For most of the year Alarnath is a quiet black-stone Vishnu temple at Brahmagiri, half an hour from Puri. For two weeks a year it is one of the busiest shrines in Odisha, because Puri's own temple is closed for Anasara and this is where devotees go instead. Which of those two temples you visit depends entirely on when you book.
About the shrine
The shrine devotees turn to during Anasara — the fortnight when Lord Jagannath is unwell and unavailable for darshan in Puri. In that period Alarnath is understood to receive Jagannath himself, and the crowds move here accordingly.
- Deity
- Lord Alarnath (Vishnu)
- Location
- Brahmagiri, Puri district
- Temple timings
- Roughly 5am to 9pm, with a midday break
- Time from Puri
- about 4 hours door to door
Planning the trip
- During the Anasara fortnight (between Snana Purnima and Rath Yatra) expect very heavy crowds and a much longer queue — start early.
- Outside Anasara the darshan is quick, and the trip pairs naturally with Sakhigopal on the way back.
- The temple is known for its kheer offering; the prasad counter has its own queue separate from darshan.
Worth combining with Sakhigopal Temple on the return leg if you have the time — tell us when you book and we will build it into the same fixed fare rather than adding it as an extra.
How the fare works
This is priced as a return darshan trip, not a one-way drop. The same cab and driver stay with you for the whole outing and wait at the temple while you queue — there is no per-hour waiting charge and no second fare for the journey back to Puri.
- Pickup from your Puri hotel gate and drop back at the same
- Tolls, parking, fuel and driver allowance
- Waiting time at the temple for the length of a normal darshan
- A fixed price agreed on WhatsApp before you travel
Temple entry, prasad, ropeway or boat charges where they apply are paid directly by you and are not part of the fare.
Travelling with elders
Most of the people we drive on these runs are on a pilgrimage with parents or grandparents, so the pace is set accordingly — no rushing the return, stops when they are needed, and an Innova recommended over a sedan on anything past two hours each way. See pilgrimage taxi for how we handle temple trips generally.