Sight Seeing nearby Puri

Established in the 12th century, Jagannath Temple is one of the most renowned place of worship in Orissa. While it is visited daily by hundreds of people, it is specially revered by followers of the Vaishnava tradition.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Lord Krishna) who is also called the Lord of the Universe. There is an interesting legend associated with this temple. It is said that King Indradyumna, the ruler of the territory, saw Lord Jagannath in his dreams. Following the Lord's wishes, as told to him in his dreams, he got the Jagannath Puri Temple constructed.The temple's pillars are adorned with pictures depicting various stages and scenes from Lord Krishna's life.

One of the most popular attractions of the Jagannatha Temple of Puri is the Annual Rath Yatra. Attended by thousands of devotees, the Rath Yatra is a chariot festival, where idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, the main deities of Srimandir, are taken to the Gundicha temple in bejeweled chariots and are then brought back to the mandir.

Gundicha Temple is situated towards the north east direction of the Jagannath temple and was constructed in the 16th century. It is shaped like a dome with Lord Vishnu’s wheel adorning the top. Gundicha temple 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. As it is located in the middle of a beautiful garden, it is also known as Garden House.

Swargadwar is situated along the sea shore and holds a lot of attraction owing to the mythical stories attached to this place. It is believed that a person who passes away at this place is directly transported to heaven and is also able to attain complete moksha or salvation. It is believed that a very famous Vaishnava saint, Sri Chanitanya Mahaprabhu merged into the sea at this place.

Close to Jagannath temple lays the 11th century Loknath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to history the lingam in this temple was established by Lord Rama. The unique feature is that the shivalinga is always under water which substantiates the legend that Goddess Ganga flows through the top of the shivalinga as a stream. The festival that is celebrated with great fervor and pomp is the Saranti Somobar Fair while devotees believe that the shivalinga has powers to cure diseases after seeking the darshan of Lord Shiva.

Puri Beach like other beaches of Puri is very long and quiet. You can reach most of the famous temples with ease as they are all situated close to the beach only. Numerous stalls line up around the beach for tourists to pick up souvenirs made of shells, jute and many lamp shades or wall hangings made from patch work.

Another famous Shiva temple of Puri is the Markandesvara temple. This temple was built way back in the 13th century. In the front of the temple, you will find a lovely statue of Nataraj, with ten arms. The temple has the similar features, as that of other popular temples like Sisireswara temple and the Vaital Deul temple.

The Lakshmi Temple, devoted to Goddess Lakshmi, is one among the famous temples of Puri. It is situated very close to Lord Jagannath Temple and plays a very important role in the Rath Yathra. It is believed that when the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati takes place, Goddess Lakshmi invites them to this shrine.

One place to visit in Puri is the Indradyumna Tank, famous for its religious relevance and its relation to Lord Krishna. The temple has a Child Krishna temple close by and a small shrine dedicated to King Indradyumna of Orissa. Located on the north-western part of the Gundicha Ghar, this is one of the five sacred tanks of Puri.