Top Attractions in Odisha Covered in a Weekend Trip -Part II

Hello dear readers, hope you have read and found the Part I of my Odisha weekend trip helpful and enjoyable at the same time. So without wasting any further time let right away begin with the concluding Part of the top attractions in Odisha that I covered in a weekend trip. By the time we left Konark it was around 2pm and we were very hungry, we also had a kid with us in our group , my nephew but like us he was full of energy.

Our next stop was the Jagannath Temple in Puri, it was around 35kms from Konark. On way we crossed a beach and there were lots of restaurants all the way around, we selected one which looked quite clean and at the same time relaxing.

We ordered vegetarian food, since we were to visit the temple we had decided we shall take only vegetarian food the whole day. That is another mantra to keep you fit if you have just a single day in your hand and you need to cover quite lot of tourist spots, keep your meal light. Too much of oil and spices can make you nauseated and drowsy, so it is better to keep a check on what we are eating. You may parcel your food and can eat it later once you have completed your itinerary. We also did the same. 

My brother-in-law had some very good friends in Bhubaneshwar and with one of their help he contacted a priest or Brahman or pujari/pandit(also called Panda in Bengali ). You can also go around the temple on your own. Before you enter the temple you have to submit you cell phones, camera and also shoes. So you can understand why I did not take any pictures inside the temple. It was my mother’s long wish to pay a visit to the Jagannath temple in Puri.

Three deities Jagannath, Balaram and Shubhadra are worshipped in the temple. The deities are crafted out of wood unlike other Hindu deities of temples in our country. Every year huge elaborately decorated chariots are made with wood and the idols of the deities are hauled for devotees. Every day a Bhog of 56 different dishes (Prasad for the deities) are prepared and the pilgrims can have the Prasad outside the main temple( Inside the premises there are stalls , per plate Rs50 you can eat the bhog there, it is really tasty and after eating I felt it satisfied my soul).  

There is an interesting tree inside the temple complex where you can ask Lord Jagannath for three wishes all you need is to tie a stone three times and ask for the wish. You need to sacrifice eating any fruit of your choice and pay some money, though I don’t believe in all these still I have some amount of faith and I tied a stone Lets hope for the best!! and For more details you can go through HERE.

There are continuous to and fro bus service from the main taxi/car stand to the temple gate and vice-versa. The distance is approximately 1km, so if you are accompanied with kids or senior citizens, this bus service is very helpful.

After spending an hour in the temple, wheels rolled on next stop was the famous Puri Beach, we spend some time enjoying the fresh breeze.

We had very less time in hand as we had to covered all the top attractions in Odisha in a weekend. While in Orissa don’t forget to treat your taste buds with some very delicious Chenna Poda(  A sweet made from soft cheese dipped in sugar syrup and baked. It may contain dry fruits), Rasa Bara (that was made of chesse and dipped in thickened milk) some  Chenna Jhilli (made from cheese and sugar syrup).  

On way back to Bhubaneshwar we halted in between at Pipli village. Pipli is famous for its appliqué handicraft  there are lots of shops on way where you can buy various artifacts, for decorating your houses, purses, handbags, gift items , umbrellas, table mats and what not. I shall do a special haul post showing you all my purchases from Puri.  

We also visited the Lingaraja Temple that comes on way to Bhubaneshwar. It is one of the top attractions in Odisha which can’t be skipped.The temple is dedicated to Harihara , a form of LOrd Shiva and Vishnu and is one of the oldest temples in Bhubaneshwar. Since we have to submit our cameras and mobile phones outside the temple complex so I could not take much pictures of the temple from inside. Sharing an image from the web. For more details about the temple you can check HERE.

This much as off for now. Sharing some picture below. See you very soon.