Attempt at regular travelogue writing :D

When you live in India, it is quite difficult to have not heard about Puri or its many attractions. Every person who has been there has something nice to say about the place – the elders are in raptures about the holy Jagannath Temple, the ladies get impressed by the handloom sarees, the children can’t get enough of the sun-kissed beaches and even hard-to-please travelers are left mesmerized and speechless by the intricate and imposing architecture. Not surprising, that it draws the maximum number of visitors as compared to any other place in Orissa. Hence, it was with pretty high expectations that we landed in Puri on the 30^th of March, to get a glimpse of its various wonders.

In terms of first impressions, Puri came across as a typical coastal Indian town, replete with independent rows of houses, a small railway station and haggling auto-rickshaw drivers. It is washed by the sea and dotted with beautiful beaches and causarina trees. But as any proud localite will tell you, it has quite a history to it. It has been rechristened quite a few names such as Hilgiri, Niladri, Hilachal Purushottam, Sankhakshetra, Srikehetra, Jagannath Dham and Jagannath Puri. Being one of the four most holy Hindu 'Dhams' (meaning a holy place), Puri has held great significance for Hindus over the centuries. Visitors to this place can also take a glimpse of the imposing and amazingly detailed sculptures of the Konark Sun temple, which is only an hour’s drive away.

We reached early in the morning and began our sightseeing with the biggest landmark of Puri, the temple. As we walked the narrow streets towards the temple, we realized that it was a big industry in itself with the number of shops selling various puja articles, local handicrafts and other touristy items. The temple has become a focal point for the local businesses to flourish and a few hundred people seem to employed directly or indirectly in the temple activities including those involved in the service of Lord Jagannath, called the Pandas and Purohits.

The Puri Jagannath temple is said to have been constructed in the eleventh century, the hallowed seat of Lord Jagannath (Lord of the Universe), Subhadra and Balabhadra. It is renowned as the starting point of the Rath Yatra, used to commemorate the journey of Krishna from Gokul to Mathura. It begins on the second day of the bright fortnight in the month of Asad (June-July) and is said to represent a journey from the dark to the light. The yatra is celebrated spectacularly with the Rath bringing together millions of people across the country who pull the loaded wooden chariot weighing tonnes. An interesting tit-bit is that this Rath is the origin of the English word ‘juggernaut’ which Webster defines as ‘a massive inexorable force, campaign, movement, or object that crushes whatever is in its path’. It is also said that one will obtains 'moksha' from the cycle of birth and rebirth, if one stays in Puri for three days and nights.

The entry to the temple is crowded with various pujaris trying their very best to convince us to do some puja or the other. It was quite a task evading them particularly because they knew quite a few languages and kept talking to us in different ways to convince us. After successfully managing to get past them, we entered the sanctum sanctorum. The premises are small and packed with tourists and locals even on a weekday. We moved as part of the huge wave towards the front. The way progressively became darker and the whispers more hushed. Soon we were in the innermost area and were touching the deity. However, this moment of peace didn’t last as the pujaris inside kept pushing us to one side and there were no orderly lines. After a hurried prayer, we stepped out and worshipped the other deities.

After breakfast and some shopping for local handicrafts and handlooms, we took a car to visit Konark. Konark as a tourist attraction needs no introduction but what makes it even more enticing is the fact that it is only around 35 km from Puri and can be covered in a day trip. The road we drove on was adjoining the coastline and there was plenty of breeze to make us feel happily drowsy. By the time we reached Konark, it was afternoon and only fitting that the sun was beating down upon us, maybe to reinforce its power and majesty. We were mobbed by travel guides whom we were suspicious of but finally decided to appoint one which turned out to be a good decision because you need a knowledgeable person to point out the intricacies, the myths and the stories behind these sculptures.

Legend has it that the temple was dedicated to the Sun God by Samba, Lord Krishna's son who was cured of leprosy by the god. The temple has been designed in the form of a chariot, pulled by 7 horses carrying the Sun god across the heavens. This chariot stands on 24 wheels, each wheel having a diameter of about 10 meter. Attached with a set of spokes, the wheels have excellent carvings depicting scenes from everyday life. Keeping in mind its architectural splendor, it has been designated as an UNESCO World Heritage site. Konark, also known as Konaditya, has been derived from the words Kona and Arka, Kona meaning corner and Arka meaning the sun. Built in the year 1278 by Ganga King Narasimha Deva, the temple is referred as the Black Pagoda, used till a few decades back by European sailors who used its dome as a navigational tool to guide their ships.

The temple is crowded with tourists and quite a few enthusiastic shutterbugs click away. Though certain sides of the temple seem affected and in ruins, the ruins do indicate the majesty with which they originally stood. Seven horses drag the temple. Two lion statues guard the entrance, crushing elephants. A flight of steps lead to the main entrance. The nata mandir in front of the Jagamohana is also intricately carved and holds many detailed pillars. There are three statues of the Sun God that our guide points out to, each one catching the sun’s rays at dawn, noon and sunset. We also saw the huge intricate wheels of the chariot, which are carved around the base of the temple, a major attraction of the temple. The spokes of these wheels serve as sundials, and the shadows formed by these can give the precise time of the day. The pyramidal roof of the temple, made of sandstone, soars over 30 m in height. After clicking photos which fail to capture the intricate refined beauty of the place, we rested under the mango trees in the temple premises before making our way back.

On the way back to Puri from Konark, we stopped at the Chandrabaga beach, an exotic place with sand and trees as far as one could see. In addition to being easily accessible, it is also a very pleasant and quiet place with very few tourists and tranquil beauty. Far from the maddening crowd, as the literary inclined would put it. We also went to the Puri beach at dusk which revealed the variety of tourists who flock to this place. There were people from all over the country and across the world, diverse in their languages, appearances and lifestyles, who had come to marvel and celebrate at the beauty that is Puri. The setting sun wonderfully captures the tranquility of this town in this fast paced world.

P.S.: Was for a contest. My verdict - too cheesy and boring. What's urs? Would love to know...