Puri district is rich in historical remains, from the primitive rock-hewn caves of Buddhism - the earliest relics of Indian architecture - to the medieval sun temple at Kanarak and the shrine of Jagannath.
Their most important shrines are those of Srirangam near Trichinopoly, Mailkote in Mysore, Dvaraka (the city of Krishna) on the Kathiawar coast, and Jagannath in Orissa; all of them decorated with Vishnu's emblems, the tulasi plant and salagram stone.
Pop. (1901), 49,334, including an exceptional number of pilgrims. As containing the worldfamous shrine of Jagannath (see Juggernaut), Puri is perhaps the most frequented of all Hindu places of pilgrimage.