During the festival there are plenty of activities to be done, places to be visited and stuff to be bought. If you are looking for a wholesome and hassle-free experience, there are plenty of tour packages being offered by leading travel agencies throughout India. However, if you are the independent, adventurous and experimenting kind then take my advice and hire a bike or a cycle once you get to Puri and start discovering. Religious festival or not, no trip to Puri should begin without a visit to the world famous Jagannath Temple. Being one of the four Dhaams, it is one of the four most sacred temples in India. It is sad but the entry is strictly restricted to Hindus only. However, there are hundreds of temples in and around Puri where it is not so. A couple of other famous temples that are definitely worth a visit are Shree Lokanath Temple and Sun Temple at Konark.

1. Celebrate India – Puri Beach Festival with Yatra.com
India is a land of not thousands but millions of gods and goddesses, and that’s only taking
Hinduism into consideration. If all the other religions are taken into the purview then I don’t
think there goes by a single day when one or the other religious festival is not being celebrated
somewhere or the other in the country. It’s not necessarily a bad thing because this is what
lends India its vibrancy and its sense of exotic appeal to especially the foreign tourists.
However, excess of anything is bound to become monotonous, sooner or later. This is one of
the primary reasons why the idea of modern festivals has become so popular not only in India
but throughout the world. Backed by no historical significance but only an intention to promote
local culture and tourism, these modern festivals, like the Goa Festival have become a big hit
amongst the tourists.
The five day Puri Beach festival, held in Orissa is another one of these popular modern Indian
festivals. It was started in the year 1993 and has grown steadily. Considering the scale of the
festival today I must say that it certainly is a great initiative by Ministry of Tourism, state
government, Hotel & Restaurant Association of Orissa and authorities of Handicrafts and
Cultural Centers. Puri, also known as ‘The Abode of Lord Jagannath’ is a popular pilgrimage
destination and a cultural center for the state of Orissa. This makes it the perfect choice for
hosting this festival. Hosting a festival is no new deal for the people of Puri because they have
been hosting the popular Rath Yatra festival for time immemorial. The only difference between
that festival and this one is that, Rath Yatra has only the religious festivities as its singular focus.
Whereas, the challenge with the Puri Beach Festival is the multi-faceted approach that the
authorities must take to deliver a wholesome experience for the tourists. Having been there
myself I can vouch for the fact that Puri Festival offers a perfect amalgamation of astounding
cultural display and a myriad variety of entertainment to meet the expectations of all kind of
tourists.
During the festival there are plenty of activities to be done, places to be visited and stuff to be
bought. If you are looking for a wholesome and hassle-free experience, there are plenty of tour
packages being offered by leading travel agencies throughout India. However, if you are the
independent, adventurous and experimenting kind then take my advice and hire a bike or a
cycle once you get to Puri and start discovering. Religious festival or not, no trip to Puri should
begin without a visit to the world famous Jagannath Temple. Being one of the four Dhaams, it is
one of the four most sacred temples in India. It is sad but the entry is strictly restricted to
Hindus only. However, there are hundreds of temples in and around Puri where it is not so. A

2. couple of other famous
temples that are definitely
worth a visit are Shree
Lokanath Temple and Sun
Temple at Konark.
I could go on about the
temples but that’s not what
this festival is about. As
mentioned earlier, this is a
multi-faceted festival which
has something for everyone.
You wouldn’t believe it,
neither could I that during the
festival, Puri showcases
everything from cultural events,
classical and folk dance performances, sand sculptures, handicrafts, fireworks display, food
festivals, to rock concerts, DJs, beach parties and fashion shows.
A majority of the above mentioned activities and cultural showcases take place on the Golden
Beach of Puri itself. Of these showcases, sand sculptures definitely steal the show. Most of the
creations are inspired by gods and goddesses and they are by no means puny little things. The
size of the sculptures is humongous and very detailed. It’s a pity that they eventually get
washed away by the waves. Another interesting set of activities during the festival is the water
sports. But, it’s only for those who can bear the cold water in the winters. If you are looking to
pick up souvenirs then Puri is the most appropriate place. The local handicrafts are available
throughout the city in abundance during the festival. You shouldn’t have a hard time finding
stuff to your liking. There are plenty of other cultural activities happening throughout the city
like classical and folk dance performances.
For those looking only for a good time will be surprised at the number of options a place like
Puri can throw at you. There are parties happening all over the city. In case you don’t feel like
leaving the beach, there are plenty of beach parties to keep you entertained. Otherwise, there
are some really cool DJ parties happening throughout the city. What really came as a shocker to
me were the mini rock concerts. There weren’t many but they played fairly decent music.
Metallica and Black Sabbath numbers were really popular.
Well I can go on forever but this blog certainly cannot. I am personally extremely impressed by
the scale and the variety offered by this festival. It is definitely at par with the more popular

3. Goa festival and because of the rich cultural heritage has the potential to become even bigger.
Puri Beach Festival is definitely an all-in-one experience. If you are looking for a new & exciting
destination for a family vacation or a unique adventure trip; this festival is definitely a go-go.
This is Joy, the Happy Traveler signing off,
Until next time,
Ciao.
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