About Puri
Puri is one of the four Char Dham pilgrimage sites and home to the Jagannath Temple, on Odisha's Bay of Bengal coast. It is also a seaside town, where pilgrims and holidaymakers share the same long beach.
With Konark and Bhubaneswar close by, it makes a neat three or four day circuit of temples, sea and craft.
Shree Jagannath Temple
The twelfth-century temple is dedicated to Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. Its kitchen prepares mahaprasad in clay pots on wood fires. Entry is limited to Hindus, though visitors may view the spire from outside.
Rath Yatra
Every year, usually in June or July, the deities are pulled through Grand Road on giant wooden chariots. The crowds are enormous and rooms fill months ahead, so plan early if you want to be there.
Konark and Raghurajpur
The Sun Temple at Konark, about 35 km away, is carved as a colossal stone chariot and is a UNESCO site. In Raghurajpur, whole families paint pattachitra scrolls, and visitors can watch them work.
