|
A quaint old town with little else to sell
than an ancient religious heritage as one of Hindu India’s four most sacred Hindu pilgrimages, Puri is a rambling seaside
town on the eastern coast of Orissa overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Puri attracts visitors and lulls them into a soporific
trance, a state of mind popularly known as Puri Paralysis. Its other major claim to fame is that it is the home of the Lord
of the World, Lord Jagannath, whose awesome chariot procession through the streets gave English language, the word "juggernaut",
the unstoppable force. The ‘Rath Yatra’ or chariot procession is the only frenzied activity that transpires here
when the gods who reside in the Jagannath Temple are ceremoniously transported to a garden retreat and the town is flooded
by vast multitudes seeking salvation.
|
F A C T B O X |
|
Language |
Oriya, Hindi, English |
| Religion |
Hindu, Muslim |
| Population |
142,665 |
|
State: |
Orissa |
How do I get there?
By Air
The nearest national airport in the state is at
Bhubaneshwar. There are frequent flights from Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad. Puri is 62 km away, a distance that
can be covered by road or by rail.
By Road
Puri and Bhubaneshwar are well connected by road;
with frequent and fast state transport buses and minibus services that do the journey in few hours. Cars, Jeeps and other
private vehicles also ply on the same route as do luxury buses run by Orissa Tourism Development Corporation.
By Train
Direct express trains link Puri with Delhi, via
Varanasi or Agra. There are trains to Calcutta and Guwahati too. Puri has a branch line of South Eastern Railway network connecting
the southern Indian states to Puri. From other places in India, trains arrive at the nearest major junction at Bhubaneshwar,
62 km away or at Khurda Road, 44 km from Puri.
Tourist Offices
The Orissa Tourism Development Corporation tourist office is located at Station Road, close to the Railway Station
in Cuttack. The railway station also has an extension counter of the OTDC run tourist office to help visitors with hotel and
transport bookings and sundry information. However, it may be better to arrange your travel itinerary with a travel agent.
When to Go
While one can visit Puri any time of the year, winter months from November to February are the best times to
visit as the weather is at its balmiest best. If you don’t mind being part of a crowd of thousands of people and are
seriously devout, then come here during June and July when the Rath Yatra takes places. It is the annual Chariot Festival
of the Jagannath Temple when devotees throng this town to pull the Lord’s chariot. The rainy season (June to
September) is best avoided as the southeast monsoon really pours its heart out.
Special Events
The singular most spectacular event held in the city which draws hundreds of thousands of people to Puri is
the month long Rath Yatra or the Chariot Festival. Held in the month of June/July this festival is the annual
holiday of the gods of the Jagannath Temple.
|
