Puri Overview

One of the most popular attractions from the list of places included in most Puri Tour Packages is Puri. Charmed by the religious presence of the Jagannath temple and enamoured by the beauty of the Puri Sea beach, tourists are often seen spending the majority of their days here. The sacred city of Puri is one of the ‘Chaar Dhams’ or four sacred places of India indeed. The other three dhams are Rameshwaram, Badrinath and Dwarka. Adu Shankaracharya established these four dhams.

According to people's beliefs, Puri is a land of mysticism and religion. In other words, apart from the religious significance, the land narrates various stories and unsolved mysteries; for example, the famous Jagannath Temple has no shadow at any time of the day. Apart from all the places to visit in Puri, Puri is thus a quick possible detour for travel enthusiasts, which is hard to miss. Situated only about 61.1 km away from the main city of Bhubaneshwar, it is a must-visit experience.

Places to visit in Puri

Puri has a lot in store for visitors. Starting from the great Jagannath temple, the majestic Sea beach, Chilika lake, and Raghurajpur artistic village, Puri has a lot of experiences waiting for people to explore in search of peace and mystic revelations. Following are some of the significant places one can visit while at Puri.

Puri Jagannath Temple

The Puri Jagannath Temple belongs to Lord Jagannath who is an incarnation of Lord Krishna. The Eastern Ganga Dynasty ruler, Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva started the original construction of the temple. And finally, the rebuilding got successful 10th century onwards. The temple is famous for its ‘Rath Yatra’ or chariot festival that takes place every year. And It is an auspicious occasion to be a part of, thus attracting hoards of devotees. The chariot is elaborately decorated on which three principal deities (namely ‘Jagannath’, ‘Balabhadra’ and ‘Subhadra’) of the Jagannath temple are pulled into a celebratory procession. The idols of the Jagannath Temple consist of wood which is replaced every year, unlike the stone idols of other major temples in the rest of India.

Chilika Lake

Chilika lake is the largest brackish water lagoon of India covering an area of over 1100 km2. It is one of the most beautiful hotspots to find biodiversity. It is also a hub to various migratory birds and thus visitors can engage in activities like Bird-watching here along with the already breath-taking view of the lake. This lagoon is spread over three districts of Odisha namely, Puri, Khurda and Ganjam and flows into the Bay of Bengal.

Raghurajpur Artistic Village

Raghurajpur is a famous artistic village in Puri. It identifies itself for its Pattachitra painters, Pattachitra being an art form dating back to the 5th Century BC and also for its Gotipua dance groups. Tourists can get a glimpse at the beautiful art markets here and get some valuable souvenirs. Venue to the famous Basant Utsav, this is a popular attraction too.

Puri Sea Beach

The Puri Sea beach is a beautiful sight and experience for all visitors. The sea beach is full of various local vendors selling artifacts and even a large variety of food items for tourists. A walk at this beach at night is one of the experiences that stay in one’s memory and is an essential recommendation.

Some other noteworthy places nearby include the Loknath Temple, Khandagiri caves, Lakshmi temple, Gundicha Temple and Vimala Temple.