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| About Puri: |
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| History of Puri:
Just the right place to witness and take part in colourful festivals
round the year. Puri is famous for its celebrated annual festivals
of Chariots, the "Ratha Yatra", which is held
in the beginning of the monsoon and has been attracting pilgrims and
tourists for centuries. It is the sacred journey of Lord Jagannath
with brother Balabhadra & sister Subhadra from the
main Jagannath Temple to another Shrine called Gundicha Mandir
for nine days. Abode of Lord Jagannath, literally meaning Lord of the World,
Puri is one of the four Holy Dhams in India for Hindus located
on the shores of the Bay of Bengal.
It has one of the finest beaches in the world.
This pilgrimage town is also the abode of artisans and craftsmen who
produce a wide range of unique handicrafts and Sandart is world
famous. |
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| Vital Information |
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| How
to reach: Puri is well connected by rail, road and air
to the rest of the country. The nearest airport, Bhubaneswar, is just
60 Kms.far. |
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| Best
time to visit: Besides Ratha Yatra, summer & winter
seasons. |
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| Local
Transport: Bus, taxi & auto service etc. |
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Jagannath
Temple: The main temple is a majestic
structure of 65 metres, stands on an elevated platform in the
heart of the city. It is monument from the 12th century
A.D. with all the richness & plasticity of the
Kalinga style of architecture. |
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| Ananda
Bazaar: Arguably the biggest food market in the
world, this Bazaar is also historically important. Popular
sweets- Khaja, rasogolla and chhenapodapitha, made of cottage
cheese are quite popular with Bengali tourists. |
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| The
Golden Beach: Puri offers tourists the rare opportunity
of witnessing the colourful sunrise & sunset on the
same beach where they can bathe and laze for hours. |
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Konark:
This crowning place of Orissan architecture & sculpture,
built in 13th century, the golden era of Orissan
art, is a poetry in stone & on the world heritage
list. The Mukhashala, or entrance hall continues
to interest both devotees & visitors. The walls of
this magnificent ruin have exquisite sculptures covering
many aspects of life.
Surasundaris:
Heavenly damsels, freestanding, larger-than-life monoblock female statues playing the cymbals & drums,
flutes & trumpets, adorn the top of the temple. The
beautifully-carved couples engaged in myriad modes of
amorous union, with their incomparable charms, are an
attraction for connoisseurs of art as well as for ordinary
visitors. |
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Chilika:
India's biggest inland lake. Spread over 1,100 sq. km.,
stretching across the length of the three districts of Puri, Khurda, and Ganjam, it joins up with the Bay of
Bengal through a narrow mouth, forming an enormous lagoon
of brackish water. Dotted with many emerald green islands
with colourful names such as Honeymoon Island & Breakfast
Island, Chilika is home to a rich variety of aquatic fauna.
It is also a sanctuary & winter resort for migratory
birds, some coming as far as from Siberia. Containing
a large variety of fish, the lake provides a livelihood
to thousands of fishermen. Hundreds of boats sail out
daily on the lake's blue expanse in search of mackerel,
prawn & crabs, the sight providing an insight into
the pageant of rural India at its colourful best.
Enriched by hills all along its arched shape, Chilika
lake's colour changes with passing clouds overhead &
the shifting sun. The water ripples languidly, occasionally
rippling with a gentle breeze across from the Bay of Bengal. |
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