14 Popular Temples in Puri
Table of Contents
Located in the eastern part of India, Puri is one of the most visited pilgrimage places of the country. Puri is a sacred place of pilgrimage and attracts thousands of tourists every year. The temples and shrines of the city are also visited by tourists in large numbers. However, Puri is also a great place for relaxation as there is no dearth of places to visit in Puri like the Puri beach and Konark beach. Take a look at the 14 famous Puri temples in this article
Famous temples in Puri
1. Jagannath Temple
The temple was built in the year 1078 and is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, also known as the Lord of the Universe. The temple is assumed to have been built in the eleventh century and is one of the holy places to visit in India. It is also considered one of the “Char Dhams” of Hindus; and it is said that every Hindu must visit the char dhams once in a lifetime. A large number of devotees flock to Puri Dham for spiritual cleansing and salvation. The Lord and other deities in the temple are decorated with overwhelming gems and extravagant attire. The temple resembles the shape of a pyramid. Rath Yatra is the most famous festival i.e. the journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and their sister Subhadra to their aunt”s temple, the Gundicha Temple 2 km from Jagannath temple. For the visit, the deities are seated in a royal chariot and streets overflow with large crowd to catch a glimpse of the Lord.
2. Gundicha Temple
Another significant temple in the heart of the city in accordance to Lord Jagannath is the Gundicha Temple also known as His aunt’s house. Being a dwelling place of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, it is a noteworthy temple in Puri. Lord Jagannath is shifted to this temple for 7 days after Rath Yatra. The raised seat where the Lord is seated is called “Ratnavedi”. This temple, built in Kalinga style architecture is made from gray sandstone and has captivating carvings. It is just 3 km from the main Jagannath temple. There are many legends about this place.
3. Astachandi Temple
Devoted to the eight Chandis, aggregately called Astachandi, this temple depicts Durga in her eight forms. The eight chandis are Mata Mangala, Bimala, Sarvamangal, Ardhasani, Alamba, Dakshinakalika, Marichika and Harachandi. You need to visit this temple in order to feel the serenity.
4. Panchatirtha Temple
The 4 sacred tanks and sea water comprise the Panchtirtha or five sacred waters in which pilgrims take bath. The sacred tanks are Indradyumna, Manikarnika, Markanda and Swetaganga.
5. Loknath Temple
This popular Shiva temple in Puri is just 1km from the Jagannath Temple. towards the western end. It is believed that the lingam here is installed by Lord Ram during 10th-11th century A.D. Saranti-Somobar-mela” and shiv ratri festival is celebrated here with great fervor. People also believe that the Prasad of this temple helps in curing many diseases.t they suffered for.
6. Chakranarayan Temple
The temple is located in the northern Side of Sunar-Gauranga temple. In Chakranarayan Temple, Lakshmi-Narasimha are the main deities that are worshipped.
7. Daria Mahavir Temple
The temple is situated near the Chakranarayan Temple just at a mere distance of 30 meters. Daria Mahavir temple is locally called Bedi Hanuman. It is one of the oldest temples lying on the heart of the city.
8. Siddha Mahavir Temple
It is located close to Gundicha Temple in Puri. Siddha Mahavir Temple is a small temple and dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Also, it has said that Mahakavi Tulsidas lived at this place during his stay at Puri.
9. Jameswara Temple
This temple is also one of the oldest temples of Puri built in the eleventh Century A.D. It is on the remains of Harichandi Street in which people worshipped Jameswara Siva that is believed to be shielding the bless the land from the effect of Yama.
10. Alabukeswara Temple
Alabukeswara temple is a Saiva shrine situated towards the west of the Yameswara. As per Kapila Samhita, worshipping this place can make women unable to bear a child fruitful.
11. Kapalamochana Temple
It is a small Saiva shrine temple situated at Alabukeswara in the Manikarnika Sahi. The holy pool of Manikarnika is likewise situated here that is believed to have some religious importance.
12. Syamakali Temple
It is additionally one of the holy places in Odisha in accordance to the old royal residence of Gajapati Kings of Puri. The royal castle is situated on the Grand Trunk Road of Puri. The temple is yet another place which is located near the old royal residence in Bali Sahi. You can reach the temple from the Southern entryway of the Lord Jagannath Temple.
13. Dasavatara Temple
It is one of the orldest Hindu stone temples. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and located close to the Gundicha temple. As indicated by the mythology, it is the place of Kabi Jayadeve who is well known for his epic poem Gita Govinda, which describes Lord Krishna”s love with the Radha and cowherdess. He also composed Dasavatara Strotra devoted to the 10 manifestations of Vishnu.
14. Mausi maa Temple
It is a small temple dedicated to Goddess Ardhashini built in between the Gundicha Temple and Singha Dwara. Ardhasini who is popularly known as Mousi maa is a close relative of Jagannath and is revered here. Amid the Rath Yatra, the chariot of Lord Jagannath stops at this temple and offered a bhoga of “Podapitha”, which is an exceptional cake here. As indicated by Skanda Purana and Vaisanava Knadha, it is said that when the ocean over overflowed Puri, this goddess drank half of the water.
How to reach Puri
The city is approximately 60 kilometers from the nearest airport is Bhubaneshwar and can be easily accessed with different modes of transport. Both trains and bust service to the city is good. To get around the city and check out the tourist places in Puri, you can take car-hire, auto-rickshaws and city buses.
The best time to visit
The best time to visit Puri is between the months of October and February, though one can visit any time of the year. People also visit in huge numbers to see the Rath Yatra that is in Ashadha month somewhere around June-July.
Where to stay in Puri
If you are planning a trip to Puri anytime soon, book your accommodation online in advance and get discounts. There are all types of hotels in Puri, such as luxury, star-rating, boutique hotels, and home stays, etc. You can choose one depending upon your budget and requirements. Also, it is better to book your travel tickets and accommodation in advance if you are planning to visit during the time of Rath Yatra; as during this time, it becomes difficult to find a comfortable stay. Few popular ones are Mayfair Waves, Toshali Sands, Sagar Vihar Beach House, and others. Book hotels online today on Cleartrip and get amazing deals and cashback.
