Puri Orissa

Puri city in Orissa is looked upon as the Tirthraj. The supreme pilgrim centre (Tirthraj) among all pilgrim centres in India. It is a belief that if a person dies in Puri he is released for good from the cycle of births and gets himself merged in the body of the Almighty. He does not undergo rebirth.

According to tradition Puri was once a thickly wooded hill inhabited by the Sabaras (Pre-Aryan and Pre-Dravidian tribes of the Austric linguistic family). The sunny beach at Puri is one of the best in the world. Watching the sunrise in Puri early in the morning by the blue sea away from the cacophony is itself an experience which needs. It is one of the most popular sea-side resorts where visitors from all parts of the globe come to relax.

Geography of Puri
Puri is a city in Orissa on the coast of Bay of Bengal. It is the headquarters of Puri District and lies in 19 degrees 48 minutes North and 85 degrees 49 minutes East. It is bounded by Sri Lokanath on the west, Shri Beleswar on the east, and by Indradyumna on the north. The four principal spots called ghats are situated close to the boundary of Puri. The Atharnala ghat is on the north, Lokanath ghat on the south, Mangala ghat on the west and Chakratirtha ghat on the east.

Culture of Puri
Ratha Yatra - Puri, OrissaPuri is considered the cultural capital of Orissa. The culture of Puri has been enriched with multiple activities that take place in the city. Puri experiences a confluence of several religions in its heart. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jains, Christian and tribals are found in the city of Puri. In fact it can be said that the cultural tradition of Puri had started in the third century BC and has gloriously continued till today. The religious sanctity of the place as well as other activities adds to the cultural fervour of Puri.

Main attraction of Puri:

Jagannath Temple:

The temple is the biggest of all tourist attractions in Puri. Legend has it that the King Indradyumna who ruled the territory decided to built 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 Lord Krishna in disguise.

The Temple is an example of superb architectural skill 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 (16th - 17th centuries), which feature among the tourist attractions in Puri. Unlike any other Orissan temples, it is almost a dome with Vishnu's wheel on the top. During rath Yatra festival, Lord Jagannatha remain for seven days in Gundicha Temple popularly known as HIS aunt's house.

Swargadwar:

The place along the seashore is a sacred place and one of the tourist attractions in Puri. Sri Chaintanya Mahaprabhu, the Vaishnava prophet here merged into the sea and passed away. A dip here in the sea is believed to open the doors to heaven.

How to reach:

Reaching Puri through Rail - Puri is a terminus on the East Coast Railway having direct express and super fast train links with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, Ahmedabad, Tirupati etc. Some important trains are Kolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, Jagannath Express; New Delhi; Purushottam Express. Khurda Road Station, 44 km, from Puri is convenient rail head for train to Chennai and Western India.

The station is about one km North of the town. Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws compete aggressively to get you to a hotel.

Reaching Puri through Road - The bus stand near the Gundicha Temple provides connections to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, service every 10-15 minutes. Minibuses to Konark leave every 20-30 minutes and also from Jatiababa Chhak. There are direct buses for Kolkata and Visakhapatnam.