Puri: Jagannath Temple and other best places to visit

Big round eyes, hands without fingers and a torso without legs. If you are a Hindu, most probably you have seen this remarkable idol of Lord Jagannath, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu. In the coastal town of Puri, in a grand temple, resides Lord Jagannath with his brother and sister. Millions of devotees visit the temple every year in their quest for religious accomplishment. Born in Odisha, not far from the sacred town, I have visited the great temple tens of times. Hence, it’s just apt that I help fellow travellers by shedding light on how to plan to visit Jagannath Temple, and other best places in Puri.

Though known primarily for its Jagannath Temple, Puri has much more to offer to travellers. From a beautiful golden beach, to vibrant cultural activities and great culinary scene, Puri has a lot for non-religious travellers as well. Along with Bhubaneswar and Konark, it forms the golden triangle of Odisha. Not far from each other, these three destinations are rich in history, heritage, architecture, natural panorama and cultural experiences.

{If you are planning a visit to Odisha, here are more suggestions: Odisha Golden Triangle ||| Bhubaneswar}

What’s in the name!

The legacy of Puri goes far beyond history. So, there’s no proper documentation of how the current name came about. Chronologically speaking, the holy city has been known by the names- Purushamandapa-grama, Purushottama-kshetra, Purushottama-Puri, and ultimately only Puri. In between, as per archeologists, it was known as ‘Charita’ also. Colloquially, in present times, it’s also known as ‘Sankha-kshetra’, ‘Neelachala’, Neeladri’, etc.

Jagannath: Eastern wing of the Hindu Char-Dham

As established by Adi Sankaracharya, Char-Dham Yatra (pilgrimage of the four sacred Hindu sites) is a religious concept that proclaims Moksha (salvation) for the ones who complete this pilgrimage. Along with Badrinath (north), Dwarka (west), and Rameswaram (south), Puri- Jagannath (east) completes the circuit. Char- Dham concept was an effort to re-establish Sanatan Dharma (read Hinduism) as a way of life through the length and breadth of India. Besides, it also gave a feeling of oneness to all the four distinct regions of India.

I’m glad that I completed my Char-Dham Yatra last year. To read my experiences of other Char-Dham Sites, do check out: Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) ||| Badrinath (Uttarakhand) ||| Dwarkadhish (Gujarat).

Lord Jagannath, the heart and soul of Odia culture

Lord Jagannath is the social, cultural, political, and to some extent, economic nerve center of Odisha. I don’t know another deity influencing the culture of a region more than Lord Jagannath does in Odisha. Every festival, every ritual, every tradition in Odisha is inspired by legends of Lord Jagannath. From births in families to weddings and deaths, no event is complete without something to do with the presiding Lord of Odisha. This is true for each and every Hindu household in Odisha.

Do you know any other region where the culture is so engrained in ‘one’ deity? Maybe, just maybe Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh? (Please tell me, if you know). Through my travels across the country, I haven’t seen such devotion anywhere else. In fact, it’s beyond culture, Jagannath is a cult in Odisha.

Elsewhere in India, different communities follow different deities and subtle differences in rituals. But not in Odisha! Though there are different denominations like Shaivites, Vaishnavites, Shakti devotees, one thing is common- a devotion to Lord Jagannath.

Jagannath cult in Odisha, some elements and anecdotes:

Jagannath is the single most important uniting factor for all Odia people from different regions
Most of the temples built in Odisha follow the architecture of Puri- Jagannath Temple
The Classical dance form from Odisha- ‘Odissi’ actually originated in Puri- Jagannath Temple premises
Rasagola, the quintessential sweet dish from Odisha and West Bengal, arguably originated in the premises of Puri- Jagannath Temple
An overwhelming majority of devotional songs are written for Lord Jagannath
Recently, an issue concerning the Puri- Jagannath Temple was used by an opposition party to throw out a 5-time ruling party.

{To know more, here’s further reading suggestion: Influence of Jagannath Culture}

Puri- Jagannath Temple: All You Want to Know

Literally, ‘Jagannath’ means ‘Lord of the Universe’ (Jagat meaning Universe and Nath meaning Lord). There’s no historical record of how/ when ‘Jagannath’ word was coined, and came to be associated with ‘Puri’. Of course, ‘Jagannath’ is the prevailing deity at the grand temple of Puri. However, when King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva (of Eastern Ganga Dysnasty) built the temple in 1150 CE, it was known as Purushottama Temple. {To know even know more history about the temple, check out: History of the temple}

Temple Structure and Architecture:

One of the most beautiful temples in India, Jagannath Temple complex in Puri covers an area of ~400,000 sq. ft. The fortified complex has four gates in four directions. Singhadwara or the Lion Gate is the main entrance to the temple. Built in the Kalinga architecture style, the main temple stands 214 feet (65 mts) tall. The intricate details/designs on the walls of the temple are proof of fine architectural finesse of the the craftsmen. Since they don’t allow camera inside Jagannath temple complex in Puri, I don’t have pictures of those incredible details.

{If you like to read more about Hindu Temple architecture, check out: Angkor Wat}

Puri- Jagannath Temple has three main buildings- Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum), Jagamohan (porch), and Nata-Mandir (hall). On top of the main temple, sits a huge (20 feet) wheel that holds a large yellow flag. In the main temple, on a raised platform, Lord Jagannath’s idol sits alongside brother- Balabhadra’s and sister- Subhadra’s (in the middle). The temple complex also houses about thirty other smaller temples such as Shiva, Ganesha, Vimala, Hanuman, Saraswati, etc.

Some unique features and fascinating facts about Puri- Jagannath Temple:

Architecture of Puri- Jagannath Temple is such that it doesn’t cast a shadow!
The flag that flutters on the temple top, flutters in the opposite direction to that of the wind!
Everyday in the evening, a priest climbs 214 feet, bare foot without any ropes, to change this flag!
The prasad made in its kitchen is never wasted! Think about this, when the number of devotees in a day can vary between 2,000 and 200,000!

Major festivals/ rituals at Puri- Jagannath Temple:

Though festivals and rituals are a regular part of life at Puri- Jagannath Temple, there are some festivals most devotees look forward to every year.

Dola Yatra (Feb/ Mar): Celebrated along with the festival of colours, Holi
Akshyay Tritya (Apr/May): When construction of the chariots for Rath Yatra begins
Chandan Yatra (Apr-May): A 42-day long ritual of applying sandalwood paste to the deities
Snana Yatra (June): A bathing ritual for the deities
Rath Yatra (June/ July): A 9-day long car festival where the deities ride chariots from the main temple to Gundicha temple, and return at the end of the celebrations
Nabakalebara (every 8/ 11/ 12/ 19 years): The ceremony of changing the wooden idols of deities.

Best way to have a good darshan:

Though Puri- Jagannath Temple remains open between 5.30 AM and midnight, it’s good to visit either early morning or late evening to avoid long queues and over-crowding.
Best times to visit the temple: 6 AM to 8 AM and 9 PM to 10 PM.
Unlike many other major temples in India, there is no VIP- darshan facility, which I think is a good thing.
Enter from Singha Dwar, the main gate. You have to keep your belongings at the entrance.
Please don’t listen to any priests in the campus. They mostly try to charge you unnecessarily, and it’s difficult to get rid of them!
After darshan, you can head to Aananda Bazaar to have authentic mahaprasad there or buy some for home. To avoid cheating, please don’t buy anywhere else.
While planning, please check the details on official site: Darshan details.

Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri

Apart from the idols of Lord Jagannath, the most iconic images from Puri is perhaps of the Rath Yatra. Annually celebrated in June/ July, this nine day festival draws millions from all over the world. Three decorated chariots, drawn by the devotees on the Grand Road of Puri is an amazing sight, and an experience of a lifetime.

125 craftsmen construct the chariots over ~58 days fresh every year from wood. These chariots travel from the main temple to Gundicha temple, 3 kms away, and stay there for over a week. The return journey (Bahuda Yatra) is almost equally important.

{For more such cultural experiences, also read: Kullu Dussehra}

Tips for a good Rath Yatra experience:

Since it becomes extremely crowded, it is risky for people with physical limitations.
For a good experience, book a hotel well in advance, as near as possible to the Grand Road. However, if you don’t find one, you may stay in Bhubaneswar, and visit on the day of Rath Yatra. But please keep in mind that it will be inconvenient.
In order to avoid entering the crowd, you should reach Puri a day early and ask around to book a rooftop from where you can witness the Yatra.

Best places to visit in Puri (Beyond Jagannath Temple)

Everyone who visits Puri, perhaps has Jagannath Temple in mind. However, Puri has one of the best beaches in India, and has a very vibrant cultural scene. So much so that people in Odisha often plan to visit the temple keeping the beach in mind! We have done that umpteen times in our life. If you are visiting for the first time, here are the places you must not miss.

Puri- Sea Beach:

This wide, long and golden beach lies just a few kilometers east to the Jagannath Temple in Puri. Undoubtedly, it’s among the best beaches in Odisha on the Bay of Bengal coast. Once you are done with the darshan, it’s a great idea to unwind yourself at the beach. Besides, if you are mindful of Responsible Tourism practices, you would like to visit this beach even more because it’s one of the few Blue Flag Beaches in India.

Since it’s so close to the temple, it’s obviously a busy beach with a lot of buzz around. So, if you like some tranquility, come in the morning. Or, drive towards Konark on the Marine Drive. At many places on the Marine Drive, you will find peaceful, less crowded places for your liking.

But the buzz in the evening has a has charm of its own. The beach market near Swargadwara (holy cremation place) is a great place for shopping local crafts, especially those made of sea-shells. Plus, it offers plethora of choices to enjoy local cuisine, especially sea food. And of course, how can we forget the gorgeous sunset!

Raghurajpur Craft Village:

This is such an amazing village that art and craft lovers can visit Puri just for this. A small village of not more than 150 households, Raghurajpur is a treasure trove of arts and crafts of Odisha. Most families excel in Pattachitra, an ancient (~5 BC) form of painting done on dried palm leaves using needles and natural colours. In recent decades, it has forayed into the realm of fabric, paper and many other materials. But watching the artists engrave the motifs on dried palm leaves with needles is a surreal experience.

Apart from Pattachitra, the villagers excel in many other crafts like wooden craft, papier-mache craft, coconut fiber craft and cow-dung craft. The artisan-families sell these beautiful products in bright colours in front of their houses. Front walls of every house is painted in murals depicting mythological stories. To have the best experience, do talk to some of the families. They are more than welcoming, and explain to you in detail the nuances of their craft.

What makes the village even more important is that it’s the birth place of two of India’s finest dance exponents. While walking around the village, do ask for the houses of Padma Vibhusan Guru Kelu Charan Mohapatra (Odissi dance) and Padma Shri Guru Maguni Charan Das (Goti Pua dance).

For art and craft lovers, this is definitely one of the best places to visit Puri, or anywhere in India. So, it’s heartening to see INTACH working on developing the village as a heritage village.

Myriad other places of interest:

Lokanath Temple: Although there’s no historical record about its origin, legends have it that Lokanath Temple owes its establishment to Lord Ram himself.
Gundicha Temple: A small temple, famous for the resting place of Lord Jagannath during Puri Rath Yatra
Mausimaa Temple: Midway between Jagannath Temple and Gundicha Temple, this temple is dedicated to Goddess Ardhashini.
Govardhan Math: Established by Adi Sankaracharya, this has great significance in revival of Hinduism.

In search of culinary pleasure in the sacred town:

In my view, two best places to relish street food in Odisha are Berhampur and Puri. While Berhampur has distinct south Indian touch, Puri is more about authentic traditional Odia food. To a large extent, Puri cuisine is inspired by the food prepared at the Jagannath Temple kitchen. However, one can have both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food in Puri.

Though markets close to the temple don’t sell non-vegetarian food, a little away, especially at the beach one can enjoy sea food and other non-vegetarian food. Odisha in general, and Puri in particular doesn’t have a big restaurant culture. So, the best way to explore Puri cuisine is in the narrow streets of the old town.

Must try dishes in Puri:

If you are wondering, which street foods one must try in Puri, here’s a list of my favorite dishes from Puri:

Mahaprasad (rice, dalma, saag, besara, mahura, khata, etc), prepared at the kitchen of Jagannath Temple. Being in Puri, and not having this is not a great idea!
Savory: Dahi-Bara, Ghuguni, sea food
Sweet dishes: Khaja or Feni, Chhena Poda, Rasagolla, Khiri, Rasabali, Chhena jhilli, Malpua.
For main dishes, head to a good restaurant; here are a few suggestions: Wild Grass (Odia Thali) ||| Hans Coco Palms ||| Holiday Resorts ||| The Pink House (sea food) ||| Mayfair ||| Chungwah (Chinese). Do try Odia Thali, dalma, fish curry, santula, some of the typical Odia/ Puri cuisine.

Day Trip Options from Puri

Being part of the close-knit golden triangle tourist circuit, Puri offers a number of great day trip options. Here are some of the prominent ones.

Bhubaneswar: Only about 60 kms away, the capital city of Odisha has some of the best temples, and heritage sites. If you are taking a flight, you may visit this on the way back. For details, please refer to the link in the first paragraph.
Konark Sun Temple: Only 38 kms away, Konark is famous for the Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plus, Chandrabhaga beach, in my view, is even better than the Puri Golden beach.
Chilika Lake/ Satapada: A Ramsar site, about 60 kms away, it’s a great place for boating and bird watching. Satapada, a beach front nearby is famous for dolphin sighting.
Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary: For bird lovers, Mangalajodi is a paradise; about 70 kms away.

My cherished memories from the sacred town

Hailing from a town close by, I have fond memories of the sacred town of Puri. Through my childhood and youth, we would find many excuses to visit Puri every now and then. It’s been twenty years I have been living outside of Odisha. But whenever I go home, we find time to do a Puri trip. Like everyone else in Odisha, we never get tired of Puri! From all the my fond memories, if I have to pick a few as my favorites, it would be difficult task. Still, let me try.

The first thing that comes to my mind are the numerous sunset at the Golden Beach. As the sun sets, in search of a little tranquility, I would walk towards the fishermen’s hamlet on the beach. It’s a good place to watch the sunset in some peace away from the madding crowd at the main beach. Plus, one gets great frames/ elements for photography.

On one occasion, I had the opportunity of actually touching the idol of Lord Jagannath. Now-a-days, they don’t allow devotees to go that close. So, I feel lucky to have had that opportunity once.

Last but not the least, my interactions with the Pattachitra artists in Raghurajpur village. The experience of learning about the intricate art form, and listening to their stories will remain etched in my memory forever.

Puri- Jagannath: Travel Tips

Best time to visit:

Since Odisha/ Puri has a tropical hot-humid weather, the best months to visit are from October to March. During April to June, it’s too hot to visit. Though rains make things better during July to September, rains can mar travel plans. Besides, in October, one can witness Odisha’s most popular festival- Dussehra.
However, if one is eying Puri- Jagannath Rath Yatra, one has to visit in June/ July!

How to reach:

Flight: Nearest airport is at Bhubaneswar, 65 kms away. From there, take a taxi, or regular local buses.
Train: Puri has a well-connected railway station.
Bus: Regular bus services are there from Bhubaneswar/ Cuttack.

Where to stay (Budget):

Hotel Namastey ||| Panthanivas ||| Hotel Agrawal Pride ||| New Shankar International ||| Jagannath Puri Beach Stay ||| Hotel Sun City ||| Hotel Coral Suites.

How to get around:

Being a small town, one can take a taxi or auto to get around places. Walking around, though possible, most of the times, hot and humid weather doesn’t allow it.

Where/ What to eat:

Please refer to the section above (In search of culinary pleasure).

Final Thoughts

Writing about Puri, a place that I grew up wondering about, is a nice experience itself. Even though I’m not very religious, the bond with that place is special. For me, Puri is now more about nostalgia than anything else. However, for millions of Hindus, Puri is a place they would love to visit at least once in lifetime, and pay obeisance at the Jagannath Temple. Moreover, visiting a place thousands of years old is an enriching travel experience too.

I would suggest one should keep at least three days for the visit. Though one can visit all the places of interest in 2 days (even 1 day), Puri is more than these places. Being there, and absorbing that positive energy, witnessing its rich cultural heritage needs some time. If you want to know more, or any help, do write to us.