Puri

Puri is a coastal pilgrimage city in Odisha at sea level, 60 kilometres south of Bhubaneswar — one of the four Char Dham sites of Hinduism and home of the Jagannath Temple, one of India's most important religious institutions. The 12th-century Jagannath Temple is the spiritual centre — non-Hindus are not permitted inside, but the massive structure is visible from many angles. The annual Rath Yatra in June-July is one of the most atmospheric religious events in the world — Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are brought out of the temple and pulled in three massive wooden chariots (Rath) to the Gundicha Temple 3 km away, drawn by hundreds of thousands of devotees. Beyond the temple, Puri has a long sandy beach (with distinctive Odia fisherman culture), the Pipili applique village, and is the gateway to Konark (35 km) and Chilika Lake (50 km). The city combines intense religious pilgrimage with authentic coastal tourism.