Hilgiri, Niladri, Hilachal Purushottam, Sankhakshetra, Srikehetra, Jagannath Dham, Jagannath Puri, Puri is a place with many names over the centuries. Two great forces dominate puri: the sea (Bay of Bengal) and the great temple of Lord Jagannath. One of the four celebrated religious centers (Char Dhams) of India, Puri, the abode of Lord Jagannath needs no introduction. 

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). Very few cities are so dominated by a single factor in so many diverse ways as Puri is, influenced by Lord Jagannath. A very large part of Puri"s population is connected with the temple in one way or the other. Some are involved in the service of Lord Jagannath (the Pandas and Purohits), others have gainful employment indirectly generated because of the deity. Apart from Jagannath temple, the other two most important temples around are Lokanath Temple and Gundicha Temple. 

Most people go to Puri for religious reasons - it being one of the four most holy Hindu "Dhams" (meaning a holy place). But a very large number also go for both adventure as well as restful holidays. Drawing the maximum number of visitors as compared to any other place in Orissa, Puri not only has scores of hotels, but also hundreds of holiday homes owned by various organisations and business houses. The sunny beach at Puri is one of the finest in the world. Watching the sunrise in a symphony of colours is a wonderful experience. It is one of the most popular seaside resorts where visitors from any part of the globe can comfortably relax. There is the added attraction of one of the few remaining relies of the British period - the South Eastern Railway Hotel. There must be very few places left in India with such spacious rooms and so much living space. The lifestyle at this hotel can be an experience of a lifetime for those coming from crowded cities. 

Puri being a coastal district of Orissa is famous for its Historic antiquities, Religious sanctuaries, Architectural Grandeur, beautiful sea and moderate climate. It holds a wealth of attraction for the visitors. It boasts of a continuous history from the 3rd Century B.C. to the present day and its unique monuments like those of Lord Jagannath at Puri, the Sun God at Konark are the famous in the world. It has the Chilika Lake, one of the largest brackish water lakes in India, which holds a picturesque Seascape beauty. It offers an ideal resort for birds that migrate from different parts of the continent. By virtue of Geographical location , the climate of Puri is equable through out the year. 

Puri the abode of Vishnu as Jagannath, which contributed the word "Juggernaut" to the English language, represents its integrated individuality as its cultural heritage, a unique blend of claims of time and eternity with a power answerable only to wisdom. Puri"s compendious heritage has been representing that spark of immortality that the Oriyas and the Indians have own against the powers of negation, through a spirit of university, adaptability, and an astute mixture of the present which no other culture can aspire to explain as its self justification. The name of the Lord as Purusottama (perfection personified) or as Jagannath (Lord of Universe) represents a universality in true with the familiar faternity of mankind (Vasudheiva Kutumbakam). Adi Shankaracharya visited Puri, set up the Gobardhan matha (monastery) as the exception from his other three mathas as a vaishnavite, defined Jagannath as the Supreme one. It is thus not only one of the four Dhams (Holy Places) for Hindus but the most pious and sacred place. 

The Quintessential characteristic of its culture and philosophy has made it from Pan-Indian to Pan-Continental. The Car-Festival of Shri Lord Jagannath now not limited to Puri or Orissa rather it is celebrated in global scale, the reverberation echoes of which are heard from Los Angeles to Piccadilly from Heidelberg to Tokyo. The Jagannath culture is not only pre-dominated in Puri but it is global. Its Universal affirmation is secular diffusion of such an attitude is futuristic. It calls for unity in diversity is an age of diverse perversity. 

The evolution of Odissi Dance and music out of the Devadasi-institution still enchants all with its mystic rhythm. The Orissan School of architecture emerging from here is a poetry frozen in stone. The Patta-paintings and appliqué work are a craze in the west, particularly in U.S.A. The Shell-craft of Puri have a major appeal. It is thus here at puri that the pattern of a Pan-Indian, culture of tomorrow is on the anvil. People are individual atoms ever contributing their properties to the "matter" of Jagannath Dharma without consciousness of mutual distinctions. Puri belongs to humanity, the seat of an eternal education, the bridge that gulfs the past and the future and the blending of diverse impulses for a single embodiment in the march of all fulfilling time. Temples and sanctuaries, beaches and glorious lakes, colourful, vibrant and the numerous festivals for every reason and for every season that can take on a"Jagannath-like momentum". Puri has then all and much more for all. Excellently connected by air, rail,and road , Puri invites you to its hospitable environs and promises you an experience you will never forget .When others talk of taking you down memory lane. Puri will take you back to your ancient linkages. When others talk of romancing with the stones, her ancient architects and sculptors will show you what it really means. 

Air: Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport - 60 km . Indian Airlines offers excellent connections to Bhubaneswar from Delhi, Calcutta, Visakhapatnam, Nagpur,Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai.

Rail:-A terminus on the S.E. Railway having fast and superfast train links with New Mumbai, Delhi,Guwahati , Hyderabad ,Thiruvanantapuram Calcutta and Baidyanath Dham & etc.Puri has good rail connections with Delhi , Calcutta, Tirupati, Okha and Ahmedabad. 

Road: 60 km by State Highway from Bhubaneswar. One can also approach by road via Konark and then through the Marine Drive covering about 100 km. OTDC provides luxury coaches and cars from Bhubaneswar and puri. 

The Temple of Lord Jagannath built during the 12th century A.D. by Chodaganga Deva dominates the landscape for kilometers around. Being the tallest temple (65 metres) in Orissa, it is one of the most magnificent pieces of monuments of India. In front of the main gate stands a 16-sided monolithic pillar (11 metres high), called Aruna Stambha, which formally stood in front of the Sun Temple and was brought to Puri during the 18th century A.D. Some of the other important temples are Gundicha, Sunaragauranga, Lokanath, Daria Mahabir and Tota Gopinatt. There are also a number of holy tanks like Narendra, Markandeya, Sweta Ganga and Indradyumna. There are many Monasteries locally known as Mathas also of tourist interest.

Sea Beach - The golden beach of Puri is one of the best in the country for Sun, Surf and Sand. The beach area has been a popular seaside resort for decades, and some of the old hotels capture the charm of bygone days. For this shining beach, Puri has got its dual importance of a relaxed seaside resort and of an important pilgrimage centre. A stroll along the beach or a much-desired bath here in the sea is very much refreshing. The beach goes festive on occasions like "Kartik Purnima" i.e. the full moon day of the lunar month of Kartik when Hindus gather here in the early morning to take a holy deep and pray sea God. The five days long Beach Festival in the months of February is now very popular in the Festival calendar. Beach clothes are appropriate for this seaside resort

Balighai -8 km

The Casuarina fringed Balighai beach is a famous picnic spot. The Sun and fun at the mouth of the river Nuanai is unforgettable. 

Brahmagiri - 25 km

Brahmagiri is known for the living shrine of Alarnath. Streams of pilgrims visit Alarnath during Anabasara of Lord Jagannath. Nearby is the shrine of Baliharachandi on the solitary sand dunes. 

Satyabadi - 20 km

Satyabadi or Sakshigopal is known for the shrine of Lord Sakshigopal. It is believed that the visit to Puri is incomplete without a visit to Sakshigopal. The temple is only 2 km away from the main road leading to Puri and is convenient to visit. 

Baliharachandi - 27 km

27 km to the south-west of Puri is the temple of Baliharachandi. Situated on a sandy hill near the sea and adjacent to the mouth of the river Bhargavi, Goddess Durga is worshipped here as Baliharachandi. The scenic beauty of this place is ideal for group picnic. 

Raghurajpur - 16 km

One of the most famous artists village in Orissa, the village of Raghurajpur boasts not only of the exquisite pattachitra"s and talapattachitra"s, but also of being the native place of Guru kelucharan Mohapatra, the famed Odissi dancer. Even today, under the tutelage of renowned Guru"s, young boys can be seen practicing the Gotipua dance here. A visit to Orissa would definitely be incomplete without a visit to this little village. 

Satapara - 52 km

Satapara, a retreat in nature on Chilika Lake, has been thrown open to visitors. Its location near the confluence of the Lake with the Bay of Bengal, and proximity to Puri (52 km), makes it an ideal spot to enjoy Chilika. The thrilling sight of dolphins round the year and abundance of migratory and resident birds in winter make it a preferred place for a vacation with nature. 

Sakhigopal is 20 km from puri is famous for Radha Krishna temple. It is also famous for Satyabadi bana vidyalaya and bakulabana. 

The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark is the culmination of Orissan temple architecture, and one of the most stunning monuments of religious architecture in the world. The poet Rabindranath Tagore said of Konark that "here the language of stone surpasses the language of man", and it is true that the experience of Konark is impossible to translate into words.

The massive structure, now in ruins, sits in solitary splendour surrounded by drifting sand. Today it is located two kilometers from the sea, but originally the ocean came almost up to its base. Until fairly recent times, in fact, the temple was close enough to the shore to be used as a navigational point by European sailors, who referred to it as the "Black Pagoda". 

Built by King Narasimhadeva in the thirteenth century, the entire temple was designed in the shape of a colossal chariot, carrying the sun god, Surya, across the heavens. Surya has been a popular deity in India since the Vedic period and the following passages occur in a prayer to him in the Rig Veda, the earliest of sacred religious text: 

"Aloft his beams now bring the good, Who knows all creatures that are born, That all may look upon the Sun. The seven bay mares that draw thy car, Bring thee to us, far-seeing good, O Surya of the gleaming hair. Athwart in darkness gazing up, to him the higher light, we now Have soared to Surya, the god Among gods, the highest light."

So the image of the sun god traversing the heavens in his divine chariot, drawn by seven horses, is an ancient one. It is an image, in fact, which came to India with the Aryans, and its original Babylonian and Iranian source is echoed in the boots that Surya images, alone among Indian deities, always wear. The idea of building an entire temple in the shape of a chariot, however, is not an ancient one, and, indeed, was a breathtakingly creative concept. Equally breathtaking was the scale of the temple, which even today, in its ruined state, makes one gasp at first sight. Construction of the huge edifice is said to have taken 12 years revenues of the kingdom. 

The main tower, which is now collapsed, originally followed the same general form as the towers of the Lingaraja and Jagannath temples. Its height, however, exceeded both of them, soaring to 227 feet. The jagmohana (porch) structure itself exceeded 120 feet in height. Both tower and porch are built on high platforms, around which are the 24 giant stone wheels of the chariot. The wheels are exquisite, and in themselves provide eloquent testimony to the genius of Orissa"s sculptural tradition. 

At the base of the collapsed tower were three subsidiary shrines, which had steps leading to the Surya images. The third major component of the temple complex was the detached natamandira (hall of dance), which remains in front of the temple. Of the 22 subsidiary temples which once stood within the enclosure, two remain (to the west of the tower): the Vaishnava Temple and the Mayadevi Temple. At either side of the main temple are colossal figures of royal elephants and royal horses. 

Just why this amazing structure was built here is a mystery. Konark was an important port from early times, and was known to the geographer Ptolemy in the second century AD. A popular legend explains that one son of the god Krishna, the vain and handsome Samba, once ridiculed a holy, although ugly, sage. The sage took his revenge by luring Samba to a pool where Krishna"s consorts were bathing. While Samba stared, the sage slipped away and summoned Krishna to the site. Enraged by his son"s seeming impropriety with his stepmothers, Krishna cursed the boy with leprosy. Later he realized that Samba had been tricked, but it was too late to withdraw the curse. Samba then travelled to the seashore, where he performed 12 years penance to Surya who, pleased with his devotion, cured him of the dreaded disease. In thanksgiving, Samba erected a temple at the spot. 

In India, history and legend are often intextricably mixed. Scholars however feel that Narasimhadeva, the historical builder of the temple, probably erected the temple as a victory monument, after a successful campaign against Muslim invaders. In any case, the temple which Narasimhadeva left us is a chronicle in stone of the religious, military, social, and domestic aspects of his thirteenth century royal world. Every inch of the remaining portions of the temple is covered with sculpture of an unsurpassed beauty and grace, in tableaux and freestanding pieces ranging from the monumental to the miniature. The subject matter is fascinating. Thousands of images include deities, celestial and human musicians, dancers, lovers, and myriad scenes of courtly life, ranging from hunts and military battles to the pleasures of courtly relaxation. These are interspersed with birds, animals (close to two thousand charming and lively elephants march around the base of the main temple alone), mythological creatures, and a wealth of intricate botanical and geometrical decorative designs. The famous jewel-like quality of Orissan art is evident throughout, as is a very human perspective, which makes the sculpture extremely accessible. The temple is famous for its erotic sculptures, which can be found primarily on the second level of the porch structure. The possible meaning of these images has been discussed elsewhere in this book. It will become immediately apparent upon viewing them that the frank nature of their content is combined with an overwhelming tenderness and lyrical movement. This same kindly and indulgent view of life extends to almost all the other sculptures at Konark, where the thousands of human, animal, and divine personages are shown engaged in the full range of the "carnival of life" with an overwhelming sense of appealing realism. 

The only images, in fact, which do not share this relaxed air of accessibility are the three main images of Surya on the northern, western, and southern facades of the temple tower. Carved in an almost metallic green chlorite stone (in contrast to the soft weathered khondalite of the rest of the structure), these huge images stand in a formal frontal position, which is often used to portray divinities in a state of spiritual equilibrium. Although their dignity sets them apart from the rest of the sculptures, it is, nevertheless, a benevolent dignity and one, which does not include any trace of the aloof or the cold. Konark has been called one of the last Indian temples in which a living tradition was at work, the "brightest flame of a dying lamp". As we gaze at these superb images of Surya benevolently reigning over his exquisite stone world, we cannot help but feel that the passing of the tradition has been nothing short of tragic. 

Close by is one of the most attractive beaches of the world - the Chandrabhaga beach. 

Area: 2.5 sq kms

Temperature: 32.2°C - 35°C (Summers)

        10.6°C - 26.7°C (Winters)

Rainfall: 152.4 cms

Altitude: Sea level

Language:Oriya, Hindi, Bengali, English

Best Season: October-March

STD Code: 06758

Air: Nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, 65 km away.

Rail: Nearest railhead is Puri on South East Railways, 35 km away. 

Road: 35 km from Puri on the Marine Drive, 65 km from Bhubaneswar, Konark is connected by an all-weather road. Regular bus services operate from Cuttack, Puri and Bhubaneswar. 

Astranga - 35 km

Right on the sea-shore, it is 91 km from Puri and 10 km from Kakatpur. Astaranga presents a panoramic view especially during sunset on a multi-coloured horizon as if to justify the literal meaning of its name. It is a centre of salt production and fishing. 

14 km from Kakatpur and 30 km from Konark one can visit the shrines of Amareswar, Laxminarayan and Barahi at Chaurasi. Barahi is the Mother Goddess with the face of a boar. Pot-bellied, she holds a fish in one hand and a cup in the other. The deity belongs to 9th century A.D. and is worshipped according to tantric practices

8 km from the world famous Sun Temple of Konark, Kuruma is a small village. Recent excavations here have brought to light the reminiscence of some ancient Buddhist antiquities like the image of Buddha seated in Bhumisparsa Mudra along with the image of Heruka, and a 17 metres long brick wall (brick size: 22 cm X 17 cm). Scholars are of opinion that this was one of the sites containing Buddhist stupas described by Hiuen T"sang. The place is approachable by jeep. 

Pipli - 23 km 

The town announces itself with loud colourful splashes of bright colour in the shop fronts. Welcome to Orissa"s appliqué center. Bedspreads, cushion covers, bags, wall hangings and small canopies, umbrellas or chhatris, normally hung above household and temple shrines, are on sale in shops that line both sides of the main highway. 

Ramachandi - 7 km

On the confluence of the river Kushabhadra and the Bay of Bengal, Ramachandi, the presiding deity of the Konark region is worshipped here with reverence. On the Marine Drive, the place is ideal for week-end picnic. 

he capital of Orissa is famous for its role as the ancient capital of the Kalinga Empire. It is the architectural legacy of that period which is Bhubanewar"s greatest attraction. There are a lot of sites in the city, which testify the importance of the region far earlier during the period from the 7th to 11th centuries when the Kalinga kings ruled Orissa and regions beyond. The Jain and Buddhist shrines give a clear picture about the settlements around Bhubaneswar in the first 2 centuries BC, and one of the most complete edicts of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, dating from between 272-236 BC, remains carved in rock just 5 miles to the south west of the modern city. The Sisupalgarh, the remains of a ruined city have been excavated to show that it was occupied from the beginning of the 3rd century BC to the middle of the 4th century AD. Bhubaneshwar is comfortable round the year, but the best season to visit the city is during the months of October to April.

Bhubaneswar "The Lord of the Universe" is also popularly known as the "Temple City of India" on account of its many temples in the extravagant Orissan style. Being the seat of Shiva or Tribhubaneswar "Lord of the Three Worlds", from which the city derives its name, Bhubaneswar is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. Hundreds of temples dot the landscape of the Old Town, which once boasted of more than 2000 temples. Bhubaneswar is the place where temple building activities of Orissan style flowered from its very inception to its fullest culmination extending over a thousand years.

Modern Bhubaneswar is delightfully rural for a state capital that administers the affairs of 25 million Orissans. Bhubaneswar with its modern buildings and extensive infrastructure perfectly complements its historic surroundings. With facilities to cater to every type of visitor, Bhubaneswar makes an ideal tourist destination.

Population: 528,390

Best Season: October to Mid March

STD Code: 0674

Air: Bhubaneswar Airport is 3 km from the city centre and almost all the major cities are connected from here. Indian Airlines has flights to Delhi, Calcutta, Visakhapatnam, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai. Airport enquiry 

Rail: The station is in the heart of the city. The Indian railway provides train services from every corner of the nation. Superfast trains connect this capital city with other cities in India. 

Road: Bhubaneshwar is well connected by motorable roads through out the year. The national highway no.5 touches this capital city. The main bus stand is at Barmunda, 8 km from the city centre. There are regular interstate bus services from the nearby towns and cities. Taxis, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and local bus services are available. The old bus stand in Unit II (off Rajpath) is mainly used for local services.