Puri, Hindu Pilgrimage in India
PURI
FACTS & FIGURES
Location
of Puri:
Orissa, India.
Best time to Visit: Throughout the year
Significance: Colorful sunrise and sunset on the same beach on its golden sands, Chandra Bhaga, Chilka Lake, Visit Konark(The Sun Temple), Lord Shri Jagannath Temple.
Best time to Visit: Throughout the year
Significance: Colorful sunrise and sunset on the same beach on its golden sands, Chandra Bhaga, Chilka Lake, Visit Konark(The Sun Temple), Lord Shri Jagannath Temple.
Puri
the abode of Sri
Jagannath or the
Lord of the Universe
is famous all over
the world. One of
the four holiest
places (Dhams) of
India, Puri has
been a great centre
of pilgrimage for
centuries Once on
thickly wooded hills
and inhabited by
the Sabaras, pre
Aryan and pre-Dravidian
tribes of the Austric
linguistic family,
Puri located right
on the shores of
the Bay of Bengal,
is today one of
the finest sea resorts
as well. Its salubrious
environs and sunny
beach attract tourists
from near and distant
places. Watching
the sunrise here
is an elevating
and unforgettable
experience.The place
can be visited any
time throughout
the year. Puri is
always thronged
with pilgrims and
tourists but it
is nothing compared
to the motley and
seething humanity
which sojourn here
during Rath Yatra
or the Car Festival.
Puri is a land of
temples, examples
of a religious architechture.
A synthesis of the
inherent aesthetic
sense of the Puri's
people and the values
of the religious
sects and cults.Exquisite
temples superb monuments
, inviting beaches,
natural landscape.
Puri,
the best ancient
and modern India,
whose people share
a strong sence of
holiness, a sence
of belonging with
their beautiful
land and their enduring
links with the past.
Temples and sanctuaries
, golden beaches
and glorious lakes
that is visually
fascinating , crafts
that are colourful
and vibrant and
the numerous festivals
that can take a
"Juggernaut-like
" momentum...........Puri
has them all and
much more.
The Past
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.
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.
Prominent Pilgrimage Attractions of Puri
Chilika Lake
Boating and fishing
facilities are available
in this lake containing
a large variety
of fish.The lake
provides a livelihood
to thousands of
fishermen . Chital
and Black buck roam
freely on the scrubby
shores while Dolphins
gambol playfully
in the foam of the
churning waters
at Chilika mouth
near Satapara .
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 colorful best.
Encircled
by Hills all along
its arched shape,
Chilika Lake's colorful
changes with passing
clouds overhead
and the shifting
sun. The water ripples
languidly , occasionally
rippling with a
gentle breeze across
from the Bay of
Bengal .
Chandra Bhaga
At about 3 kms from
the Sun Temple at
Konark is the Chandrabhaga
beach. The strong
currents do not
make it either safe
or easy for swimming.
But the picturesque
view of the sunrise
and sunset at this
place is enchanting.
According to a myth,
the Sun God is believed
to have sought a
beautiful sea-maiden
named Chandrabhaga.
After chasing her
up to this point,
she is said to have
disappeared into
the sea. A river
by the same name
Chandrabhaga is
supposed to have
existed just 3 kms
away from the temple
where (as another
legend goes), Shamba,
the son of Lord
Krishna prayed to
the Sun God for
12 years to be cured
of leprosy.
In memory of Shamba’s
successful penance,
the Chandrabhaga
Mela (festival)
is held every year.
During the full-moon
phase in the month
of Magha, the festival.
Konark (The Sun Temple)
This
world famous Sun
temple of Konark
also spelled as
'Konarak' Konark
should not be judged
merely as an isolated,
individual monument
of glory units own
rights, like the
Taj Mahal, but should
be studied also
as the grandest
art-epic of an entire
people, the Oriya,
the small Indian
sub-race on the
east coast of India,
who tried or 'Konaraka'
is situated on a
lonely sea shore
of the Bay of Bengal
and is 20 kilometers
north-east of the
holy city of Puri.
Standing on the
desolate sand-dunes
this famous temple
is remote, grime
and desolate. Its
silence brokes only
by the soft lapping
of the distant waves
and the occasional
roar of the breakers..The temple was built by King Narasimha Deva I (AD 1238-64) of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, rulling over Kalinga sometimes in the middle of the 13th century.
Lord Shri Jagannath Temple.
The
main temple of Sri
Jaggannath standing
on a raised platform
and soaring to a
height of 65 metres,
dominates the landscapes
for miles around,
built in the 12th
century A.D by Chodaganga
Deva. With all its
sculptural richness
and plasticity of
Orissan style of
temple architecture;
it is one of the
most magnificent
monuments of India.
There is no caste distinction and all are welcome before the Lord Jaggannath but non-hindus are not allowed inside the shrine. They can have a fair view of the inside of the temple from the nearby roof of the Raghunandan library, opposite the main gate of the shrine.
The
temple kitchen is
said to be the biggest
in the world feeding
thousands of devotees
daily with, its
holy food called
the Mahaprasad.
The temple in itself
is an extraordinary
world consisting
of thousands of
different categories
of priests, their
assistants attendants
and pilgrim guides.
This huge army of
over 6000 priests
etc., and 14000
other employees
waiting on Lord
Jaggannath is headed
by the Raja of Puri.
He alone has the
privilege of sweeping
before the, Chariots
and to carry Lord
Jaggannath's umbrella.
In the Garbhagriha
or sanctum sanctorum
there are a strange
archaic type of
wooden images of
Sri Jaggannath,
his sister Subhadra
and brother Balbhadra.
Sister Subhadra
is in between the
two brothers and
smaller in size.
There are amny votive
shrines and other
temples such as
Gundicha, Loknath,
Sunar, Gauranga,
Daria Mahabir, Tota
Gopinath and Patiarni.
How to Reach Puri
•
Air: Bhubaneswar
is the nearest airport
- 60 km .
•
Rail:
Puri has good rail
connections with
Delhi , Calcutta,
Tirupati, Okha and
Ahmedabad.
• Road:
60 km by State Highway
from Bhubaneswar.
One can also approach
by road via Konark
and then through
the Marine Drive
covering about 100
km.
