Visiting the Shree Jagannath Temple

The Shree Jagannath Temple is 2 km from the resort — about a five-minute drive, or a walk if you set out early. It is the reason a great many people come to Puri, and a little preparation makes the visit far smoother.

When to Go

The temple opens well before dawn and closes late, with rituals through the day. Early morning is the calmest window; the middle of the day brings both the heaviest crowds and the strongest heat on the stone underfoot. During Rath Yatra in June or July the whole town reorganises itself around the festival, and both the temple and the roads to it are extraordinarily busy — plan for that rather than around it.

Before You Set Out

• Entry is for Hindus only — a long-standing rule, firmly applied.
• Leather goods, cameras, phones and electronics are not permitted inside. Cloakrooms operate near the gates.
• Footwear is removed before entering; the stone gets hot, so socks are worth carrying.
• Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered.

Leaving your phone in the room rather than at a cloakroom is the simplest approach, and our front desk can arrange a car so you are not searching for parking near the Lions Gate.

Go at first light, carry nothing, and allow more time than the two kilometres suggest.

Around the Temple

Grand Road, which runs from the temple, is where the chariots travel during Rath Yatra and where the town’s markets concentrate the rest of the year. If you are visiting the temple in the morning, the market afterwards makes an easy continuation.

Other Temples Worth the Trip

The Shree Gundicha Temple, 4.5 km from the resort, is where the deities travel during the festival. Further out, the Konark Sun Temple is 35 km away — a 45 to 50 minute drive, and a half-day outing rather than an afternoon one.