Short breaks From Kolkata 

+ YS Juggernaut 3DA Journey The Temple defines the spirit of the holy town of Puri| By Lakshmi Sharath

In the early decades of the 19th century, local rulers took away stone panels from the majestic (left) to use in their own temples; Jagannath figures (right) are available outside the temple and across Puri. The original deities in the temple were carved from a single log of neem wood, unlike most Hindu idols that are made from stone.

weeks, ’s queen presumed him to deities are brought out in a ritual procession EXPLORE be dead and asked for the door to be opened. for their annual bath. After the ceremony, they The carpenter turned out to be Vishnu, who are taken for a fortnight to a secret place, as Temple Town The 11th-century Jagannath abandoned the idols unfinished:A s a result, they are believed to be recovering from a fever Temple, built by King Anantavarman none of the idols have hands. (daily 5 a.m. to noon, 4-8 p.m., except during Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Jagannath and his siblings make their the Snana Yatra). dynasty, is believed to have been designed by presence felt in several aspects of ’s Vishwakarma, the divine architect. More than culture, especially as motifs in Beach Bums Puri’s identity is defined by 120 smaller shrines dot the temple complex, scroll paintings and the many types of the Jagannath temple, but in recent years, it girded in by a 20-foot-high wall. handloom saris woven here. Several of Puri’s has begun to offer more secular pleasures. The main shrine has an imposing tower, festivals, including the , are focused Fast emerging as the Goa of the east, Puri is crowned by Vishnu’s sacred instrument on the temple. During the Snana Yatra, the a convenient beach getaway for tourists (the srichakra). The temple is divided into four sections. Besides the main sanctum where the deities are placed on a throne of pearls (ratnabedi), there is a dancing UNIQUE EXPERIENCE hall (natamandapa), the offerings hall Dolphin spotting (bhogamandapa), and the front porch (mukhashala). But it is the kitchen where the Nothing beats a sunset cruise. I leave bulk of the activity is concentrated. One of Puri late in the afternoon and head Puri’s coastline lends itself well to festivals, t is early in the morning and the sun Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. I enter the the largest in the world, more than 50 types towards , a small town along such as the annual Puri Beach Festival, which seems to have missed its date with the temple and find that it is bustling.A n entire of offerings are prepared for the deities in the banks of , one of the has been running for 20 years, and the (boat) world. I wake up gingerly, surprised that city seems to be inside the complex: tourists, earthen pots, with water drawn from the largest brackish-water lagoons in the Surf Festival that concluded in February. I it is still dark, because dawn usually locals, priests or pandas, all vying to get the two wells in the complex. Goddess Lakshmi world. The 50-km journey to the jetty at visits Puri, Odisha, very early. It is hazy as first darshan of the lord. We weave through is supposed to supervise every morsel Satpada (which means “cluster of seven Island, where we can see the lagoon on we drive past the empty boulevard along the the crowd and manage to find a little corner prepared here. fishing hamlets”) takes about two hours. one side and the on the beach. Every inch of the road is lined with to silently commune with the troika of deities. Legends about the temple abound. The We have a boat to ourselves and we go other. We stop for a while, continuing to sea-facing hotels, and they are all wrapped in Mesmerised by the sight of these larger-than- most fascinating one is about the discovery cruising along the vast expanse of the hope for a glimpse of the dolphins. An a cloak of silence. The city slowly stirs to life as life, brightly clad wooden idols of Jagannath of the deities. A priest tells me that King lake, looking for the elusive Irrawaddy hour later, we are greeted by the sight the sun strides up the sky, its rays glancing off (Vishnu, or his avatar Krishna), Balabhadra Indradyumna, who ruled over the Malwa region dolphins. We stop by to see some locals, of a couple diving into the water. Their the 200-foot tower of the Jagannath Temple, (, Krishna’s elder brother), and in central India, commissioned a carpenter who show us cultured pearls from oyster friends swim close by, fins peeping the centre of gravity. (Krishna’s sister), I nearly forget to carve the idols from a radiant log of neem shells, trying to con us into believing above the water’s surface. Although The holy city of Puri is the last stop on the the jostling and elbowing. When we step out wood floating in the sea. The carpenter’s only they were obtained through deep-sea this stretch of Chilika is not the haunt char dham pilgrimage that Hindu devotees of the shrine into the vast courtyard, I realise condition was that he be left undisturbed diving. We nearly fall for it. of migratory birds, we also see flocks undertake—the other sites are Dwarka in I have 4,00,000 square feet of the complex inside a locked room until he finished the idols. Our boatman takes us to Rajhans of ducks in the distance. dinodia (idol) dinodia (beach), Chaudhuri Chirodeep Gujarat, Badrinath in Uttarakhand, and to explore. When the artisan failed to come out for two niladri adhikari & idols), (couple Chaudhuri Chirodeep

2 national Geographic Traveller INDIA | april 2014 april 2014 | national Geographic Traveller INDIA 3 Short breaks From Kolkata Puri

chalk and gum. Another layer of cotton is added to it, which is rubbed with stones to achieve a glossy finish. The artists usually prepare their own natural colours and use very fine brushes. Their subjects are stories from Indian mythology, but an artist tells me that it is Jagannath who inspires them. During the deities’ annual fortnight off, devotees worship a pattachitra of the trinity. I pause in front of a temple to pay my respects, when a group of artists invites me into their home. On the colourful walls there is an eclectic mix of various art forms. Aside from the narrative patas, there are palm-leaf engravings with divine portraits, and tussar paintings featuring tribal motifs. Trees, flowers, and birds border the paintings, while the portraits are characterised by fine brushstrokes. I see various masks and wooden toys, even those made of cow dung. I could spend the whole day in watching Singhadwara, or lion gate (left) is the main entrance to the Jagannath Temple. It faces a monolithic pillar called the Aruna Stambha, which was the artisans work, but it is time to leave. originally located at Konark; The temple (right) also has a connection with Sikh history. Maharaja Ranjit Singh is believed to have given massive donations and willed it the koh-i-noor diamond. However, the gem never reached the temple, as Punjab was annexed by the British soon after his death.

Under the Sun The 13th-century Konark Toshali Sands is a luxury beach resort, and a swimming pool (Chakratirtha Road; cuisine of your choice, whether Bengali, or Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located on the Konark Marine Road just 06752-224117; hotelgandhara.com; doubles continental or Chinese. For a taste of Bengali known for its erotic carvings, is about 35 km outside Puri. Its private villas and cottages from `1,565). food, visit the trusted Bhojohori Manna; east of Puri. The magnificent granite temple, allow you to steer clear of the noise and for seafood, head to Peace Restaurant. now almost in ruins, is designed like a chariot clutter of the city (Ethnic Village Resort, A Chinese couple from Kolkata has started drawn by seven horses with 24 massive wheels Konark Marine Drive; 99370 03223; www. EAT Chung Wah. Several cafés serve continental with intricate carvings on them. Built by toshalisands.com). breakfasts and snacks like pastas and King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga If you are on a small budget, stay at Hotel Puri draws tourists around the year from pizzas. Try Wild Grass or Honey Bee Dynasty, it was called the Black Pagoda by Gandhara, which offers clean rooms, Wi-Fi, across the country, so it isn’t hard to find a Bakery and Pizzeria for fast food. n the British. The sun’s rays strike the erotic sculptures as my guide nonchalantly points THE GUIDE out every sign of passion on the walls. The temple faces east, so it is best to Orientation Getting around visit it at sunrise to capture photographs of Puri is a coastal city located in Cycle rickshaws ply around the first rays falling on the sculptures. The the of Odisha state, Puri, as do several private taxi Konark Dance Festival is held against this about 60 km south of its capital operators. You can take a bus to dramatic backdrop every February. Tourists , and 500 km Satpada or Konark. Most hotels visiting Konark also head to the mouth of the southwest of Kolkata. can arrange transport within the At the crafts village of Raghurajpur, a few minutes outside Puri, artist families produce pattachitra Chandrabhaga River (3 km east of the temple), city. Several operators also offer scroll paintings, palm-leaf engravings, shadow puppets, and other traditional crafts (top); The which once ran by the shrine but has now Getting there bus tours that take you to the village is also a training hub for young —and its precursor, —dancers (bottom). All changed course. Air The closest airport is Bhub- various temples (approx. fare these lively traditions are on display during the annual spring festival, Basant Utsav.

aneswar, which is connected to `500 inclusive of snacks). s in g h (map) a m ia from neighbouring states. I take a walk Crafts Ville A mere 20-minute drive most major Indian metros. Taxis around the coast in the evening to find it from Puri takes me to a world of beauty, STAY charge about `2,000 for a one- Seasons bursting with colour and people. Kites and paint and colour. I’m at the crafts village of way journey to Puri. The best time to visit Puri is balloons vie for aerial space, while camels Raghurajpur, a hamlet outside Puri (15 km Puri is full of resorts, and almost all the Rail Puri is a major railhead, during the winter (Oct-Feb), dominate the scene on the ground. A local north). Raghurajpur is home to over 100 hotels are located on the road leading up to which is connected to Delhi, when temperatures hover sand festival has just concluded. In Puri and craftsmen who preserve the 900-year-old art the beach. I stayed at the Sterling Golden Kolkata, and Varanasi as well as between 10-18°C. However,

Konark, the shores are usually full of sand art form of pattachitra. Their homes, clustered Sands, where the Bhargavi River joins the other towns. the sun sets by 5 p.m. and it s (temple), Maeri t z/ D inodia y sculptures: Most artists try to carve socially together, have fascinating wall murals; the sea. The beach is very clean. The rooms are Road There are several luxury becomes pitch dark within relevant messages into their designs. The verandas serve as studios. I stop by to watch a large and comfortable and guests can choose buses between Kolkata and the hour. Summer (Mar-June) best time to see sand art by artists from all chitrakaar at work, painting Krishna with between single and double rooms, or studio Puri. The journey takes a temperatures can soar to 45°C. over the world is during Puri’s annual beach his gopikas. apartments (255/2 and 255/3, Sipasarubali minimum of 10.5 hours and The monsoon (July-Sept) is festival in November-December. Several local Before the artist can put his brush to the Village, Baliapanda; 06752-254093; www. fares begin at `600. A one-way moderately heavy. Puri is prone fairs coincide with the Rath Yatra and the pata (cloth), an elaborate ritual is followed to sterlingholidays.com/our-resorts/sterling- journey by taxi will set you to cyclones, so always check run-up to New Year’s Eve, but the beach prepare it. The cloth is soaked in water with destination-network/puri; doubles back `10,000. weather warnings in advance. ee (dancers) bj Sora D eepika (artists), D inodia festival remains the most popular. tamarind seeds, and coated with a paste of from `3,000). K a (lion), Chaudhuri Chirodeep

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