Sanjay, one of our regular readers in India is justifiably proud of
Puri, the area in which he lives. He wants to tell us about the Chariot
Festival: Puri, on the shores of the bay of Bengal is one of the holiest
places in India. It was “discovered” by pot smoking backpackers
in the early 1960s. The Jagannath Temple at Puri comprises one of the
four dhams (holy places) for Hindus and is on India’s pilgrimage
circuit. The temple, built in the 12th century stands 65m high and is
in the heart of the town. The temple complex contains over 100 other smaller
temples of different Gods and Goddesses. You can also find one of the
finest beaches in India in Puri where beautiful and complex sand statues
are constructed from sand, on the beach.

The chariot festival is an annual event, attracting many thousands of
pilgrims and tourists and takes place during the early monsoon season.
This year, it fell on June 23rd. It is an amazing spectacle: the God of
the Universe, together with his brother and sister ride along the road
in a chariot in three chariots. The procession starts from the Jagannath
Temple and continues to another temple where it stays for eight days before
setting off back to their own temples.

Puri is connected by train and by road. There are also flights from
Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay and Bangalore. There is accommodation for everyone,
ranging from $4 a night to over $100 a night. Sanjay in Puri tells us
that he has recently formed a backpackers community club in Puri called
Rangers where rooms/dorms cost from US $ 4 a night.To get in touch
with Sanjay, contact the Beetle:Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk

Next month: hiking in the Grand Canyon