Puri is one of the holiest places to visit in India and there are also other places worth a visit at the time of Jagannath Puri tour.

If you are planning to go on a tour to Puri on the occasion of Ratha Yatra festival of Lord Jagannatha or sometime later, here are some interesting historical places around Puri for you to visit and make your tour a memorable experience. Also please exercise caution with people who offer to assist and guide you while touring these places.

1) Sakshi-gopala Temple

The Deity of Gopala here had originally been installed in Vrindavana long ago. Later the Deity walked all the way from Vrindavana to a place in South India to end a dispute between two devotees by being a witness! It is said that the pilgrimage to Puri is not complete unless the temple of Sakshi-gopala is visited. Read more…

2) Alarnatha Temple

Lord Alarnatha, a four-handed Deity of Lord Vishnu in this temple was carved and worshipped by Lord Brahma in Satya-yuga. The temple is visited by a large number of devotees especially during the anavasara period of Lord Jagannatha in Puri on the occasion of Puri Ratha-yatra festival. Read more…

3) Kshira-chora Gopinatha Temple

Situated in Remuna near Balasore, Kshira-chora Gopinatha temple is well-known for its Deity of Gopinatha who stole a pot of sweet rice for His dear devotee, Sri Madhavendra Puri, a great Vaishnava sannyasi. You can relish delicious kshira prasadam (sweet rice), called Amruta Keli here. Read more…

4) Konark Sun Temple

This famous 13th century temple is one of the architectural wonders of India. The stone structure in the shape of an intricately sculpted giant chariot includes mighty wheels and horses. The amazing thing is that these wheels are sundials which can be used to calculate time precisely to a minute including day and night. Read more…

5) Lingaraja Temple

Bhubaneshwar is the capital city of Odisha and is also the city of temples. Lingaraja temple is the largest of these temples and is an outstanding specimen of the Odisha style of temple building. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Shiva linga here is one of the twelve jyotirlingas in India.
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6) Chilika Lake 

Chilika Lake is Asia’s largest brackish water bay with many beautiful islands which are popular stops for one day boat trips. The lake is home to an extraordinary variety of birds. A visit to this place between November and February offers you a remarkable display of its colorful birds. A fascinating pastime of Lord Jagannatha took place near the lake. Read more…

7) Jajpura (Yajapura)

Jajpura is a historical place of pilgrimage, located in Jajpur district of Odisha. It was one of the capital cities of King Yayati. Jajpura is also called Nabhi-gaya. Since this place is sacred to Goddess Biraja, it is also known as Biraja-ksetra. There are numerous temples of demigods and incarnations of Lord Vishnu here including a temple of Lord Varahanatha. Read more…