Puri

Puri, also called the Sri Purusottama Dham, is situated on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. This land of temples, is widely known for the outstanding Jagannath temple, beautiful sand beaches and alluring sunrises and sunsets. Nilgiri, Niladri, Nilachal, Purushottam, Jagannath Puri are some of the names by which Puri was known over the centuries.The captivating Rath Yatra, organised in June-July pulls in tourists in large numbers to this holy place. During this Yatra, Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra are installed in the decorated wooden chariots and are taken through the streets of Puri to Gundicha Ghar, believed to be the home of Lord Krishna's aunt. It is believed auspicious to pull the ropes of this chariot.

Getting There

By Air : The nearest airport is located in Bhubaneshwar(56km) from Puri.

By Road : Puri is 60km from Bhubaneshwar and 35km form Konark.

By Rail : Puri railway station is linked with all the major cities in India.

Related Accommodations

There are a plenty of hotels in Puri, ranging from Heritage to budget hotels. The service and comforts provided by the hotels make the visitors feel at home.

Did You Know?

• Puri is one of the oldest cities in the eastern part of the country.
• Puri is said to be the site of the Govardhan matha, one of the four cardinal institutions established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
• Puri is famous worldwide for its annual Ratha Yatra.
• Puri is also said to be 'Gateway To Heavens'.

Attractions

Overview

Puri, also called the Sri Purusottama Dham, is situated on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. This land of temples, is widely known for the outstanding Jagannath temple, beautiful sand beaches and alluring sunrises and sunsets. Nilgiri, Niladri, Nilachal, Purushottam, Jagannath Puri are some of the names by which Puri was known over the centuries.The captivating Rath Yatra, organised in June-July pulls in tourists in large numbers to this holy place. During this Yatra, Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra are installed in the decorated wooden chariots and are taken through the streets of Puri to Gundicha Ghar, believed to be the home of Lord Krishna's aunt. It is believed auspicious to pull the ropes of this chariot.

Major Attractions

Jagannath Temple

The temple stands in the Nilgiri Hills and is an excellent masterpiece of Kalinga Architecture. Built in the 12th century the temple is 65 mtrs high and is an important landmark of Puri.

Gundicha Ghar

It is believed to be the home of Lord Krishna's aunt. A legend says that Lord Krishna stays in this Gundicha Ghar for nine days during the Rath Yatra. During the Rath Yatra, Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken on the wooden chariot from the Jagannath temple to Gundicha Ghar.

Konark Temple

20km north east of Puri lies the famous Sun temple of Konark on the sea shore of the Bay of Bengal. The temple is of great historical significance and architecture of the temple is just superb.

Atharnala Bridge

It is an excellent bridge and was constructed in the 13th century over Mandupur stream. This bridge is considered as an engineering marvel and is around 85x11mtrs.

Chilka Lake

This famous freshwater lake is located 50kms away from Puri. Covering an area of 1100sq km, it is home to diverse aquatic fauna. One can also see numerous migratory birds here in winter months. Lake, ornamented with beautiful islands must be visited.

Location

Puri is one of the hottest pilgrimage destinations in India and is situated 60 kms away from Bhubaneshwar. Puri is famous for the Rath Yatra which is held here every year in the month of June-July.