Best places to visit in Jagannath Puri
Puri is located on the shore of Bay of Bengal. It is also one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites, which makes this place one of the best family holiday destinations in India. The main attractions of the city are the Jagannath temple and Puri beach where several cultural activities also help to attract visitors.
Major Tourist Attractions
Shri Jagannath Puri Temple
It is one of the most famous Hindu temples in India located in the sacred town of Puri. The primary deity of the temple is Lord Jagannath who is a form of Lord Vishnu. This temple is included in the Char Dham Hindu pilgrimage.
Chilika Lake
It is the largest saltwater lake which looks like a paradise on earth for nature lovers and bird watchers. The place is also home to beautiful flora and fauna and some beautiful islands like bird island, breakfast island and honeymoon island.
Puri Beach
It is located on the shore of Bay of Bengal. The beach is famous for beautiful sand sculptures made by Internationally known professional artists Sudarshan Patnaik. It is one of the most peaceful beaches to visit with your family.
Gundicha Char Temple
This temple is famous by the name of ‘Garden House of Jagannath’. The temple is famous for celebrating the annual Rath Yatra of Puri. Most of the people visit this temple to worship Lord Jagannath during the Rath Yatra otherwise it remains vacant for the rest of the year.
Sudarshan Crafts Museum
Sudarshan Crafts Museum is one of the famous tourist places of Odisha which houses many artistic works of the founder like wood carvings, work on stone and fibreglass. Other than this, there is also a Buddhist temple located inside the museum which is constructed in Japanese style design. The museum is a great platform for budding artists who want to showcase their talent to the world.
Best time to visit- October to February
Famous Festivals Celebrated in Puri
Puri, Odisha is known as the land of festivals. It is full of varied culture and traditions. There are various festivals celebrated in Odisha which gathers thousands of devotees from around the world. Whether it’s any season, you will always find some event going on here which may be folk dance, singing events or something else.
Durga Pooja
Durga Pooja is one of the major festivals celebrated all over the state of Odisha. It is celebrated in the month of Kartik or Ashwin. On this festival, people worship idols of goddess Durga. Pandals and streets are beautifully decorated. Mantras and aartis are performed to celebrate this holy festival. It usually lasts for about three to four days and it holds an important significance for the Hindu devotees.
Kalinga Mahotsav
Kalinga Mahotsav or National Festival of Martial Dance is celebrated to mark the victory of peace over war. Kalinga is that part of Odisha which has once witnessed a battle during the reign of Ashoka. This festival is celebrated to pay tribute to the Martyrs of the Mauryan Dynasty. Various martial arts acts, dance and music are performed.
Chandan Yatra
Out of all the famous festivals in Puri, Odisha, this is the longest. It is also known as Gandhalepana Yatra. The festival is celebrated at Jagannath temple at Puri. It is a 21-day long festival in which people celebrate by worshipping the deities with sandal mixed water. Thousands of pilgrimages gather to take part in this festival from all around the world.
Jagannath Rath Yatra
This festival is also known as the ‘Chariot Festival’. It is a Hindu festival which is associated with the god Jagannath. This festival marks the annual journey of the three deities i.e. Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra from the 12th century Jagannath temple to the temple of Devi Gundicha. This festival lasts for 9-days followed with the return journey of the three deities to the temple.
Konark Dance Festival
It is the festival which is purely dedicated to the beauty of Konark Sun Temple and the elegance of Odissi dance. It is celebrated to pay tribute to the ancient beauty of the Konark Temple. The temple is beautifully decorated with vibrant lights. Besides this, famous classical dancers perform their dances to mark the celebration of this festival.
Nuakhai
It is an agricultural festival observed by the people of Western Odisha and in some Chhattisgarh region in India. It is celebrated to welcome the new harvest. People at this festival, greet with each other and celebrate the festival with folk dance and song events.
Puri Beach Festival
It is a famous festival of Odisha in which various cultural events and exhibitions are performed along with fashion shows, great food, adventure sports etc. During this festival, the cultural heritage of Odisha is highlighted by the people of Odisha and is attended by many tourists from all over India.
