Puri
The holy city of
Puri, 60 km from Bhubaneswar, is one of the four holiest points of
pilgrimage for Hindus. The reigning deity of the city, Lord Jagannath, whose
temple was built way back in the 12th century, is not only of great religious
significance to the people of Orissa but is revered by thousands of pilgrims who
seek His blessings from every part of the country. This intense veneration of
Jagannath, or the Lord of the Universe, reaches its zenith during the annual
rites of the Rath Yatra in the months of June July, when the images of Lord
Jagannath, His sister Subhadra and brother Balbhadra are transported through the
Grand Road (Bada Danda) of Puri in traditionally decorated massive chariots that
are dragged by thousands of devotees to the Gundicha Ghar where they sojourn for
a week. The process is repeated when they are returned amidst intense religious
fervor to the temple. Though the temple is closed to non-Hindus, the activities
of the Jagannath Temple are so immense that they create enough colour and
interest for tourists to participate in the bazar element of the proceedings
outside the temple precincts. The other important feature of the town is its
beautiful beach which, for centuries, has offered pleasure to both pilgrims and
swimmers. This picturesque beach is one of the most delightful white beaches in
the country and is becoming a pleasure haunt for tourists from all over the
globe. Though the surf here is pretty exciting, the under-current can be a bit
tricky, so tread carefully... The areas both within and outside Puri offer
excellent shopping and the nearby artist villages of Pipli (for the famous
appliqué work), Raghurajpur (for pata and palm-leaf paintings) and Balakati
(for bell-metal work) bring shoppers directly in contact with the craftsmen at
work. It can be quite an experience.
PLACES TO VISIT :
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.
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.
TEMPLES :
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.
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.
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.
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