What to Wear in Puri

For the temple

The Jagannath temple expects traditional, modest clothing. Covered shoulders and knees are the minimum; many Hindu visitors wear a dhoti or a saree. Leather is not allowed inside, which includes belts, wallets and watch straps, and you will leave your shoes, phone and bag at the deposit stand. A small cloth pouch is handy for your deposit token and some cash.

For the beach

Indian beaches are not swimwear beaches, and Puri is a pilgrim town. Most Indian women go into the water fully dressed, and a swimsuit on the main beach will attract stares. A quick-dry T-shirt and shorts or leggings works for a paddle. Bring a change of clothes; the salt and sand cling.

Fabric and colour

Puri is humid all year, not just in summer. Cotton and linen breathe; synthetics stick. White and pale colours stay cooler, but saffron, yellow and red are what pilgrims wear and look right against the temple walls in photos.

Footwear

Rubber sandals or flip-flops are ideal: easy to leave at the temple, fine on wet sand, cheap to replace. The Grand Road paving gets very hot by noon, so walk it early or in the evening.

By season

• November to February: light cotton by day, a thin layer for the beach at dawn.
• March to mid-June: as little and as loose as modesty allows; a hat and sunglasses on the sand.
• Mid-June to September: rain shell or umbrella, quick-dry clothes. Expect to get wet during Rath Yatra.

What to buy here

The shops on Grand Road sell the checked cotton gamucha and Sambalpuri or Bomkai sarees. Pipili, on the road to Bhubaneswar, is the place for appliqué work: bright patchwork canopies, bags and lampshades.