Lord Jagannath Temple Puri

Can any one help me find out the timings of the Jaganath Temple, Puri?

A) I will be reaching early morning 5.30 am and would like to have morning Darshan.

OR

B) Which is the best time for the Darshan?

AND

1) can we go to the Konark temple the same day and board the night train for Kolkota?

Visit period will be end of November 2006

Suggestions are eagerly awaited preferably with personal experiences.

Nirola as a non-Hindu I can't answer your first questions, other than to say there are plenty of worshippers coming and going at 6am. But you would certainly have time to visit Konark on the same day and get back in time for the night train to Howrah, Konark is less than one hour's travel from Puri and you only need to spend an hour at the Sun Temple.

Check out their website: http://www.jagannathtemplepuri.com/

Click on Puja Timings or Darshan on the left and your question will be answered.

You will find that touts and temple priests will greet pasengers at the train station and will be more than happy to take you to the temple and show you around for a fee.

Yes, it is definitely possible to go to Konark on the same day(though it makes for a long day). Hire a car and driver and have lunch at Rangers restaurant on the way to Konark.

There are two daily trains to Kolkata (at 7 & 10 pm). November is a lovely time to visit - perfect weather. You may want to consider spending the night, as there really is alot to do in the area.

If you are a Hindu you will know the best time for Dharshan...its the same al over india and if your not indian/hindu you cant enter the temple.

Best time is early morning....

But whenever you go, do partake Prasadam, which is cooked in big cauldrons right inside the temple.

If you mean the Mahaprasad, I wouldn't recommend it to others, because I happened to see how it is dried on the bare, dirty rooftops in the temple complex! But I suspect Prasad , like Ganga water, can't be contaminated.

there are different types of prasad in Jagannath temple.
one is the Mahaprasad - that is cooked( the kitchen and cooking technique is something worth seeing)
usually delivered in afternoon around 3pm- consists of deifferent items ranging from dal, rice, mixed vegetables and others- tastes good.
another type is dried prasad - called gaja. sort of tastes sweet- this may be dried on roof top:P
all prasad are sold at a place called Anandabazar inside temple premises

I was referring to Dahl Rice etc... I don't think you can dry it on rooftop.

Mahaprasad: Dried rice.
Bhog: Fresh cooked rice, dal, some mixed vegetable and payesh.
Khaja: A type of snacks dipped in sugar syrup and dried.

People generally bring Mahaprasad and Khaja as prasad as these can be preserved for a long time.

More details: Click here

Thanks for sharing that site, Dhruba. Very interesting!

Puri is one of the four Dhams established by Lord Shankaracharya. Puri dham is famous for its Bhogs.

(Maha)prasad is cooked in earthen pots only. They don't use gas or electric stoves to cook it. Everyday 56 varieties of dishes are cooked. Source

It's really difficult to visualize all these prasad items, i.e. Rice, Dal, vegetables etc being dried on temple compound roof tops. May be Suricate saw something else on those roof tops.

I saw rice from huge pots being strewn around on the rooftop for drying. On questioning I was told it was Mahaprasad.

These dried rice are generally brought back by the devotees. They are available in small pillow like cotton bags.

Relax friends. You all are right I can say.
Actually Mahaprasad is the fresh cooked rice which the devotees eat with dal, veg mix etc.

As devotees treat this Mahaprasad as sacred so there is this century old style to preserve it for future use by drying the cooked rice under sun.
That way they get the dried Mahaprasad at home always available for any special use and occasions.