Jagannath Temple
There are very few places that have
embraced opposites such as the sacred and the profane, religious and
secular, dogma and liberalism, particular and universal, the way Puri
has, with beauty and serenity. The abode of Lord Jagannath (Lord of
the Universe), Puri (also known as Purushottam Kshetra) is located at
60 km from Bhubaneswar on the coast of Bay of Bengal. Interestingly,
the Rig Veda also refers to Purushottama in the form of a wooden
image, made from a log of wood floating on the ocean. In fact,
intrigued by His persona and looks, which can be best described as
totemic, several scholars relate the mythology to Buddhist, Jain,
Vedic and tribal origins. For a casual visitor in search of instant
gratification, of the spirit as well of the senses, Puri with its
alluring seafront and religious atmosphere, is an ideal gateway.
¤ Legend Related To The Temple
According to ancient scriptures, the original image of Jagannath was
found at the foot of a fig tree, in the form of an Indranila (Blue
Jewel). Rattled by its dazzling brightness, Dharma requested it to be
hidden in the earth. King Indradyumna of Malwa, intending to discover
this image, performed severe penances, and was instructed by Lord
Vishnu to go to the Puri seashore, and look for a floating log. Vishnu
and Vishwakarma appeared thereafter as artisans and carved the images
of Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra from its trunk.
¤ Belief associated with the Temple
Some scholars believe the three richly decorated effigies of
Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra represent the
Buddhist triad of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Some say his idol
confines an object representing a bone from Lord Krishna's body, while
others surmise it could be the tooth of Buddha. One can say that the
amalgamation of "esoteric practices of tantra, the meditative
approach of the Buddhists, the universal tolerance of the Jains and
the comprehensive religion of Vedantism" is what makes Jagannath
so popular.
¤ History
The construction of the eminent Temple of Lord Jagannath, was begun
by Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev in 12th century A.D. and was
completed by his descendant Anangabhima Dev III. The management of the
temple continued under the Hindu rulers till 1558, when the State of
Orissa was conquered by the Afghan Nawab of Bengal. Later, Ramachandra
Deb established Khurda kingdom, venerated the temple and reinstalled
the deities. Raja Mansingh, a General of the Mughal King Akbar,
defeated the Afghans and annexed Orissa in to the Mughal territory. It
remained under the Mughals till 1751 A.D. while the Khurda Raja, was
paying tribute to Mughals and Marhattas. Later, Marhattas took up
direct management of the temple. The Britishers annexed Orissa into
British empire in 1803 and allowed Puri Raja to manage the temple
which continued till 1947.
¤ The Jagannath Temple Complex
Long before one reaches Puri, the 214 feet (65 meters) spire of the
temple can be seen towering over the countryside. This visual
dominance is symbolic of the influence which the temple commands over
almost every aspect of life in Puri. The great temple is the city's
navel, where all its spiritual energy is concentrated. The temple
complex occupies an area of 10.7 acres and is enclosed by two
rectangular walls, built during 15th century. The outer enclosure is
called the Meghanada Prachira (665 x 640 ft) whereas the inner wall is
called Kurmabheda (420 x 315 ft). There are 4 gates leading into the
temple: the Lion Gate (east), Horse Gate (south), Tiger Gate(west) and
the Elephant Gate (north). Most visitors enter through the eastern
gate, known as the Simhadwar (Lion's Gate) because of the two massive
crouched lions carved near the entrance. Just before the gate stands
an opulent 16 sided monolithic pillar measuring 11 meters in height,
Arunastambh; architectural zenith with exquisite carvings. It was
brought here from Konark in the 18th century.
There is a wheel on top of the temple made of an alloy of eight
different metals (ashta dhatu), known as Nila Chakra (Blue Wheel) with
a circumference of about 36 ft. A flag is tied everyday on a mast
attached to the Nila Chakra.
In the central Jagmohan (sacrosanct), pilgrims to the temple can view
the images of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister
Subhadra. The curious images are carved from tree trunks in a child
like caricature of a human face. Even to the non-religious eye, the
image is fascinating, perhaps because of the unlikely combination of
the endearing, charming form with an undeniable sense of power. A gaze
at the faces of the pilgrims together with the divine fragrance and
tantalizing sizzles of sweets and snacks inside the temple, takes a
person to a higher spiritual consciousness.
¤ Rites, Rituals and Mahaprasad
Lord Jagannath's teeth are cleaned everyday before he is clothed in
one of the 36 exquisitely designed dresses in the temple wardrobe.
There are 36 traditional communities, divided into 97 classes, who
render a specific hereditary service to the deities. 20,000 servants
wait on him whereas 400 cooks prepare a whopping 100 dishes for over
10,000 devotees. The temple is said to have the largest kitchen in the
world.
¤ The Divine Food
The most famous dining in Puri is of the Mahaprasada (Holy Food)
which holds special significance in every Hindu's life. Believed to be
the world's largest kitchen, the Rosaghar, has 752 sigdis (stove)
fired by wood. The Mahabhog is made by 400 supakaras (cooks) in heavy
kadhais (earthen cook-cum-serve vessels shaped like cylindrical pots).
The sacred offerings are sold at the Ananda Bazaar, after 2 pm, to
eager devotees at nominal rates. The food is purely Satvik ( without
onion, garlic, potato, tomato,cabbage, lady's finger, chillies or
spices). The bhog must be eaten sitting on the floor, from a plantain
leaf without wasting a single part of it.
Major Circuits
Major Tour Packages To Maharashtra
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