Chandrabhaga Beach, Odisha
Chandrabhaga Beach is situated in a village which also goes by the name Chandrabhaga. Located at a distance of 30 km from the city of Puri, the beach is considered as one of the most environment-friendly beaches around the world, as evident by the Blue Flag certification. Being located merely 3 km from the Konark Temple, it is believed to have witnessed everything – from the rise of the Konark Temple to its fall.
One factor that makes the Chandrabhaga beach a highly sought out tourist place is its mesmerizing sunset. Considered to be one of the most heart-warming sights ever, the Chandrabhaga beach doesn't disappoint anyone looking to spend some time amid natural beauty. The beach is also revered due to the role played by the temple in guiding ships. Historians have decrypted texts in which the ships have used the Konark Temple as a guide. This helped them to propagate trade during maritime.
The Chandrabhaga Beach is also revered by the locals owing to the various mythological tales associated with it. To show their respect towards this beach and to the Sun God, a week-long fair known as the Chandrabhaga Mela is held every year. During this period, the Tourism Department of the Government of Odisha organizes a Sand Art competition for people all around the world. A wide range of individuals take part in this competition and showcase their artistic skills by creating a wide range of sand sculptures with the sand from the beach as their only tools.