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Jagannath Dham puri |
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Puri, on the east coast of India, in the state of
Orissa is a hoary pilgrimage center, enshrining
Jagannath, in a colossal temple. Puri is the
forerunner of the Jagannath cult in Orissa, which
saw the flowering of several temples dedicated to
Jagannath all over the state.
Puri is an ancient shrine, enshrining Krishna - Jagannath in the form of a wooden image. Also
enshrined are wooden images of Balabhadra (Balarama)
and Subhadra brother and sister of Krishna
respectively. Interestingly, the Rig Veda refers to
Purushottama in the form of a wooden image, prepared
from a log of wood floating on the ocean. Puri is
also referred to in the Bhrama purana.
Orissa has Konark as the Surya Kshetra, Puri as the
Vishnu kshetra, Bhubaneshwar as the Hara Kshetra and
Jaipur as the Parvati Kshetra.
Legend has it that the original image of Jagannath was
found at the foot of a fig tree, in the form of an
Indranila or the Blue Jewel. Its blinding
brightness, prompted Dharma to request it to be
hidden in the earth. King Indradyumna, of Malwa
intending to discover this image, performed severe
penances, and was instructed by Vishnu to go to the
Puri seashore, and look for a floating log, and
fashion an image from its trunk. |
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The King did discover the log of wood. Vishnu and
Vishwakarma appeared in the form of artistes and
prepared images of Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra from
the tree. Interestingly, the wooden images being
worshipped are renewed during special occasions. New
images have been installed in 1863, 1893, 1931, 1950,
1969 and 1977.
Puri was a center of Buddhist worship, before it became
a center of Vaishnavism again. The Rath Yatra at Puri
has its parallel with the chariot procession of the
Buddha's tooth at Dantapuri.
Puri is located on the gentle slope of the Nila hill,
adjacent to the sea. A sacred banyan tree is revered as
a manifestation of Vishnu, the ocean - Balarama and a
pool- the king Indradyumna. Pilgrims are required to
offere worship first at a Shiva temple, and then at the
banyan tree and then at the shrine to Balarama before
proceding to worship Jagannath. Subhadra is to be
worshipped next.
The Temple: The vast
temple complex occupies an area of over 400000 square
feet, and is bounded by a 20 feet high fortified wall.
This complex contains about 120 temples and shrines. The
shikhara of the Jagannath temple towers to a height of
192 feet.
Structurally the temple has four chambers. The
outermost is the Bhogmandir, the next is the Nata-mandir
pillared hall for music and dance, the next is the
Jagamohana - or the mandapa where devotees gather for
worship and the last is the sanctum or the Deul
enshrining the deities.
History: The temple
was originally built by the Kalinga ruler Anantavarman
Chodaganga (1078 - 1148 CE). Much of the present
structure was built by King Ananga Bhima Deva in the
year 1174 CE. It took 14 years to complete and was
consecrated in 1198 CE. It is believed that the image of
Jagannath was buried thrice in the Chilka lake for
protection from invaders.
Puri represents one of the four peethas established by
Sankaracharya, the other four being Sringeri in south
India, Dwarka in Saurashtra, and Badrinath in the
Himalayas. Ramananda of the 14th century - a follower of
the Sri Vaishnava religious leader Ramanuja, is also
associated with this temple. Chaitanya of the 15th -
16th centuries popularized the worship of Jagannath.
Festivals: Elaborate
worship services are carried out throughout the day
here. There are as many as 24 festivals each year, the
most important one of them being the Rath Yatra or the
Chariot festival in the month June - July. The
spectacular chariot festival involves the procession of
three colossal chariots bearing the images of Jagannath,
Balarama and Subhadra through the streets of Puri.
Jagannath's chariot is a 35 feet square, rising to a
height of 45 feet, with 16 wheels, 7 feet in diameter.
More than 4000 people drag the chariot. Hundreds of
thousands gather from all over the country to witness
this festival. The chariot is dragged to the deity's
summer abode where the deities are worshipped for a
week, and then a re-enactment of the chariot festival,
where they are brought back in procession happens. New
chariots are made each year.
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