a protected monument under the Arachaeological Survey of India.
Barabati Stadium :
The iconic Barabati Stadium is an Indian sports stadium located in Cuttack, Odisha. It is a regular venue for international cricket and is the home ground of Odisha cricket team. The stadium is owned and operated by the Odisha Olympic Association. The Barbati Stadium has a seating capacity of about 45000 visitors. The stadium is well equipped with modern infrastructure which includes stands for the visitors, flood lights for day-night matches, commentator boxes and much more. Apart from the cricket matches, the stadium also hosts football tournaments. The First Division League football matches of Orissa are played in this stadium.
Katak Chandi Temple :
This is an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Chandi, the presiding deity. The temple is located nearby the banks of the Mahanadi River but in city centre. It is famous for the annual Durga Puja and Kali Puja festival. The Durga Puja festivities are prominent in Maa Cuttack Chandi temple which takes place for 16 days stating from dark fortnight of Ashwina Krishna Ashtami till Ashwina shukla navami and Vijayadashami.
Jain Temple :
There is a famous Jain temple located at Chowdhury Bazar, Cuttack.
Qadam-E-Rasool :
Cuttack town enjoyed for a pretty long time the honour of being the seat of Political authority of the Muslims in Orissa. During the period numerous Muslim monuments have built at Cuttack. The Qadam-I-Rasool is a monument of beauty built by Shujaddin Khan. At four corners of its high compound wall are four small yet strong towers constructed out of chiselled stone. It is adorned with four flat domes and pucca pavements from all direction of the grave yard to the main octagonal building with magnificent dome in the centre. It contains the foot print of the Prophet engraved in a circular stone. The dome outside is adorned with a golden pinnacle.
Ravenshaw University :
Ravenshaw University earlier known as Ravenshaw College is the premier educational institution of Odisha established in 1868, largely through the efforts of Mr. T.E. Ravenshaw, the then Commissioner of Orissa, it became a full-fledged first grade college. The Ravenshaw College building is highly impressive and shows the influence Colonial architecture.
