Popular Temple
Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri
Puri, Odisha
The eastern seat of the Char Dham — birthplace of the world-famous Rath Yatra
At a glance
- Location
- Puri, Odisha
- Presiding deity
- Lord Jagannath (Krishna), Balabhadra, and Subhadra
- Temple type
- Popular Temple
- Tradition
- Vaishnava
- Nearest railway station
- Puri railway station (~2 km)
- Nearest airport
- Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar (~60 km)
- Best time to visit
- October to February; the Rath Yatra (June-July) is world-famous but draws exceptionally heavy crowds.
History
The Jagannath temple at Puri is one of the four Char Dham established by Adi Shankaracharya (the eastern seat). The present grand structure was built around the 12th century by King Anantavarman Chodaganga of the Ganga dynasty. The deities are carved from neem wood and, by tradition, are ceremonially replaced with new idols every few years in the "Navakalevara" ritual.
Spiritual significance
Puri's annual Rath Yatra is counted among the world's largest religious processions, in which massive wooden chariots carry Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra to the Gundicha temple — drawing millions of devotees each year.
Plan your visit
Darshan timings
5:00 AM to midnight, with multiple daily rituals (dhoop, bhog, aarti) throughout the day.
Timings change on festivals and special occasions. Confirm with the temple's official source before you travel.
Puri railway station is directly connected to Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, and Hyderabad; autos and rickshaws cover the short distance from the station to the temple in minutes.
Continue your Krishna bhakti
Devotional texts for this deity, already on the site.