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Puri is one of the four
destinations (Char Dham) considered the most pious of religious
centers in India. As a consequence of its religious significance,
Puri is one of the most frequented pilgrimage destinations in Orissa,
India. With Tourism of Orissa tour packages, explore the other
aspects of Puri that are more than often overshadowed by the
towering Lord Jagannath Temple that stands at 65 meters and is the
tallest monument in Orissa.
According to
legends, Puri was once a hilly and forested area that was inhabited
by Austric speaking tribes preceding the Aryan and Dravidian races.
Today Puri's major tourist attractions are the Lord Jagannath Temple
and the Puri Beach.
Chodaganga
Deva built the Lord Jagannath Temple
during the 12th century and is the finest example of Oriya school of
architecture. Other temples of significance to pilgrims and tourists
that you should visit on your tour to Puri include the
Gundicha Temple, Lokanath Temple,
Sunaragauranga Temple, Daria Mahabir Temple and Tota
Gopinatt Temple.
Narendra, Markandeya, Sweta Ganga
and Indradyumna tanks are believed to contain water
that is holy and also are credited with curative powers. The Matts
(monasteries) around the temple complexes and holy tanks are other
places of interest that you may visit on your tour to Puri, Orissa.
Tours to
Puri can also be planned around the popular and religious festivals
in Puri, Orissa such as the Car Festival of
Puri, the Puri Beach festival, Ganesh Puja and
Jhulana Jatra.
Easily
approachable by air (from Bhubaneswar) and well connected by rail
and road, Puri tours can also be extended to include the other
tourist attractions in the adjoining areas of Puri, Orissa.
Balighai,
near Puri, is a picturesque beach fringed with Casuarinas that is
very popular with tourists. Satapara
in Chilika, set at the confluence of Chilika Lake and the Bay of
Bengal, is another popular retreat from Puri. Satapara offers
dolphin sighting and bird watching opportunities aplenty.
If the
magnificent temples of Puri have infused you with a desire to
explore other temples of Orissa, then there are other famous temples
around Puri that you can visit on your tour to Puri.
Shrine of Alarnath in Brahmagiri,
the shrine of Lord Sakshigopal in Satyabadi
and the temple of Baliharachandi
are the chief attractions. Baliharachandi is also a popular picnic
spot for its natural beauty.
You can
also visit the famous artisan village of Raghurajpur. The birthplace
of Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra, renowned Odissi dancer; at
Raghurajpur you can attend a
Gotipua dance performance and shop for
pattachitra's and
talapattachitra's handicrafts. These handicrafts can also
be bought from the shops and state emporiums in Puri along with
other handicrafts unique to Orissa such as
stone soaps, seashells, horn work, woodcarvings and
solapith work.
There
are many hotels, resorts and lodges in Puri where you can stay
comfortably during your tour to Puri.
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