Tag: Jagannath Temple

Puri Foods

The number of delicacies that Puri can serve you is innumerable. Starting from the street food, local dishes from the local eateries to Puri restaurants that offer international menus, the choices are multiple. The famous Jagannath Bhog or Prasadam is the highlight of this town in Odisha. So, what to eat and where can be a difficult question to tackle with when you’re at Puri.

But, here we are to your rescue! We’ve a list of the delicacies and eateries that are totally unmissable.

  1. Jagannath Bhog

The Prasadam served at Jagannath temple is a must-eat when you visit Puri. It is cooked in seven pots, one kept on top of the other but, here’s a strange fact; the pot on the top gets cooked first followed by the second and so on. Sounds interesting, isn’t it? That is one of the specialities of Puri Jagannath Prasadam. The taste will linger in your minds for years to come keeping you craving for more.

It is the holy food for Odias and devotees worldwide and is available at the Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri.

  1. Indian Food

If you’re looking for the local Indian style dishes, there are many Puri restaurants which you can look for. The Wildgrass Restaurant, Bhojohori Manna, The Gajapati Restaurant and Golden Green are some of the very well known eateries.

Gajapati Restaurant is perfect for people looking for vegetarian and vegan dishes.

If you want to try non-vegetarian food, the Maachha Besara (deep fried Rohu Fish in Mustard Gravy) and Chingudi Kassa (Spicy Shrimp dish) are a must. The local eateries specialise in the Odia style food. There are also many restaurants near Puri beach that serve food local Odia and Indian style, like Puri Beach Resort. You will keep licking your fingers, trust us!

  1. Chinese Cuisine

Some people obsess over Chinese Food! We do too! So, are you looking for a hotel in Puri that serves Chinese delicacies? You’ll love Chung Wah restaurant! It is the one-stop solution for Chinese food admirers. It serves dishes that you’ll never be able to get enough of. It will take your taste buds on a wonderful ride.

You can also try the restaurants near Puri beach as almost every hotel in Puri serves Chinese dishes.

  1. Seafood

Being a town on the Bay of Bengal, Puri is popular for its seafood. There are many seafood restaurants in Puri that specialise in making these delicacies. Wildgrass Restaurant is the best place to enjoy these luscious items with eclectic flavours.

  1. Puri Cheesecake

Known as Chena Poda in the local language, it is a dessert the locals swear by! It is a baked item prepared in ovens or tandoors. It is a special food item that you will find nowhere except Odisha and especially Puri. It is basically cheese curd that will straight go to your heart, not just your tummy!

Next time you visit Puri, make sure you relish these mouth-watering foods! You will certainly come back for more!

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Mukti Mandapa

Located in front of the Nrusingha temple- on the southeren side of the Lord Jagannath Temple. Mukti Mandapa holds very special significance. The name Mukti Mandapa is formed by the combination of two words ‘Mukti’, which means freedom and ‘Mandapa’, which means platform.

It was built in 15th Century on the request of Queen Mahadevi, wife of King Mansingh of Jaipur.

What Is Mukti Mandapa

It is a council of Brahmin scholars that acts as a final judicial system in religious matters. It is headed by Shankaracharys of Puri Govardhan math on permanent basis. All the disputes that fall under religion are discusses and a final verdict is passed by the council of pandits. In ancient days, the matter was when put in front of the King, he used to call the council for discussion and the verdict was passed by the council itself.

According to some local beliefs, a person gets salvation and will be free from all their sins if he/she follows all the rituals as told by the scholars of Mukti Mandapa.

Apart from these duties, Mukti Mandapa is also involved in some significant rituals of the temple and Odia tradition. The yearly Odia calendar is submitted to the Mukti Mandapa for the approval before being published and made publically available.

The council also performs rites and rituals during the Nava Kalavera festival. The council is offered Mahaprasada after morning and mid-day dhupas.

Structure of The Platform where The Council Sits

The structure Mukti Mandapa is made up of black granite stone with height 5 feet and the area covered is 900 square feet. The shape of the platform is an elevated square and is open from all sides except for roof, which is at the height of 13 feet from the ground level. Total 16 pillars support the whole structure out of which 12 pillars are around the periphery and 4 are present in the middle section. The height if each pillar is 8 feet. These 16 pillars are believed to be the symbols of the sixteen Brahmin Sasanas (settlements or villages) established around Puri city by Ramachandara Dev, the first king of Bhoi Dynasty. A number of idols of different Hindu Gods and Goddesses adorn the platform.

Mukti Mandpa holds a very high respect and place. The council and the platform is believed to be a home extensive knowledge and experience and hence many people bow their heads and touch the platform to show their respect towards this valuable seat. The platform, no doubt has been adorned by a number of learned men and therefore deserves all the respect offered to it by devotees.

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Puri Tours

General Information and Tips About Puri

  • The standard time in Puri is GMT + 5 ½ Hours
  • Govt of Odisha tourist offices are available at Railway station, Jagannath Temple, Sea Beach, Bus Stand and also in various tourist destinations.
  • The summer is very hot and humid at Puri. Do carry sunglasses, sunscreen lotion and a hat.
  • The winter is not too cold at Puri. Do carry light winter clothes with you.
  • You will find beggars in all tourist destinations, it is not mandatory to help them, try to avoid them as far as possible. Do not let them hassle you, and do not encourage them by giving them money.
  • Change currency only from official money changers.
  • Cyber cafes with Internet facility is available in some places of Puri.
  • Always respect religious shrines and places of worship.
  • Non Hindus are not allowed to enter into Lord Jagannath Temple.
  • In case of any trouble, immediately contact the nearest Police Station.
  • Make sure to remove your footwear when visiting a place of worship. All most all temples in Puri will not even allow you to carry leather articles like wallet, belt etc inside. You can deposit them in the temple shoe stand and collect it on your way out.

Safety Tips

  • While travelling in/to various tourist places of/around Puri in local buses, trains etc. be aware of pick picketers and snatchers. Though it is not a frequent activity but many cases reported every year. Never leave your luggage, briefcase or other items unattended.
  • Don’t keep your wallet in the rear pocket. Keep it in an inside jacket pocket or side trouser pocket.
  • All valuables and important papers (jewelry, passports, return tickets, etc) should be kept in your hotel’s safe deposit box. Never leave them unattended in your room. Avoid carrying large sums of cash on your person.
  • Don’t take the advice of taxi drivers for the purpose of accommodation.
  • You should be aware of the local laws and customs prevailing in India. This will help in making your trip hassle free.
  • Never ever purchase air/ rail/ bus tickets through strangers or unauthorized travel agents/ tour operators, also known as touts. They are not at all reliable. Buy tickets from the authorized centers only.

Health And Medication

  • Avoid drinking water from an unknown source. When in doubt purchase Bisleri, Kinley, Aqua Finaetc mineral water bottles from any shop.
  • Even when you are visiting restaurants or hotels, insist on bottled (mineral) water. You will not face much trouble as almost all the restaurants and hotels keep bottled water.
  • You can find vendors selling fresh coconut water everywhere in Puri.
  • Avoid foods that have been laid out in the open, avoid sweets and candies from local markets. Try and avoid spicy food, especially if you’re not used to it. Enjoy your food inside the hotels and restaurants.
  • Pharmacies or chemists are available in every place of Puri. In case you need to consult a doctor, ask for help from your hotel (most have doctors on call) or go to any hospital/clinic.
  • Never forget to carry your essential medication with you. The brand names can differ and your specific brand of medication may not be available in Puri.
  • Never eat cut fruits sold by the roadside vendors. Always eat fruits you can peel. Wash the fruits properly with water well before eating them.
  • Sun in Puri can be ruthless in the summer months. Keep a good sunscreen lotion and sun block cream to avoid sun damages.

For more details, you can contact the hotel management at Hotel Holiday Resort or visit www.puriholidayresort.com

Budhhist Monastery

Puri is a land of remarkable culture and tradition. Along with the main temple Jagannath, there are number of other places in the city and also spread in its adjacent boundaries. Pipili,Konark, Chilika are some famous place, but today we are going to explore a hidden gem- Kuruma.

Kuruma, a small village in Puri, is located at a distance of 8 kilometers to the south-east of the sun temple of Konark. Kuruma is alternatively spelled as Kurum. The place is famous for the ancient Buddhist site. This site was built between 9th – 10th centuries A.D. It is situated on the left side of the Konarka–Kakatapur road and can be approached by a road branching from the Bali Dokan chowk and is about 2 kilometers from the chowk. The exact geographical location of this village is LONGITUDE 860 07’ 24” E and LATITUDE 190 53’ 62” N. Scholars are of opinion that this was one of the sites containing Buddhist stupas described by HiuenT’sang.

The site was first reported by Brajabandhu Das, a local school teacher and subsequently excavated by Odisha state Archaeology from 1971 to 1975. Prior to this excavacation, a stone slab containing the beautiful image of Lord Buddha was found on the bank of a tank at one end of the village. Here Buddha is seated cross legged with right hand in Bhumisparsa mudra while the left hand placed over his left knee. The image also wears a beautiful crown and a beautifully carved necklace. Besides this Buddha image, other two images were also found near the tank. One of these figures is identified as ‘Heruka’. Local people call this image as ‘Dharma’ (the Sun God) and another image is identified as ‘Yama’ (the God of Death). This Buddhist monastery is having twelve blocks, three in each cardinal direction and an open large courtyard at the center.

The monastery is abandoned now but the images retrieved from the site now worshiped within a small shed. Tourists may visit the room of teacher Sri Brajabandhu Das near to the UGME school, where some of the excavated specimens like script on stone, ancient coins etc. are kept under his supervision. From archaeological point of view Kuruma is not vary famous, but from tourism point of view it is an important place due to its close proximity to sun temple of Konark.

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Kakatpur is a small village in Puri District and is situated at a distance of 50 kms from Puri, on the Puri-Astaranga road. Situated on the bank of river Prachi, this temple is famous for Goddess Mangala. Goddess Mangala is the presiding deity of Kakatpur and is worshipped in this temple.

The Folklore

There is a famous story behind the evolution of the name of the deity as ‘Kakatpur’ Mangala and believed by the local people. Goddess Managla kept herself hidden under the deep water of river Prachi. Once a boatman was sailing his boat across river Prachi. At that time, the river was outpouring and flooded so he was unable to sail his boat to the middle of the river. He spent whole day and night but not able to sail his boat and during early morning, before the dawn, Goddess Mangala came in his dream and asked him to recover her from the water and to establish her in nearby Mangalapur village. The boatman dived into the water and able to find the deity from the bed of the river. Then as per the direction of the Goddess he established the figure of the deity in a temple in Mangalapur village. After this the boatman saw a black crow dived into the water and did not come out of the water for hours and days, the crow detained inside the water of river Prachi exactly in the same place from where he recovered the figure of Goddess Mangala. In local Odia language ‘Crow’ means ‘Kaka’ and ‘Detained’ means ‘Atka’. So by combining the two words it becomes ‘Kaka-Atka’, so during the course of time the Mangalapur village is known as ‘Kakat’ (Kaka-Atka) pur and the Goddess is known as KakatpurMangala.

Relation With Jagannath Temple

KakatpurMangala temple has a close relation with Lord Jagannath temple of Puri during the Navakalebara(Renovation of the Deities) festival. Old deities are buried under earth at the dedicated place inside Jagannath templeand new idols are created for Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra. The new idols are created from a sacred wood known as ‘Daru Brahma’ in local language. Nobody knows from where to find the sacred wood to create the new idols, so as per the tradition the priests of Lord Jagannath temple come to KakatpurMangala to pray the Goddess to help them to find the sacred wood. The priests sleep in front of the Goddess with their face down and then Goddess Mangala come in their dream and tell the exact location of the three sacred trees for the three deities. This custom has been performed from years together without any deviation. This shows the power and energy of Goddess Mangala and her blessings for her devotees.

For more such interesting facts and information about Puri, stay tuned with www.hotelholidayresort.com

Daksinakali Temple

To the world, Puri is famous as Abode of Lord Jagannath. However, the city is dotted with some of the most beautiful temples and one can find followers of different deities.

Apart from Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri is also famous for its Sakta temples. In Puri there are several temples dedicated to Sakta deities such as Varahi, Ramachandi, Bhubanesvari, Harachandi, Daksina Kali, Shyamakali, etc. There is a small temple dedicated to goddess Kali at Bali Sahi. This temple is known as Dakshinakali Temple. It is situated towards the south-eastern side of the Lord Jagannath Temple on Bali sahi. Tourists can approach the temple by using the road leading towards Swargadwar from Singhadwar (Lion’s Gate) of Lord Jagannath Temple, on the left side of this road there is a diversion to Kalikadevi lane. After enetring this lane you can find this temple on the right side.

Daksinakali Temple is facing towards east and the presiding deity is Goddess Kali. The deity is chatrubhuja (four armed) and seated on a corpse. She is shown as drinking blood, with a sword and holding severed head of a demon in two of her hands. If Kali steps out with her right foot and holds the sword in her left hand, she is a Dakshina Kali. If she steps out with her left foot and holds the sword in her right hand, she is Smashan Kali (Kali worshiped near the cremation ground).

The deity is enshrined in a modern temple at a higher raised platform from the road level. Festivals like Kali Puja, Deepavali, Durga Puja, Kumara Purnima, Chaitra Mangalabara, etc. are observed in Dakshina kali Temple with great devotion. On the auspicious day of Kali puja thousands of devotees visit the temple to offer their prayer to Goddess Kali to get her blessings.

Dakshina Kali Temple has important religious associations with Jagannath Temple and it is believed that Daksinakali is the guardian of the kitchen of the Lord Jagannath Temple. Puranic tradition says that in Puri, Lord Jagannathis regarded as Daksinakalika. Goddess Dakshinakali plays an important role in the ‘Niti’ of Saptapuri Amavasya. Tourists come to visit Lord Jagannatha temple, also visit this temple.

At this platform, we try our best to bring the hidden gems of Puri. Stay tuned with us at www.puriholidayresort.com and catch the glimpses of this enchanting city with new and refreshed outlook.

Markandeshwar Temple

The Golden Triangle of Odisha is adorned with innumerable temples. Some of these temples hold a very special significance and are historically, culturally and religiously are very important. Most often Jagannath Temple is the most famous and visited pilgrimage site in Puri, however apart from Jagannath Temple, there are few other beautifully carved out temples which should be included in your visiting-spots when travelling to Puri.

One such temple is Markandeshwar Temple in Puri.

Markandeswar temple is also known as Markandesvara Temple, Markandeya Shiva Temple and Markandeswara Mahadeva Temple. This temple is facing towards east and the presiding deity is a Sivalinga. This temple is connected with the rituals of Chandan yatra, Balabhadra Janma, Ashram Bije, Sital Sasthi, Kaliyadalan etc. of the Jaganath temple. Festivals like Janmastami, Risi Panchami, Rakhi Purnima, Sivaratri, Sankranti, Narasimha Chaturdasi etc. are also observed with great devotion at this temple. This place is one of the Pancha Tirthas of Puri and also one of the fifty two sacred Shiva places of the country.

Markandeya is one among the Pancha Pandavas. God saved Markandeya from a severe danger from sea. The place where God saved Markanda is known as Markandeya, the holy place, on that particular spot Markandeya remained on meditation for a long time. At this place a Shiva Temple was constructed by sage Markandeya. The ancient Markandeswar Shiva Temple is situated in the Markandeswar street by the side of  Markandeswar tank, to the north of the Jagannath temple. This place can be approached on the right side of Markandeswar road leading from Markandeswar chowk to Prui-Brahmagiri road. The exact geographical location of this temple is LONGITUDE 85049’94”E and LATITUDE 19048’62”N.

Markandeya Tank

Markandeya tank is an open structure and it enclosed within a stone wall made of dressed laterite blocks. The tank is rectangular is shape and 8.50 meters below the present road level. Its sides measure 350 feet on the northern side, 508 feet on the eastern side, 385 feet on the southern side and 542 feet on the western side. Bathing ghats are provided for the tourists in southern side of the tank. The tank is presently used for rituals as well as for normal bathing. Rituals like Pinda Dana, Mundan Kriya etc. are observed on the steps of the tank. The tank is fed by a natural spring from underground. The excess and waste water is discharged through an outlet channel in the north eastern wall. As a result the water level of the tank remains constant throughout the year. The exact geographical location of this tank is LONGITUDE 85048’94”E LATITUDE 19048’62”N.

Previously at the northern side of the tank there are seven stone images, each four feet high, kept over a platform representing the Sapta Matrukas or seven sacred mothers. These Seven Mothers are also accompanied by images of Lord Ganesha and Lord Virabhadra. I visited this temple on 02FEB2010 and found that the temple administration is creating a new temple for the Sapta Matrukas and all these images have already been shifted inside the under construction temple.

Few ancient stone inscriptions found on the steps to the tank and the Markandeshwar Temple, are of great interest to historians. These stone inscriptions pertain to Ganga dynasty. Both Markandeswar temple and Markandeswar tank can be dated back to the 12th century AD. Puri became an important center of pilgrimage by the 12th century. The history in Puri also proves that Sri Ramanuja visited Puri during 1107 and 1117. Sri Ramanuja was followed by Vishnu Swami, who is known to establish the Vishnuswami Matha, near Markandeshwar Tank.

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Vimala Temple Puri

Puri holds a prominent place as a Hindu Pilgrimage site. With Lord Jagannath residing here, Puri attracts a lot of ardent devotees from all over the world to seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath. However, Puri is not just one among the Char Dhams, but it is also regarded as an abode of Hindu Goddess Vimala, and therefore is highly regarded as Shakti Pitha.

Who is Goddess Vimala?

Goddess Vimala is regarded as tantric consort of Lord Jagannath and is therefore believed to be another form of Goddess Laxmi. It is believed that she guards the temple complex and devotees should pay visit to Goddess Vimala before seeking blessings of Lord Jagannath.

The importance of Goddess Vimala becomes instantly visible by the tradition of temple, which is based on an age-old legend- Food offered to Jagannath does not get sanctified as Mahaprasad until it is also offered to Vimala.

The Shrine

The temple of Goddess Vimala is located in the south-west corner of the inner enclosure of the Jagannath temple complex and on the western corner of the tower of Jagannath, next to the sacred pond Rohini kunda. Facing towards east, the temple is constructed of sandstone and laterite in typical Deua style of architecture.

Significance as Shakti Pitha

The Vimala Temple is considered to be one of  the most Shakti Pithas. The Shakti Pithas are the most sacred temples dedicated to Hindu Goddesses, and are ainly identified with Goddess Durga and Goddess Parvati.

A Wikipedia article dedicated to Goddess Vimala states that

“In Goddess-oriented worship, Vimala (Bimala) is regarded as the presiding goddess of the Purushottama (Puri) Shakti Pitha. Jagannath, a form of the god Vishnu/Krishna (Krishna is generally regarded as an avatar of Vishnu), is worshipped as the Pitha’s Bhairava. This is a departure from the usual tradition of Bhairava as a form of Shiva. So, in this temple complex, Vishnu–one of the Hindu trinity – is equated with Shiva, another of the trinity; this is interpreted to convey the oneness of God. In this regard, Vimala – generally associated with Shiva’s consort – is also considered as Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu. Conversely, Tantrics consider Jagannath as Shiva-Bhairava, rather than a form of Vishnu.”

Vimala Temple

The shrine may not be a palatial one, but certainly holds a crucial significance and is revered by Goddess-oriented Shakta and Tantric worshippers.

Festivals

Durga Puja and Vijayadashami are the two main festivals celebrated to revere Goddess Vimala

History of The Temple Complex

The present structure is believed to date back to 9th century, with the central icon dating back to 6th Century CE. Based on the architecture of the temple it seems to build under Eastern Ganga Dynasty. However, there are indications that a shrine would have been situated before the present structure, which somehow got destroyed and it’s the renovated version of the shrine. At some places, like the sculptures, especially the parshvadevatas (attendant deities), as well as the background slab of the central icon, reflect the Somavashi style and may be part of the original temple, on whose ruins the new temple was constructed.

The temple was renovated around 2005 and is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, Bhubaneswar Circle.

Those were the key features and interesting facts of Vimala Temple, situated in Jagannath Temple. Make sure to seek Goddess’s blessings while in holy town of Puri and stay tuned with Hotel Holiday Resort for more such updates of abode of Lord Jagannath.

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Puri, the holiest city of India and abode of Lord Jagannath is also among the beautiful cities that have a dynamic coastline. Along with the presence of serene bay with golden hued sand and rolling surf, Jagannatha Puri’s ambience in enhanced by multiple festivals observed round the year. The festivities keep the spirits of the city high, with joyous processions carried out every now and then inside or outside the temple.

Today, we have brought you the list of some major festivals that are observed at Jagannatha Temple. If you are planning to pay a visit to Lord Jagannatha, you can surely plan your visit and enjoy these feasts and fests as well.

Jagannath Temple Puri

 Important Festivals At Shree Temple:

  1. Snana Yatra– It is observed in the month of Jyestha (Hindu calendar). On Purnima of this month, the lord is bathed and decorated every year.
  2. Ratha Yatra or Sri Gundicha Yatra– It is the most significant and popular festival, which is known worldwide. On this occasion, lord along with his siblings come out of temple sanctum and visit the city in his decorated Hence the name is Rath Yatra. It falls in Ashada month of Hindu Calendar, which are usually June-July months. The final destination for the Rath is Gundicha Temple, and the chariot makes way through the Bada Danda area. At this time Puri becomes the centre of attraction all over the world as lakhs and lakhs of devotees come to witness the Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra on their chariots.
  3. Sri Hari Sayan– It is a sleeping ceremony and is observed on the Asadha sukla edadashi (June–July)
  4. Nabakalebara- Naba Kalabera takes place when one lunar month of Ashadha is followed by another lunar month of Aashadha. This can take place in 8, 12 or even 18 years.  The meaning of Nabakalebara is the “New Body” (Nava = New, Kalevar = Body). New idols are installed during this festival and the old ones are buried in the temple premises at Koili Vaikuntha.
  5. Chandan Yatra or Akshay Tritiya– This marks the beginning of construction of chariots for Rath Yatra.

Apart from these popular and major festivals, Utthapan Yatra, Parswa Paribartan, Dakhinayan Yatra, Prarbana Yatra, Pusyavishek, Uttarayan, Dola Yatra, Damanak Chaturdasi are other festivals at Puri.

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