Jagannath Temple, A Marvel Of Puri

Puri has everything for everyone including the kids, painters, writers, poets, historians, art lovers, dancers, pilgrims, architects, engineers, or an adventure lover. You can visit this place in any season of the year.

Today I want to write something about the place where I belong. Does it sound boring? Ok, I will try to make it interesting reading. I belong to Odisha, an Eastern Indian State on the Bay of Bengal. Odisha is known for its tribal culture and it's an ancient Hindu temple. Its capital is Bhubaneswar and it's also known as the city of temples. But I am not writing about Bhubaneswar. Today I am writing about another beautiful town called Puri which is also known as the spiritual capital of Odisha.

The Jagannath Temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Vishnu, popular Hindu god, in Puri in the state of Odisha on the eastern coast of India. The world knows this place for it's gigantic, charismatic chariot festival of Lord Jagannath.

Just like bees, thousands and thousands of pilgrims are attracted towards this sacred seaside town during the festival which is popularly known as "Rath Yatra".

The abode of Lord Jagannath, Puri is an interesting tourist destination all year round, many flock to the place in search of serenity and others in search of history and art.

On an average day, the temple is congregated by more than thousands of devotees, the majestic Jagannath temple is a major pilgrimage destination for Hindus. It is one of the Dhammas (Holiest of the holy place) out of four Dhamas i.e. Puri, Dwarika, Badrinath & Rameswara, in India.

The mesmerizing temple gives a fascinating insight into India’s ancient temple architecture. This great temple is adorned with intricate carvings throughout and has a massive 20 feet wall. There are further hundreds of smaller shrines placed inside the temple’s campus. It was built back in the 11th century by the king of Kalinga. The temple has a small replica of its own inside the complex.

There are many interesting facts that revolve around the temple, it has one of the biggest kitchens. Prayers and an assortment of 56 food items are offered to the deities daily which are later distributed among devotees as Mahaprasadam. The Mahaprasadam premises of the temple at Ananda Bazar (abode of peace), deemed to be the biggest open-air eatery in the world, is consumed by thousands of devotees.

• Puri Beach: Puri is also famous for its golden beach, people enjoy the sunrise and sunset near the beach. You can take a bath on the pristine beach.
• An experience at Marine Drive: At times our crusaders heart yearns for a more intimate and aesthetic experience of nature, and Puri Konark Marine Drive entrusts that beautiful match with the sea on one side and coastal forests on the other. In between, there runs a sleek road with almost zero traffic, a perfect view for an awesome long drive.
• Cultural Programs: The gala celebrations of the Puri Beach Festival have much-seen events that are enjoyed by art connoisseurs. You can find many artists showcasing their talents. From Odishi dance to Navarang dance, you can enjoy many cultural dance forms here.
• Art: If you are an art lover then this place is heaven for you, here you can find different forms of arts, from folk art to palm leaf art, from stone carvings to wooden sculptures. This place is famous for sand art.You can notice many sand artists near the sea beach showcasing their talent.Sudarsan Pattnaik is a well recognised and renowned Indian Sand Artist throughout the world belongs to Puri.
• Food Festival: Puri offers diverse cuisines to all kinds of travelers: vegetarian, non-vegetarian, seafood-lovers, local food tryouts, and many more.

• The Sun Temple:

  This temple is present 50 Km away from Puri in Konark. This place is an excellent example of ancient art and architecture. Tourists love to visit the place during the new year so that they can get the first glance at the sunrise. Sun temple which means the temple of the sun is designed in such a way that the first ray of the sun greets the temple doors. It is created like a giant chariot, the temple is known for the exquisite stone carvings that cover the entire structure. The massive structure is one of the signature buildings of India. The Sun Temple in Konark is an amalgam of mythologies, culture, and ancient architectural excellence. It is portrayed through its wonderful structure and exquisite carvings with religious, secular, and erotic imagery. Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man”, says Rabindranath Tagore, about the temple.

• Many Beautiful Beaches:

  There are several beautiful beaches present in Puri where you can simply relax, play with waves, run after the crabs, or collect the scattered shells. Beaches like Chandrabhaga, Chandipur beach are famous among tourists. Chandipur beach is unique for its tide pattern. During particular ebb tides, the seawater recedes back from the sandy beach for up to 5 Km, leaving muddy traits behind. Because of this, this beach is ecologically rich and also a great place to find mollusks, crustaceans, and horseshoe crabs.

• Satapada:

  This place is famous for dolphin watching. This place provides a mesmerizing view of the sunset and sunrise. This place is situated within 50 Km from Puri.

• Chilika Lake:

  Chilika lake is the largest brackish lagoon in the world, surrounded by the mountains it has beautiful flora and fauna which serves to be the main tourist attraction. This is just 50 km away from the Puri. The lake also boasts of being one of the only two sites in the world where the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins can be spotted.

• Nalbana Island

  This island is a part of the Chilika Lake- India’s largest brackish water lagoon. It is known for the large green spaces of land that are the refuge points of several migratory birds that flock here every year in the winter season.

• Blue Splash Water Park:

  Extended over eight acres of land area, Blue Splash Water Park has seven massive water rides spread over a variety of pools. Besides, it has an adjacent amusement park, play area for children. This is a place where everyone can enjoy themselves.