Puri Jaganath Temple - Orissa

Orissa, earlier called Odisha, is a land of a history largely different from the other regions of the Indian Subcontinent. The Mauryan Empire has flourished in the present land of Orissa. Other major dynasties which had their abode in Orissa include Utkal, Kantara or Mahakantara and Southern Kosal. The culture that existed in this region can be termed seafaring as it has influenced majority of the countries of South East Asia. Another noteworthy point is that the Kalahandi, Balangir, Koraput (KBK) regions are of historical importance due to their reference in the Ramayana and Mahabharata under the name Kantara.

Puri is one place, commonly described as a Heaven in Earth, which goes hand in hand with Orissa’s tourism. Major attractions at Puri include the Puri Jagannadh, and hence the name Jagannadh Puri, temple and the abutting pristine beach which is one of the world’s finest beaches. The location of the city allows the tourists to watch sunset and sunrise by the beach. The Vishnu temple here is the larger than any other Vishnu temple anywhere else in the world. The Aruna Stambha, a monolithic 16 sided pillar upright in front of the Sun Temple, is one of the most magnificent structures in the place. Many writers have been short of words to explain the beauty of the place; such is the architecture and sculpture here. A holy place in Puri is the Swargadwara, a Burning Ghat for Hindus. Gundicha, Lokanath, Sunaragauranga, Daria Mahabir and Tota Gopinath temples here are of importance and visited by many tourists.

A tourist can choose to walk all the way from Puri to Konark, which are 36 km apart, on the beach. Balighai is a famous picnic location in Orissa. The shrine of Sakshigopalnath, Satyabadi or Sakshigopal is a temple that must be visited by every pilgrim to Puri. Baliharachandi close to the mouth is the river Bhargavi is the temple of Goddess Durga. Rajghurapur is the home of the recherché pattachitra's and talapattachitra's. Brahmagiri, streamed by pilgrims during Anabasara, is also a place that can be visited from Puri. Plan your holiday and book your tickets to see mesmerizing temples in India.