Facts of Puri

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Puri Weather Information

HISTORY OF PURI

History of Puri dates back to the period when the town was inhabited by the Sabaras, a Pre-

Dravidian and Pre-Aryan tribe belonging to the Austro-Asiatic family. During the 7th and 8th

centuries, Puri had been a provincial outpost that linked eastern India with the South.Owing to its religious association with Sankaracharya (a Hindu reformer), Puri became one of

the new centers for the practice of reformed Hinduism. In fact, Puri became an important center

of pilgrimage by the 12th century. The history in Puri also proves that Sri Ramanuja visited Puri

during 1107 and 1117. Sri Ramanuja was followed by Vishnu Swami, who is known to establish

the Vishnuswami Matha, near Markandeshwar Tank.

With the arrival of the Gangas in the 12th century, Puri emerged as one of the centers of

Vaishnavism. Anantavarman Chodaganga, one of the powerful rulers of Puri, established the

Purusottama temple in 1135. Purusottama Temple later came to be known as the Jagannath

Temple in the 15th century.

Under the Mughals, Orissa was divided into three revenue collection circars. The three circars of

Orissa included Bhadrak, Jaleswar and Kataka with Puri being a part of the Kataka circar.

The history of Puri also reveals that in the 16th century, Puri was captured by the Afghans. The

Afghans destroyed the Jagannath temple and reduced it to ruins. The temple was restored by the

Marathas, who ruled Orissa for a short time. Under the British, the Jagannath temple was

managed by the King of Orissa. The temple is also said to enjoy certain privileges under the

British.

Until 1816, Puri remained the capital of Orissa, as well as the headquarters of the Collector. In

1806, the government rejected the proposal of shifting the headquarters to Jajpur but in 1814, the

headquarters were transferred to Cuttack. The headquarters was shifted back to Puri in the month

of December, 1814. In 1816, the headquarters was again shifted back to Cuttack.

Historical facts about Puri reveal that Orissa was culled from Bihar in 1936. In 1948, Puri was

integrated with Orissa (1st January, 1948). Until 1995, the province continued to be divided. The

territory of Puri was divided into 3 subdivisions in 1995. Presently, the district of Puri comprises

of the Puri Sadar division.


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Puri Facts

Puri offers sandy beaches and temples for tourists coming to Orissa. The city is ideally located

on the coastline at a distance of 65KM from Bhubaneshwar. The holy city is known all over

India for its Jagannath temple. Another fascinating temple near to Puri is Konark Sun GodTemple. Here we have presented some very interesting facts and figures about Puri:

Interesting Facts on Puri

Location: Located on eastern side of Orissa.

Bhubaneshwar - 60 KM

Languages: Oriya is the official language. Hindi and English are also widely spok

Weather in Puri: Summer (March-June),

Rainy (July-September),

Winter (October-February).

Religion: Hinduism is the major religion.

Transportation: Puri has a good local transport system. Taxis and rickshaw are easily

available for sightseeing.

Nearest Airport: Bhubaneshwar - 60 KM

Best Time to Visit Puri: Between October to March.

Puri Tourist Attractions: Jagannath Temple

Puri Beach

CT Road

Tourist Places near Puri: Sun Temple of Konark

Chandrabhaga Sea BeachChilika Lake

Satapada Dolphin Sanctuary

Alarnath Temple

Pipili Famous for Applique Work

Raghurajpur Famous for Patta Chitra.


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Puri Map

Puri is the holy city of Orissa located in Eastern part of India. The city is known world over for JagannathTemple and its beaches. Another attraction near Puri is Konark Sun Temple, dedicated to Sun Temple.

This world heritage site is just 35 Kms from Puri city. You will get to know everything about Puri with

this travel map. The map shows major tourist attractions along with coastline and road network in the

holy city.


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How To Reach Puri

The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, 60 km.

Reaching Puri through Rail - Puri is a terminus on theEast Coast Railway having direct express and super fasttrain links with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha,

Ahmedabad, Tirupati etc. Some important trains areKolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, Jagannath

Express; New Delhi; Purushottam Express. Khurda RoadStation, 44 km, from Puri is convenient rail head for train

to Chennai and Western India.

The station is about one km North of the town. Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws competeaggressively to get you to a hotel.

Reaching Puri through Road - The bus stand near the Gundicha Temple provides connections

to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, service every 10-15 minutes. Minibuses to Konark leave every 20-30 minutes and also from Jatiababa Chhak. There are direct buses for Kolkata and

Visakhapatnam.

ForGetting around puri - cycle rickshaws are available all over town. Auto rickshaws are alsoavailable but every few in numbers. Bicycle, moped or a motorcycle can be hired easily from

several outlets on the Chakratirtha (CT) Road for trips to the coast and to Konark. Most travelagents in the city provide this service.

Puri Geography

Puri is located at 1948N 8551E / 19.8N 85.85E. It has an average elevation of 0 metresA study ofPuri geography reveals that Puri is divided two natural regions, the littoral tractand the level alluvial tract.

The littoral tract of Puri is a sandy ridge that is said to be an accumulation of the wind blown

sand. The width of the littoral tract varies from 6.5 kilometers to a few hundred meters. Itstretches along the sea coast and forms the dividing line separating the Chilka Lake and the

Ocean.

The level alluvial tract is a region that covers the villages and the rice fields. The rice fields ofthe level alluvial tract are watered by a number of channels that mainly comprises of the

distributaries of the river Mahanadi. Through the rice fields, the distributaries make their waytowards the sea.

The physiography of Puri also boasts of a sea-coast bay. The sea-coast of Puri is about 150.4


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Puri Weather Informationkilometers in length. It is marked by sandy ridges that stretch into Ganjam and Jagatsingpur. Thesandy ridges are formed due to the strong monsoon currents that blow over the area for about 8

months. The ridges that vary in width from 7 kilometers to a few meters prevent the rivers ofPuri from draining into ocean.

Puri geography is incomplete without a reference to the drainage system of Puri. An estimate ofthe drainage system of Puri is as follows:

y Dayay Prachiy Bhargabiy Kushabhadray Kadua

Besides, the geography of Puri also features:

yIslands - Although, we do not come across any island in Puri; yet it noteworthy thatChilka Lake is separated by a group of Islands from the Bay of Bengal.

y Lakes - The Chilka Lake and the Sar Lake are two important lakes of Puri.

Weather of Puri

Weather of Puri - Located on India's eastern coast, the

cool breeze from the Bay of Bengal makes the tropical

weather in Puri more bearable as compared to interior

Orissa. The summer months from March to May are

hot and humid, with temperatures rising to over 39 C.

Puri faces the south west monsoon in June, and

temperatures fall to around 28 C till October. The

rainfall peaks to around 250 mm during July and

August, and dips to approximately 127 mm by October.

Winter in Puri makes its presence felt from November,

when temperatures start falling to maintain an average of 16 centigrade in December and January. Cold

winds from the North North east keep the temperatures low in spite of the bright sunshine. However, this

is the most pleasant time of the year for visitors to Puri.


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Summer - March to May

Average Maximum

Temperature

36 C

Average Minimum Temperature 24 C

Average Precipitation 40 mm

Winter - November to February

Average Maximum

Temperature

28 C



Monsoon - June to October

Average Maximum

Temperature

32 C



Demography of Puri

Demography of Puri gives a picture of the structure and distribution of population in the city.

Formal demography has, in the recent time, become more or less synonymous with populationand as per the census of 2001, the city of Puri is home to a total population of 157,610. Of this,

82,229 are males which is 52% of the entire population. The females constitute 48% of thepopulation in Puri, counting to 75,381 heads. 15,802 of the total population of Puri are under the

age of 6 years. This is 10% of the total population count.Puri demography also reflects the literacy rate of the city. There are 118,449 literates in Puri,

making the average literacy rate to be 75% which is much higher the national average of 59.5%.Around 80% of the male population of Puri, counting to be 65,727 male population, is literate.

70% of the females in Puri are literate which encompasses 52, 722 heads.The majority of the population of Puri is Hindus and 87% of the people of Puri speak Oriya.

Hindi, Bengali and English are the other languages which are spoken by the people of Puri.


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Puri Beach

Fine white sands, roar of the breakers rolling in from the

Bay of Bengal and countless devotees flocking the place

for a purification dip are the synonyms to the Puri Beach.The beach has continued to be a sacred venue for an

endless number of pilgrims coming to pay homage to Lord

Jagannath.

With the annual Beach Festival taking place in November,

the beach has now become a favorite haunt of both Indian

and foreign beach lovers. Located at a mere distance of 35

kms from the Sun Temple and 65 kms from Bhubaneshwar, the beach is an ideal place for an

introvert holiday maker for the scarcity of crowd here.

The beaches of Puri are also renowned for the sand sculptures created particularly by the

internationally famed Sudarshan Patnaik. The subjects are generally inspired by sculptures

covering the temple walls, characters and episodes from the mythology and also the

contemporary events. An entire beach stretch can be completely yours given the immense

number of beaches in Orissa and a comparatively lower number of fun lovers, the city being a

popular pilgrimage point for Indians.

The beach at Puri offers a unique opportunity to witness the striking sunrise and the sunset on the

same beach. Often crowded with holiday makers bathing in the afternoon, and enjoying thebrightly lit kiosks in the night, the stretches, parallel to the main Marine Drive Road, form the

domain of the domestic tourists, with a row of hotels, food stalls and kiosks selling souvenirs.

A comparatively clean and quite place for sunbathing and a relaxed swim can be found at the

eastern end. Local fishermen easily distinguishable by their triangular straw hats and dhotis serve

as lifeguards on the beach, and take visitors out to sea in their boats to watch the sunsets. On the

Chakratirtha side, the long stretch of golden sand is more tranquil and pleasant place to stroll.

Take enough precaution while swimming as the currents can be treacherous in Puri.

It is interesting to visit a fishing village along the coast, with dozens of boats made of solidtrunks ply off the coast during the day. Once landed, the rich catch of prawn, pamphlets and

other fishes drawn into the nets is transferred to baskets. The best time to pay a visit is around

dawn, when the fishermen head out from the village and row the fleet towards the rising sun over

the sea.


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Puri Beach Festival

Puri Beach Festival - As its very name suggests,

the Puri Beach Festival is held on a beautiful

beach namely Sea Beach, Swargadwara at Puriand comes as a celebration of the beauteous andsplendid Oriya spirit.

This feast for the fun lovers at the city isconducted by the Hotel and Restaurant

Association of Orissa (HRAO), co-sponsored bythe Ministry of Tourism, Government of India,

the Department of Tourism, Government ofOrissa, Development Commissioner of

Handicrafts and the Eastern Zonal CulturalCenter, Calcutta.

Being a festival of various classical and folk dances of India, this festival offers a unique

opportunity to the visitors to interact with the local populace and enjoy the bountiful charms ofOrissa. The festival is also marked by an exhibition of Handicrafts, Handloom and Sand Art. To

add more fun to the festival, events like fashion shows and rock shows are also made a part of itthat leaves every present soul extremely happy and delighted.

Jagannath Temple (Puri)

Jagannath Temple Puri - The land ofLord Jagannath, meaning 'Lord of

Universe', is one of the most sacredpilgrimage spots in India. One of the four

divine abodes lying on four directions ofthe compass; The Jagannath temple in

Puri was built approximately 12thCentury AD by King Chodaganga of the

Eastern Ganga dynasty. The completionwas later brought about by his

descendant, Anangabhima Deva, duringthe 12th century.

One of the most revered of all temples of

Lord Vishnu in eastern India, the Jagannath Temple was built in the classical temple buildingphase. Protected by two surrounding walls, the conical tower of the temple is 58 mts high on

which the flag and the wheel of Lord Vishnu can be seen.


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Dedicated to Krishna, Balabhadra and Subhadra, the temple has these three as principal deities.

Similar to the Lingaraja temple in Bhubaneshwar, this temple is also close for Non-Hindus whocontend themselves by just viewing it from outside its precincts.

Mahaprasada

Maha-prasada is pure vegetarian spiritual food offered to Lord Jagannath. Just by eating thismahaprasada one makes great spiritual advancement. Everyday, 56 varieties of prasada areoffered to Lord Jagannath. The preparations are made traditionally and no onion, garlic, chillies

or many varieties of vegetables (considered alien) are not used.

These offerings, after being made to Lord Jagannath, are then offered to Goddess Bimala Devi inthe temple precincts which then becomes Mahaprasadam. This Mahaprasadam is considered very

efficacious for spiritual liberation. One should respectfully honor the Mahaprasadam sitting onthe floor. This Mahaprasadam is available daily after 3-5 pm. This is sold outside the sanctorum

area but within the temple premises. The Mahaprasadam remains hot for a long time as it is keptin the same earthen pots which are used to cook it.

Normally, mahaprasadam means a few small pots of vegetables, dhal, and a pot of rice ten times

the size of the small pots.

Architecture of Jagannath Temple

The architecture of the temple follows the pattern of

many Orissan temples of the classical period. Themain shikhara, or tower, rises above the inner

sanctum where the deities reside. Subsidiaryshikharas rise above ante-halls. The temple complex

is surrounded by a wall, on each side of which is agopura or gate, over which rises a pyramid-shaped

roof. Being the largest temple in the state, it has acomplex covering several square blocks with dozens

of structures including a mammoth kitchen.

The main temple structure of this architectural andcultural wonder is 65m (214 feet) high and is built

on elevated ground, making it look more imposing. Comprising an area of 10.7 acres, the templecomplex is enclosed by two rectangular walls. The outer enclosure is called Meghanada Prachira,

200m (665 ft) by 192m (640 ft). The inner wall is called Kurmabedha, 126m (420 ft) by 95m(315 ft). There are thirty-six traditional communities (Chatisha Niyaga) who render a specific

hereditary service to the deities. The temple has as many as 6,000 priests.


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There is a wheel on top of the Jagannath Temple made of an alloy of eight metals (asta-dhatu). It

is called the Nila Chakra (Blue Wheel), and is 3.5m (11 ft 8 in) high with a circumference ofabout 11m (36 ft). Every day, a different flag is tied to a mast attached to the Nila Chakra. Every

Ekadasi, a lamp is lit on top of the temple near the wheel. There are four gates: the eastern

Singhadwara (Lion Gate), the southern Ashwadwara (Horse Gate), the western Vyaghradwara(Tiger Gate), and the northern Hastidwara (Elephant Gate). There is a carving of each form bythe entrance of each gate. The Lion Gate, which is the main gate, is located on Grand Road.

Thirty different smaller temples surround the main temple. The Narasimha Temple, adjacent tothe western side of the Mukti-mandapa, is said to have been constructed before this temple even.

Legend of Jagannath Temple

According to the legend, Indrayumna, the king ofMalava in Sata Yuga, was a great devotee of Vishnu.

Once the king dreamt of Nilamadhava Vishnu andwas curious to know where that particular form of the

Lord was worshipped. Therefore, he sent hisemissaries in four directions to find this.

Brahmin Vidyapati was sent to the east. He came to

Utkala and entered Savara village where he tookshelter in the house of the Savara King Visvavasu.

Lalita, king's daughter, fell in love with Vidyapati andthe latter got married to her to extract information

about Nilamadhava.

Visvavasu used to go to the forest every morning to worship Nilamadhava installed inNiakandara (Blue cave). Vidyapati thus coaxed his wife to request her father to allow him to see

Nilamadhava. Visvavasu agreed on the condition that Vidyapati will be taken to the shrine andbrought back from there with a blindfold.

On hearing this, Vidyapati went to his wife and asked her to make such an arrangement that he

may subsequently know the path. Lalita gave him some sesame seeds to be scattered on the sideof the road he followed so that he might know the path when sesame plants grew up during the

rains.

Accordingly, Vidyapati was taken to Nilakandara where he saw Nilamadhava. Later, when Vasu

Savara offered food to the deity, he did not take it as usual to the king's dismay. At this, a divinevoice was heard. It said, "we would no longer continue to be worshipped by you. Oh! Vasu, we

will change the present Nilamadhava form and assume Daru form. We shall be worshipped in thetemple by Raja Indradyumna".

The king came back from the blue cave with a very heavy heart losing his deity. Vidyapati too

bade farewell to his wife and father-in-law and started for Malava. Having heard the story, King


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Puri Weather InformationIndradyumna started with his retinue for Utkal to see Nilamadhava. On reaching Nilakandara, hefound it vacant. But a voice from the air told him to construct a temple on Nilasaila (Blue

Mountain).

Hearing this, the king ordered the construction to begin. On completion of the temple, the king

went to Brahmaloka to invite Brahma to consecrate the temple. But, Brahma being in meditation,he had to wait for nine Yugas. The temple thus got buried in sand in his absence.

In the mean time, a new dynasty came to rule at Utkala. Galamadhva, a king of that dynasty,detected the buried temple. He was considering installing images in the temple when

Indradyumna with Lord Brahma appeared before him. Both the kings had a tussle over theownership of the temple. However, Lord Brahma decided in favor of Indradyumna and asked

him to install deities in the temple.

Now, the king was at a loss as to where to find the deities from. Therefore, god told him in hisdream that he would be floating in the sea in the form of a log of wood. Then Sage Narada

assured Indradyumna that Vishnu would appear to him in the temple form of three woodenimages.

When a big tree, radiant with light was seen floating in the sea, Narada told the king to make

three idols out of it and place them in a pavilion. Indradyumna got Visvakarma, the architect ofGods, to build a magnificent temple to house the idols and Vishnu himself appeared in the guise

of a carpenter to make the idols on condition that he was to be left undisturbed until he finishedthe work.

But just after two weeks, the Queen became very anxious. She took the carpenter to be dead as

no sound came from the temple. Therefore, she requested the king to open the door. Thus, theywent to see Vishnu at work at which the latter abandoned his work leaving the idols unfinished.

But a divine voice told Indradyumana to install them in the temple.

The three idols represent the god Jagannath, his elder brother, Balabhadra and their sister,Subhadra. The wooden idols being worshipped are renewed during special occasions. This

wooden idol prepared from a log of wood floating on the ocean finds a mention in the Rig Veda,where it is referred to as Purushottama.


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Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary

Chilka LakeThe Chilka Lake in Orissa is Asia's largest inland salt-water lagoon. Situeded with small

islands- including the picturesquely-named Honeymoon Island and Breakfast Island- the lake isseparated from the Bay of Bengal by a sandy ridge. The pear-shaped lake spreads across 1,100

sq km, and has a unique ecosystem with a range of aquatic flora and fauna found in and aroundits brackish waters. An impressive array of bird life, both native and migrant, makes Chilka one

of the best places in India for a bit of satisfying bird-watching.

Flora

The lake hourbours the "aquatic vegetation" of its own and is typically represents by Algalforms (e.g. Chaetomorpha and Enteromorpha widely distributed algae followed by Lyngbya,

Ulva, Cladophora and others like Gloeocapsa, Nostoc, Sprigyra, Oedogonium, Chara, Nitella,Gracilaria etc.), a number of Diatoms/Phytoplanktons and a few species of brackish water

submerged phanerogams like Potamogeton pectinatus, Halophila ovalis, Ruppia maritima, Najafaveolata, Hydrilla verticellata and Ceratophyllum demersum etc. Some floating plants like

Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes and Azolla pinnata etc. enter the like with flood water butdisappear after a few months. The communities of Schoenoplectus littoralis in association with

Eleocharis dulce, Phragmites karka, Myrostachya wightii & many other grasses and sedges alsoexist in shallow muddy areas.

Species like Salicornia brachiata, Suaeda maritima, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Phyla nodiflora,

Heliotropium curassavicum & some others occur in marshes and salt fields along the edges andother shallow areas. The present scanty littoral and scrub jungles on lake margin, islands and

rocky faces are represented by the species like Salvadora presica, Pongamia pinnata, Colubrinaasiatica, Cassipourea ceylonica, Aegiceras corniculatum, Azima tetracantha, Pisonia aculeata,

Clerodendron inerme, Carmona retusa, Carissa spinarumm, Crateva spinarumm, Meytinusemarginatus, Opuntia dillenii, Ficus sps., Crateva adansonii spp., Lepisanthes tetraphylla,

Streblus asper etc. and a number of climbers/twinners and herbaceous ground flora. The dunes& sandy areas of the beaches near lake have the floral composition of their own, favoured in the

conditions they offer. The land lying between Sea and Lagoon exhibits rich growth of casuarinaequisetifolia, planted by Forest Dept.


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FaunaThere is a wide varity of animal life forms representing various groups of Animal Kingdom(ranging from Protozoa, Porifera, Polyzoa, Brachiopoda, Coelenterata, Ctenophora, Isopoda,

Echiura, Sipuncula, Chaetognatha, Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Crustacea, Arachinida, Insecta,

Mollusca to Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mamals). The more details of some ofthese fauna arefurnished here.Around 158 species of fishes and prawns have so far been recorded.Crabs like Scylla serrata &

Neptunus pelagicus are the predominent types available here. Oyster (e.g. Ostrea talpur, Arca,Meretix etc.) occurs in small patches. Nearabout countless types of Amphibians Reptiles viz.

Snakes, Lizards, Turtles & Crocodiles. Discovery of Limbless skink (Barakudia insularis), arare reptile which was reported first time from loose soil of Barakudia island by Annandale

(1917), attaches much significance to this place.The Dolphins have been reported mostly near Satapada-Magarmukha area and occasionally

between Kalijai and Balugaon. Other mammals reported from small pockets in the surroundinghlls/forests/scattered islands & amidst the vegetation of sandy ridge facing Chilika and Sea

include Black bucks (Antilope cervicara), Spotted deer, Fox, Jackal, Hyaena, Jungle Cat, Hare,Rat, Pachyura (an insectivora), Common bat, Otter, Common mongoose, Monkey, Squirrel,Porcupine etc.

General InformationState : Orissa

Location : southwest of PuriArea : 1,100 sq km

Best time to visit : October to March

TURTLE SANCTUARY GahirmathaThe 35 km Gahirmatha coast in the Kendrapara District of

Orissa is also the nesting ground of the giant Olive Ridleysea turtles. By virtue of being one of the three mass

breeding sites (arribada), Gahirmatha is also a worldheritage site that you ought to visit especially during

October - February season on your tour to Gahirmatha,Orissa.

This mass nesting beach of Gahirmatha was declared as aTurtle Sanctuary in 1979 after attempts to restore theecological balance by declaring Bhitarkanika as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975.

Spread over an area of 1435 sq km, Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary has been a preferred placefor the Olive Ridley sea turtles that travel across oceans from as far as the south pacific to breed

on the sauted sands of Gahirmatha. The Orissa state government along with the sincere effortsof international and regional NGOs has been able to create a safe habitat for the giant turtles to


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Puri Weather Informationprevent their extinction. This has been possible by adhering to strict legislature that bans thefishing trawlers and clamps down on the nearby industries.

Once considered a delicacy by locals who caught the turtles that accidentally got entangled in

their fishing nets, today their condition is slowly returning towards normalcy. You too can

witness this revival of the Giant Olive Ridley sea turtles famous all over the world for their epicannual journeys through oceans to breed and recuperate.

On your tour to the marine sanctuary at Gahirmatha, watch these marvelous creatures thrivewhile taking care to avoid disturbing the carefully reassembled natural habitat with your

inquisitiveness.

Close to Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary is the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and National

Parkthat is the second largest Mangrove ecosystem in India and is known for its crocodiles,creeks and canals, and kingfishers.

On your tour to Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary, with Tourism of Orissa tour packages, you canalso visit the nearby tourist attractions. The 9th century Lord Shiva Temple in Dangmal;Temple of Nahak Babu built in sandstone; Ratnagiri, Lailtgiri and Udaygiri Buddhist

complex; orChandipur Beach are the other prominent tourist attractions near GahirmathaTurtle Sanctuary.Easily accessible by air(Bhubaneswar, Kolkata), waterways (Chandabali,

Ragnagar and Gupti) and rail (Bhadrak, Balsore, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar); you can stayat the many hotels and lodges around Gahirmatha Turtle (Marine) Sanctuary on your tour,

arranged by Tourism of Orissa.

Documents

Facts of Puri