Puri

Puri is located in Odisha which is famous as a pilgrime site among Hindus, devotees from all
over the country travels to Puri especially during the famous Rath yatra of Lord Jagannath,
Balaram and Devi Sudhabra.

Places to Visit

Shree Jagannath Puri Temple

Shree Jagannath Puri Temple was built by the king Ananta Varman Chodaganga Deva of
Ganga dynasty during 12th century, devotees of Vaishnavism visits this temple from all
around the country, three idols of Lord Jagannath, Balaram, and Devi Subhadra are worshiped
here. This temple is also famous for hosting the famous Jagannath Rath Yatra.

Chilika Lake

Chilika lake is the biggest salt water lake of in India situated only 50km away from the
city,one can enjoy the greenery of the surrounding as well as the dolphins swimming by.

Puri Beach

Puri beach is located at a distance of 35kms from the Sun temple one can relax and enjoy the
day in while swimming in this salty water.

Narendra Tank

Narendra Tank was built during 15th century and the water of this tank is believed to be holy
surrounding this tank there are many temples also there in an island in the middle of the lake
where a temple named Chandama Mandapa is located.

Lakshmi temple

Lakshmi Temple is located near the Jagannath Temple this temple is believed to be the place
where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati's marriage took place.

Raghurajpur Village

Raghurajpur village is a small villages that speaks about the ancient art and crafts of Puri like
pattachitra, leaf engraving etc.

Markandeswara temple
Markandeswara temple’s architecture, especially the entrance which is decorated with a
beautiful figure of Nataraj is the special attraction here.

Swargadwar beach

Swargadwar beach is located near the Swargadwar crematorium; this famous beach of Puri is
crowded throughout the year.

Astaranga beach

Astaranga meaning “colourful sunset”, as the name says the beach offers a picturesque view
of the sunset.

Vimala temple

Vimala Temple is said to be of the Sakti Peetha thus this place is of great importance for the
devotees of Hinduism, the temple is dedicated to the tantric avatar of Goddess Sakti named as
Goddess Vimala.

Gundicha temple

Gundicha Temple is where the famous Rath yatra of Puri ends, this place is said to be the
summer palace for the Lord Jagannath and his siblings.

Sudarshan Crafts Museum

Sudarshan Craft Museum was established by Sri Sudarshan Sahoo with the aim to showcase
the evolution of modern art and craftsmanship.

Ganesh temple

The unique idol of Lord Ganesh's dancing figure is what attracts everyone to this temple.

Lokanath temple

Lokanath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, where devotees of Hinduism mainly visit.

Sakshigopal temple

Sakshigopal temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this temple also marks the gateway for Puri.

Alarnatha Temple
This shrine is dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Brahmagiri.

Baliharachandi Beach

Baliharachandi Beach is located in between Konark and Puri this beach has less crowded and
much quieter which is why tourists prefer to visit here even if it’s for once.

Daya River

Daya River river marks the end of king Ashokar's end of violent ways after the war fought in
Kalinga till date, near Dhauli hills one can see the Ashoka's edicts engraved on the walls of
the rock.

Baleshwar Beach

Baleshwar beach which is also known as Chandipur Beach is one of the less crowded and
serene beaches of Odisha.

Sonar Gouranga Mandir

Sonar Gouranga Mandir is one of the famous pilgrim spots among Hindus this temple has
idols of Lord Ram, Jagannath, Balaram and Sudhadra along with the incarnations of Lord
Vishu.

Balighai beach

This beach is ideal for those looking for a quiet and relaxing evening.

Pipili

Pipili is a small town which is a shopper's paradise as one can find numerous local handcraft
items, idols of different God and Goddesses, animals, handbags etc

Mausima Temple

Mausima Temple is dedicated to the Aunt Mother who is believed to save Puri from the
floods of sea water the architecture of the temple looks like a fort which is said to represent
safety.

Nalbana Bird Sanctuary

How to Reach

By Flight

Biju Patnaik International Airport located in Bhubaneshwar is the nearest airport to reach Puri
at a distance of 68km.

By Road
Buses are available from cities like Bhubaneshwar, Vishakhapatnam, and Kolkata.
By Train
Puri has its own railway station and most of the trains running to and fro from Calcutta to
Chennai stops here which makes Puri easily accessible.

Local transport
Numerous options are available to transport around the city one can hire a cycle rickshaw or
autorickshaw or can even book motorbike to explore the city.
Best Time to Visit

The months from October till February are the best months to visit Puri when the temperature
is quite pleasant one should avoid visiting here during Summer season in the months of April
till June when the temperature is uncomfortable to explore the city.

Places to Eat
Few famous restaurants in Puri are:

 Bhojohori Manna- this place is famous for serving delicious Bengali cuisine.
 Chung Wah Restaurant- this restaurant is highly popular for Chinese cuisine.
 Bakers Boutique- one can have desserts or drink at this bakery.
 The Gajapati- this place is ideal for breakfast although this is an in-house restaurants
of the Holday Resort.
Festival
Ratha Yatra or the Chariot Festival of Puri is the most popular festival of Orissa where the
Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, Balaram travels annually to meet his aunt at Gundicha
Temple situated nearby they came back to the main temples after staying there for nine days.

Summary

Puri, Odisha can be easily counted as the most popular destination among beach lovers, where
one can enjoy the serenity of the beaches as well as can explore the Hindu temples and traditions.