Puri Weather Information

HISTORY OF PURI
History of Puri dates back to the period when the town was inhabited by the Sabaras, a PreDravidian and Pre-Aryan tribe belonging to the Austro-Asiatic family. During the 7th and 8th centuries, Puri had been a provincial outpost that linked eastern India with the South. Owing to its religious association with Sankaracharya (a Hindu reformer), Puri became one of the new centers for the practice of reformed Hinduism. In fact, Puri became an important center of pilgrimage by the 12th century. The history in Puri also proves that Sri Ramanuja visited Puri during 1107 and 1117. Sri Ramanuja was followed by Vishnu Swami, who is known to establish the Vishnuswami Matha, near Markandeshwar Tank. With the arrival of the Gangas in the 12th century, Puri emerged as one of the centers of Vaishnavism. Anantavarman Chodaganga, one of the powerful rulers of Puri, established the Purusottama temple in 1135. Purusottama Temple later came to be known as the Jagannath Temple in the 15th century. Under the Mughals, Orissa was divided into three revenue collection circars. The three circars of Orissa included Bhadrak, Jaleswar and Kataka with Puri being a part of the Kataka circar. The history of Puri also reveals that in the 16th century, Puri was captured by the Afghans. The Afghans destroyed the Jagannath temple and reduced it to ruins. The temple was restored by the Marathas, who ruled Orissa for a short time. Under the British, the Jagannath temple was managed by the King of Orissa. The temple is also said to enjoy certain privileges under the British. Until 1816, Puri remained the capital of Orissa, as well as the headquarters of the Collector. In 1806, the government rejected the proposal of shifting the headquarters to Jajpur but in 1814, the headquarters were transferred to Cuttack. The headquarters was shifted back to Puri in the month of December, 1814. In 1816, the headquarters was again shifted back to Cuttack. Historical facts about Puri reveal that Orissa was culled from Bihar in 1936. In 1948, Puri was integrated with Orissa (1st January, 1948). Until 1995, the province continued to be divided. The territory of Puri was divided into 3 subdivisions in 1995. Presently, the district of Puri comprises of the Puri Sadar division.

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Origin of The Name of Puri

The origin of the name of Puri can be traced from the works of Hieun Tsang. Cunningham opines that the original name of Puri was Charitra. According to Cunningham, Hieun Tsang referred to the town as Che-li-ta-lo but there is a doubt regarding the identification of the town with Che-li-ta-lo. Puri emerged as the seat of Vaishnavism during the reign of Choganga Deva. He built a temple at Puri. The temple came to be known as Purusottam temple and the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra were worshipped in it. The region became famous as the abode of Purusottam. Thus, the region came to be known as Purusottam Kshetra. In Anargharaghava Natakam, a drama written in the 9th century, the name Purusottam is used for the town. Moreover, during the Saka Year 1151-52 (1229-30 AD), the province was known as Purusottam Kshetra. The Mughals also used the name Purusottam Kshetra. The Mughals and the Marathas referred to the place as Purusottam Chattar. The province is also referred to as Purusottam Chattar in the official records of the early British rulers. Moreover, in the history of Puri we also find Purusottam Kshetra being referred to as Purusottam Puri. Instances of Purusottam Puri referred to as Puri is also very common. Earlier records prove that the territory was also known as Pooree.

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Puri Facts
Puri offers sandy beaches and temples for tourists coming to Orissa. The city is ideally located on the coastline at a distance of 65KM from Bhubaneshwar. The holy city is known all over India for its Jagannath temple. Another fascinating temple near to Puri is Konark Sun God Temple. Here we have presented some very interesting facts and figures about Puri:

Interesting Facts on Puri Location: Located on eastern side of Orissa. Bhubaneshwar - 60 KM Oriya is the official language. Hindi and English are also widely spoken. Summer (March-June), Rainy (July-September), Winter (October-February). Hinduism is the major religion. Puri has a good local transport system. Taxis and rickshaw are easily available for sightseeing. Bhubaneshwar - 60 KM Between October to March. Jagannath Temple Puri Beach CT Road Sun Temple of Konark Chandrabhaga Sea Beach Chilika Lake Satapada Dolphin Sanctuary Alarnath Temple Pipili Famous for Applique Work Raghurajpur Famous for Patta Chitra.

Languages: Weather in Puri:

Religion: Transportation:

Nearest Airport: Best Time to Visit Puri: Puri Tourist Attractions:

Tourist Places near Puri:

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Puri Map
Puri is the holy city of Orissa located in Eastern part of India. The city is known world over for Jagannath Temple and its beaches. Another attraction near Puri is Konark Sun Temple, dedicated to Sun Temple. This world heritage site is just 35 Kms from Puri city. You will get to know everything about Puri with this travel map. The map shows major tourist attractions along with coastline and road network in the holy city.

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How To Reach Puri

The nearest airport is Bhubaneswar, 60 km. Reaching Puri through Rail - Puri is a terminus on the East Coast Railway having direct express and super fast train links with New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Okha, Ahmedabad, Tirupati etc. Some important trains are Kolkata (Howrah) Puri Howrah Express, Jagannath Express; New Delhi; Purushottam Express. Khurda Road Station, 44 km, from Puri is convenient rail head for train to Chennai and Western India. The station is about one km North of the town. Cycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws compete aggressively to get you to a hotel. Reaching Puri through Road - The bus stand near the Gundicha Temple provides connections to Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, service every 10-15 minutes. Minibuses to Konark leave every 2030 minutes and also from Jatiababa Chhak. There are direct buses for Kolkata and Visakhapatnam. For Getting around puri - cycle rickshaws are available all over town. Auto rickshaws are also available but every few in numbers. Bicycle, moped or a motorcycle can be hired easily from several outlets on the Chakratirtha (CT) Road for trips to the coast and to Konark. Most travel agents in the city provide this service.

Puri Geography
Puri is located at 1948 N 8551 E / 19.8N 85.85E. It has an average elevation of 0 metres A study of Puri geography reveals that Puri is divided two natural regions, the littoral tract and the level alluvial tract.
The littoral tract of Puri is a sandy ridge that is said to be an accumulation of the wind blown sand. The width of the littoral tract varies from 6.5 kilometers to a few hundred meters. It stretches along the sea coast and forms the dividing line separating the Chilka Lake and the Ocean. The level alluvial tract is a region that covers the villages and the rice fields. The rice fields of the level alluvial tract are watered by a number of channels that mainly comprises of the distributaries of the river Mahanadi. Through the rice fields, the distributaries make their way towards the sea. The physiography of Puri also boasts of a sea-coast bay. The sea-coast of Puri is about 150.4

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kilometers in length. It is marked by sandy ridges that stretch into Ganjam and Jagatsingpur. The sandy ridges are formed due to the strong monsoon currents that blow over the area for about 8 months. The ridges that vary in width from 7 kilometers to a few meters prevent the rivers of Puri from draining into ocean. Puri geography is incomplete without a reference to the drainage system of Puri. An estimate of the drainage system of Puri is as follows:
y y y y y

Daya Prachi Bhargabi Kushabhadra Kadua

Besides, the geography of Puri also features:

y y

Islands - Although, we do not come across any island in Puri; yet it noteworthy that Chilka Lake is separated by a group of Islands from the Bay of Bengal. Lakes - The Chilka Lake and the Sar Lake are two important lakes of Puri.

Weather of Puri
Weather of Puri - Located on India's eastern coast, the cool breeze from the Bay of Bengal makes the tropical weather in Puri more bearable as compared to interior Orissa. The summer months from March to May are hot and humid, with temperatures rising to over 39 C. Puri faces the south west monsoon in June, and temperatures fall to around 28 C till October. The rainfall peaks to around 250 mm during July and August, and dips to approximately 127 mm by October. Winter in Puri makes its presence felt from November, when temperatures start falling to maintain an average of 16 centigrade in December and January. Cold winds from the North North east keep the temperatures low in spite of the bright sunshine. However, this is the most pleasant time of the year for visitors to Puri.

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Summer - March to May Average Maximum Temperature 36 C

Average Minimum Temperature 24 C Average Precipitation 40 mm

Winter - November to February Average Maximum Temperature 28 C

Average Minimum Temperature 17 C Average Precipitation Monsoon - June to October Average Maximum Temperature 32 C 23 mm

Average Minimum Temperature 25 C Average Precipitation 220 mm

Demography of Puri
Demography of Puri gives a picture of the structure and distribution of population in the city. Formal demography has, in the recent time, become more or less synonymous with population and as per the census of 2001, the city of Puri is home to a total population of 157,610. Of this, 82,229 are males which is 52% of the entire population. The females constitute 48% of the population in Puri, counting to 75,381 heads. 15,802 of the total population of Puri are under the age of 6 years. This is 10% of the total population count. Puri demography also reflects the literacy rate of the city. There are 118,449 literates in Puri, making the average literacy rate to be 75% which is much higher the national average of 59.5%. Around 80% of the male population of Puri, counting to be 65,727 male population, is literate. 70% of the females in Puri are literate which encompasses 52, 722 heads. The majority of the population of Puri is Hindus and 87% of the people of Puri speak Oriya. Hindi, Bengali and English are the other languages which are spoken by the people of Puri.

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Puri Beach
Fine white sands, roar of the breakers rolling in from the Bay of Bengal and countless devotees flocking the place for a purification dip are the synonyms to the Puri Beach. The beach has continued to be a sacred venue for an endless number of pilgrims coming to pay homage to Lord Jagannath. With the annual Beach Festival taking place in November, the beach has now become a favorite haunt of both Indian and foreign beach lovers. Located at a mere distance of 35 kms from the Sun Temple and 65 kms from Bhubaneshwar, the beach is an ideal place for an introvert holiday maker for the scarcity of crowd here. The beaches of Puri are also renowned for the sand sculptures created particularly by the internationally famed Sudarshan Patnaik. The subjects are generally inspired by sculptures covering the temple walls, characters and episodes from the mythology and also the contemporary events. An entire beach stretch can be completely yours given the immense number of beaches in Orissa and a comparatively lower number of fun lovers, the city being a popular pilgrimage point for Indians. The beach at Puri offers a unique opportunity to witness the striking sunrise and the sunset on the same beach. Often crowded with holiday makers bathing in the afternoon, and enjoying the brightly lit kiosks in the night, the stretches, parallel to the main Marine Drive Road, form the domain of the domestic tourists, with a row of hotels, food stalls and kiosks selling souvenirs. A comparatively clean and quite place for sunbathing and a relaxed swim can be found at the eastern end. Local fishermen easily distinguishable by their triangular straw hats and dhotis serve as lifeguards on the beach, and take visitors out to sea in their boats to watch the sunsets. On the Chakratirtha side, the long stretch of golden sand is more tranquil and pleasant place to stroll. Take enough precaution while swimming as the currents can be treacherous in Puri. It is interesting to visit a fishing village along the coast, with dozens of boats made of solid trunks ply off the coast during the day. Once landed, the rich catch of prawn, pamphlets and other fishes drawn into the nets is transferred to baskets. The best time to pay a visit is around dawn, when the fishermen head out from the village and row the fleet towards the rising sun over the sea.

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Puri Beach Festival

Puri Beach Festival - As its very name suggests, the Puri Beach Festival is held on a beautiful beach namely Sea Beach, Swargadwara at Puri and comes as a celebration of the beauteous and splendid Oriya spirit. This feast for the fun lovers at the city is conducted by the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO), co-sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the Department of Tourism, Government of Orissa, Development Commissioner of Handicrafts and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Center, Calcutta. Being a festival of various classical and folk dances of India, this festival offers a unique opportunity to the visitors to interact with the local populace and enjoy the bountiful charms of Orissa. The festival is also marked by an exhibition of Handicrafts, Handloom and Sand Art. To add more fun to the festival, events like fashion shows and rock shows are also made a part of it that leaves every present soul extremely happy and delighted.

Jagannath Temple (Puri)

Jagannath Temple Puri - The land of Lord Jagannath, meaning 'Lord of Universe', is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in India. One of the four divine abodes lying on four directions of the compass; The Jagannath temple in Puri was built approximately 12th Century AD by King Chodaganga of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. The completion was later brought about by his descendant, Anangabhima Deva, during the 12th century. One of the most revered of all temples of Lord Vishnu in eastern India, the Jagannath Temple was built in the classical temple building phase. Protected by two surrounding walls, the conical tower of the temple is 58 mts high on which the flag and the wheel of Lord Vishnu can be seen.

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Dedicated to Krishna, Balabhadra and Subhadra, the temple has these three as principal deities. Similar to the Lingaraja temple in Bhubaneshwar, this temple is also close for Non-Hindus who contend themselves by just viewing it from outside its precincts. Mahaprasada Maha-prasada is pure vegetarian spiritual food offered to Lord Jagannath. Just by eating this mahaprasada one makes great spiritual advancement. Everyday, 56 varieties of prasada are offered to Lord Jagannath. The preparations are made traditionally and no onion, garlic, chillies or many varieties of vegetables (considered alien) are not used. These offerings, after being made to Lord Jagannath, are then offered to Goddess Bimala Devi in the temple precincts which then becomes Mahaprasadam. This Mahaprasadam is considered very efficacious for spiritual liberation. One should respectfully honor the Mahaprasadam sitting on the floor. This Mahaprasadam is available daily after 3-5 pm. This is sold outside the sanctorum area but within the temple premises. The Mahaprasadam remains hot for a long time as it is kept in the same earthen pots which are used to cook it. Normally, mahaprasadam means a few small pots of vegetables, dhal, and a pot of rice ten times the size of the small pots.

Architecture of Jagannath Temple

The architecture of the temple follows the pattern of many Orissan temples of the classical period. The main shikhara, or tower, rises above the inner sanctum where the deities reside. Subsidiary shikharas rise above ante-halls. The temple complex is surrounded by a wall, on each side of which is a gopura or gate, over which rises a pyramid-shaped roof. Being the largest temple in the state, it has a complex covering several square blocks with dozens of structures including a mammoth kitchen. The main temple structure of this architectural and cultural wonder is 65m (214 feet) high and is built on elevated ground, making it look more imposing. Comprising an area of 10.7 acres, the temple complex is enclosed by two rectangular walls. The outer enclosure is called Meghanada Prachira, 200m (665 ft) by 192m (640 ft). The inner wall is called Kurmabedha, 126m (420 ft) by 95m (315 ft). There are thirty-six traditional communities (Chatisha Niyaga) who render a specific hereditary service to the deities. The temple has as many as 6,000 priests.

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There is a wheel on top of the Jagannath Temple made of an alloy of eight metals (asta-dhatu). It is called the Nila Chakra (Blue Wheel), and is 3.5m (11 ft 8 in) high with a circumference of about 11m (36 ft). Every day, a different flag is tied to a mast attached to the Nila Chakra. Every Ekadasi, a lamp is lit on top of the temple near the wheel. There are four gates: the eastern Singhadwara (Lion Gate), the southern Ashwadwara (Horse Gate), the western Vyaghradwara (Tiger Gate), and the northern Hastidwara (Elephant Gate). There is a carving of each form by the entrance of each gate. The Lion Gate, which is the main gate, is located on Grand Road. Thirty different smaller temples surround the main temple. The Narasimha Temple, adjacent to the western side of the Mukti-mandapa, is said to have been constructed before this temple even.

Legend of Jagannath Temple

According to the legend, Indrayumna, the king of Malava in Sata Yuga, was a great devotee of Vishnu. Once the king dreamt of Nilamadhava Vishnu and was curious to know where that particular form of the Lord was worshipped. Therefore, he sent his emissaries in four directions to find this. Brahmin Vidyapati was sent to the east. He came to Utkala and entered Savara village where he took shelter in the house of the Savara King Visvavasu. Lalita, king's daughter, fell in love with Vidyapati and the latter got married to her to extract information about Nilamadhava. Visvavasu used to go to the forest every morning to worship Nilamadhava installed in Niakandara (Blue cave). Vidyapati thus coaxed his wife to request her father to allow him to see Nilamadhava. Visvavasu agreed on the condition that Vidyapati will be taken to the shrine and brought back from there with a blindfold. On hearing this, Vidyapati went to his wife and asked her to make such an arrangement that he may subsequently know the path. Lalita gave him some sesame seeds to be scattered on the side of the road he followed so that he might know the path when sesame plants grew up during the rains. Accordingly, Vidyapati was taken to Nilakandara where he saw Nilamadhava. Later, when Vasu Savara offered food to the deity, he did not take it as usual to the king's dismay. At this, a divine voice was heard. It said, "we would no longer continue to be worshipped by you. Oh! Vasu, we will change the present Nilamadhava form and assume Daru form. We shall be worshipped in the temple by Raja Indradyumna". The king came back from the blue cave with a very heavy heart losing his deity. Vidyapati too bade farewell to his wife and father-in-law and started for Malava. Having heard the story, King

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Indradyumna started with his retinue for Utkal to see Nilamadhava. On reaching Nilakandara, he found it vacant. But a voice from the air told him to construct a temple on Nilasaila (Blue Mountain). Hearing this, the king ordered the construction to begin. On completion of the temple, the king went to Brahmaloka to invite Brahma to consecrate the temple. But, Brahma being in meditation, he had to wait for nine Yugas. The temple thus got buried in sand in his absence. In the mean time, a new dynasty came to rule at Utkala. Galamadhva, a king of that dynasty, detected the buried temple. He was considering installing images in the temple when Indradyumna with Lord Brahma appeared before him. Both the kings had a tussle over the ownership of the temple. However, Lord Brahma decided in favor of Indradyumna and asked him to install deities in the temple. Now, the king was at a loss as to where to find the deities from. Therefore, god told him in his dream that he would be floating in the sea in the form of a log of wood. Then Sage Narada assured Indradyumna that Vishnu would appear to him in the temple form of three wooden images. When a big tree, radiant with light was seen floating in the sea, Narada told the king to make three idols out of it and place them in a pavilion. Indradyumna got Visvakarma, the architect of Gods, to build a magnificent temple to house the idols and Vishnu himself appeared in the guise of a carpenter to make the idols on condition that he was to be left undisturbed until he finished the work. But just after two weeks, the Queen became very anxious. She took the carpenter to be dead as no sound came from the temple. Therefore, she requested the king to open the door. Thus, they went to see Vishnu at work at which the latter abandoned his work leaving the idols unfinished. But a divine voice told Indradyumana to install them in the temple. The three idols represent the god Jagannath, his elder brother, Balabhadra and their sister, Subhadra. The wooden idols being worshipped are renewed during special occasions. This wooden idol prepared from a log of wood floating on the ocean finds a mention in the Rig Veda, where it is referred to as Purushottama.

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Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary Chilka Lake

The Chilka Lake in Orissa is Asia's largest inland salt-water lagoon. Situeded with small islands- including the picturesquely-named Honeymoon Island and Breakfast Island- the lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal by a sandy ridge. The pear-shaped lake spreads across 1,100 sq km, and has a unique ecosystem with a range of aquatic flora and fauna found in and around its brackish waters. An impressive array of bird life, both native and migrant, makes Chilka one of the best places in India for a bit of satisfying bird-watching.

Flora
The lake hourbours the "aquatic vegetation" of its own and is typically represents by Algal forms (e.g. Chaetomorpha and Enteromorpha widely distributed algae followed by Lyngbya, Ulva, Cladophora and others like Gloeocapsa, Nostoc, Sprigyra, Oedogonium, Chara, Nitella, Gracilaria etc.), a number of Diatoms/Phytoplanktons and a few species of brackish water submerged phanerogams like Potamogeton pectinatus, Halophila ovalis, Ruppia maritima, Naja faveolata, Hydrilla verticellata and Ceratophyllum demersum etc. Some floating plants like Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes and Azolla pinnata etc. enter the like with flood water but disappear after a few months. The communities of Schoenoplectus littoralis in association with Eleocharis dulce, Phragmites karka, Myrostachya wightii & many other grasses and sedges also exist in shallow muddy areas.

Species like Salicornia brachiata, Suaeda maritima, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Phyla nodiflora, Heliotropium curassavicum & some others occur in marshes and salt fields along the edges and other shallow areas. The present scanty littoral and scrub jungles on lake margin, islands and rocky faces are represented by the species like Salvadora presica, Pongamia pinnata, Colubrina asiatica, Cassipourea ceylonica, Aegiceras corniculatum, Azima tetracantha, Pisonia aculeata, Clerodendron inerme, Carmona retusa, Carissa spinarumm, Crateva spinarumm, Meytinus emarginatus, Opuntia dillenii, Ficus sps., Crateva adansonii spp., Lepisanthes tetraphylla, Streblus asper etc. and a number of climbers/twinners and herbaceous ground flora. The dunes & sandy areas of the beaches near lake have the floral composition of their own, favoured in the conditions they offer. The land lying between Sea and Lagoon exhibits rich growth of casuarina equisetifolia, planted by Forest Dept.

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Fauna
There is a wide varity of animal life forms representing various groups of Animal Kingdom (ranging from Protozoa, Porifera, Polyzoa, Brachiopoda, Coelenterata, Ctenophora, Isopoda, Echiura, Sipuncula, Chaetognatha, Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Crustacea, Arachinida, Insecta, Mollusca to Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mamals). The more details of some of these fauna arefurnished here. Around 158 species of fishes and prawns have so far been recorded.Crabs like Scylla serrata & Neptunus pelagicus are the predominent types available here. Oyster (e.g. Ostrea talpur, Arca, Meretix etc.) occurs in small patches. Nearabout countless types of Amphibians Reptiles viz. Snakes, Lizards, Turtles & Crocodiles. Discovery of Limbless skink (Barakudia insularis), a rare reptile which was reported first time from loose soil of Barakudia island by Annandale (1917), attaches much significance to this place. The Dolphins have been reported mostly near Satapada-Magarmukha area and occasionally between Kalijai and Balugaon. Other mammals reported from small pockets in the surrounding hlls/forests/scattered islands & amidst the vegetation of sandy ridge facing Chilika and Sea include Black bucks (Antilope cervicara), Spotted deer, Fox, Jackal, Hyaena, Jungle Cat, Hare, Rat, Pachyura (an insectivora), Common bat, Otter, Common mongoose, Monkey, Squirrel, Porcupine etc. General Information State : Orissa Location : southwest of Puri Area : 1,100 sq km Best time to visit : October to March

TURTLE SANCTUARY Gahirmatha

The 35 km Gahirmatha coast in the Kendrapara District of Orissa is also the nesting ground of the giant Olive Ridley sea turtles. By virtue of being one of the three mass breeding sites (arribada), Gahirmatha is also a world heritage site that you ought to visit especially during October - February season on your tour to Gahirmatha, Orissa. This mass nesting beach of Gahirmatha was declared as a Turtle Sanctuary in 1979 after attempts to restore the ecological balance by declaring Bhitarkanika as a wildlife sanctuary in 1975. Spread over an area of 1435 sq km, Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary has been a preferred place for the Olive Ridley sea turtles that travel across oceans from as far as the south pacific to breed on the sauted sands of Gahirmatha. The Orissa state government along with the sincere efforts of international and regional NGOs has been able to create a safe habitat for the giant turtles to

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prevent their extinction. This has been possible by adhering to strict legislature that bans the fishing trawlers and clamps down on the nearby industries. Once considered a delicacy by locals who caught the turtles that accidentally got entangled in their fishing nets, today their condition is slowly returning towards normalcy. You too can witness this revival of the Giant Olive Ridley sea turtles famous all over the world for their epic annual journeys through oceans to breed and recuperate. On your tour to the marine sanctuary at Gahirmatha, watch these marvelous creatures thrive while taking care to avoid disturbing the carefully reassembled natural habitat with your inquisitiveness. Close to Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary is the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park that is the second largest Mangrove ecosystem in India and is known for its crocodiles, creeks and canals, and kingfishers. On your tour to Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary, with Tourism of Orissa tour packages, you can also visit the nearby tourist attractions. The 9th century Lord Shiva Temple in Dangmal; Temple of Nahak Babu built in sandstone; Ratnagiri, Lailtgiri and Udaygiri Buddhist complex; or Chandipur Beach are the other prominent tourist attractions near Gahirmatha Turtle Sanctuary.Easily accessible by air (Bhubaneswar, Kolkata), waterways (Chandabali, Ragnagar and Gupti) and rail (Bhadrak, Balsore, Cuttack and Bhubaneswar); you can stay at the many hotels and lodges around Gahirmatha Turtle (Marine) Sanctuary on your tour, arranged by Tourism of Orissa.