The festival, starting from Akshyaya Trutiya, which falls in April-May, lasts for twenty-one days and is held in the month of Baisakh at the height of the summer heat when Chandan (sandal-paste) and water are essential to keep people cool. As the Hindu deities are modeled on the behavior of human beings, they are also given the same treatment. During this festival they are taken out of the temples in procession for perambulation in water on floats or boats. The richly decorated boats are called 'Chapa'. 'Chapa' is the Oriya equivalent of 'float'. In most of the Vishnu as well as Shiva temples the festival of the 'float' marks the conclusion of the prime annual festival and it is celebrated with much pomp. The belief probably is that the deity having concluded his ceremonial perambulation with all attendant paraphernalia on land, must have his aquatic sojourn before He returns to the sanctum of the temple to come out only for the next festival.
This festival is most elaborate in Puri and attracts thousands of pilgrims from far and near. On all the twenty-one days the entire road from the shrine of Lord Jagannath leading up to the Narendra Sarobar (a sacred tank in Puri town) along with the houses on both sides is decorated. At some places, especially in front of Maths (monasteries) or at cross-roads big toranas (arches) are erected where the idols take casual rest and receive offerings The representative images of the deities installed in temples such as Madanmohan (representing Lord Jagannath), Laxmi and Saraswati are taken in a richly decorated palanquin by the sevakas(servitors) accompanied by priests, musicians and dancers to the Narendra Sarobar at night. The tank is profusely lighted with thousands of spectators milling and jostling all around in expectation of the arrival of the procession. The principal deities are also followed by different deities from different shrines of the town. After reaching the Narendra Sarobar, the images are placed on different well decorated boats and they are rowed for a long time. accompanyined by dance and music on the boat.
Generally, the colors chosen for the boats are red and white and they are so designed to look like huge swans floating on water. The peculiarity of the ceremony is that Madanmohana with Laxmi and Saraswati rides on the white coloured raft where-as Ramakrishna with pancha Shivas rides the red one. All the deities on the boat take several rounds in the water which continue till early hours of the morning and then retire to the respective shrines. The last day of the festival is called Bhaunri (Bhramari or circle) when special and more elaborate arrangements are made.
Most of the important festivals of Lord Jagannath at Puri are also followed in all other important shrines of Orissa. Following tradition of the Puri the images are taken out in procession on planquins to the nearby tanks and perambulated in water on boats. In all such temples it is observed only for the last three days. After the ceremony which usually takes place at mid-night, people enjoy performances of dance, drama and music specially arranged for this occasion.
At Bhubaneswar the Chandan festival of Lord Lingaraj is observed in Bindu Sagar, a huge tank near the temple. Here, the float is moved to the Mandapa in the middle of the tank. The mandap is an inlet-like structure which is more an elevated platform.
Devasnana Purnima or Snana Yatra(the Bathing Festival) is exclusively a festival of Lord Jagannath and is said to be one of the oldest. According to Skanda Purana when Raja Indradyumna installed the wooden deities he arranged this bathing ceremony. This day is considered to be the birth-day of Lord Jagannath. Held in the full-moon day of the month of Jyestha, which falls in May-June. this festival is also simultaneously held in all other imprortant shrines of Orissa. However, the festival being most elaborate and important at Puri, it attracts thousands of visitors and piligrims from all over the country.
Niladri Mahodaya', a religious text written in Orissa records the rituals of the festival. Sriharsa in his 'naisadhiya Charita' (XV. 89) also refers to this festival of Purusottama. On the day of Snana Yatra, the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra along with the image of Sudarshana are ceremonially brought out from the sanctum in a ritual procession to the Snana-Bedi (Bathing pandal). It is at such a height that visitors standing outside the temple also get a glimpse of the deities. This is another occasion for the non-Hindus who are not allowed to enter the temple to see the images from the Grand Road(the other is the Ratha Yatra)
The bathing festival takes place during the morning hours.After the deities are seated on the bathing platform, 108 pithers of holy water collected from the sacred wells in the prencincts of the temple, are poured on them. The filled vessels are carried from Bhoga Mandap to the Snana Bedi by the Suaras in a long single-line procession. This ritual is called 'Jaladhibasa'. Prior to the bathing ceremony the images are covered with silken clothes and then smeared with red powder. Then water is poured, the rituals performed and 'Pavamana' hymns chanted. After the bath the deities are so dressed that together they appear like the image of Ganesha. This is called Ganesha Besa or Gajanana Besa. It is said that a staunch devotee of Lord Ganesha and himself a profound scholar visited Puri during Snana Yatra, he was amply rewarded by the king of Orissa for his scholarship. The king asked the scholar to accompany him to see Lord Jagannath which he refused under the pretext that he wouldn't worship any God other than Ganesha. Somehow he was persuaded and brought before the Snana Bedi. To the utter surprise of all, Lord Jagannath appeared as Ganesha. Since then during Snana Yatra when the sacred bath is performed, the deities are dressed like Ganesha. Various other legends are also told and reasons assigned explaining the Ganesha besa.
During the sacred bath the colors painted on the images generally fade. Seeing the wooden deities in discolor devotees may not have the appropriate devotional attitude and in fact may feel sinful repugnance. For this reason the images are immediately dressed as Ganesha in which they remain mostly covered.
It is believed that consequent upon the long bath, the gods suffer from cold and fever. Hence after the Snana Yatra, the images are kept away from public view for fifteen days for treatment for which specific rituals are performed . This period of isolation is called 'Anabasara' or ‘Anasara’ meaning improper time for worship. During all these days the daily rites of the temple remain suspended and the images, disfigured due to the ceremonial bath, are given a fresh coat of paint. On the 16th day the images in their new forms are ready for the public view. Their first appearance after the bathing festival is called Netrotsaba or Nava Yaubana Darshana ( view of new youth). According to popular belief the devotee washes away all his sins if he gets a vision of the Lord on this day. On this occasion, therefore, great rush of people occurs in the temple.
By Air : The nearest Airport is Bhubaneshwar (60 kms). Air India, Indian Airlines (Indian), Jet Airways, Go Air, and all other domestic airlines operate regular flights to Bhubaneshwar from all metropolitan cities across India. Indian Airlines runs flights from Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Visakhapatnam to and from Bhubaneshwar.
By Rail : Puri is a Railway terminus of the East Coast Railways.It is well connected with Kolkata, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijaywada and Tirupati. Besides, Bhubaneswar is connected to major cities like Chennai, Bangalore and Kochi and is only one and half hours from Puri. The Rajdhani Express connects Delhi to Bhubaneswar and takes a little over a day to cover the distance. The Puri Railway Station is centrally located.
By Road : 60 kms from Bhubaneswar and 35 kms from Konark, it is connected by NH 203. Regular bus services, both private and public sectors operate to and from various places of the State and adjoining states. Very frequent bus services are available from Konark, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Deluxe buses and express buses link Puri with Bhubaneswar. Additionally, Konark is just an hour away and there are jeeps standing by at the bus stand for this journey. Frequent bus services are available from Konarak,Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack.
Coming soon...........
Sightseeing Tours -
Puri is not just about the Jagannath Temple, it also offers its visitors fascinating sightseeing, such as options mentioned below -
Holly Tanks Indradyumna, Manikarnika, Markanda, Narendra and Swetaganga are names of Puri's sacred tanks which offer a tranquil site for repose and relaxation for tourists. Maths and Ashrams (These are places where you can meditate or seek spiritual solace) Bada Chhata Math, Bauli Math, Dashavatar Math, Jagannath Ballabha Math, Punjabi Math, Satalaharhi Math, Sri Chaitanya Goudiya Math, Sri Purushottama Goudiya Math, Sri Radhakanta Math, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Sri Shankarachrya Govardhan Math, Sri Saraswat Goudiya Math and Thakur Bari Math. Among ashrams, you may visit Akhila Bhartiya Jayaguru, Sampradya, Bharatsevashram Sangha, Dhyana Mandir Ashram, Ramkrishna Mission Ashram, Sri Chaitanya Ashram and Girinar Bunt.
Balukhand Sanctuary - This sanctuary is situated at convenient location along seacoast between Puri and Konark. The flora of the area includes casuarinas, anacardium, neem, tamarind, karanja, etc. The prominent fauna includes blackbucks, spotted deer, monkey, squirrels, jungle cats, hyena, jackals, mongoose and variety of birds and reptiles. Puri is located just 3 km. From the entry point of the sanctuary and the Puri - Konark marine drive passes by it.
Excursions -
Puri offers a plethora of picturesque places for tourists, abounding in natural and architectural splendour for Excursion Tour.
* Distance from Puri
Brahmagiri (22 km)* - Brahmagiri is known for the living shrine of Alarnath. Streams of pilgrims visit Alarnath during Anabasara of Lord Jagannath. (the period of fifteen days when the deities are kept in isolation from public view after the Deva Snan Purnima, the Bathing Festival).Nearby is the shrine of Baliharachandi on the solitary sand dunes.
Baliharachandi (25 km)* - 25 km to the south-west of Puri is the temple of Baliharachandi. Situated on a sandy hill near the confluence of the river Bhargavi, Goddess Durga is worshipped here as Baliharachandi. The scenic beauty of this place is ideal for group picnic.
Raghurajpur (12 km)* - One of the most famous artist village in Orissa, Raghurajpur boasts not only of the exquisite crafts ‘patachitra's and talapatrachitra, but also of being the native place of the world famous Odissi danseuse Guru Padmabibhusan Kelucharan Mohapatra,and Gotipua dance guru Padmasree Maguni Das . Even today, under the tutelage of renowned Guru here, young boys practise Gotipua dance which is the genesis of Odissi dance. A visit to Orissa would definitely be incomplete without a visit to this quaint little village.
Satapada (50 km)* - Satapara, is a retreat in nature on Chilika Lake. Its location near the confluence of the Lake and the Bay of Bengal, and proximity to Puri (50 km), makes it an ideal spot to enjoy the beauty of Chilika. The thrilling sight of dolphins round the year and abundance of migratory and resident birds in winter make it an ideal place for a vacation with nature.
Balighai(8 kms) The Casuarinas fringed Balighai beach, just a little over 5 kilometers from Puri is a famous picnic spot. The sun and fun at the mouth of the river Nuanai is unforgettable.
Satyabadi(Sakhigopal) (20 kms) Satyabadi or Sakshigopal is known for the shrine of Lord Sakshigopal. It is believed that the visit to Puri is incomplete without a visit to Sakshigopal. The temple is only 20kms. from Puri and 2 km from the main road leading to Bhubaneshwar and is convenient to visit.
Barala Balunkeswar Pitha (25 km)* - 7 kms from Satyabadi, Balunkeswar Pitha is famous for the Siva Shrine of Lord Barala Balunkeswar. Legend would have it that Lord Rama during his exile had installed this Siva Lingam in sand under a banyan tree. Baruni Yatra is the biggest festival observed here for two days . Regular bus service is available up to Patanaikia Chhak (3 kms) on NH-203 (Puri-Bhubaneswar road).
Biswanath Hill (35 km)* - Famous for the temple of Biswanath on the top of the hill located near Delanga-(2 kms).The nearest bus stop to reach the place is at Delanga Market.
Manikpatna (43 km)* - 17 kms from Satapada, the place is associated with the cult of Lord Jagannath. Legend would have it that Lord Jagannath and His brother Lord Balabhadra had taken sweet curd from the milk woman Manika on the way while proceeding for a war to win over Kanchi in South India. So the place is named as Manikpatna. The 13th Century Bhabakundleswar Siva temple is an added attraction of this place.
Beleswar (14 km)* - 64 kms from Balighai it is an ideal Sea beach.
Pipili - (40 kms.) Pipili is the center of colourful appliqué work.Applique in Orissa is an old temple art , which has been refined to perfection. A fine example of the craft is the enormous applique canopies which cover the chariots of the Trinity at Puri during Rath Yatra.. Applique art is the process of cutting coloured cloth into shapes of animals , birds, flowers, leaves and other decorative motifs and stitching them on to a piece of cloth that can ultimately be used as a lamp shade , a hand bag or even a garden umbrella . Many of the Applique Artists of this village have won national awards for their crafts.
Other Activities -
There's much more to Puri than its temples and beaches.
Fairs and Festivals : Puri offers a plethora of colorful fairs and festivals round the year. However, the Ratha Yatra or Chariot Festival, Snana Yatra, Gosani Yatra, Puri Beach Festival, Shreekshetra Utsav, Ganesh Puja and Jhulana Yatra are among the more widely celebrated ones.
Art & Craft- A shopper's Paradise: Puri is a spectacular souvenirs centre. of seashell, Pattachitras and Palm Leaf paintings, Horn work, Wood carvings, and Solapith work can be purchased from Utkalika Emporium outlets or from the numerous private shops / stalls spread all over the beach town. Also, check out Puri's Swargadwar Market, Art & Craft complex at Mochisahi Chhak, Sudarshan Crafts Museum at Station Road, Sun Crafts at Police Line Square and Sambalpuri Bastralaya at Grand Road.
Cuisines & Restaurants -
Delectable seafood, traditional Oriya Cuisine, Indian (veg and non-veg), Chinese and Continental cuisine are available at Puri.
1. If you are male introduced to a lady or a grown-up girl, don't take the initiative of offering a handshake. If she extends her hand, you may reciprocate, but don't be the first to extend yours. If you are female and are being introduced to a male: it is up to you - the female - to take the initiative for a handshake. The rule of thumb is: the female extends her hand first, and the male reciprocates.
2. The Western practice of a peck on the cheek as a form of greeting a lady or a grown up girl is not advisable except in the case of those who are used to such practices.
3. Indian English has its own accent and this does vary depending upon the region. The universal welcome greeting across the country is with folded hands and a slight bow. This is called `namaste` or `namashkar`. It should be reciprocated with a smile.
4. Some Indians are in the habit of shaking their head to say yes or no. Please confirm what they mean, if you are not familiar with regional gestures.
5. While visiting places of worship, respect should be shown as required Some Indians do not take alcohol or meat for religious, traditional or personal reasons. This should be kept in mind in entertainment.
Where to Stay -
Comfortable and economical accommodation arrangements can be availed at Puri (STD code-06752).
The list of the htls are here :
htl's Name & Address
Recognized by Visit Orissa
htl's Name & Address
Recognized by Visit Orissa
htl May Fair Beach Resort, C.T.Road, Puri, Ph.- 227800
