Top Destination – Puja 2009 – Puri

The Place : The small coastal city of Puri is known all over the world as the seat of Lord Jagannath literally meaning the Lord of the Universe. Situated at a distance of 60 kms. From Bhubaneswar, Puri is considered to be one of the four most sacred places for the Hindus, because of the shrine of Lord Jagannath.

The magnificent 192 ft. high, 12th century A.D. temple of Jagannath is one of the finest specimens of Orissan architecture. The temple and the deities enshrined are revered by millions of pilgrims coming to seek Lord?s blessings. Despite being closed for the non-Hindus, Jagannath continues to attract scholars of Oriental studies from all over the world.

Besides the historic Jagannath Temple (Srimandir), the wide spread, beautiful, sandy sea beach sacred tanks like Narendra, decorated art of deities, traditional dance and music, cultural festivals, the hamlets of traditional artists and variety of handicrafts are few veritable feasts to the eyes of tourists. The hamlets like Chitrakar Sahi, Pathuria Sahi, Kundheibenta Sahi are the home of numerous artisans and craftsmen who produce rare and exquisite handicrafts of large variety.

Sri Jagannath Temple
The main temple, a majestic structure of 65 metres high, stands on an elevated platform in the heart of the city ? its swirling pinnacle commanding the landscape for the miles around. It is a monument of the 12th century A.D. with all the richness and plasticity of the Kalinga style of architecture. Apart from the main temple one can see within its precincts a host of other smaller temples including Goddess Vimala, Laxmi and Vishnu and Ananda Bazar, a unique restaurant of the world.

The other notable shrines like Gundicha, Lokanath, Sonar Gourange, Siddha Bakul, Gambhira Math, Chakratirtha and tanks like Narendra, Swetaganga, Markandeya, Indradyumna, etc are worth visiting.

Festivals
The festival of chariots known as the Ratha Yatra, an annual ritual spreading over the entire summer and monsoon months, makes Puri attractive and enjoyable for the tourists. The Hindu new year beginning in Mid April heralds the summer and is the season for the famous Chandan yatra at Puri. The Chalanti Pratimas or moving images of the deities take a ritual boat ride after a refreshing bath in fragrant sandal wood scented water. This is followed by Snana Yatra, literally the festival of bath, in which the main images are installed on the bathing platform and given a ceremonial bath. The Lords then convalesce inside the sanctum sanctorum, closed to public view. During theis period the devotees have to be satisfied with a darshan of images of the Lords on cloth paintings or Pattachitra especially made for the purpose. Then comes the annual journey of the three deities, on grand chariots to their garden house ? ?GUNDICHA?. On the way their aunt feeds them with Podapitha (specially baked rice cakes). The deities on reaching Shri Gundicha give darshan to countless devotees everyday and after a lapse of 8 days, return to the main temple riding their chariots. Apart from this, tourist festivals like Shreekshetra Ustav & Beach Festival are also great attraction for the tourists.

The Beach
Puri offers a rare opportunity to the tourists to witness the colourful sunrise and sunset on the same beach where they can bathe and laze for hours on the golden sands. One can also see and enjoy traditional fishermen in hundreds, plying their catamarans or sail boats and drawing into their nets a rich catch of prawn, pomfrets and other fishes on this long and wide beach extending for miles. The roadside hotels and stalls offer the best sea food delicacies to the tourists.

Bada Danda
The grand road, as it is called, is ideal for a leisurely stroll and shopping for souvenirs and mementoes. Typical Puri handicrafts include miniature stone sculptures, woodcarvings, seashell items, patta paintings on cloth canvas and colorful appliqu? work. One can also pick up these pieces from Art and Craft Museum, Sun Crafts, Utkalika and other many of the shop?s located in around Sargadwar, literally, the Gateway to Heaven.

Accomodation
All type of Hotels, Resorts, Holiday Homes are available.

OTDC Assistance: –
Website : www.orissatourism.gov.in and www.otdc.in
Email : ortour@orissatourism.gov.in

Puri
Tourist Office, CT Road, Puri – 752002, Tel : 06752-222664,
Tourist Counter, Railway Station Puri, Tel : 223536.
Berhampur
Tourist Office, New Bus Stand,
Pin – 760004, Tel: (0680) 2280226
Tourist Counter, Railway Station, Pin – 760004, Tel: 2203870
Bhubaneswar
Tourist Office, Jayadev Marg, Pin – 751002, Tel : 0674-2431299,
Tourist Counter, Airport, Tel : 2534006,
Tourist Counter, Railway Station, Tel : 2530715,
India Tourism, B-21, B.J.B Nagar, Pin – 751014, Tel : 2432203.
New Delhi
Tourist Office, Utkalika, B/4 – Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi, Pin – 110001,
Telefax – 011-23364580.
Kolkata
Tourist Office, Utkal Bhawan,
55, Lenin Sarani, Kolkata, Pin – 700013,
Tel: 033-22443653.
Chennai
Tourist Office, Tamilnadu Tourism Complex, Near Kalaivanar Arangam, Wallajah Road,
Pin – 600002, Telefax: 044-25360891.
Mumbai
Tourist Office, Hotel New Bengal, Near Crawford Market, D.N. Road, Pin – 400001, Tel : 022-23401951.

(Content Source – Courtesy Orissa Tourism Development Corporation)

State : Orrisa

Altitude :

Season : Throughout the year

How to Reach :
Air
Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport – 60 km Indian Airlines has flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai. Sahara Airlines has flights from Hyderabad with connectivity facilities to all other important cities. Air Deccan and some other flight operators operates between Kolkata & Bhubaneswar.
Rail
A terminus on the East Coast Railway having fast and superfast train links with New Delhi, Kolkata and Baidyanath Dham (Okha), Ahmedabad, Tirupati, etc.
Road –
60 km by road from Bhubaneswar. One can also approach by road via Konark through the Marine Drive covering about 100 kms.

Nearest Railway Station : Puri

Nearest Airport : Bhubaneswar

Local Watchables :
PURI
Balighai (8 km)
Sea Beach and Sea Turtle Research Centre
Baliharachandi (27 km)
Shrine of Harachandi on the desolate sand dunes and a nice picnic spot.
Beleswar (15 km)
Shrine of Lord Beleswar Shiva on the sea beach.
Brahmagiri (25 km)
Shrine of Lord Alaranath, worshipped as Jagannath during ‘Anavasar’.
Raghurajpur (14 km)
Artisan village & centre for unique ‘Gotipua’ dance.
Sakshigopal (20 km)
Shrine of Lord Sakshigopal and Samadhi of Panchasakha, freedom fighters monument.
Satpada (50 km)
A scenic spot on Chilika, ideal for bird watching & viewing Irawady Dolphins.

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13 Responses to “Top Destination – Puja 2009 – Puri”

  1. Holidayhomeindia » Blog Archive » Konark – The Sun Temple Says:

    […] one of the well known tourist attractions of Orissa & is one of the important sight seeing from Puri – the sacred city. Konark or the Sun temple, also known as Sun temple is located amidst a small town […]

  2. Sutapa Das Says:

    Please let me know if I want to travel for Chilka& Gopalpur how should I Plan???

  3. admin Says:

    Hello Sutapa,

    You can either go first to Gopalpur or to Chilka instead and cover the other one in the later half. The distance between this two places is 45 kms.

    To reach Gopalpur here are the details:
    BY AIR – Bhubaneswar (180 km) is the nearest airport from where one can take flights for major cities like Delhi and Calcutta.

    BY RAIL – The nearest railway station is Berhampur(in IRCTC you can find it as Brahmapur instead) on the Howrah-Chennai line of Southeastern Railway. You can take trains to Calcutta and Chennai from this place.

    BY ROAD – Gopalpur is connected by motorable road to Barkul (75 km), Berhampur(Brahmapur)- (16 km), Bhubaneshwar (180 km), and Puri (242 km).

    Contact: Orissa Tourism Development Corporation Panthanivas (Old Block) Lewis Road, Bhubaneswar – 751014, Tel: ( 91-674) 2432382, 2432727, 2432713

    Chilka
    Balugaon is the nearest railway station – 5 kms away. Several express and passenger trains touch this station.

    Kalijai Island, Honeymoon Island, Breakfast Island, Birds Island, Nalabana (Island of Reeds), Parikud Island, etc. are some of the important and interesting spots inside the lake. The Island of Kalijai is famous as a center of religious worship due to the temple of Goddess Kalijai where a big fair is held on the occasion of Makara Sankranti that falls in January every year. The Island of Nalabana, 8 km in circumference occupies a unique place in the vast expanse of Chilika Lake as it happens to be the central point for the migratory birds. You can view the dolphins at Chilika mouth near Satpara.

    Feel free to drop your further query at http://www.holidayhomeindia.com/forums3

  4. Holidayhomeindia » Blog Archive » Chilka Lake – Bird Watcher’s Paradise Says:

    […] Lord Jagannatha temple which was built in 11th century is half kms distance from the Puri beach. Read More The Nirmaljhar Waterfall: Nirmaljhar waterfalls is situated at a distance of 12 kms from Chilka […]

  5. Debroah Gallmon Says:

    I have been visiting your blog lately because I am fascinated in reading the quality articles that you post. Keep up the good work!

  6. Yang Habben Says:

    Do you plan to keep this site updated? I sure hope so… its great!

  7. Chilka Lake « Affordable Holiday Home at Puri Says:

    […] one of the well known tourist attractions of Orissa & is one of the important sight seeing from Puri – the sacred city. Konark or the Sun temple, also known as Sun temple is located amidst a small town […]

  8. Ramee Guestline Hotel Mumbai Says:

    Cheap Hotel Mumbai…

    […]Holidayhomeindia » Blog Archive » Top Destination – Puja 2009 – Puri[…]…

  9. surojit mukherjee Says:

    should i stay in chandra bagha beach, is there any hotel or resorts, pls let me know.

  10. Chilka Lake – Bird Watcher’s Paradise | Hotel Prabhupada, Puri Says:

    […] Lord Jagannatha temple which was built in 11th century is half kms distance from the Puri beach. Read More The Nirmaljhar Waterfall: Nirmaljhar waterfalls is situated at a distance of 12 kms from Chilka […]

  11. Konark – The Sun Temple | Hotel Prabhupada, Puri Says:

    […] one of the well known tourist attractions of Orissa & is one of the important sight seeing from Puri – the sacred city. Konark or the Sun temple, also known as Sun temple is located amidst a small town […]

  12. priyasethi Says:

    Very Nice…..

  13. Vikrant Raut Says:

    hello,
    Ganpatipule is a popular beach haven. Legend has it, that Lord Ganpati (a Hindu God), on being offended by a native lady, changed his dwelling from Gule to Pule, and thus the town was named Ganpatipule. It houses the famous Swayambhu Ganpati temple.There is an interesting Ganpati-shaped walk of 1km around the hill, which is called Pradakshina, a way of respect shown by the pilgrims to the deity. It is said that Ganpatipule is one of the eight significant Ganpatis (Ashta Ganapatis) of India.

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