Introducing Puri
Attracted by spiritual or earthly pleasures, three types of visitors come to Puri: Hindu pilgrims, Indian holidaymakers and foreign travellers, and each group sets up camp in different parts of town. For Hindus, Puri is one of the holiest pilgrimage places in India, with religious life revolving around the great Jagannath Mandir and its famous Rath Yatra (Car Festival).
Advertisement
Puri’s other attraction is its long, sandy beach and esplanade – an Indian version of an English seaside. Backing this, in Marine Pde, is a long ribbon of old hotels, flashy resorts and company holiday homes that become instantly full when Kolkata rejoices in a holiday.
In the 1970s Puri became a scene on the hippie trail wending its way through Southeast Asia, attracted here by the sea and bhang, legal in Shiva’s Puri. Travellers now come just to hang out, gorge on good food and recharge their backpacking spirit.
Last updated: Mar 24, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
-
RE: Love your recommendation on my 2 week trip in india!
by musafir 12 September 2011
another triangle is Bhubaneshwar-Puri and Konarak = one week plus ..............as well as Kolkata and Darjeeling if time permits.…
-
-
RE: ubud accommodation
by hantucengceng 27 August 2011
Lotus Lane restaurant is on Jl. Monkey Forest, not Jl Raya. Cafe Lotus is on Jl. Raya and the cottage hotel just to the left of Cafe…
