A wedding in Bhubaneswar made our long awaited trip to the Jagannath temple, Puri, last November possible.
The Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha, is a Hindu pilgrimage site and one of the Char Dham. This temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Vishnu), and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra.
Unlike most Hindu shrines that use stone or metal, the idols of the Gods are made of neem wood. These idols are replaced every 12 to 19 years through a ceremony, Nabakalebara.
The story of Jagannath
According to legends, the first Jagannath temple was commissioned by King Indradyumna. The king upon hearing the powers of the deity, Lord Neela Madhaba sent a priest, Vidyapati, to locate the deity, who was worshipped secretly in a cave by the sarvar tribals. Vidyapati marked his way back from the cave and led King Indradyumna, to the place. But to their surprise the idol could not be found. The king took a fast at Mount Neela till a celestial voice guided him to build a temple.
He constructed a temple for Lord Vishnu and following the divine vision, created the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshan chakra from sacred wood.
It is believed Sage Narada was directed to bring the Divine Log of wood to the altar. Shri Visvakarma, disguised as a carpenter, came forward to carve the idols. He asked for 21 days to complete the job and not to be distributed. On the 14th day the anxious queen urged the king to open the door. At the altar stood the unfinished idols and the carpenter had vanished. A divine voice directed King Indradyumana to install the unfinished idols, at the temple near the Kalpabata tree.
The Jagannath Temple at Puri, was built during the 12th century, and is a masterpiece of Kalinga architecture. It features a 65-meter tall curvilinear spire (Rekha Deula) and a massive complex spanning over 400,000 square feet. The structure consists of four main, interconnected halls—Vimana (sanctum), Jagamohan (porch), Natamandapa (dance hall), and Bhoga Mandapa (offering hall)—surrounded by high fortified walls, the Meghanada Pacheri.
Sri Panduranga Temple, Tamilnadu
The Thennangur Panduranga Temple in Tamil Nadu is modeled after the Puri Jagannath Temple in Odisha, featuring similar Kalinga-style architecture.The entrances of the temple are of gopurams (south Indian style) and the main shrine is that of the Puri Jagannath Temple.
It features a 120-foot tall tower adorned with a gold kalasam, Sudarshana Chakra, and a saffron flag. The main idol, brought from Pandharpur by Swami Haridas Giri 500 years ago, depicts Lord Panduranga at 11 feet and his consort Rukmayee at 8.5 feet. This temple also includes rare idols, such as Achyutaraja Perumal, and a 16-pillared Maha-Mandap which is used for weddings and cultural activities during festivals.
