Puri Orissa

Locate : Puri, the coastal district of Orissa is situated by the Bay of Bengal in India.
Touring Seasons : Through out the year.

Puri
Puri, a coastal district of Orissa, is famous for its historic monuments, religious sanctuaries , architectural charm, coastal beauty and pleasant climate. Puri Orissa, one of the four main Hindu pilgrim centres in India holds a treasure trove of attraction for the tourists. Puri Orissa boasts of a endless history from the 3rd Century B.C. to the present day and its splendid monuments like those of Lord Jagannath at Puri, the Sun God at Konark are the famous in in India and abroad.

Millions of pilgrims gather to this sacred place every year to participate in the Rath Yatra or "Car festival". This annual ritual spreads over the entire summer and monsoon seasons making the most fruitful period to visit Puri.

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

Rail Lines : 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.

Bus LInes : 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.

Lodging at Puri
Numerous accommodation including the OTDC hotels, Panthanivas are also available for the tourists from all over the world.

Charming Spots near Puri
Jagannatha Temple
This 65 m high temple has all the richness and splendour of the Kalinga sytle of architecture. It was built in the 12th century during the reign of Chodaganga Deva. Apart from the main temple, the smaller shrines of Vimala, Vishnu and Lakshmi, and the Ananda Bazaar (the biggest food market in the world) located within the precincts, are a must visit.

Gundicha Ghar
or the Garden House is about 2 km from the main temple. It is a much smaller sanctum, where Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken by chariot in great festivity, for a week's holiday every year, during Rath Yatra. It is also popularly known as the house of Jagannath's aunt.

Chilka Lake
It has the Chilika lake , one of the largest brackish water lakes in India, that holds a picturesque Sea-Scape beauty. It offers an ideal resort for birds who migrate from different parts of the continent.

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.

Sun Temple
This world famous Sun temple of Konark also spelled as 'Konarak' or 'Konaraka' is situated on a lonely sea shore of the Bay of Bengal and is 20 km north-east of the holy city of Puri.
The architectural grandeur of this ancient temple is worth a visit.

Chandra Bhaga
At about 3 kms from the Sun Temple at Konark is the Chandrabhaga beach. The strong currents do not make it either safe or easy for swimming. But the picturesque view of the sunrise and sunset at this place is enchanting.

Atharnala Bridge
An engineering marvel of the ancient days is the Atharnala bridge over the Madupur stream. This 85x11 metre bridge was built in the 13th century and is still in use.