The city of Puri in Odisha, India is famous for many attractions, and the most magnificent of them is the Lord Jagannath Temple. Visited by millions of devotees every year, the Shri Jagannath Temple was constructed in the 12th century by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva from the Eastern Ganga dynasty. Ever since then, it has stood as a symbol of devotion and Hindu faith. The temple has a lot of importance for Hindus all over the world because this is one of the Char Dhams, the 4 sacred pilgrimage centers, apart from Dwarka in the West, Rameshwaram in the South, and Badrinath in the North. It is believed that visiting all these shrines at least once in a lifetime is necessary to attain salvation.
The Puri temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, his brother Lord Balabhadra, and his sister Goddess Subhadra, and their idols are placed in the main sanctum. The idols in the temple are made of a very sacred and specific type of wood called Daru Brahma and are very peculiar in appearance with the big round eyes of Lord Jagannath.
The Lord Jagannath temple is built over an area of 10.7 acres in the traditional Kalinga style of architecture. It has a Vimana which is the main shrine, a Jagamohana or porch, a Nata Mandira or dance hall, and a Bhoga Mandapa or the offering hall. The Shikhara of the temple is very tall and towers at a height of 190 feet. At its top, the Nila Chakra is perched which is a representation of the Sudarshan Chakra of Lord Vishnu and is made from Ashtadhatu, or an alloy of 8 metals. It is believed that no matter from which corner of the city you look at the Chakra, it always seems to be facing you.
There are 2 walls that enclose the temple. The outer wall is called Meghanad Pachira and the inner wall is called the Kuruma Bheda.
Apart from this, there are four elaborate gates in four directions, the Singh Dwara or the Lion Gate in the East, Ashwa Dwara or Horse Gate in the South, Vyaghra Dwara in the West, and Hasti Dwara in the North.
There are carvings of various mythological incidents like Lord Krishna with gopis, Dhenukasura Vadha, celestial beings like the Ashtadikapalakas, celestial maidens, and many other deities and mythological creatures. The Shri Jagannath temple also houses the Aruna Stambha which is a 33 feet tall monolith pillar. It was earlier located in the Sun Temple of Konark.
One of the most popular festivals associated with the Lord Jagannath temple is the Rath Yatra. During the Rath Yatra, the deities are placed on 3 different chariots and carried out in a grand procession. These chariots are pulled by millions of devotees. The chariot that carries Lord Jagannath is called Nandighosha and the deities are taken to the Gundicha Temple and worshiped there for 7 days after which they are brought back to the Puri Temple. This happens every year in the month of June or July.
Another festival of supreme significance is the Nabakalebara festival during which the old idols are replaced with new ones. The whole process of replacing the idols, selecting the wood for the new idols, and carving them is very sacred. Only certain designated artisans can carve the idols of the deities of the Lord Jagannath Temple. This takes place every 12 to 19 years.
Snana Yatra is another important festival of the Shri Jagannath Temple. During this festival, the idols are bathed in public view with holy water from 108 pots. This happens on the full moon day of the Jyestha month. They are dressed in very beautiful clothes and are decked with fine jewels.
The Chandan Yatra is also very important for the Puri temple and is attended by many devotees of Lord Jagannath. It includes applying Sandalwood paste to the idols of the 3 deities. This festival lasts for a period of 42 days.
The morning at the Shri Jagannath temple begins with the deities being woken up with aarti. After the morning darshan, they are served a meal of fruits, green coconut, and curd. After that is done a while later a bigger and more elaborate meal is served to them along with some betel nuts. During the Madhyana Dhupa in the afternoon, they are served a hearty lunch after which they are put to sleep until evening. After this, they are woken up in the evening and served evening snacks which are followed by evening darshan. The final meal of the day is their dinner which is called the Badasinghar Bhoga. Post dinner they are sung to sleep with Gita Govinda being sung and the veena being played.
The Puri temple surely is a work of art but is also a trove of mysteries that have puzzled people even with the most scientific temperament. Let’s take a look at some of them.
- The flag which is mounted at the top of the temple’s Shikhara blows in the opposite direction of the flow of the wind.
- The Nila Chakra at the top of the Lord Jagannath temple seems to be facing the devotees no matter where they look at it.
- Once the devotees enter the Singha Dwara, they completely stop hearing the sound of the waves from the nearby sea.
- It has been observed over the years that the Shri Jagannath temple never casts a shadow, at no time of the day and in no direction.
- The food in the temple is prepared by stacking clay pots one over the other. But the food in the top-most pot gets cooked first.
The Lord Jagannath temple is not only a symbol of spirituality and faith but also stands proud as an architectural marvel. It serves as an abode for Lord Jagannath and as a sanctum for the devotees to connect with the divine. From the grand architecture and peculiar idols to the vibrant traditions and festivals, everything about the temple makes the devotees curious and eager to visit it.
Q. Who made the Jagannath temple?
The Shri Jagannath temple was built by King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva in the 12th century.
Q. Where is puri jagannath temple?
The Lord Jagannath temple is located in Puri, Odisha India.
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