With its long sandy beaches, the popular esplanade and one of the holiest Hindu temple where the annual juggernaut ‘the Rath Yatra’ is observed, Puri is a favorite with families, pilgrims and foreigners alike.
Puri is a city that fondly hugs the eastern shore of the bay of Bengal. The breadth and length of this city is dotted with places of worship, some dating back to 12th century. It has found its place into the hearts of the people. The city is home to the Jagannath temple, which is one of the four Dhams of the Hindus and is revered and loved by all Hindus. This Holy Jagannath temple is also the only shrine in India where Radha, Lakshmi, Durga, Sati, Parvati,Shakti and Jagannath are worshiped together.
Ratha Yatra, also known as “festival of chariots”, is an auspicious festival that draws many pilgrims from all parts of the country and world.
It’s a time of exalting the gods and goddesses. Idols of Lord Jagannath, also known as Krishna, along with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Subhadra are taken out off the temple, on this day and are carried on a grand chariot procession. The city life here is suffused with festivals all through the year. Chandan Yatra, Sahi yatra, Maha Shiva Ratri, etc. are some festivals observed here.
[Read more about Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra]
Puri is also the gateway to the famous Sun temple (Konark temple), located 36 km from Puri. It was built in 13th century and has remained one of the main tourist attractions in Odisha (Orissa).
Tourist swarm the spacious sandy beach all along the coast; not just to fulfill their aesthetic fantasy but for religious purposes too. Vast horizon of the ocean disappears before our eyes into the distance and blank out to the color of the sky, like smooth transcend into heaven. Swargadwar, the cremation ground for Hindus which is on this sandy beach, is believed by Hindus as ‘the gateway to heaven. So wishes for dying in Puri is an understandable quest as they believe their soul will be made accessible for entry into heaven.
Puri is has got almost everything for a great holiday; 12th century temples, Sandy beach, great festivals and good food. It’s a ‘perfect gateway’ to escape from all the chaos of our daily chores. The main action of the city is along the eastern coast Charta Tirtha Road which is especially popular with foreign visitors. For the Indian travellers, especially the Bengalis who flock here from Kolkata during their holidays, New Marine Road is the place to hangout along with the esplanade.
[Explore the things to do in Puri in detail with our Puri Travel Guide]
How to Reach:
Puri is accessible by flight, train and bus. The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar and it is connected to big cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Madras and Bombay. Train run from major cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, visakhapatnam, Tirupati etc. Bus services to small towns are available and are linked with bigger cities too
Where to Stay:
The Beach is dotted with hotels and many rest house, along with fishing Villages. Various cuisines of seafood are available for picks. Many Hotels offer breath-taking view of the sea from their Hotel rooms. If you book the Orissa Tour package from us, you don’t have to worry about accommodation because we provide it.
Indian Holiday
Indian Holiday Pvt. Ltd. (IHPL) is a 2 time National Tourism Award winning destination management company based in Delhi. This travel blog is an initiative to inform the visitors about all aspects of India that include her history, heritage, culture and tourist attractions and destinations.
Nice Blog for Rath Yatra Puri…
Thank you for this post. I am going to plan to visit Puri for this Car festival.