Puri

Geography

Situated on the eastern coastline of the country, Puri is most well known as an important Hindu pilgrimage center. The Jaggarnath Temple, one of the four most important Hindu pilgrimage sites or the chardham is located here. Also, Puri’s wonderfully wide white-sand beaches, fishing farms and superb resorts make it an inviting tourist destination. The surf on the beaches here is one of the best on the entire eastern coastline of India, and dawn is a breathtaking sight.
Visiting the Lord Jaggarnath temple, walking on the beach and experiencing the beauty of the sunrise and sunset are probably some of the best things to do in Puri. One could also visit the nearby small villages to look at the folk art and handicrafts, which are bright, colourful and exquisitely crafted items. The traditional methods of fishing used by the local fishermen are of interest, as is visiting nearby historic sites to garner a sense of the city’s history and the lifestyle of the locals.

History

Puri was once part of the kingdom of Kalinga, formed by Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire in 260 BC. The Sabaras, a tribe belonging to pre-Aryan and pre-Dravidian Austric linguistic group, inhabited the region. The region came under British rule in 1803. The Raja of Khurda rebelled in 1804, and there was a peasant uprising in 1817-18. The Orissa famine of 1866 claimed many lives in Puri.

Puri Attraction

The Beach : The fine white sands of Puri beach and the roar of the breakers rolling in from the Bay of Bengal have fascinated visitors throughout the years. The local fishermen, with their catamarans and wide-brimmed cane hats, are also expert masseurs. With excellent hotels and guesthouses, the Puri beach is an ideal holiday spot. .

Shri Jagannath Temple : The Temple of Lord Jagannath (Lord of the Universe) built during the 12th century A.D. by Chodaganga Deva dominates the landscape for kilometers around. Being the tallest temple (65 metres) in Orissa, it is one of the most magnificent pieces of monuments of India.

Raghurajpur : Famous for its Patta Chitra paintings, this artists village is 14 kms from Puri, makes an interesting excursion. No village is more involved in preserving India’s priceless skills than Orissa's Raghurajpur with its thatched, brick, houses on high plinths with sit-out platforms and artists busy at work.

Gundicha Mandir: This temple is located at the end of Grand road about 3 kms northeast of the Jagannatha temple. At the time of the Rath Yatra festival, Lord Jagannatha goes to the Gundicha temple and stays there for one week and returns back to His original temple. Gundicha is also the name of the king Indradyumna, who originally established the temple of Jagannatha.

Bada Danda: This is the Grand Road and is as wide as a modern freeway. It extends from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, and is the scene of the great Festival of the Chariots or Ratha Yatra.

Puri Fair & Festival

The Rath Yatra and Nava Kalebara are the famous festivals of Puri. Both these events are related to the reigning deity, Lord Jagannath. Commemorating the journey of Lord Krishna from Gokul to Mathura, the Rath Yatra is celebrated on the second day of the bright fortnight of Asadha (June-July). The image is placed in a heavy chariot and the efforts of hundreds of devotees are required to move it. The journey takes several days, and thousands of pilgrims participate. Perhaps many people will be surprised to know that the English word juggernaut, with its connotation of a force crushing whatever is in its path, is derived from name Jagannath, meaning "lord of the world."

Puri Climate

The climate of Puri is warm-humid with mean temperature 28-35o C in the summer and winters. Monsoon is prevalent from June to September.

How To Reach Puri

Flight : Nearest airport is at Bhubaneshwar (60 km), the state capital..

Train : Puri is also linked to other cities in Orissa and the country by train.

Road : Puri is connected with Bhubaneshwar, Konark, Berhampur, Taptapani, Sambalpur and Kolkata by road.