The Coast City of Puri in Odisha is much more than just a destination on the beach. I submerged in history, spirituality and rich cultural traditions offers passengers a absorbing experience. The city famous for the worshiped Jagannath temple, one of the pilgrimage sites of Char Dham, pulsates with the energy of the devotees. Urban markets are struggling with complex paintings of Pattachitra, sand and shell and Odishi. Here are five inadmissible experiences when it is in Puri:
Sun Cathedral
Tourists walking around the Temple of Konark, a memorial from the 13th century and a UNESCO site, is located about 35 kilometers from Puri in Odisha. | Photo Credit: Kr Deepak
A short 50 kilometer from Puri will take you to the Temple of the Sun, UNESCO World Heritage Site. This architectural masterpiece, built in the 13th century by King of Narasingha Dev I, is shaped as a colossal car dedicated to Surya, the god of the sun. The complex stone carving, depicting heavenly beings, mythical creatures and everyday life, are breathtaking tapestry art and narration.
The grandeur of the temple can be best experienced at dusk. When the sun immerses under the horizon, the temple of the Konark shines in a golden embrace, its carving throws long, mystical shadows, while the evening breeze whispers with ruins and bear the echoes of the timeless past. At present, the team of archaeological survey India (probably) controls the progress of sand removal from the Sun temple, often considered one of the seven Indian wonders. The aim of the evaluation, which started in 2024, is to help experts to determine whether the sand, which was placed inside the mounting hall of the temple (Jagamohan) more than 100 years ago, can now be removed to strengthen its stability.
The magnificent Temple of the Sun Konark receives an average of 5,000 to 10,000 visitors a day. Currently, a light and audio show showing the history of the temple due to a technical problem has been stopped. The timing of the temple is from 6:00 to 18:00.
Odia Thali in Taj’s Vista Restaurant
Odia Thali ran in the Vista restaurant in Taj Puri Resort Spa in Puri, Odisha. | Photo Credit: Kr Deepak
The food in Puri is a revelation and no visit can be complete without indulging in the authentic Odia Thali. Finding healthy Odia Thali, however, can be a challenge in Puri, except for houses in the city. The Taj Puri Resorts, Vista, bridges this gap by offering the rich dissemination of traditional delicacies, bringing the region’s culinary herinna to the table.
Thali is the curator of the Executive Chef Biswarup Chatterjee and is a symphony of taste and textures. It includes Dalma, a hearty pick cooked with mixed vegetables and tempered with paanch phoron (a mixture of five spices), is nutritious and finely spicy. Mustard infused cottage Besara is a wild fungus with a spicy blow, while Koshila Saag, a fried mixture of leafy vegetables, melts in a mild spice in the mouth. Deep fried Brinjal pancakes add crunchy contrast. Thali is served with rice and Maach Jhar, fish curry cooked in a mustard paste. The star of the food is Chhen Poda, a caramelized dessert for cottages with smoke, which persists pleasantly.
Thali is available for lunch and dinner at the Restaurant Taj’s Vista.
Jagannath Temple
View of the Jagannath temple in Puri, Odisha. | Photo Credit: Kr Deepak
One of Char Dham’s pilgrimage sites, the Jagannath temple is a spiritual and cultural cornerstone of Puri. This 12th century temple, which is dedicated to Lord Jagannath, is known for his great annual Rath Yatra (Chariot Festival) and his Mahaprasad – Holy Food prepared in clay pots above the fire of wood. The temple kitchen, which is said to be one of the largest in the world, prepares Mahaprasad daily using the traditional technique of the generation. Devatives often participate in this sacred food, which includes khechedi (spicy rice and lens), Dalma and various sweets served on the leaves of bananas.
One of the main offers is Khaja, crunchy, gold sweet with layers of refined flour and soaked in sugar syrup. What makes Puri Khaja special is the use of pure desi ghee, adding smell and taste. Stands near the Jagannath temple, such as Nrusingha Sweets, serve fresh and warm. Most sweet shops offer two variants of Khaja – one made in oil and the other in Desi Ghee. With each bite with a scaly outer layer, they gently crumble while the syrup core bursts with a rich sweetness. The inheritance of Khaja’s production in Puri dates back to the centuries and its connection with the temple rituals makes it an integral part of urban food culture.
Raghurajpur Heritage Village
Looking at the entrance to the village of Raghurajpur Heritage, known for engravings of Pattachitra and Palm Leaf, in the district of Puri in Odisha. | Photo Credit: Kr Deepak
About 30 kilometers from Puri is Raghurajpur Heritage Village, a live screen of art and tradition. This curious Hamlet is known for its centuries -old heritage of Pattachitra, complex scrolls depicting mythological stories, deities and folklore. Each home is an art seminar where live wall paintings and paintings are decorated with walls and experienced hands revive engravings of palm leaves, stone and woody carvings and traditional toys. The walk through its narrow stripes is like entering the open -air museum, where the air is the thick scent of natural dyes and rhythmic blows of painting brushes tell stories about the past era.
The woman sits in front of her house with belts depicted on the veranda in the village of Raghurajpur Heritage, known for engravings of Pattachitra and Palm Leaf, in the district of Puri in Odisha. | Photo Credit: Kr Deepak
The village is home to several national award -winning artists who are part of the Cooperative Society, the organization of Raghurajpur Chitra Karigari, an organization aimed at preserving these traditional art forms. In addition to his artistic magic, Raghuraktur is a testimony to sustainable life, where craftsmanship is transmitted by generations and preserves Odish’s rich cultural heritage. The villagers are extremely proud of their work and will welcome visitors with a warm smile and insight into their creative world. The best time to visit the village is from 8:00 to 18:00, when visitors can see how artists create these artistic forms and buy them.
Silver filigree
Silver jewelry exhibited in a shop in Puri, Odisha. | Photo Credit: Kr Deepak
Back in the cuttack, Pankaj Kumar Sahoo, a silver filigree artist creates complex patterns of transformation of silver balls into fine fibers and by pushing the wires through a detailed, time -consuming process. He is one of the main suppliers of Silver Filigree (or Rupa Tarakasi, which was awarded a geographical indicator brand) in the new Kaling Filigree in Puri. The shop is one of the oldest in the temple city, which is now operated by the second -generation entrepreneur Sayed Saif Ali, who has taken over the reins of the new Kaling Filigree established by his father in 1982. “With increasing awareness of the uniqueness of this artistic form, we saw a remarkable increase in demand,” he says.
Every filigree, whether decorative necklace, delicate brooch or miniature idol Lord Jagannath, reflects the artistic form of a continued generation.
The writer was in Puri at the invitation of the Taj Puri Resort and Spa
Published – April 10, 2025 20:51 is
