Bhubaneswar, Dec. 16: The capital city will hold heritage walk every week starting this Sunday at 6am in a bid to promote tourism and showcase the heritage treasures.

The heritage walk to be known as "Ekamra Walks" will begin and end at the Mukteswar temple in Old Town, covering a total length of around 2km.

The name has been derived from the old name of the city, Ekamra Kshetra.

The walk will cover Pabaneswar, Parsurameswar, Taleswar, Bindusagar, Ananta Basudev and nearby shrines, old dharmashala, Lingaraj Temple, Chitrakarini, Papanasini, Bharati Math and Vaital temple, Ratha Road, Ekamra Van and the Uttareswar temple.

The walk, however, will be free for all and have minimum 30 people in a group. The participants will have a guide to brief them about the importance and significance of the ancient monuments.

The tour will also help the visitors to have interactions with local inhabitants and priests observing the rituals and traditions.

"The initiative aims to bring together stakeholders in the field of tourism along with people of various age group, especially youngsters, to understand their heritage," said tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda.

The administration has also decided to increase the number of groups and customise the walks on days other than Sundays if the response is overwhelming.

The event will be jointly organised by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Odisha Tourism, Bhubanswar Development Authority and city-based tour start-up Detour Odisha Private Limited.

The administrators have also planned to include cycle tours to the list of activities in the heritage district of the smart city, as it would also ensure more participation of tourists and promotion and branding of the city.

"The city has immense potential when it comes to tourism. It should be promoted properly," said Rasulgarh resident Bhuanupriya Panda.

City-based tour operator Partha Samal said the move would give them an opportunity to promote unpopular sites in the state.

ROUTE GUIDE TO EKAMRA WALKS

 1. Congregation point at Mukteswar temple

2. Visit Parsurameswar temple

3. Sit and relax near Bindusagar

4. Visit kitchen of Ananta Basudev temple and experience temple cooking in earthen pots

5. See dharmashala (old heritage buildings) and visit Lingaraj Temple

6. Walk through Rathadanda and see Chitrakarini temple, two old mathas, roadside market, very old residential building

7. Visit Bharati Math and 13 burial temples within it. Understand the rituals

8. Visit Vaital temple (of Khakhra order)

9. Visit Ekamra Van, return to Mukteswar, have breakfast and disburse