Puri, the ancient land of Lord Jagannatha, is amongst the most popular pilgrimage destinations of the country, and in this article, we are going to cover a complete detail of the Puri travel guide, including few places of interest and how to reach. Being one of the sacred ‘Char Dham’ pilgrimage sites, Puri consists of several old temples that carry great religious, historical, and architectural importance. Historically known as “Sri Kshetra”, this wealthy land was invaded 18 times by Hindu and Muslim rulers who had eyes on the temple’s treasures.
Even in this 21st century, the economy of this religious town is mostly dependent on the activities surrounding the 12th-century old Jagannatha Temple. Most tourists visit Puri during its vibrant festivals, especially RathaYatra (the Chariot festival). Additionally, 24 festivals including 13 major ones are held every year inside the temple premises. The ancient Markandeswar Shiva Temple and the Konark Sun Temple are some of the oldest monuments in India.
Puri is blessed with numerous beaches such as Konark, Baleshwar, Swargadwar, Baliharachandi, etc. The Balukhand-Konark Wildlife Sanctuary boasts of sandy beaches, cashew plantations, coastal dunes, and groves of Casuarina trees. The sanctuary has been serving home to Blackbuck and Olive Ridley Sea Turtles that nest on the beaches.
The artistic land of Odisha has given birth to many skilled artisans who master Sand art, applique art, stone and wood carvings, and Pattachitra paintings. The Sudarshan Crafts Museum houses traditional sculptures, training, and residential facilities, a Japanese-style Buddhist temple, library, showroom, and workshop. Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary houses various migratory birds besides being an aquatic sanctuary to uncountable species of fish. The sunrise and sunsets are a pleasure to experience. Nalbana Bird Sanctuary, also known as Nalbana Island is home to thousands of birds that descend during the migratory season.
The article is a complete Puri travel Guide which covers topics including how to reach Puri, where to stay and what are the local mouthwatering delicacies available that you can try once you are in Puri, places that you can stay (from one star to five star and villas), and places that you can visit except Puri Beach.
How to reach Puri :
Well, in a blog about puri travel guide we first need to discuss how to reach Puri and how to book the modes of transport so that you can reach with minimum or no hassle.
Puri by train :
Puri is the last stop on the East Coast Railway which has direct express and other superfast trains which is well linked with major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, Ahmedabad, Tirupati, and many more including Bhubaneshwar. Some of the famous trains offer direct services to the city which includes Kolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, Jagannath Express; New Delhi Purushottam Express.
Please reserve your train ticket in advance for traveling via train. You can visit website like Irctc.com or any nearest railway station to book ticket in advance.
Puri by Flight :
Puri does not have an airport of its own but the nearest airport is Bhubaneswar Airport located 53 km away. Thereafter, the mode of transport is via buses or other automobile options. It is quite easy to access Puri as airways are considered as one of the most convenient and hassle-free transport services. Bhubaneswar Airport or Biju Patnaik Airport provides domestic services and you can find major Indian airlines here and regular flights from New Delhi, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai are operated.
Puri by road trip :
Traveling from Bhubaneswar to Puri by cab is one of the most exciting and best options that you can avail. It’s better to opt for a car as you can halt as per your requirements while traveling along with your friends, family, and loved ones. If you are new to traveling by car, then going to a local taxi operator might prove to be dicey and heavy on your pockets as they would quote you a higher price if you are not so good at bargaining.
Hence, booking a Bhubaneswar to Puri cab from online sources, that can offer reliable and affordable taxi service in India, might prove to be a better option. You can visit cab booking websites like GozoCabs, Savaari, Makemytrip, etc websites for booking reliable and affordable taxi services anywhere in India. GozoCabs offers Bhubaneswar to Puri cab service starting from @1100 INR. It will take around 1 hour 15 minutes to reach Puri from Bhubaneswar via cab owing to its distance of 70 Kms.
Where to Stay :
First of all, if you have a mediocre budget of around INR 1500 per night then you can go for good Puri hotels and Puri holiday homes by the beachside, from where get the best views of the seashore from your window. Moreover, the prices of hotels and homestays start from around INR 600 and ranges to more than INR 10,000.
You can visit Makemytrip, Fabhotels, Airbnb, Oyorooms, etc to book your preferred hotel or homestay in Puri. Avoid finding hotels on spot after reaching the place if you are a first-time visitor, because you may end up paying huge prices for the hotels which might burn a hole in your pocket. hence, try booking the same in advance online to receive a better price instead. In our article of Puri travel Guide finding hotels at a budget, price is a much important thing and you also should not skip this portion.
Top 5 Places to Visit in Puri
Now, comes the last phase of our Puri Travel Guide, which is the places that you need to visit if you are in Puri, even if you are planning Puri for 2 days then also these five places will be worth visiting. Puri Beach is the place where you can spend as much as you wish but other places in the below given list would not take much time.
Now, let’s start with a short and detailed description of the visiting places in Puri.
1. Sri JagannathPuri Temple
The sacred abode of Lord Jagannath , the Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of the most renowned temples not only in Orissa but in India as well. Thousands of devotees pour in from different parts of the country and the world to pay their homage to the presiding deity. The temple is an architectural splendor in itself towering over its surroundings. Embellished with exquisite carvings and sculptures, the temple is a feast for the eyes of visitors. The architectural, historical and religious importance of the Jagannath Temple makes it Puri’s chief tourist attraction.
Click here to know more about the significance of Jagannath Temple in Puri.
Timings: 5 AM – 1 PM & 6 PM – 12 AM
2. Puri Beach
Undoubtedly one of the most popular beaches of eastern India, Puri beach is identified by its golden sand, thus calling this beach as Golden Beach Puri fascinating views of the sunrise and sunset and charming beach resorts combined with lip-smacking sea food. Accounting for its popularity with tourists, Puri beach is also ideal for swimming. Every year in the month of November, the Puri Beach Festival is organized by the Indian Ministry of Tourism, the state of Orissa (Odisha), the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts, and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Center of Kolkata.
Timings: 6 AM – 7 PM
3. Chilika Lake
If you happen to visit anywhere in Odisha, you cannot leave without visiting Chilika Lake. Among the best tourist destinations in the state, Chilika Lake is a salty water lagoon at the tip of Daya River that flows and mingles into the Bay of Bengal.
Situated at a distance of 70 Km from Puri and 61 Km from Bhubaneswar, Chilika Lake is a source of lovelihood to fishermen families from around 132 villages on the shores or islands surrounding the lake. During the migratory seasons, various species of birds flock around the lake. The rich eco-biodiversity of the lake has made itslef a home to Irrawaddy dolphins which can be often spotted on the Satpada islands. If your ideal vacation consists of breathing fresh air whilst listening to the sweet chirping of birds and watching the graceful dance of dolphins, Chilika Lake is where you should be.
Timings: 6 AM to 7 PM
Boat: Rs. 2500 to Rs. 3000 for 1. 30 Hr trip
4. Markandeswara Temple
Markandeswara Temple is considered to be the holy place where sage Markandeya meditated on Lord Shiva as a child. The 13th century old temple welcomes the devotees adorned by the sculpture of Lord Nataraja. As one explores further, one will witness various forms and figures of Lord Shiva and many idols of Goddess Parvathi and Lord Ganesha as well. The gorgeous architectural and artistic beauty of the temple attracts tourists from all over the globe. Being located very close to Puri Jagannath Temple, the devotees almost never leave town without visiting both these ancient temples.
Timings: 6 AM to 7 PM
5. Narendra Tank
At a distance of 1 km from Jagannath Temple and 2.5 km from Puri Junction, Narendra Tank or Narendra Pokhari is a holy tank situated at Mauza Dandimala Sahi in Puri. This is one of the largest tanks in Orissa and also one of the most visit places in Puri.
The tank was built in 15th century AD and is spread over a vast area, which features an island in the middle, housing a small temple called Chandana Mandapa which is connected to the southern bank with a bridge. This tank is considered holy and has a lot of small and big temples surrounding it. The tank covers 16 ghats which provide an opportunity for the pilgrims to have a holy bath.
Also known as Chandana Pushkarini, this is the holy tank in which the famed Chandana Yatra of Lord Jagannath celebrated annually. During this festival all the big and small deities are taken out of their temples and floated in the pious water of this lake.
Timings: 6 AM to 9 PM
Wrapping up :
Well, I hope you liked the article, the article is consists of a Puri travel guide, how to reach puri, before that how to reach Bhubaneswar and Theron puri, where to stay and few places that you can visit. Stay tuned for more articles. Want to know another visiting place near Puri where you can visit then click on the link.
For booking any kind of car rental service in Bhubaneswar, hourly rental cab in Bhubaneswar, or booking any one-way cab, outstation cab in India at affordable prices online in India visit Gozocabs.com or call 9051877000 or download IOS app or Android app for booking cabs at your doorstep anywhere in India.