Welcome back to my blog. I like to express gratitude for reading my blogs. Today I will share my childhood memory of visiting the Lord Jagganath Dham in Puri.

Pilgrimage for most Bengalis starts and ends with the temple town of Odisha,, Puri. It is like killing two birds with one arrow. You can enjoy the beautiful beach and also visit the famous Temple of Lord Jagannath. 

Back then, I was eleven years old and still wearing a half-pant. Our mode of travel was a bus. A cook was travelling with us. Ration of a few days is also in reserve. It was in 1997; 27 years have passed since then. The cost of the tour was Rs. 500 per person, including all costs. Today,  you cannot dine in a good restaurant at this value.

A bus full of revellers, songs playing in  speakers—it was a different experience. I was looking out the windows. Our bus was running through unknown roads, leaving behind many human settlements, fields, rivers, and time.

Our bus developed some glitches in the engine. We had to stop at a non-descript location. Sunflower fields are on both sides of the road. In one clearing beside sunflower trees, our cook lights up the oven for the preparation of lunch. 

We reached Puri in the evening. Our bus was parked a kilometre away from the sea. We took an auto to reach our hotel. The sea was clearly visible from our hotel lawn. This was my first glance at the boundless sphere of blue water. Never ending wave of water lashed on the sand bank. A continuous sound of the sea enchanted all my senses. 

One elderly gentleman from our neighbourhood was travelling together. He was telling me many stories about Puri and the legends of Lord Jagganath. He had a pouch full of coins ranging from quater to a full rupee. The elderly gentleman offered those coins to the people in need, who were sitting on the side of the road, performing austerities. 

I was a little bit afraid of the vast sea. Contrary to this, my little sister was enjoying bathing in the sea. Smartphones were still far away from our imagination, and people with cameras hanging from their necks were all over the beach. In the evening, we sat on the beach. Tea and snack shops placed chairs in front of their counters. The beach was crowded. There were shopping counters for ornaments made from shells, toys for kids, and mementos, among others. 

One day was reserved for visiting the Temple of Lord Jagannath. On those days, devotees were allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. We had the privilege to see the idol of the Lord of the Universe in close proximity. The pandas were lashing sticks on our shoulders. I manoeuvred my body to escape the stick. We also visited many other temples, including the famous Masir Bari (Aunt's Home) of the Lord of the Universe.

The Puri tour is incomplete without the prasad of Lord Jagannath, Khaja. Numerous shops on every street sell “khaja.”. 

We also visited the famous Surya Temple of Konarak and the Zoo at Nandankanan. This tour is one of my favourite childhood memories.

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