Baripada

At a distance of 248km from Kolkata and 256km from Bhubaneshwar, Baripada is a city, recognised by its beautiful culture and an essence of purity in nature. Its Rath Yatra is considered the biggest and oldest after Puri and thus Baripada is also known as Dwitiya Srikhetra (Second Puri) It is host to the world famous Car Festival (Rathyatra) which allows only women to pull the Rath of Maa Subhadra and gathers huge crowds. One also finds here temples, known to be one of the oldest in Odisha and which see devotees coming from all over with a stong sense of faith and devotion. An event is organised here, during the mid of April that celebrates the best talents of Chhau, a world renowned dance form, indigenous to the region. Baripada is also known for its Bangripori "tusser" fabric, that can be found anywhere in its local markets. Also, do not miss the Simlipal Nature Park which has a tiger reserve, sparkling waterfalls, numerous species of animals and birds, Semul or red silk cotton trees and countless other things to leave you awestruck.