Amidst the darkness and the sound of waves crashing on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, Abdul chacha was lying down on the beach gazing at the stars twinkling above.
&ldquoDo you live here alone&rdquo I heard myself asking.
&ldquoI have to set out to fish at the break of dawn and the cool breeze helps me sleep better at night. My wife lives on the other end of the shore in a tent. We cannot afford a fan, you see&rdquo, he replied.
That was my first night in Puri. Being accustomed to the regular 9 to 5 grind, I jumped at the first opportunity to go to the beach as soon as I reached Puri, even though it was already dark and the tides were higher than usual.
There were horses and camels adorned with traditional saddlebags walking past me, leaving behind a trail of footprints in the cool sand.
The beach was filled with the appetising smell of seafood coming from the street stalls. There were lobsters, shrimp, tuna, pomfret and crabs of different kinds, being washed, peeled and deep-fried, and served with finely chopped onions and coriander chutney.
As I kept walking towards the Puri beach market, I saw many souvenir shops, where hand-crafted wooden Jagannath idols, items for home decor, accessories like earrings, necklaces, dried starfishes and shell curtains were put up for sale. All the famous Odisha handloom items like ikkat sarees, dresses and kurtas were hung outside the cloth stores. I saw a woman tossing a midden of seashells. She was selling religious conch shells of different kinds. There were various sweet shops, serving the most authentic delicacies of Odisha - like malai puri, chenna poda, gujia and malpua, just outside Jagannath Dham.
The Jagannath temple is said to be one of the oldest Hindu temples still in use. In the minds of lakhs of devotees that converge here each year, the coastal town of Puri is synonymous with 'Jagannath Puri'.
The next morning I woke up to watch the sunrise from the beach while the salty wind gushed through my hair and caressed my face. It gave me a sense of tranquillity. After a plate of nourishing dalma (dal cooked with an assortment of vegetables like pumpkin and raw papaya) with chura kadamba (flat rice, cottage cheese and rabri, mashed together with a hint of cardamom and pepper), I got myself a cab to Satapada to visit Chilika Lake &ndash Asia's largest water lagoon and a paradise for bird-watchers. The ferry took us to the red crab island, while a flock of playful migratory birds kept following us.
We were greeted by the sight of dolphins playing peek-a-boo.
We took a break at a small restaurant called Chilika Dhaba where we had crab fry and masala tea.
On my way to the station the next day, I kept looking at the sea-facing hotels, old villas, buildings, parks and schools passing by, and saw a handwritten sign hung up in a coconut tree that said&ndash &ldquoPride in PURIty&rdquo. I couldn't help but think how this place had an other-worldly charm that has attracted artists, priests, pilgrims, saints, and sailors for centuries. A city that is always so lively and bubbling, yet where you find yourself lost in tranquil thoughts, in harmony with yourself and the world around you. When you come to Puri, you too will rediscover the PURIty in you.
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