The famous temple of Lord Jagannatha welcomes you as you travel to Puri. The temple apart from its religious significance is a superb architectural specimen too. Travel to Puri during the time of Ratha Yatra (Chariot festival), when the image of Lord Jagannatha is shifted from one temple to another on a giant chariot and the city plays host to one of the greatest congregations in the world.
Although a beachside destination, Puri is not a typical beach retreat. Do spend some time on the sun-kissed sandy beach along the boisterous Bay of Bengal, or take a dip in Sawrgadwar to secure heaven after death, as you travel to Puri.
How to Reach Puri :
By Air - Puri does not have an airport of its own, but about 60 Km away is the airport of Bhubaneswar the capital city of Orissa. Bhubaneswar is well-connected by air to cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad.
By Road - An important district in Orissa, Puri is joined by extensive network of roads. Main cities and tourist destinations, like Bhubaneswar, Konark in Orissa are well-linked to Puri by road.
By Rail - Puri has a Railway Station too. Many important stations link Puri to places like Kolkata, Rourkela.ss Prime tourist attractions in Puri
Jagannath Temple :
The temple is the paramount of all tourist attractions in Puri. Legend has it that the King Indradyumna who ruled the territory decided to build the temple upon seeing the deity Lord Jagannatha in dream. Following several difficulties, the temple was built and an old Brahmin agreed to carve the image on a sacred piece of wood. But the artisan left the job incomplete since he was disturbed in the middle of his task. The artisan is believed to be Lord Krishna in disguise.
The Temple is an example of impeccable architectural expertise of the period. The rock-hewn temple has tall shikharas (spires). The pillars that support the building are embellished with scenes from the life of Lord Krishna.
Gundicha Temple :
Towards northeast direction of the Jagannath Temple, lies the Gundicha Temple built in 16th - 17th centuries, and is one of various tourist attractions in Puri. Unlike other Orissa’s temples, this temple is almost a dome with Vishnu's wheel on the top. During the prominent Rath Yatra festival, Lord Jagannatha remains for seven days in Gundicha Temple popularly known as HIS aunt's house.
Swargadwar:
This place along the seashore is a sacred site and one of the tourist attractions in Puri. Sri Chaintanya Mahaprabhu, the Vaishnava prophet here merged into the sea and passed away. A holy dip here in the sea is believed to open the doors to heaven.
Other tourist attractions in Puri are: Jagannath Ballav Math, Chaturdham Veda Bhawan, Bedi Mahavir, Ardhasani, Chakra Tirtha, Dasavatara Math and so on.
Sightseeing around Puri :
Apart from all these, you may also choose to take short detour to the traditional craftsmen's village of Raghurajpur and Pipli and also the well-known Chilika Lake, a haven for the bird watchers.
