About Puri

Puri, occupies a distinct place in the tourist map of India. It is situated at a distance the 62 km. from Bhubaneswar on the coast on Bay of Bengal. It is world famous for the Lord Jagannath Temple and the Car festival. Researchers say that Jesus Criest, Guru Nanak, Srichand, Sankaracharya, Ballavacharya, Tulsi Das, Kabir, Srichaitanya had visited this place and had left behind some sweet memories. The Narendra Tank , Bimala temple, Indradumna Tank, Sunar Gauranga, Gundicha Temple, Swarga Dwar, Mutimandap, Koili Baikuntha, Sankaracharya Matha, Emarnath library, Sanskrit University and a charming sea beach are some of the noteworthy places of Puri. Puri is the health and summer resort of India. Astaranga, Balighai, Baliharchandi, Biswanath Hill, Beleswar, Brahmagiri, Chaurasi, Chilika, Satapada, Jahaniapira, Kakatpur, Konark, Kuruma, Pipili, Puri, Raghurajpur, Ramachandi, Satyabadi and Sakhigopal etc are the visiting places of this district.

The District has been named after its head quartes town, Puri.According to Cunningham the ancient name of this town was Charitra mentioned by the Chinese piligrim Hiuen Tsang as Che-li-ta-lo. But the restoration of the word Che-li-ta-lo as Charitra and its identification with the town of Puri are open to doubt. The importance of the town as a seat of Vaisnavism increased when Chodaganga Deva constructed the temple of Purusottama Jagannath and installed the images of the deities. Thereafter , it became famous as the abode of Purusottama and was popularly called purusottama Kshetra.

In the drama Anargharaghava Natakam attributed to cir.9th century A.D. we find the name Purusottama applied to this town . In the Nagari Plate of Anangabhima III of the Saka year 1151-52 i.e., 1229-30 A.D. , the place is called Purusottama Kshetra . This name in the form of Purusottama Chhatar or only in the form Chhatar was used by the Mughal , the Maratha as well as the early British rulers in their official records . even in Yoginitantra and Kalikapurana the city is reffered to as Purusottam . Puri region was also known as Utka The name Purusottama Kshetra was also for sometimes known as purusottama Puri and as the word Purusottama Kshetra was contracted into Kshetra or Chhatra so also Purusottama Puri was expressed in the contracted form Puri . Infact , in many early British records this town is known by the name Pooree. In modern times Puri has become the most popular of all the other names



Place to See
Jagannath Temple
It is the earliest Ganga monument of Orissa, but it must be noted that the ganga temples of much earlier dates are still to traced in the Andra regions, the original seat of power of Gangas. There is adefinite mention in all the later copper plate records of the successor of Chodaganga that he was the bulider of this great temple at Puri. According to some evidence sources that Chodaganga had began this huge structure and one his successor Ananagabhimadev III completed it or added the Jagamohan to it. The height of the Jagannath temple of Puri as calculated as 215 feet 8 inches. It is therefore the loftiest religious edifice of Orissa. At present the thick coat of plaster which had covered the structure for centuries has been removed.

As is usual in all great temples of the period, the monument stands on a high platform which is connected with the ground level by a height of 22 very very big steps. The edifies is masive and strong and is a product of accummulated experience of the past in temple architecture and this factor has enabled it to with stand the ravages of time.

Raghurajpur
The artists village of Raghurajpur, 16 km from Puri, is famous for its patachitras created by traditional chitrakaras, who have, for centuries, also churned out palm-leaf etchings with exquisite detail. Quite a few of the craftsmen are winners of national awards.

Satapara
Satapara, a retreat in nature on Chilika Lake, is opened up to the tourists. For its location near the confluence of the lake with the ocean and proximity to Puri (48 km), it is an ideal spot to enjoy Chilika. The thrilling sight of dolphins round the year and abundance of migratory and resident birds in winter make it a preferred place for a vacation with nature.

Chhatia
Popularly known as Chhatiabata, Chhatia is a sacred place of pilgrimage. The shrine of Lord Jagannath at Chhatia is a modern piece of Orissan temple architecture. Nearby one can find the archaeological remains of Amravati-Kataka, one of the five important forts of Chodaganga Deva. Amaravati with the back drop of the hill "Dhania" presents an attractive sight.

Jajpur
Otherwise known as Vaitarani Tirtha, Jajpur with Goddess Viraja (Durga) as its presiding deity is one of the sacred places of pilgrimage in Orissa. The place has its unique importance in India as Navigaya Kshetra where pinda is offered for the satisfaction of the ancestors. The shrine of Sweta Varaha (the white boar incarnation of Vishnu) along with hundreds of other shrines here made Jajpur a Tirtha par excellence. The "Dasavamedha Ghat", the flight of steps leading to the Vaitarani where the ten horse sacrifices were performed is a great sanctified spot for the Hindus.

Ansupa
Ansupa the small but picturesque lake holds a prominent position in the tourist map of Orissa and offers an asylum to the migratory birds in winter. The play of the shadow of Saranda mountain and surrounding bamboo and mango groves on the rippling waters of Ansupa make it a real thing of beauty. One can have a boat journey or go for fishing in the lake.
Ansupa is 70 kms from Cuttack and 20 kms from Raja-athagarh station, connected with regular bus service.

Ratnagiri Lalitgiri Udayagir
These three hills comprise a remarkable buddhist complex. Hieun-T'sang, the Chinese pilgrim found it to be the seat of a flourishing Buddhist University called "Puspagiri". Extensive ruins of brick pagodas, sculptured stone portals and esoteric Buddhist images testifying its ancient glory have been unearthed. Ratnagiri is the gem of this complex. The magnificently carved door jambs of the Vihar and superbly finished Buddha images from perhaps the greatest concentration of Buddhist sculpture of the post-Gupta period. Ratnagiri is 70 kms, Lalitgiri is 55 kms and Udayagiri is 60 kms from Cuttack.


How to Reach
Air : Puri can be reached by air as its nearest airport is in Bhubaneswar, 56 km away. From Bhubaneswar, choose for either train or bus services to your convenience.

Rail : Puri railway station is a major railway station, for it has links with several of the important cities in India. The railway station is easily reachable from the main town area.

Road : Puri is among those places which enjoy the privilege of being well-connected by a network of roads and road transport to all the important towns of Orissa and other cities of India.