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                  PURI TRAVEL GUIDE

Puri  is a city in the state of Orissa. The city is famous for its Jagannath temple. The
temple was built in the late eleventh century. Puri is one of the oldest cities in the
eastern part of the country. It is situated on the coast of Bay of Bengal and is a
popular beach resort, positioned in a unique place that both sun set and sun rise
can be viewed from the beach.

The word "puri" in Sanskrit Language stands for 'Town or City' but, in this case, it is
derived from Jagannath Puri. Another belief is that the name Puri is derived from
Purushottama (one of 108 Shatktipeethas,Puroshottama). It is the only shrine in
India, where Goddess ( Also referred as Durga, Sati,Parvati) abode here with Lord
Krishna who is Jagannatha.

Puri is the site of the Govardhana matha, one of the four cardinal institutions
established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the others being those at Sringeri, Dwaraka
and Jyotirmath.

Puri is also famous for its annual Ratha Yatra, or "Festival of Chariots", when the
deities Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra, are brought out of the temple, and
placed in a chariot procession. This festival occurs on various dates of the Gregorian
calendar, typically in the month of July.

The town if famous for its many Mathas (monasteries of the various Hindu sects). It
also houses the relics of many Hindu saints as traditionally it is seen as a holy place
to die in or to get cremated in. As a result, it has had a disproportionate number of
widows. Like other old Hindu religious towns it has a lot of character that is difficult to
be glimpsed by a casual visitor.


PLACE TO VISIT


Jagannath Temple - in Puri is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to
Jagannath (Krishna) located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Orissa, India.
The name Jagannath (Lord of the Universe) is a combination of the Sanskrit words
Jagat (Universe) and Nath (Lord of). The temple is an important pilgrimage
destination for many Hindu traditions, particularly worshippers of Krishna and
Vishnu. The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, chariot festival where huge
and elaborately decorated chariots are used for the procession of the three main
temple deities.

The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three
temple deities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated chariots. Since
medieval times, it is also associated with intense religious fervor

Govardhana matha - is located in the city of Puri in Orissa state (India), and
is associated with the Jagannath temple. It is one of those four cardinal mathas said
to have been founded by Adi Shankara, and is the eastern matha. As per the tradition
initiated by Adi Shankara, it is in charge of the Rig Veda.

BEACHES - Puri has very wide sand beach.The sea waves are very big here.It
attracts many domestic and international tourists because of its long beach


HOW TO REACH


By train - If you arrive by train go to the Orissan State Tourist counter at the station
for advice, they are usually very helpful and speak English. The MCO Booth is also
quite helpful. Locals speak Oriya. Due to the presence of people from various parts
of India there would not be a language problem.