Eight Malaysian athletes taking part in the Asian Athletics Championship and their coach at Mukteswar Temple during the Ekamra Walks in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Frank, the coach, said: "After a hectic schedule, we have finally found the time to relax and so, we came to explore the rich culture and heritage of Old Bhubaneswar."

Seen Yee, an athlete for Malaysia, said: "The temples have wonderful carvings and we are happy to explore them today."

The walkers visited Mukteswar temple, Parsurameswar temple, Sampurna Jaleswar temple, Kotitirtheswar temple, Bindu Sagar, Ananta Vasudeb, Lingaraj temple, Sari temple, Mohini temple and then went to Ekamra Van, the medicinal plant garden. They also watched a beautifully choreographed Odissi dance, inside Art Vision, the institute run by Odissi exponent Illeana Citaristi.

Text by Anwesha Ambaly

Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

SELFIE WITH GANDHI: Athletes from China enjoyed their time in the city to the fullest. Some of the athletes were seen taking selfies with a man dressed as Mahatma Gandhi. Sairam, a student of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyay in Bhubaneswar, had launched a padyatra from Puri to Bhubaneswar to promote Swachch Bharat Abhiyan. “Now my drive will be to promote a clean and peaceful India,” he said.ssss

HOCKEY STAR HECKLED: Former Indian hockey team captain and Olympian Prabodh Tirkey alleged that a traffic cop near Kalinga Stadium misbehaved with him. Tirkey said the driver of a VIP vehicle got into an argument with him at Jayadev Vihar. Though he brought the matter to the notice of a nearby traffic cop, they let the VIP vehicle pass and heckled him by making him park his car on the road. “I felt embarrassed when the security personnel misbehaved with me in public despite being aware of my identity,” he said. Not one to let go of an opportunity, the BJP Yuva Morcha staged a protest on the issue at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar, demanding action against the erring cops. Activists also burnt an effigy of chief minister Naveen Patnaik in Sundargarh, Tirkey’s home district.

NAVEEN HONOUR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who has earned praise for successfully hosting the Asian Athletics Championship in the state capital, will felicitate the winners from the Indian team at a hotel in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Naveen has visited the stadium every day of the championship to watch the events and cheer on the Odia athletes.