Bhubaneswar: Today is the 75th Foundation Day of Odisha’s capital city Bhubaneswar. Though the city and its temples are much older, on this day in 1948 the foundation for the modern capital was laid.
Some historical facts about Odisha’s modern capital:
* India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of Bhubaneswar on April 13, 1948.
* The masterplan of Bhubaneswar was designed by German architect Otto Königsberger in 1948 for a population of 40,000. It is among the first four planned cities of India.
* Bhubaneswar has a 3,000-year-old history beginning from the Mahamegha-Bahana Chedi dynasty with Sisupalgarh as its capital.
* The name Bhubaneswar was derived from Tribhubaneswar, which means the Lord (Eswar) of the Three Worlds (Tribhuvan), referring to Shiva.
* Bhubaneswar is also known as Toshali, Kalinga Nagari, Ekamra Kanan, Ekamra Kshetra and Mandira Malini Nagari.
* Bhubaneswar was once home to nearly 700 temples. Even today, hundreds of these ancient temples are still standing.
* The famous Kalinga War took place near Dhauli, a war that changed King Ashoka, who later turned towards Buddhism and peace.
