Jagannatha Temple Pilgrimage

Jagannatha Temple पिल्ग्रिमागे

Jagannatha Temple - One Among the Four Most Sacred

Puri is one of the most visited cities of Orissa and Jagannatha Temple is its greatest attraction. The temple is an important pilgrim destination for Hindus. Jagannatha Temple is one of the four Dhams (most sacred places) in India along with Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameshwaram. The temple is dedicated to Jagannatha ( Lord Krishna). The word Jagannath in Sanskrit means 'Lord of Universe'. There are three main deities in the temple, Lord Jagannatha, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Balabhadra. It is visited by devotees throughout the year but during Rath Yatra, the number increases many folds. It is probably the most exuberantly celebrated event of Orissa. Though only Hindus of Indian origin are allowed entry into the temple, one can admire the exceptional beauty of the temple from outside as well.

History of Jagannatha Temple

The construction of Jagannatha Temple started during the reign of Anantavarman Chodaganga Dev who was a famous ruler of Kalinga. Few of the portions were completed during his reign itself. However it was King Ananga Bhima Deva who reconstructed it and brought it to the shape it is in today. The rituals were carried on in the temple till 1558 when an Afghan General Kalapahad attacked . After sometime, when Ramachandra Deb formed an independent kingdom at Khurda, the images were reconsecrated. The Legend that goes with it is that Dharma found the original image of Lord Jagannatha near a fig tree. It was in the form of a Blue Jewel. The image was blindingly bright so he wanted to hide it in earth. King Indradyumna of Malwa wanted to find the image. And for that he performed penance for long and hard. Lord Vishnu then appeared and told him to look for a log on the coast in Puri. As advised, he came to Puri and found the log. There, Lord Vishnu and Lord Vishwakarma appeared as artists and carved images of Lord Krishna, Lord Balarama, and Goddess Subhadra from the log. These were the images that were consecrated in the Jagannatha temple.

Architecture of Jagannatha Temple

It is among the finest architectural works that still stand in Orissa. The temple is walled by a 20 feet high wall. The premises covers an area of around 40000 sq. feet and has more than 120 small temples inside the temple. Most of these temples are built in the Orrisan style of temple architecture. The main shrine is around 214 feet tall and is in a curvilinear shape. What will amaze you the most will be the 11-m high pillar, which is, located right at the entrance. This pillar has 16 sides to it and some magnificent carvings on it. The premises is divided into four parts, Bhogmandir, Natamandir, Jagamohana and Deul.