Puri Rath Yatra 2016—How to reach the divine destination!

Zee Media Bureau

It is that time of the year when Lord Jagannath, brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra set for their annual procession towards Gundicha Temple and stay there for nine long days. The world famous Puri Rath Yatra attracts lakhs of devotees, who visit Odisha during this time of celebration. This year its starts from July 6-14.

This is an annual affair which is celebrated on the Ashadha Shukla Paksha Dwitiya (second day in the bright fortnight of Ashadha month). The Lord along with his brother and sister visit the Gundicha Temple via Mausi Maa Temple (aunt's abode) near Balagandi Chaka, Puri, Odisha.

During the famous Yatra, the three revered deities are carried on a rath towards Gundicha Temple, where they stay for nine days. After that the Rath Yatra returns to the main temple—where in this journey of coming back is also known as Bahuda Jatra. The chariot of the Lord is pulled over by the priests and lakhs of pilgrims who come with a wish to catch a glimpse of the deities and the supreme Lord.

Today, we thought of listing out the possible ways in which you can reach the Lord and pay your obeisance. Check out the ways in which you can travel to Puri:

By Train:

You can reach Puri by taking direct express trains which the city with Delhi via Varanasi or Agra. You will find trains for Kolkata and Guwahati too linking you to the city. Interestingly, the pious city of Puri has a branch line of South Eastern Railway network connecting it with the southern Indian states. Besides, the nearest major station is in Bhubaneswar which is 62 km away or at Khurda Road, 44 km from Puri.

By Air:

While planning your visit to the city, you can also book an air ticket. The nearest airport being at Bhubaneswar which is 62 km away from the Puri city. You can book flights from Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad. The distance of 62 km can be completed by road.

By Road:

The facility of buses is quite in place—all thanks to the Lord. You can get state transport buses and minibuses to set out on your road journey towards Puri. Else, private vehicles are always an option. Orissa Tourism Development Corporation also runs some luxury buses for providing convenience to the pilgrims. Puri is well connected with Bhubaneswar, so getting a bus should not be an issue.

You will find many buses near the Gundicha Temple, connecting to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. Near Jatiababa Chhak, minibuses can be booked. Direct buses run for Kolkata and Visakhapatnam.