Bhubaneswar is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Odisha. It is located in the Khordha district. The suburban region, especially the old town, was historically often depicted as Chakra Khetra and Ekamra Khetra (Area adorned with a mango tree). Bhubaneswar is dubbed the "Temple City", a nickname earned because of many temples which are standing there. In contemporary times, the city is a hub of sports, tourism and IT in the country. Although the modern city of Bhubaneswar was formally established in 1948, the history of the areas in and around the present-day city can be traced to the 1st century BCE. It is a confluence of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain heritage and includes several Kalingan temples, many of them from 6th–13th century CE. With Puri and Konark, it forms the "Swarna Tribhuja" (lit. 'Golden Triangle'), one of Eastern India's most visited destinations.
Bhubaneswar replaced Cuttack as the capital of Odisha on 13 April 1948. The modern city was designed by the German architect, Otto Königsberger, in 1946. Along with Jamshedpur and Chandigarh, it was one of modern India's first planned cities. Bhubaneswar and Cuttack are often referred to as the 'twin cities of Odisha'. The area formed by the two cities had a population of 1.7 million in 2011. It is categorised as a Tier-2 city. Bhubaneswar and Rourkela are the two cities in smart city mission from Odisha.