BEST OF PURI & KONARK (FROM BHUBANESWAR)

At a distance of 44 km from Puri, Chilika Lake is Asia's biggest inland salt water lagoon situated near Satapada in Odisha. Located at the mouth of the Daya River, Chilika Lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and also the second largest salt water lagoon in the world after the New Caledonian barrier reef in New Caledonia.

The lake is studded with small islands including the most charming Honeymoon Island and the Breakfast Island. Spreads across 1,100 sq. km, the pear shaped lake extends from Bhusandpur in Puri district in the North to Rambha-Malud in Ganjam district in the South, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a 60 km long narrow strip of marshy islands and sand-flats. The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fisher-folk living in 132 villages on the shore and islands. In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

The lake also acts as one of the .....

At a distance of 11 km from Puri Bus Station, Raghurajpur is a heritage crafts village in Puri district of Odisha. Raghurajpur is known for its world famous Pattachitra paintings and is one of the must visit places in Puri.

Raghurajpur was recognized as Odisha's first heritage craft village in 2000. The village is famous for its master Pattachitra painters and Gotipua dance troupes. The village is inhabited by artisans producing sheer poetry on pieces of treated cloth, dried palm leaf or paper. This style of painting is one of the oldest and most popular art forms of Odisha. This is also the birthplace of legendary Odissi dancer Kelucharan Mohapatra.

The main village of Raghurajpur, located in the vicinity of coconut groves, palm, mango and jack fruit, is mostly decorated with mural paintings, and offers beautiful natural surroundings. Besides, the region also creates the crafts like Tussar paintings, palm leaf engravings, stone and wood carvings, wooden, cow dung and papier .....

At a distance of 38 km from Puri, Pipili or Pipli is a town and a NAC under jurisdiction of Puri district in the Indian state of Odisha. It is famous for appliqué work locally known as Chandua which is considered as the traditional art form of Orissa.

The village of Pipli was set up for accommodating the craftsmen of Orissa. Initially, the craftsmen only made banners, umbrellas and canopies for the festive occasions, but with the popularity of the art, the artisans started making many items of utility. Pipli is a town of artisans famous for their colorful fabrics. The applique work of Pipili is probably most well-known handicraft in Puri and surrounding areas.

The craft involves embroidering and stitching of small pieces of colored cloth with flowers, animals, village scene and traditional designs on to a larger base cloth. The cloth used for patch as well as base is cotton with different color combinations. The usual appliqué patchwork items are Garden Umbrellas, Wallets, .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Puri Junction, Jagannath Temple is a sacred temple situated in the heart of Puri town in Orissa. It is the most revered pilgrimage site for Hindus as it is included in the pious Char Dham Yatra with Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameshwaram. This world famous temple is one of prime places to visit in Puri.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu and is one of the major Hindu Temples in India. The present temple was built by Anantavarman Chodaganga (1077 - 1150 CE) of Eastern Ganga dynasty, replacing an earlier structure which probably dated to the 10th century CE. Later, King Ananga Bhima Deva II (1170-1198) did much to continue the work of Chodaganga Deva, building the walls around the temple and many of the other shrines on the temple grounds.

The temple structure is full of excellent carvings and is a fine specimen of Kalinga style of architecture. Spread over an area of 4, 00,000 square feet with 20 feet high fortified wall, .....

At a distance of 1 km from Jagannath Temple and 2.5 km from Puri Junction, Narendra Tank or Narendra Pokhari is a holy tank situated at Mauza Dandimala Sahi in Puri. This is one of the largest tanks in Orissa and also one of the must visit places in Puri.

The tank was built in 15th century AD by Narendra Dev, who shouldered the responsibility of the kingdom with Purushottama. The tank is spread over a vast area, which features an island in the middle, housing a small temple called Chandana Mandapa which is connected to the southern bank with a bridge. This tank is considered holy and has a lot of small and big temples surrounding it. The water level of the tank is 10 feet below the present road level. The tank covers 16 ghats which provide an opportunity for the pilgrims to have a holy bath. The main ghat has a flight of steps made up of Khondalite.

Also known as Chandana Pushkarini, this is the holy tank in which the famed Chandana Yatra of Lord Jagannath celebrated annually. .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Puri Junction and 3 km from Sri Jagannath Temple, Gundicha Temple is one of the most renowned Hindu temples in Puri. Gundicha Temple is a common place of the festivities during the annual Ratha Yatra and is also one of the most famous places to visit in Puri.

The Gundicha Ghar was built by the Gundicha Maharani, the queen of King Indradyumna the founder of the 1st Jagannath Temple. The temple is located right next to the Jagannath Temple and is popularly referred to as His aunt's house because when the Rath Yatra festival takes place, Lord Jagannath is shifted to the Gundicha Temple for seven days. It is also known as Garden House of Lord Jagannath as it is located in the middle of a beautiful garden.

Gundicha Temple has some interesting legends related to it. According to one legend, Gundicha, the queen of the King Indradyumna, was a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha. Because of her deep devotion, Lord Jagannath promises her to come to her house .....

At a distance of 2 km from Puri Junction, Sudarshan Craft Museum is located at station road in Puri. It is one of the best places to visit in Puri for art lovers.

The Sudarshan Craft Museum was started in the year 1977 by Shri Sudarhsan Sahoo. The museum exhibits great collection of artistic works done by Sudarshan Sahoo like carvings in wood, stone and fiber glass, handicraft items and also fine paintings. Within the premises of museum, one can witness a Buddhist temple built in a Japanese style, a library and a workshop.

This museum is a must visit place for art lovers as it gives a very enriching and knowledgeable experience to visitors. The items kept on display are rare works of art and are the gems of tradition and culture of the nation. The museum has metal figurines, stone carvings too for sale. The museum provides a platform for budding artists to showcase their talent to the world.

Timings: 8 AM - 12 PM & 2 PM - 8 PM, Closed on Saturdays & Sundays

Entry .....

At a distance of 2 km from Jagannath Temple and 2.5 km from Puri Junction, Puri Beach is a pristine sea beach located along the coast of Bay of Bengal in Puri, Odisha. It is considered as one of the cleanest beaches in India and also one of the best Puri Tourist Places.

Known for its fine white sands and crystal clear waters, Puri Beach is quite famous for its peaceful and calm surroundings. The beach has continued to be a sacred venue and is visited by an endless number of pilgrims for a purification dip who come to Puri to pay their homage to Lord Jagannath. The long white sandy beach draws large numbers of foreigners and Indians. Visitors can take a stroll, browse pearls and seashell souvenirs sold by local vendors.

The beach is also famous for the sand sculptures made by internationally known sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik. The subjects are generally inspired by sculptures covering the temple walls, characters and episodes from the mythology and also the contemporary events. .....

At a distance of 10 km from Konark, Ramachandi Temple is an ancient temple situated on the banks of Kushabhadra River near Konark in Odisha state. Situated on the Marine Drive Road from Konark to Puri, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Odisha.

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Ramachandi, believed to be the main deity of Konark. The temple is even older than the Sun Temple and is one of the most important Sakti Peethas of Orissa. According to legend, Kalapahad, the rebel Hindu Brahmin youth who got converted to Islam, vowed to destroy all the temples of Hindu worship during 17th century. He approached to destroy Ramachandi Temple after destroying Sun Temple. To safeguard the temple, Goddess Ramachandi dressed as a maid and asked Kalapahad to wait at the door till she brings water from the river for the Goddess.

After a long wait, Kalapahad entered the temple and found the throne empty. He thought that the maid took away the deity, so he followed her in anger. .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Konark Bus Station, Konark Sun Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in the heart of Konark town in Orissa state. Renowned all over the world for its architecture, Konark Sun Temple is among the prime places to visit in Konark and is often used in promoting Konark Tourism.

Dedicated to Sun God, Konark Sun Temple was built by King Narasimhadeva I of Eastern Ganga dynasty in the 13th century CE to commemorate his victory over Muslims invaders. European sailors used this temple tower for navigation, but dubbed it the Black Pagoda for the frequent shipwrecks that occurred along the coast. This temple is one of the grandest temples of India and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. Konark was sacked by the Muslim Yavana army in the 15th century. The central statue enshrined in the temple was smuggled away to Puri by priests, but the Sun Temple was badly damaged in the attack. In the late 19th century, the remnants of this temple were excavated.

The .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Konark Bus Station, Konark Museum is one of the ancient museums located in the historical town of Konark in Odisha. Situated near the Sun Temple, it is maintained by Archaeological Survey of India and is one of the prominent places to visit in Konark.

The Konark Museum was started in the year 1968 with the purpose of housing the archeological excavations and the fallen sculptures from the Sun Temple. The museum has four galleries displaying 260 various antiquities. The antiquities include various sculptures, paintings, manuscripts and various fallen of parts from the Konark Sun Temple. It is a treasure house for historians and art lovers.

The first gallery of the museum holds 62 antiquities, out of which the image of Surya in sand stone, the Khandolite built reconstructed wheel, various incarnations of Lord Vishnu, etc. are the major attractions. The second gallery has 108 antiquities on display. The reconstructed wall of temple, cult objects like .....

At a distance of 5 km from Konark Bus Station, Konark Beach is a stunning beach located in Konark, Orissa. Also known as Chandrabhaga Beach, it is regarded as one of the finest beaches along the east coast and also one of the popular Konark Tourist Places.

The Konark Sea Beach is named after Chandrabhaga River which joins sea here. The lengthy stretch of sylvan sands and soothing blue sea rushing in, undulating waves makes the Konark Beach one of the beautiful places to visit in Konark. A leisurely stroll along the beach side is a lovely experience. Tourists can also enjoy beach activities like sun bathing, surfing and many more. Though this is a great spot for sunbathing, the presence of strong currents makes swimming unsafe. A panoramic view of the sunrise is the other captivating attraction of this beach. A light house, close by Chandrabhaga is an added attraction to this place.

Konark Beach is well-known for the yearly Magha Saptami Mela, a seven day festival. It takes .....