Puri Beach Festival To Showcase The Vividness Of Orissa

The rich history of art, craft, culture and cuisine of Orissa will be showcased at the annual Puri Beach Festival to be held on the beautiful beach at Puri from November 23-27, 2005. Puri is the abode of Lord Jagannath and considered one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites. Lakh of pilgrims from different parts of the country visit the place to take the traditional purification dip.

Organised by the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Orissa (HRAO), the festival is a celebration of Orissa, in all its beauty, charm and fun-loving spirit. It offers a unique opportunity for visitors to interact with the local populace and enjoy the many splendour charms of the State.

Surya Narayan Patro, Hon'ble Minister-Tourism, Government Of Orissa

Orissa boasts a little bit of everything. A visitor can choose from a wide variety of experiences-culture, heritage, nature, wildlife, beaches, tribal life and more. The temples of Orissa are some of the grandest in the country. The Sun Temple of Konark is one of them. The annual 'Rath Yatra' of Lord Jagannath in Puri is famous worldwide. The State also offers some of the finest white sand beaches in the world. In addition, it offers the brackish water wonder of Chilika. The State Tourism Department is showcasing all these strengths to tourists from different parts of the country and the globe."

J. K. Mohanty, chairman, HRAO said, "This year we would give more emphasis on exposure of the budding new artists, specially traditional artists from the State. The main purpose of the festival is to promote Orissa in national and international platforms through its rich cultural programmes, handloom and handicrafts expositions, its traditional cuisine and the hospitable nature of the locals."

During the festival there will be a mega exhibition of handloom and handicraft products of Orissa and other states as well.

The Puri Beach Festival is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, the Tourism Department of Government of Orissa, the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts and the Eastern Zonal Cultural Center, Kolkata.