Puri is believed to be synonymous with Lord Jagannath and vice versa. Several attempts have been made to find the real historical roots of the city but not much has been forthcoming. Folklore has it that the Jagannath Dharma was in existence since the beginning of humanity. Puri and the Jagannath Temple were invaded 18 times by Hindu and Muslim rulers from 4th century AD till the early 19th century. Throughout the 16th to 18th centuries Odisha was under Mughal tutelage. Later in mid-18th century, the Marathas came into the fray and partitioned Odisha into four districts. Puri came under the British from 1803 till independence in August 1947. In 1803 when the British were ruling Odisha, they again changed the divisions of the state and they isolated the whole state into two districts, north and south. In 1805 the districts were again combined. Puri was declared as the capital of Odisha under the British till 1816. Throughout 1813 to 1819, a joint magistrate presided over Puri. In 1828 the whole territory was separated into three regions, Katak, Balasore, and Jagannath Puri. In 1936 Odisha was divided from the state of Bihar and Puri was formed in 1948. In 1995 Puri District was partitioned into 3 regions, Nayagarh District containing Nayagarh sub-division, Khurda District involving Khurda and Bhubaneswar sub-divisions and Puri District comprising of the Puri Sadar sub-division. Though princely states do not exist in India today, yet the heirs of the Gajapati Dynasty of Khurda still perform the ritual duties of the temple.

The culture of Puri is steeped in the Jagannath Culture, which is an amalgamation of several Indian cultures along with Vaishnavism. The culture of Puri is reflected in the many festivals that take place here which imbue a strong religious fervour over the place. Snana Yatra, Ratha Yatra plus Chandan Yatra are some of the main festivals. The Jagannath Temple culture bears its stamp on the food of the people here. Arts and craft including handiwork, handlooms and architecture reflect the prevalent temple culture. The cultural history of Puri dates back to primordial times.The gala celebrations of the Puri Beach Festival are much see events which is enjoyed by art aficionados. Odissi Dance, Naga dances, Medha dances, Gotipua dances, Bhalunacha dance, Pala Natya and Navarang dance are included in Puri’s performing arts culture. Patta-Chitra paintings are folk paintings which have the distinction of being the most antique among all the other form of paintings here. Raghurajpur Artist Village is home to several artisans involved in this artwork and is a popular tourist destination. Palm leaf paintings, Gotipua dance troupes, tussar paintings, palm leaf engravings, stone and wood work, wooden, cow dung and papier mache toys and masks are fashioned here. Sand sculpture and applique art are significant to the city where artists find their canvas on the sands of the beaches in Puri.