A 3-Day Pilgrimage from Bengaluru to Bhubaneswar, Puri and Konark

This account by Mrunal Pandit covers everything: why we went, how we planned, the logistics, the darshans, the local cuisine (yes, Chhena Poda and Rasagulla), impressions of Bhubaneswar’s temple city, the Jagannath experience in Puri, and the Konark festival magic.

There are places that keep pulling you back—not for a checklist, but for the memories they tuck inside you. For me, Odisha was one of those places. I wanted to see what had changed in three decades, what had endured, and frankly, to taste the sweets that had embedded themselves in childhood memory—this time along with my spouse, Amresh ( Amar Vyas).

The urge to return to Odisha after 30 years—to walk its temple lanes, taste its sweets, and sit by its beaches—was the motivation behind this trip. We flew from Bengaluru, planned just enough, and left room for serendipity.

---

The Motivation: Returning to Odisha After 30 Years

Revisiting a place after decades gives you two journeys in one—the one you remember and the one you experience now. Odisha was part nostalgia, part curiosity, and part spiritual pull. Temples, rituals, architecture, and coastal landscapes form a unique cultural geography here. And when you return after 30 years, you realise that cities change, rituals endure, and memories quietly resurface in unexpected ways.

This was not a rushed checklist trip. It was intentionally slow, reflective, and open-ended.

Preview Video

---

Trip Planning and Logistics

We booked flights from Bengaluru to Bhubaneswar about two months in advance and chose to stay at Taj Vivanta in Bhubaneswar and a beachfront hotel in Puri. The travel style was deliberate: flights and hotels were fixed; everything else remained flexible. We chose not to hire a dedicated cab for three or four days and instead used point-to-point cab aggregators. This gave us flexibility and removed the pressure of a rigid itinerary.

In retrospect, this worked beautifully—especially when health, energy levels, or unexpected events dictated slower days.

---

Day 1: Bhubaneswar Temples — Ekamra Kshetra Temple Circuit

We reached Bhubaneswar by mid-day and began with a compact temple trail. Bhubaneswar—also known as Ekamra Kshetra—felt familiar and renewed.

Thirty years ago, the city felt small, slow, and almost sleepy. Today, flyovers are being built, roads are broader, and the city feels modern and well-planned. Yet, the soul of Bhubaneswar—the Kalinga temple architecture—still commands attention. The contrast between ancient stone and modern concrete is striking.

Ideally, one should start early to avoid crowds and savour the quiet grooves between temples. But since we arrived by mid-morning, we opted for an early lunch and then started our temple journey.

---

Lingaraj Temple — The Crown Jewel

The Lingaraj Temple truly is the crown jewel—tall, ornate, and deeply alive. When we arrived, the temple was closed for a brief period, leading to a large crowd outside. The Panda (local priest) offered a special darshan for an extra fee. We decided to skip that and continue with our temple circuit, planning to return later when the crowd reduced.

---

Anand Vasudeva Temple and the Sattvic Prasad Bazaar

We walked to the Anand Vasudeva Temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, Subhadra, and Balabhadra. After darshan, there is an interesting system where prasad offered to the deity is sold to devotees almost like an open market. This is a wonderful way of providing sattvic food at nominal cost to pilgrims. The food is simple, vegetarian, and prepared with ritual purity. For many devotees, this is nourishment and blessing rolled into one.

---

Walking Through Living History

From there, we started walking through narrow gullies—lanes where large vehicles cannot enter. We visited Parshurameshwar Temple, Mukteshwar Temple, Rajarani Temple, and dozens of smaller Shiva shrines.

These temples create a concentric heritage zone, where history is literally beneath your feet in stone. Most of these temples date roughly from the 7th century to the 13th century, built during the Somavamsi (Keshari) and later Eastern Ganga dynasties, when Shaivite rulers transformed Bhubaneswar into the “City of Temples.” Walking these lanes is like reading a living textbook of temple architecture.

---

Heritage Walk Potential and Missed Opportunities

Many smaller temples need better upkeep. A curated 2–3 km walking trail from Lingaraj Temple could become a high-value cultural experience with modest investment. Odisha Tourism does have heritage walks, but they are neither structured nor marketed well. At our hotel, a private company advertised guided walks costing ₹4,000–₹5,000 for a couple—premium pricing that makes it inaccessible for most travellers.

This reminded me of the Ahmedabad Old City Heritage Walk, which remains the benchmark for how city walks can be curated, priced, and marketed.

Coming soon:
A detailed standalone Travel Bugs blog : Bhubaneswar temple architecture and heritage walk guide

---

Returning to Lingaraj Temple for Darshan

After visiting the shrines, we returned to Lingaraj Temple. By then, the crowds had reduced. We could go inside, almost up to the sanctum sanctorum, and have a proper darshan of Lord Shiva and other deities in the complex. Once inside, you realise the scale, ornamentation, and spiritual gravitas of the temple. It is one of those spaces where architecture amplifies devotion.

And that is how we concluded Day 1 in Bhubaneswar—tired, satisfied, and spiritually grounded.

---

Day 2: Puri Jagannath Temple Pilgrimage Experience

Day two began on a relaxed note. We woke up late, had a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, and around 11 AM decided to head to Shree Kshetra Puri. We shifted to Puri after a restful morning. Since the sun sets early in the eastern part of India, arriving at the Jagannath Temple in the late afternoon allowed us to witness the Dhwaja (flag-changing) ritual—one of the most fascinating daily ceremonies.

What follows in Puri is a unique rhythm—devotion, prasad, crowds, chaos, and a deeply honest coastal vibe.

---

The Evening Dhwaja Ritual

Every evening, without fail, the temple flag is changed by temple servitors who climb the massive shikhara using chains—without modern safety gear. Watching them move deftly along the tower for 40–45 minutes is humbling.

It is a rare mix of devotion, physical endurance, and tradition that has continued uninterrupted for centuries.

---

Beach Walk and Puri Crowds

We walked towards the beach, but it was overly crowded with hawkers and tourists. After spending some time at a hotel near the beach, we returned to our hotel to rest before heading back to the temple for a late-evening darshan.

---

Late-Night Darshan and Anand Bazar Prasad

Around 9 PM, we entered the Jagannath Temple again and managed to have two very good darshans. Late-night temple visits have their own charm—the crowds are different, and the energy is calmer. Post darshan, we went to Anand Bazar, where temple prasad is sold to devotees. This was a deeply gratifying experience—eating within the temple premises feels spiritually grounding.

There are two types of prasad:

• Wet Prasad: Rice, dal, vegetables—meant to be consumed immediately.
• Dry Prasad: Items like Khaja and other sweets, which can be carried home and distributed to friends and family.

We took both and returned to the hotel around 10 PM, calling it a day because the next morning was planned for an early special darshan. Thus concluded out Day 2 of three day trip in Odisha.

Listen to Audio story: Legend of King Indradyumna

---

Day 3: Early Darshan, and Konark Festival

We began Day 3 at 5 AM to meet a Panda for a special 6 AM darshan. The early window—from 6 to 8 AM—offers the best proximity to the sanctum railing and a far quieter experience compared to the previous evening. The Panda guided us through the Vimala Devi shrine, Narasimha, Lakshmi, and other inner sanctums, narrating stories about the smaller temples within the Jagannath complex. The micro-legends he shared made each stone and step suddenly speak.

---

The Four Dwars and Yamashila

Each gate of the Jagannath Temple has a guardian animal:

• West Gate: Tiger
• North Gate: Elephant
• East Gate: Lion
• South Gate: Horse

At the East Gate lies the Yamashila, a black stone step where tradition asks you to symbolically leave behind negative karmas. You step on it, say “Jai Jagannath”, and enter with your better self—leaving behind bad karmas and committing to good karmas going forward.

---

The Legendary Temple Kitchen

We also saw the massive temple kitchen, believed to be among the largest functioning temple kitchens in the world. Food is cooked in large earthen pots stacked vertically over wood-fired chulhas, not fossil fuels, and feeds thousands of devotees daily.

Watching this system was fascinating—engineering and devotion in action.

---

Morning Darshan and Sunrise at Puri Beach

After visiting the gates, temples, and kitchen, we returned to the main temple for darshan. We could go almost up to the sanctum sanctorum and clearly see Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra Devi. We completed our darshan by around 7:30 AM and walked to the beach.

The early morning Puri Beach experience was serene and beautiful. The sunrise was calm, hawkers were absent, and the beach felt like it did 30 years ago—quiet, spacious, and soulful. Change is inevitable, but moments like this preserve the old Puri in memory.

---

Odisha Handloom Shopping

After breakfast, we visited the state emporium to buy local textiles. Odisha is famous for its handloom traditions including Sambalpuri Ikat – known for vibrant geometric patterns, and Bomkai , which has intricate borders and tribal motifs. Kotpad has natural vegetable-dyed textiles, while Khandua has temple-linked silk fabrics traditionally used for Lord Jagannath

We picked up a couple of dress materials as keepsakes—functional souvenirs with cultural depth.

---

Konark Sand Art, Sun Temple and Dance Festival

Just before travelling to Odisha, we had seen an advertisement for the Konark Sand Art and Dance Festival. When we realised it coincided with our trip, we booked the bus tour from Puri.

---

Chandrabhaga Beach Sand Art

By afternoon, we took the short bus trip to Konark. The first stop was Chandrabhaga Beach, which hosted stunning sand sculptures created by artists from across India and overseas. The creativity, scale, and detail were impressive.

---

The Sun Temple: Memory vs Preservation

The Sun Temple carvings and chariot imagery remain unmatched in finesse. Thirty years ago, I remember entering the sanctum and exploring the inner areas. Today, the sanctum is closed for conservation. It is a bittersweet reminder—while we miss access, preservation is necessary so future generations can see this marvel.

---

Dance against the backdrop of the Konark Sun Temple

After a quick snack at the tourism centre, we attended the evening performances at an open amphitheatre. Watching Odissi and Bharatanatyam against the Sun Temple backdrop felt like watching living sculptures perform in front of ancient sculptures. The Konark Festival usually happens in early December and is a brilliant time to experience both sand art and classical dance.

Konark festival against the backdrop of the mighty Konark Sun Temple

---

The Final Odisha Feast

After two-plus hours of performances, we had dinner at the tourism centre. The spread included Dalma, rice, Rasagulla, Chhena Poda, and Pitha Poda. In a way, we completed our Odisha culinary checklist on the last evening. We were dropped back at the hotel around 11 PM—ending Day 3 on a gratifying high that began with Jagannath darshan and ended at the Sun Temple.

---

Day 4: Returning to Bengaluru and Closing Reflections

The day of our departure back to Bengaluru was an early morning start as we travelled back from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru. By mid-morning, we were back home—carrying memories that felt both nostalgic and newly minted.

We didn’t plan on writing a Odisha temple circuit travel guide. But this trip reminded me how revisiting a place after decades gives you two journeys in one—the journey you remember and the journey you experience now. Bhubaneswar’s temples, Puri’s devotion, Konark’s artistry, and Odisha’s cuisine came together to create something deeply grounding.

Some places change. Some rituals endure. Some memories resurface. And some journeys quietly elevate you.

---

---

FAQ

When is Nabakalebara performed?

Nabakalebara occurs when the lunar calendar has an extra Ashadha month, roughly every 12–19 years. During this ritual, the idols are renewed and the soul (Brahma Tatva) is transferred to new vigrahas in strict secrecy.

What is the best time to visit Puri and Konark?

The best time is October to February when the weather is pleasant. Early December is particularly recommended if you want to attend the Konark Sand Art and Dance Festival.

What are the main temples in Bhubaneswar?

The main temples include Lingaraj Temple (the crown jewel), Anand Vasudeva Temple, Parshurameshwar Temple, Mukteshwar Temple, and Rajarani Temple. Bhubaneswar is known as Ekamra Kshetra and features temples dating from the 7th to 13th centuries.

What are Odisha’s most famous handloom textiles?

Odisha’s famous handloom traditions include Sambalpuri Ikat (vibrant geometric patterns), Bomkai (intricate borders and tribal motifs), Kotpad (natural vegetable-dyed textiles), and Khandua (temple-linked silk fabrics traditionally used for Lord Jagannath).

---

---

This post titled “Returning to Odisha After 30 Years: Bhubaneswar-Puri-Konark Temple Circuit” was published under category “TravelBugs” and last updated January 24, 2026.