Puri combines its dual identities of a relaxed
seaside resort and of an important pilgrimage centre with great ease,
and the visitor will enjoy both aspects equally. Puri is one of the four
holiest places in India for Hindus, and the presence of the Jagannath
Temple (see Directory: Sacred Places) has dominated life there since at
least the twelfth century. Throughout the year, the temple is a
pulsating center of pilgrimage. The pulsations turn to electricity each
summer, when the temple images are taken on an annual pilgrimage
themselves, carried from the temple in immense 40 ft chariots, in the
spectacular Rath Yatra festival. Although the temple precincts are
off-limits to non-Hindus, everyone can enjoy the lively bazaar area
surrounding the temple, and can peer into the temple itself from the
roof of the Raghunandan Library opposite.
In addition to the bazaar area near the temple, superb shopping can be
done in and around Puri by visiting the area's traditional painters and
stone carvers (see Arts and Crafts Listing). The beach area has been a
popular seaside resort for decades, and some of the older hotels capture
the charm of bygone days. There are also new hotels of great style and
comfort, and it is quite possible to spend an entire vacation based at
one of these lovely places, using Puri as a base for excursions to other
parts of the state and returning to the solace of the sea in between.
