Puri is a city situated in the East Indian state of Orissa, India. The city is one of the most sacred sites for the Hindus for its Jagannath temple. Built in the late 11th century and situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal, it is one of the oldest cities in the eastern part of the country. It is also a popular beach resort, positioned in a unique place, so that both sunset and sunrise can be viewed from the beach.
The word "Puri" in Sanskrit Language stands for 'Town or City'. It is Famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or "Festival of Chariots", when the deities Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra, are brought out of the temple, and placed in a chariot procession. This festival occurs on various dates of the Gregorian calendar in the month of July. The white washed Temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri was known as the white pagoda.
There are many Mathas (monasteries of the various Hindu sects) in & around Puri. It is also called the "SwargaDwar" meaning direct gateway to Heaven. The wide sand beach attracts a lot of national & international tourists. The sea is believed to be rough. Puri boasts a continuous history from the 3rd Century B.C. to the present day. Christian authors like Sylvan Levy and sources like the Aquarian Gospel have established that Puri was visited by a Christian Apostle during the times of Jesus Christ. The Christian concepts of love, compassion, charity and fellow-feeling are almost exact reproductions of the value- endowed Vedic paradigms of humanistic tradition that Purusottama Kshetra signified in those remote times. Oriya, Bengali, Hindi and English are the languages spoken here.
Puri is best known for its religious significance and its temple architecture. It forms a part of the Golden Triangle that incorporates the holy cities of Bhubaneshwar and Konark. The evolution of Odissi Dance and music out of the Devadasi-institution still enchants all with its mystic rhythm. The Orissan School of architecture emerging from here is said to be poetry frozen in stone. The Patta-paintings, applique work & the Shell-craft of Puri have a major appeal.. Puri is also best for its Sand art, a unique type of art form developed here. "Golden Sand Art Institute" which is an open air institute at the Beach behind Mayfair Hotel started in the year 1995 and attracts huge number of visitors.
All foreign visitors are required to carry a passport valid at least for 6 months. Visa exemptions include Bhutanese and Nepalese who are staying for less than 3 months and Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals. It is always wise to check updated visa requirements prior to travel.
Exquisite temples, superb monuments, inviting beaches, opportunity for leisure cruising and Dolphin watching. There are many historic temples in Puri each holding a unique tale of its own. A few of the must-see temples apart from the Jagannath temple are: Gundicha Temple, The Lokanath temple, Siddha Hanuman temple, Dariamahavir temple, Yameswar Temple & the Tota Gopinath temple. However, only Hindus are allowed to enter in most of the Temples.
The other beautiful places to see in Puri are:
The Chilika Lake: One of the largest brackish water lakes in India. It offers an ideal resort for birds that migrate from different parts of the continent.
Narendra Tank: to which Madana-Mohan, the representative deity of Lord Jagannath ,is brought for 21 days during the Chandan yatra.
Near By Places:
Some of the places which can be covered while in Puri are: Raghurajpur: A craftsmen's village located at a distance of about 12 kms from Puri, is a must visit to be included in one’s excursion. It is famous for its Orissa Patta chitra textiles or fabrics decorated with the art of Orissa.
Konark: Famous for the Temple of the Sun God & located on the sandy land of Bay of Bengal, Konark is a must visit for its historical as well as architectural importance.
Sakhi Gopal: According to a legend, Lord Krishna came to this place as a witness or sakhi to sort out a dispute of two Brahmins. Later the Lord liked this place so much that he decided to stay here for a while. Sakhi Gopal(Krishna) has a life size image of the child Krishna to commemorate the legendary incident.
Where To Eat:
Puri, is known for its exotic and simple cuisine. The city is filled with numerous restaurants where one can be treated to the mouth-watering cuisine of Orissa. Most of the restaurants are multi-cuisine and there are quite a few vegeterain restaurants along the beach too. Rice is the staple food of the people here. It is served with a large number of vegetarian delicacies like dal, shukto and other curries. For Desserts, its the Rasgulla, Rasmalai, Khirmohan, Rasabali and the Kalakand that are very favoured. Pitha is a popular snack over here which is available almost everywhere. Two of the best eateries offering authentic Orissan cuisine include the Aquarium Restaurant and the Phulpatna Restaurant. Seafood is particularly delicious in these restaurants which are cooked in the typical Oriya style, rich in coconut milk or yogurt.
Where To Stay:
Being a huge tourist destination, it is easy to find accommodations to suit every pocket.
Although Puri is an ideal place to visit any time of the year, summer can get a bit hot and humid. Best time is October to April. At festival times the beach city is at its most vibrant. The Rath Yatra held in July is the most spectacular of festivals but falls in the monsoon season when most of Orissa is lashed with heavy rains. It often rains heavily during the pulling of the Carts on the Yatra day. Light cotton clothing in the summer and Light woolens in the winter are recommended for this place.
Puri is excellently connected by air, rail and road. The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar 100km away. Kolkata -Chennai rail route touches Chilika Lake at Balugaon , Chilika, Khallikote and Rambha. Buses and taxis are available from Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri and Berhampur to Chilika. OTDC provides luxury coaches and cars from Bhubaneswar and Puri.
By Air: The Biju Patnaik Airport in the state capital Bhubaneswar is the nearest Airport. The distance Is 65 Kms from Puri and can be covered by car/taxis/buses. The airport is well connected with the major cities of India.
By Rail: Being a terminus on the South East Railway, Puri is directly linked with Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Patna, Baidyanath Dham and Tirupati by train. The railway station is accessible from the main town area by almost all the modes of local transport. From Bhubaneswar rail service can be availed to many other parts of the country.
By Road: Puri and Bhubaneshwar are well connected by road with frequent and fast state transport buses and minibus services that do the journey in few hours. Cars, Jeeps and other private vehicles also ply on the same route.
Local Transport: One can avail taxis, auto-rickshaws, buses and cycle-rickshaws to move within the city.
As Puri is mostly known for its religious significance, it is recommended to visit here while covering the other two places forming the Golden Triangle of Orissa. However, it can be covered as a Stand-alone destination during fairs & festivals too.
