AdmirableIndia.com

You can read the earlier posts: Day 1, Day 2(Part 1), Day 2(Part 2) and Day 2(Part 3) of the Orissa trip.

It was our third day in Puri and we decided to go to the Puri beach. The beach was quite close by to the hotel so we went there walking. On the way we saw Iskcon’s mobile restaurant and had the breakfast. We took 3 masala dosas for Rs. 12 each. It was nice and tasty as you can expect because it was from Iskcon temple. Then, we went to the beach and I clicked some shots:

For more photos of Puri beach, click here.

It was a nice and beautiful beach situated on the shores of the breathtakingly beautiful Bay of Bengal. A person was selling bangles made of shells and I bought a pair for Rs. 20 for Lucky. Then, we decided to check out Iskcon temple, which is about 4 kms from the beach. I asked a rickshaw (a mode of cycle-powered transport: a rider rides a three-wheeled cycle which seats one or two persons) and he told that he would take just 15 Rs. to take us to the temple. The rickshaw was very small to accompany 3 people and I said that only two people could sit. But he told that 2 can sit on the rickshaw and the third can sit on his seat. I was amazed on the idea. My father and I sat on the rickshaw and my brother was sitting on the rider’s seat and the rider was standing and riding the rickshaw It was quite funny to see that. We arrived at the Iskcon temple and I took this beautiful photo of Lord Krishna:

For more photos of Iskcon temple, click here.

Then, we went to Sri Jagannath temple in a rickshaw in a similar fashion. Well, this time I was sitting on the rider’s seat Again we deposited the cell phones, camera and shoes at the temple facility. We had the darshan of the Lord and then sat in the temple for a while. The atmosphere of the temple was magnificent, we found thousands of people visiting, praying, sitting and then going back. There was sweet sound of prayers, chirping of birds all around the place. Every time I visit this temple I feel there is something divine and which attracts me to visit the temple again. My brother told that he will be visiting Balighai for Kriyayoga and will be catching us in the Puri bus stop. He left and we sat there till afternoon and then took a rickshaw to the beach. Amazingly the rates are so cheap over there, he just took fifteen rupees. After reaching the beach we decided to go for the lunch in a Bengali restaurant just near the beach. It was a nice restaurant and I could smell the mouth watering Bengali dishes. I ordered prawn malai curry, fried prawns and a fish curry along with rice and curd. Prawn malai curry was very delicious and the prawns were almost the size of tiger prawns so I ordered 2 more plates. It was the tastiest fish curry I ever had and the best part is that it was quite cheap, just Rs. 70 a plate. After a nice lunch we moved to the beachside. It was quite hot in the afternoon along the beach. There were few shades in the beach and they charge Rs. 10 per hour to sit in the chair. I gave him Rs 20 and we picked two chairs. Thanks to them who were offering this kind of service otherwise it was very hot to sit under the sun. After that we went back to the hotel for checkout. Then, we took a rickshaw again and went to the Puri bus stop. There my brother joined us and we took a private bus to Bhubaneswar. It was a couple of hours drive to Bhubaneswar and we got into the train, which will take us back to Bhilai. We reached Bhilai in the morning and the great journey came to an end. When I reached my home I still remembered the line told by a guide that a person who visits one time to Puri has to visit many times and Yes I am eager to visit Puri again to see Lord Jagannath, the amazing beaches and the Chilka lake, which we missed.
 Email This Post  Print This Post

Related posts:

1. Trip to Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram: Chapter 14: Thirukadalmallai or Sthalasayana Perumal Temple and Mahabalipuram Beach