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| || The Past || Don't Miss || Festivals || When to Go || Getting There || |
Situated
on the eastern coastline of the Bay of Bengal, Puri
is renowned as the abode of Lord Jagannath. The Jagannath Temple,
one of the four most important Hindu pilgrimage sites is considered
to be one of the Char Dhams. Besides being a pilgrimage centre,
Puri’s magnificently wide white sand beaches, fishing
farms and superb resorts make it an inviting tourist destination
as well. The surf on the beaches here is considered to be one
of the best on the entire eastern coastline of India and the
sight of dawn breaking is a breathtaking sight. The small
villages located nearby can also be
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visited, which have brightly coloured folk art
and handicrafts to flaunt. The traditional methods of fishing used
by the local fishermen are especially interesting, as are the historic
sites which give the visitor a sense of the city’s history
and the lifestyle of the locals.
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Puri is known for the sect of Jagannath, originating some say in the times when the people of Orissa worshipped trees and hence the practice of carving his image in wood. Once a part of the Kalinga kingdom, Puri was taken over by Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire and eventually after being ruled by various dynasties, came under the British rule in 1803. Some believe that a Buddhist temple was built on its foundation,
which was the hiding place for the Buddha tooth of Kandy before
it was spirited away to Sri Lanka. |
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The
magnificent Jagannath Temple is regarded as
one of the Char Dhams (holy pilgrimages) of Hinduism. Dedicated
to the Lord of the Universe (Jag-universe/ Nath-lord), it was
built during the 12th century by King Chora Ganga Deva and completed
by his descendant Anangabhima Deva. The temple is one of the
tallest monuments in the country, standing at an imposing height
of about 214 ft atop an elevated platform of stone measuring
about 10 acres. A fine example of Kalingan architecture, the temple is crowned with Lord Vishnu's chakra (wheel) made of an alloy of eight different metals giving it a blue color. With a circumference of about 36 ft, a new flag is tied daily to the wheel. The temple has four gates at the eastern, southern, western and |
northern midpoints of the Meghanad Prachir and are called
Lions Gate, Horse Gate, Tiger Gate and the Elephant Gate respectively.
A unique feature of the temple is its large kitchen where 56 varieties of maha prasada (holy food) are prepared as an offering to Lord Jagannath. It is a popular belief that eating maha-prasada turns one towards great spiritual advancement. Though non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple, they can view the temple proceedings from the flat roof of the Raghunandan Library. This vantage point offers a view of the colossal deul, certainly the highest building at 65 mts., and elaborate carvings on the tower similar to that of the Lingaraj. The Gundicha Ghar or Gundicha Temple is an important part of the famous Rath Yatra festival of Puri. Gundicha Ghar is believed to be the house of Lord Krishna’s loving aunt. On the day of the Rath Yatra, the idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken in beautifully adorned wooden rath (chariot) from the main gate of the Jagannath temple to Gundicha temple. At the garden house, their aunt welcomes them by feeding them padoapitha (specially baked rice cakes). This place is regarded as extremely holy as the Lord stays here for nine days during the festival. The magnificent Atharnala Bridge, was constructed
during the 13th century over the Mandupur stream and is a
living example of the engineering marvel of the ancient times.
Located at the entrance of the town, prayers are offered by
pilgrims here. Satyabadi, the shrine of Lord
Sakshigopal is located 20 kms away from Puri. The sacred feet
of Shri Radha are, however, visible only on 'Anala nawami'
day. |
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Every
year, on the second day of the bright fortnight in the months
of June-July, the famed Rath Yatra or “Car festival”
is held at Puri. It celebrates Lord Jagannath’s legendary
return to his kingdom on earth. The Rath Yatra
is a journey from dark to light and commemorates the journey
of Krishna from Gokul to Mathura. In this religious journey,
idols of Jagannath, Subhadra and Balbhadra are taken out in
procession in three raths. The main rath is 43 ft high, 33 ft
wide and has 16 wheels. The ropes of the chariots are pulled
by millions of devotees, an act which is considered extremely
auspicious. |
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Nava Kalebara is a local festival of an immensely significant religious ritual, held every 12 to 19 years. The three temple deities Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra change their external forms, when new idols are carved out of specially sanctified sandalwood trees.  |
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| Puri can
be visited throughout the year. However, the best months to
be there are from October to March and during the Rath Yatra
in June and July. |
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Bhubaneshwar is the closest airport- 65 kms away. |
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Puri
is linked by rail to other cities in Orissa and the country
including Bhubaneshwar and Kolkata. |
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Government
State Transport and Orissa Road Corporation buses connect Puri
with Bhubaneshwar, Kolkata, Chilika, Konarak, Madras, Sambalpur,
and Visakhapatnam. |
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The
cycle rickshaw is the most popular means of travel within Puri.
Bicycles are also easily available for hire and are suggested
for touring the temple and beaches. |
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