Dhauli
Ashokan Rock Edicts a memory of the gruesome wars that transformed Ashoka, the great warrior into a Buddhist missionary. King Ashoka had his famous edicts carved onto a rock halfway up a hill at Dhauli, 8 km south of Bhubaneshwar in 260 BC. There is a Peace Pagoda built in collaboration with the Kalinga- Japanese Sangha, on the opposite hill.

Pipli
Is a village famous for its applique work, originally made only for the temple Gods.

Sakshi Gopal
Is one of the famous ancient temples enroute to Konark.

Puri
The seaside resort of Puri, 60km is one of the four dhams (holiest Hindu pilgrimage places in India). Religious life in the city revolves around the great Jagannath Temple and its famous Rath Yatra, or Car Festival. It is thought that Puri was the hiding place for Buddha's tooth before it was spirited away to Kandy in Sri Lanka. There are similarities between the Rath Yatra and the annual Kandy perahera (procession).

Jagannath Temple
Jagannath Puri is one of the four dhams of Hindus, the others being Dwarka in Gujarat (west), Badrinath in Uttar Pradesh (north) and Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu (south). Non-Hindus are permissible into the temple.

The temple is dedicated to Jagannath, embodiment of Lord Vishnu. It was built in its present form in 1198. The conical tower of the temple is 58m high and is topped by the flag and wheel of Vishnu.

The beautiful pillar before the entrance is crowned by an image of Garuda that originally stood at the Konark temple. The entrance being guarded by two stone lions is known as the Lion Gate. The southern, eastern and northern gates are decorated with statues of men on horseback, tigers and elephants respectively.

Images of Jagannath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra are seen in the central assembly hall, the jagamohan. The images of brothers have arms but of Subhadra does not have any arms. Curious images are carved from tree trunks, in a child like caricature of a human face.

Rath Yatra (Car Festival)
Rath Yatra is one of India's greatest annual events when the journey of cars is set forth from the Jagannath temple and takes place in June or July. Lord Krishna's journey commemorates from Gokul to Mathura. The images of Jagannath, his brother and his sister are dragged in huge cars called 'rathas' 1 km down the wide Grand Road to Gundicha Mandir (Garden House).

The main ratha stands 14m high and rides on 16 wheels, each about 2m in diameter. Word 'juggernaut'has been derived from this hoard of rathas. Centuries ago, devotees were used to throw themselves beneath the wheels of the rathas to die before god. Over 4000 professional car pullers who are employees of the temple pull these rathas. Pilgrims over all over India throng the city to witness this astounding scene. It takes great effort to pull these huge, cumbersome rathas.

The gods are dismounted from the rathas once they reach Gundicha Mandir (Garden House or Aunt's House) and stay there for a week, returning with the same fervor that they had come a week ago. After the festival is over the cars then broken up are used for firewood in the communal kitchens inside the temple or for the funeral pyre. Each year new rathas are constructed for the festivals. New images of gods are made at intervals of 8, 11 or 19 years, discarding the earlier ones.