Puri is a city located in the state of Odisha on the eastern coast of India. It is also known as Jagannath Puri as it is the hometown of Lord Jagannath. That’s why Jagannath Puri: A Must Visit City In Odisha.
Here are the best tourist places to visit in & around Puri:
1.Sri Jagannath Puri Temple: This glorious temple is the abode of Lord Jagannath who is a form of Lord Vishnu with brother Balram and sister Subhadra. It is the most revered pilgrimage site for Hindus and is included in the pious Char Dham Yatra. Most tourists visit Puri during its vibrant festivals, especially RathaYatra (Chariot festival).
2.Vimala Temple: Regarded as a Shakti Peetha, one of the many shrines scattered around India dedicated to the supreme goddess. Goddess Vimala residing within the complex of Jagannath temple in Puri is as important as the main deity.
3.Lakshmi Temple: This is a very important temple owing to the beliefs around the history of this structure. It is believed that the marriage of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati happened on the sixth day of the fortnight of Jyeshta and they were invited to this temple by Goddess Lakshmi.
4.Sakhigopal Temple: Sakhigopal Temple is situated at about 18 Km from Puri. A pilgrimage to this temple is often combined with a visit to Jagannath Temple as the trip is believed to be incomplete without it. We can view the idol of Shree Radhakrishna.
5.Markandeswara Temple: Markandeswara Temple is believed to be the holy place where sage Markandeya meditated on Lord Shiva as a child. The 13th century-old temple welcomes the devotees with a sculpture of Lord Nataraja with ten hands.
6.Narendra Tank: The tank provides various Ghats where devotees can take holy baths. At the center of the large tank is a beautiful, small temple called Chandana Mandapa.
7.Gundicha Temple: Located 3 kilometers away from the main temple complex of Jagannath, the Gundicha Temple acts as the summer retreat for Lord Jagannath, his brother Balarama and sister Subhadra. This temple marks the ending of the Ratha Yatra, where the deities rest for seven days, before making the journey back to their original home. Gundicha temple is empty for the rest of the year, except for the many images depicting the Lord’s life.
8.Lokanath Temple: According to a legend popular in Orissa, long ago, Puri was a center of Shiva worship. According to this legend, Lord Ramachandra himself installed the Lingam in the Lokanath Temple. This lingam is always submerged with water, which substantiates the legend that Goddess Ganga flows through the top of the shiva linga as a stream. It can only be seen on Pankodhar Ekadasi, before Shivaratri, when the water is removed from the lingam. On that day, thousands of devotees come for a darshan.
9.Ganesh Temple: Inside the famous Jagannath temple complex in Puri, is situated a small Ganesh temple, housing an exclusive image of Ganesh known as Natya Ganesh i.e. Dancing Ganesh.In front of the Ganesh temple, a small water-pot built up of stones known as Rohinikund is also present.
10.Puri Beach: Puri Beach is one of the finest coastlines in East India, bordering the Bay of Bengal, and is located at a distance of 35 km from the Sun Temple. Adorned with fine golden sand and gushing waves, Puri Beach is quite renowned for its peaceful and calm surroundings.
11.Chilika Lake: Chilika Lake is the largest internal saltwater lake in Asia, it is a paradise on earth for bird watchers and nature lovers.
12.Astaranga Beach: Astaranga meaning “colorful sunset” is a magnificent beach located in the state of Orissa. As the name suggests this beach is famous for the picturesque views that it provides during the sunset.
13.Chandrabhaga Beach: Situated 3 km east of Sun Temple in Konark in Orissa where the Chandrabhaga River joins the sea, Chandrabhaga Beach is one of the most beautiful and pollution-free beaches in the country.
14.Sun Temple, Konark: Situated on the northeastern corner of Puri, Konark Sun Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the prime tourist attractions of Odisha. Built in the form of a giant rath or chariot of the Sun God, it depicts the chariot being pulled by a set of seven horses, four on the left side, and three on the right.
15.Sudarshan Crafts Museum: A true delight for the history and art buffs, the Sudarshan Crafts Museum in Puri was established by Sri Sudarshan Sahoo with an intention to convey to the curious ones the evolution of craftsmanship. The growth in the style of sculpting has been explained here with traditional sculptures.
Read More: https://www.birdsviewinfo.com/kedarnath-the-lord-of-the-field/