[AJ-got-BHP]

22nd of April 2015 : The very next day to Akshaya Tritiya (also known as Akha Teej) it was a very regular day at work till the time while having my lunch a thought prevailed my mind and I decided to pay a visit to the Jagannath Temple, Puri and the Konark Temple, Konark.

The weekend also being around the corner it wasn't that bad an idea to getaway from the routine city life to hit the sun, the sand and the sea. I let that thought be in one corner of my mind till I went home. Post dinner brought the idea to light for an approval from the Home Department whether Wife & Kiddo would be upto it or not and to my luck it all just fell in place and it was a yes; a road trip it had to be and it would be just the 4 of us - Me, my wife Eshita, our 4 year old daughter Ishanvi & her very loved FIGO !!

A Teaser Snap to Start the Travelogue :


With just one day to go and with neither the hotel bookings in place nor any preps done, it would have been a tough one to go through with; but we were going to go through it irrespective of the complexities. So, buzzed up the Hans Coco Palm Resort in Puri which we desired to stay in and we were lucky enough to find a sea facing room to our liking. I immediately made an online remittance of the advance to the resort and confirmed our stay with them. It would be a 2N 3D stay. A short trip indeed but a getaway none the less !!

So all was set. Asked my wife to pack up all that they needed for the trip and in the evening post work; I set sail to tank up and get the tyre pressure on my ride checked so that I could go home and grab some sleep for a post midnight early early morning departure. Filled up to the brim and was getting the Tyre Pressure (Nitrogen) on my Figo checked and guess what, struck by a puncture, the rear right tyre of my Figo :



And another one found on the same tyre itself :


Sadly enough, in the past 9 months of the ownership of this car this was the 1st and the 2nd Puncture on my YOKOHAMA EARTH 1 Tires having stock size 175/65 R14. However, good that it came to light and that now things were sorted.

Other Preps :
1.) Umpteen number of Bottled Water for the Journey to take care of our requirements from Kolkata to Puri,
2.) A 2 Ltr. Bottle having the Windshield Water mixed with Shampoo for the Figo to refill in Puri; which I generally also use to clean the Headlamps, Fog Lights, Tail Lamps and the other Glass Windows
3.) Basic set of Tools which is already there in the Car
4.) A Pack of Wet Wipes to give you that freshness every time and again you need it
5.) The Bag of Food for the way was already done up by my wife at home about which I really do not have to bother knowing her expertise

Went back home and called it a day at around 10:00pm to wake up again at 2:30am and head out by 3:00am

DAY 1 : 24th of April 2015 : PART 1 : The Drive

The alarms rang and the three of us were up and about to move. Got ready and shifted the luggage to the Figo's Boot to start our journey. The plan to head out that early in the morning was because we wanted to avoid the truck traffic traffic on the roads and on the Toll Booths in order to conquer as much distance as we could before sunrise.

Spot On 3:00am it was raining in Kolkata with a cool breeze blowing to add to the spirit of the getaway and we were all prepared to set sail :



It was 5:00am in the morning and we were timing ourselves on an hourly basis and we reached Belda in West Midnapore District of West Bengal (via NH-6 and then taking the left diversion on what the locals call 'Chennai Road') by clocking 155kms in approx 2 hours time with my sedate driving before we took a short break of a minute. Some Snaps here as we witnessed sunrise :





And the drive towards Balasore on the cemented roads continued :


We reached Jaleswar at 6:00am covering 55Kms and moved on further and reached Balasore @ 7:00am by covering another 60Kms in this stretch. So a total of 115kms in a couple of hours was what we could manage.

NOTE : Anyone travelling recently please be aware of the diversions on these roads (from Belda to Balasore) which come after every few Kilometers where you have to move onto the pother side of the highway and back. Also, beware of the small thin camouflaged speed breakers; they may cause serious damage if at high speeds. Some Pics taken at the time of return,but posting here for reference :



I went in for a quick Air Pressure Check Up in a Fuel Station on this stretch as I felt that the Right Side Rear Tyre had lost out on some air again. And yes it had. So topped up with the Regular Air in my Nitrogen Filled Earth 1's to move on :


Paid off the Toll @ Balasore and stopped for a few minutes for a Tea & Pee Break at a Local Shack :



Enroute Balasore to Cuttack :





At 9:00am reached Cuttack from Balasore clocking 160kms in a couple of hours. After crossing the Mahananda River and the bustling town of Cuttack which is dominated by daily commuting bikers who are a menace on the roads, I was looking for a diversion to Puri which would fall on my left as suggested by fellow BHPian Samba. Now, this is indeed a tricky one. All this while I had not used any GPS navigational support. But here I turned on the Google Maps on my smartphone so that I do not miss the junction and land up in Bhubaneswar taking a longer detour.

Suggest : Drive cautiously seeking the left diversion as there are no boards indicating to take this road. Also, the road repair work is on and the side barricades make it even more difficult. Even I had missed this turn and had to reverse a bit in order to get into the road that would take me to Puri

Look out for this (on the LHS) at the junction where you are supposed to take the left turn :


Headed straight to Puri on this 60kms 4 Lane stretch to enter Puri in order to travel another 10kms to find the Sea & the Sand by using the Navigational Support as the inner roads at Puri are initially confusing and require that assistance. Headed to the Hans Coco Palm Resort where we had booked ourselves for our stay in Puri.

It was 10:30am and we finally reached our destination.

The inner roads in Puri and the local houses :



Finally get to See the Sea :


Parked the Figo to take some well deserved rest :



Welcome to the Hans Coco Palms Resort & Spa :





A gist of the day's drive :
Route - Kolkata - Kona Expressway - Towards Dhulagarh on NH6 - Kolaghat - Debra - Diversion to Belda - Bhadrak - Balasore - Cuttack - Puri
Distance Travelled - 502 Kms Door to Door
Time Taken - 7 Hours 30 Minutes (Including Mini Stops)
Average Pace/ Speed - 67Km/Hr based on the above facts
Total Toll Paid - Rs.480/= which works out to be Re.1/= per Kilometer. Totally worth it considering the kind of roads you are opportune to get your hands on

The 2nd Part of DAY 1 and the update on the remaining days shall follow this post of mine in sequence

[AJ-got-BHP]

DAY 1 : 24/05/2015 : PART 2 : The Fun Times

On arrival at the resort, we took our respective power naps to feel fresher and wake up rejuvenated to hit the pool.

The floating flower :


Daughter having the fun she always cherishes :


Something to fill the stomach :


The unsolicited visitor :


Now that the stomachs were filled and that the sun had set down, it was time to stroll to the beach and have some fun at the beach too.

The afternoon coming to an end :


Beach Cricket being played by the locals on a concrete Pitch :


We were amazed to find Camels on Puri Beach. A very rare sight which we have not seen before. A 200 Mtr. Camel Ride would cost Rs.40/= for a Child & Rs.60/= for an Adult. The catch is, the camel will not sit down to get you on. Rather you'll have to take a ladder to get on. Well that's easy !! The scare is when you got to come down that feeble ladder with all that weight. But yes a must try for all visiting Puri

We saw a flock of Camels :


This one stood out and was our pick for the ride :



Me & my daughter got on the Camel for our ride, a wonderful experience :


And then some Horse Riding :


As we were leaving the beach to go to our hotel, we spotted a man carrying something in his Aluminium Vessels and stopped him to check on what he was carrying. It was Samosas & a Sweet Called 'Madan Mohan' which is a local speciality and a must try for all :



So we headed back to our resort to call it an early night as we had opted for the Mangala Aarti Darshan at the Jagannath Mandir which happens at 5:00am in the morning for which we were supposed to be up by 4:00am.

[AJ-got-BHP]

DAY 2 : 25/05/2015

THE DAY OF WORSHIPING THE ALMIGHTY JAGANNATH :
It was the day for which the plan was initiated. To worship the divine Lord Jagannath Temple. Our guide come Pandit so called 'Panda' by the locals was tied up with the resort and visited us the previous evening in our hotel room and briefed us about everything. This was a complimentary service by the Hotel and we were not supposed to pay him any Fees for his Services.

So we woke up by 4:30am and left our resort by 5:00am by taking an auto to the Mandir as there is No Parking close to the Temple. We were supposed to meet our Panda on the Dakshin Duar (the south gate) of the Temple at 5:00am; but unfortunately we were running a little late and met him at 5:20am and thought that we would miss the Mangala Aarti Darshan.

But, we were destined to witness it against all odds. The Mangala Aarti started at 6:30am that morning and we had to wait. This was a blessing in disguise itself so that we could be a part of it.

Our Panda got us Tickets (Rs.100/= Each) for VIP Darshan and made sure to the core that we had the best darshan ever and yes we did unlike ever before. Right upto the foot of the Almighty Jagannath himself.

We were out of the Main Mandir and opted to offer some Khaja Prasadam through Ananda Bhog Committe which we did and left the Mandir with all the peace within us. The Panda was supposed to deliver the Prasadam to us by the evening in our hotel room after the Bhog to the Lord from our side.

Outside the Jagannath Temple, Puri :



We went back to our resort and filled our stomach with the sumptuous buffet breakfast that they had laid for the guests. Since we were running short on sleep, we decided to sleep for a few hours and wake up to head out exploring Puri as a place in our Figo !!

The view of the Baby Coconuts on the Palm Tree right outside our room :


The View of the Sea from our Room :


The bright sunny day at the beach :


Drove around the place a bit and had shortlisted a few places to Eat as well. Unlucky to find Honey Bee Bakery & Pizzeria (on C.T. Road) to be closed in the day. It opens only at 6:00pm in the evening.

SO we were left with either Chung Wah (Oriental) Restaurant or Wild Grass (Indian, Odiya & Continental) Restaurant. We opted for Wild Grass asit seemed to be a little off beat and unconventional.

Wild Grass Restaurant :


The Entrance to the Wild Grass :


On the Inside :


The Menu Card :


My Figo parked in front of the gate to the Wild Grass; a glimpse :


Post a late lunch we strolled around in a bit in quest of the Baker's Boutique which is supposed to be a confectionery outlet of the Hotel Holiday Resort. We found this place to be a small outlet located under the Bishnupriya Lodge on the main Temple Road and parking is ample with no issues at all. It has by far the best bakery in Puri offering a variety of delicacies.

The Baker's Boutique from the Main Road :


The takeaway pack looks good :


What's within is even better - Walnut Pie (it was so good that we packed some for parents back home) :


Went back to the Resort and parked the Figo and hit the beach for some fun at the end of the afternoon :




Reached the hotel to know about the disastrous NEPAL EARTHQUAKE and the tremors that were felt in India as well. So called up all the near and dear ones to enquire about their well being and we were glued to the TV the entire evening; being shaken with the breaking news.

No wonder the weather in Puri had also become miserable with thunderstorms and pouring rain for well over 4 hours.


We relaxed at our hotel and ordered for the famous Sweet of Puri named 'Chhena Poda' from a renowned Sweet Shop called Senapati Sweets. The hotel boys were kind enough to arrange for the same.


That was the end of our 2nd Day at Puri.

[AJ-got-BHP]

DAY 3 : 26/05/2015 : KONARK & RETURN TO KOLKATA

The day one has to return from a holiday is a painful one, isn't it ? But yes, we had lots left for the day. Checked out from our hotel at approx 9:00am and savored the buffet breakfast that they had to offer to tank ourselves up before tanking up the Figo for the run back home.

A snap before leaving the resort :


And a last one before the beach :


Firstly to start with, was a little bit of Cuttacki & Sambalpuri Handloom shopping in Puri itself. A good value for money stop for the bitter better halves. Even I was compelled to lighter my pocket to the Shops under the Odisha Handloom Co-Operative Society.




Secondly on our agenda was to head to the Sun Temple at Konark on the way back to Kolkata. However, BHPian BlackPearl had suggested me to take the Konark Road while going to Puri from Kolkata, but we insisted on doing it on our way back if possible. While leaving Puri, BlackPearl's suggestion again rang the bell and we took the short 38km drive to Konark; not for the Sun Temple but for the drive for sure a suggested by BlackPearl !! This is indeed a very picturesque drive. We must have stopped a number of times for some snaps after every few kilometers. Thanks BlackPearl for your valuable advice. I think for me this was the highlight of the trip !! Posting some pictures here of the incredibly beautiful drive :



Witnessed the Fruit Taal-Saas (as known in Bengali) and known as Ice Apple in British English which grows on a Tree known as Borassus flabellifer which looks like a coconut tree :


We stopped by this little flyover to admire the beauty of the surroundings as it was really mesmerizing :


View on the LHS of the flyover :


View on the RHS of the flyover :


Check out the yellow flowers on the trees and on the roads too :


Driving along the sea :


Check the 3 different shades of the Sea :


Local Art of making these rock carved idols and statues :


We had departed from Puri at around 10:45am and reached Konark at around 11:45am enjoying the drive and stopping by at various locations. All this time while we both husband and wife were enjoying the drive to Konark, our daughter was fast asleep having her share of paradise in her sweet dreams. For this reason we insisted on parking our car right in front of the Konark Sun Temple by paying an official parking fee of of Rs.20/= and an unofficial compensation of Rs.50/= for the deemed luxury of parking our car in the restricted area in order to have the shortest walk to the Sun Temple in the scorching heat of Konark. A few pics of Konark follow :








A Chilled glass of Refreshments (locally called Nimbu Masala Paani) was all that was required to beat the heat at the Sun Temple, Konark :


We were already behind schedule since morning and realized that now it was high time that we flagged off for Kolkata. So the final departure from Konark happened at 12:45pm. We freshened up with Fresh Ones/ Wet Wipes and were good to go. The plan was very simple. With a bit of food (munchies, fruits and curd etc.) already packed with us we had no intentions of stopping upto Kolaghat now. We reached Kolaghat at 7:00pm via Deuli Bazaar from where we picked up some local food (locally called Aloo Chop, Egg Chop & Potol Chop) to compliment our Tea at Sher-E-Punjab, Kolaghat where we stopped for about 30 minutes before again starting off for Kolkata. Some pictures enroute to Kolaghat from Konark (via Gop) :









The Figo comes home @ 8:45pm all laden with dirt; thrashing out the flies and calls it a day marking the end of this fantastic short road trip to Puri & Konark by doing proud to me yet once again. I just love both the badges it wears !!


A gist of the day's drive :
Route - Konark - Gop - Cuttack - Balasore - Bhadrak - Belda - Kolaghat - Kolkata
Distance Travelled - 552 Kms Door to Door
Time Taken - 8 Hours (Including Stops)
Average Pace/ Speed - 69Km/Hr based on the above facts
Total Toll Paid - Rs.530/= which works out to be Re.1/= per Kilometer approx

There is one thing for sure which comes out so true as in this instance - "last minute plans such as these are much more enjoyable and memorable"

[aah78]

Note from Support: Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues section. Thanks for sharing!

[Samba]

Great travelogue Arav Da. You once again proved Puri to be a beautiful destination to visit and yes even i feel the Puri - Konark stretch deserves a special mention.

More or less i drive to Puri every year and at-least in my three days stay i drive till Chandrabhaga beach at Konark a couple of times just to enjoy the drive on this scenic stretch. I drive till Chandrabhaga beach, enjoy some coconut water and turn back to Puri!

Sharing a couple of pics i took on the Puri- Konark stretch!





On your leisure time you can also check out my travelogue on Puri !

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-page-2-a.html

[lovecars21]

A well written TL and some nice photos to top it up. After reading your TL it seems Puri deserves a visit. I had been to Puri when I was a kid and have few memories of it. Those memories need to be refreshed and your TL will help to materialize a smooth road trip.

[Rudra Sen]

Beautiful trip report with nice set of pictures. Roads have improved vastly as I can see.

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

This is indeed a very picturesque drive. We must have stopped a number of times for some snaps after every few kilometers.

If I remember correct this was known as Puri-Konark Marine drive. Have they changed the name?

[Soumyajit9]

Wow ! Beautiful well written travelogue and excellent snaps !!!
I had to comment and like this thread !

I, being a native of Puri, and mom working nearby Konark, we never saw these places from a traveller's eye !
Our house is a stone's throw away from Hans Coco Palm and I remember cycling around those places when I was a kid. It used to be called Prachi Hotel during the 90's. These days, every 6 months when I visit Puri, I make sure to go around the old places.

For me things have turned worse and everytime I visit Puri, I see more swerage flowing over from hotels near Swargadwar, uncountable eateries, ill-mannered localites, thriving handloom shops (everyone calls them Orissa Handloom !). But then that is a tourist destination, so can't complain.

Thank you for refreshing the memories of my original hometown* and like I said, beautiful snaps to showcase the beauty of Puri from a traveler's eye !

Jai Jagannath.

*Original Hometown - 3 generations born and brought up at Puri (my aunts still stay there). My parents and me settled in Bhubaneswar (due to my health issues). Now I am settled at Bangalore (due to work).
So Puri is still my hometown, although life has moved on and I am settled elsewhere. By the way, I am a hybrid Bengali, originally from Burdwan .

PS: Some corrections.
The river before Cuttack is Mahanadi (not Mahananda). The one after Cuttack is Kathjodi.
The Madan Mohan sweet that you had, was called "Chomchom". Not sure if they have changed the name now !!

[BlackPearl]

It was just the last weekend that you went to Puri and you could put up such a detailed travelogue already!! Very nice pics and in all probabilities the most detailed travelogue on Puri on team-bhp. I had been to Puri in the first week of this month and the Konark-Puri drive is awesome.

[AJ-got-BHP]

Originally Posted by lovecars21

A well written TL and some nice photos to top it up. After reading your TL it seems Puri deserves a visit. I had been to Puri when I was a kid and have few memories of it. Those memories need to be refreshed and your TL will help to materialize a smooth road trip.

Thanks lovecars21 !! Glad you enjoyed it !!

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Beautiful trip report with nice set of pictures. Roads have improved vastly as I can see.
If I remember correct this was known as Puri-Konark Marine drive. Have they changed the name?

Yes the road has indeed improved phenomenally and it's a breeze to drive on them now. The Puri - Konark Road is the continuation of the Marine Drive that exists in Puri and itis still known as the Puri Konark Marine Drive.

Originally Posted by Soumyajit9

Wow ! Beautiful well written travelogue and excellent snaps !!!
I had to comment and like this thread !

I, being a native of Puri, and mom working nearby Konark, we never saw these places from a traveller's eye !
Our house is a stone's throw away from Hans Coco Palm and I remember cycling around those places when I was a kid. It used to be called Prachi Hotel during the 90's. These days, every 6 months when I visit Puri, I make sure to go around the old places.

For me things have turned worse and everytime I visit Puri, I see more swerage flowing over from hotels near Swargadwar, uncountable eateries, ill-mannered localites, thriving handloom shops (everyone calls them Orissa Handloom !). But then that is a tourist destination, so can't complain.

Thank you for refreshing the memories of my original hometown* and like I said, beautiful snaps to showcase the beauty of Puri from a traveler's eye !

Jai Jagannath.

*Original Hometown - 3 generations born and brought up at Puri (my aunts still stay there). My parents and me settled in Bhubaneswar (due to my health issues). Now I am settled at Bangalore (due to work).
So Puri is still my hometown, although life has moved on and I am settled elsewhere. By the way, I am a hybrid Bengali, originally from Burdwan .

PS: Some corrections.
The river before Cuttack is Mahanadi (not Mahananda). The one after Cuttack is Kathjodi.
The Madan Mohan sweet that you had, was called "Chomchom". Not sure if they have changed the name now !!

The idea was to getaway and it was a good one. I have been to Puri before also, but never with my family. It's either been for work or for conferences. We collectively enjoyed and had some good times to be cherished in the times to come.

Thanks for pointing out the correction in the name of the river.

However, 'chomchom' is a different breed of sweets and 'Madan Mohan' a different one. However, they look all so similar and identical

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

It was just the last weekend that you went to Puri and you could put up such a detailed travelogue already!! Very nice pics and in all probabilities the most detailed travelogue on Puri on team-bhp. I had been to Puri in the first week of this month and the Konark-Puri drive is awesome.

I wanted to keep it as crisp as it can get since it was all so fresh in the mind; so rushed up with the Travelogue a bit !!

I do not know if it indeed is the most detailed travelogue on Puri or not, but yes I am a little descriptive

Thanks to your suggestion that we ended up doing Konark
I have especially mentioned and thanked you for that in my Travelogue too !!

Originally Posted by Samba

Great travelogue Arav Da. You once again proved Puri to be a beautiful destination to visit and yes even i feel the Puri - Konark stretch deserves a special mention.

More or less i drive to Puri every year and at-least in my three days stay i drive till Chandrabhaga beach at Konark a couple of times just to enjoy the drive on this scenic stretch. I drive till Chandrabhaga beach, enjoy some coconut water and turn back to Puri!

Sharing a couple of pics i took on the Puri- Konark stretch!

Attachment 1365447

Attachment 1365448

On your leisure time you can also check out my travelogue on Puri !

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-page-2-a.html

Samba I had been through your travelogue about you visiting Puri when it was cyclone effected. Daring and a very well written Travelogue must say !!

The Puri - Konark stretch is indeed beautiful and I guess everyone going to Puri must must must do this stretch by all means. The Chandrabhaga Beach is splendid !! I wish I could spend some more time there over a fag but I guess I have left that for the next time

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by AJ-got-BHP

I wanted to keep it as crisp as it can get since it was all so fresh in the mind; so rushed up with the Travelogue a bit !!

I do not know if it indeed is the most detailed travelogue on Puri or not, but yes I am a little descriptive

Thanks to your suggestion that we ended up doing Konark
I have especially mentioned and thanked you for that in my Travelogue too !!

I am not sure if my post sounded sarcastic but I did not mean it at all. I envy people who can write good travelogues along with names of places and great pictures. I for example have been to Siliguri by road at least 20 times, I can hardly name the places in between except maybe Malda and Raigunj.

I saw my name and I am elated In turn I would say thanks to Samba, Pawan, Debdeep and XetaGLGRocks for mentioning several times to take this road. XetaGLGRocks even called me up to give the details on how to take that route in case I missed.

[Swapnil_Alto]

A very well written Travelogue Arav Da. All the details are there which one would need.
And regarding the Camels which you found unusual on the beach. The camels were there when I visited Puri back in 2012. We also witnessed a guy who made idols out of sand and was charging Rs.10/- for clicking pics of them. Planning to do a Ranchi-Puri trip with a family soon after my exams end.

[SouraC]

Great Travelogue Arav, Good pictures and the best part is local food destinations. It will be a very helpful TL for anyone who is planning a Puri trip from Kolkata sooner or later.

I do agree with you and BlackPearl about the great scenery of Puri to Konarak. I have a picture of the same road in winters. It is just contrast to your current picture (Summer time).




I also like the drive to Satapada (Chilka) where we can find water bodies like backwater.




Really enjoyed going through your travelogue its feels like having a Puri trip seating in Kolkata.

[AJ-got-BHP]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

I am not sure if my post sounded sarcastic but I did not mean it at all. I envy people who can write good travelogues along with names of places and great pictures. I for example have been to Siliguri by road at least 20 times, I can hardly name the places in between except maybe Malda and Raigunj.

I saw my name and I am elated In turn I would say thanks to Samba, Pawan, Debdeep and XetaGLGRocks for mentioning several times to take this road. XetaGLGRocks even called me up to give the details on how to take that route in case I missed.

Hey BlackPearl no sarcasm brother from either of our sides

I am still relatively new to the forum and got to learn the art of expressing my thoughts by putting it up on paper. It is indeed a difficult task. Still learning as it's a continuous process !! Glad you liked the travelogue

As much little that I have known you, irrespective of the fact the number of times you have been to Siliguri from Kolkata, a legendary person like you would not need to bother about what comes in between the two ends as you would rather head straight to the destination in one go clocking 600+ Kms on the tripmeter without any issues at all

Cheers to the Spirit !!

Originally Posted by Swapnil_Alto

A very well written Travelogue Arav Da. All the details are there which one would need.
And regarding the Camels which you found unusual on the beach. The camels were there when I visited Puri back in 2012. We also witnessed a guy who made idols out of sand and was charging Rs.10/- for clicking pics of them. Planning to do a Ranchi-Puri trip with a family soon after my exams end.

Thanks Swapnil !! Glad you found it informative enough. Even I enquired and got to know that the Camels have been around for the past few years only.