About
Puri is a city and a municipality in the eastern state of Odisha. Situated in the Bay of Bengal, 60 kilometres south of the state capital Bhubeneshwar, this city is also known as Jagannath
Puri after the Jagannath Temple located in the city.
City Infrastructure
Puri enjoys smooth connectivity via roads, rail and air services. It is connected to
Kolkata via a broad gauge railway line of the South Eastern Railways. NH 203 links it with Bhubaneshwar, while NH 203 B connects the city with
Satapada via Brahmagiri. It is well-connected to Konark via the Marine Drive, which is part of NH 203 A. The closest airport is the Biju Patnaik International Airport at Bhubaneshwar.
Puri also features amongst the cities chosen under HRIDAY (Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana) which aims to improve sanitation, roads, and other infrastructural facilities which will definitely improve tourism in these cities. As far as social infrastructure is concerned, the city is home to a number of schools and institutions for higher education.
Real estate
The real estate of the city is gradually growing to be a significant contributor to the economy. Several tenements and apartment enclaves are being launched by various developers.
Bata Mangala,
Kasiharipur, and
Sipasurubili are the top locations to look for property in
Puri.
Sipasirubili Mouza and
Siddhamahavir also host upcoming projects.
Lifestyle
The 12th century Jagannath Temple is one of the major Hindu temples, which makes this city one of the original Char Dhaam pilgrimage sites for Hindus. Built in the Kalinga style of architecture, the temple with its religious significance is the predominant driving force behind the economy of
Puri. The five sacred water bodies that comprise the Pancha Tirtha of
Puri are the Indrayumana Tank, the Rohini Kunda, the Markandeya Tank, the Swetaganga Tank, and the Bay of Bengal. Other places of interest include Gundicha Temple, Swargadwar,
Puri beach, District Museum, and Raghunandana Library. Amongst the 24 festivals that
Puri witnesses every year, the most important one is Rath Yatra, which is attended by more than 1 million people. The other noteworthy events include Chhera Pahara, Chandan Yatra, Snana Yatra, Anavasara, Naba Kalebara, Suna Besha, Samudra Arati, etc. These festivals held in the temple complex are attended by millions of people every year. The
Puri Beach Festival and the Shrekshetra Utsav are the annual religious festivals of the city that involve a host of cultural activities.