Puri Dham
Sightseeing in Puri in Orissa is a great experience. From exotic destinations to a host of temples, the place has many things in store for you.
To begin with, the Sri Gundicha Temple in Puri is a very popular temple. It is named after Gundicha Devi who was the queen of king Indradyumna. During the car festival in Puri, it is a custom for the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra to halt here for 7 days before they start for the main temple on Bahuda Yatra Day.
The Loknath Temple in Puri is famous for the worship of Lord Shiva. One of the myths regarding this temple is that Lord Ram had himself established this lingam with a Pumpkin or lauka. It was built during the10th and 11th century A.D.
The Jameswara Temple in Puri also belongs to the same age. The temple is dedicated to Jameswara Siva who, is believed to protect the holy land of Puri from the clutches of the Yama. The temple is also known as Yamanka Tirtha.
Sightseeing in Puri also includes the Daksinakali Temple in Puri. Situated at the south eastern part of the Jagannath Temple on Balishahi, the temple is dedicated to Sri Jagannath who is also known as Daksinakalika. Here, the deity is perched on a corpse.
The Jagannath Temple in Puri is one of the most celebrated temples not only of this place, but also throughout India. Constructed as early as in the 12th century by Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev, the wooden images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are a marvel to watch.
The Govardhana Math in Puri is also known as the Bhogo Vardhan Math. It was established by Adi Sankaracharya in the 9th century.
Puri, the holy land of Lord Jagannath, has many names. It is mentioned in Puranas as Srikshetra, Shankhakshetra, Neelāchala, Neelādri, Purusottama Dhāma, Purusottama Kshetra, Purusottama Puri and Jagannath Puri. The word "Puri" in Sanskrit means 'town', or 'city' and is cognate with polis in Greek. It is possible that Puri is a shortened name for Jagannath Puri or Purusottama Puri. In some records pertaining to the British rule, the word 'Jagannath' was used for Puri. It is the only shrine in India, where Radha, along with Lakshmi, Durga, Sati, Parvati, and Shakti abodes with Krishna, also known as Jagannath.
History
Puri is the site of the Govardhana matha, one of the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankaracharya, the others being those at Sringeri, Dwaraka and Jyotirmath.Puri is also famous for its annual Ratha Yatra, or "Festival of Chariots", when the deities Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, are brought out of the temple, and placed in a chariot procession. This festival occurs on various dates of the Gregorian calendar, typically in the month of July.[3]
The town is famous for its many Mathas (Monasteries of the various Hindu sects). It also houses the relics of many Hindu figures as traditionally it is seen as a holy place to die in or to be cremated. As a result, it has had a disproportionate number of widows. Like other old Hindu religious towns it has a lot of character that is difficult to be glimpsed or picked up on easily by a casual visitor.
In 1903, Sri Yukteswar established an ashram in the sea-side town of Puri, naming it "Kararashram". From two ashrams, Yukteswar taught students, and began an organization named "Sadhu Sabha." Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, founder of 64 Sri Gaudiya Maths performed the final past-times of his life in Puri.
Culture and Tradition of Puri
Puri is one of the fascinating littoral district of Orissa. The Cultural heritage of Puri with its long recorded history beginning from third century B. C till present day, The monuments and religious sanctity, way of life of the people with their rich tradition possess emphatically to be the cultural heart of Orissa. In deed Puri is considered cultural capital of Orissa. The culture here is flourished with its manifold activities.The District has the happy conglomerate of different religions, sects and faith in course of history, Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina, Muslim, Christian, Sikh found here in the District.
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, an incarnation of Lord Krishna, appeared 500 (five hundred) years ago, in the mood of a devotee to taste the sublime emotions of ecstacy by chanting the holy name of Krishna. Stalwart scholars of Puri like Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya (head priest and great Sanskrit pandit) and others followed His teachings. Even kings and ministers of His period became His disciples. One famous King, Prataparudra, became His great admirer and ardent follower.
- Traditional Fairs and Festivals
| Festival | When celebrated | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Car Festival (Ratha Yatra) | July | |
| Chandan Yatra | April | |
| Gosani Yatra | September/October | Dasahara |
| Sahi Yatra | March/April | for 7 days from Rama Navami |
| Maha Shiva Ratri | February/March | in all the Saiva Pithas |
| Magha Mela | January | Konark |
| Boita Bandan | October/November | Konark |
| Harirajpur Melan | March | Harirajpur |
| Jhamu Yatra Kakatapur | May | |
| Dayana chori | Ghorodia in Pipil Block | |
| Aunla Navami | November | Sakshigopal |
| Makar Mela | January | Chilika |
| Bali Harachandi Mela | during the Raj Festival in June | Brahmagiri |
| Anabasar Yatra Alaranath Pitha | Brhamagiri | |
| Siruli Mahavir Mela | Panasankranti- Siruli, Sadar Block | |
| Julana Purnima | August | Raksha Bandhan |
Places of interest
- Puri is considered a holy place of pilgrimage in India.
- The beautiful sea beach with its unique and fantastic views of sunsets and sunrises.
- The world famous Jagannath Temple (Bada Deula).
- Hare Krishna Movement, Puri – originally started by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 500 years back & inspired by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, preaching the sublime method of purifying heart & soul by chanting the Lord Krishna's (Jagannath) holy name.
- The gateway to heaven (as per Hindu mythology – Swargadwara). Swargadwara means direct gateway to Heaven. Here, there is a Burning Ghat for Hindus. Swarga means Heaven and Dwara means gate.
- One of the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankaracharya – Puri matha
- Ratha Jatra.
- Gateway to famous Sun temple (from Puri 36 km.) at Konark from Konark towards north "Kuruma" is the location of a famous Buddhist place. It is possible to walk along the beach from Puri all the way to Konark (or Konarak the name it is also known by) in order to see the Konark Sun Temple.
- Bada Thakura(Lord Jagannath), Bada Danda(Grand Road), Bada Deula(Jagannath temple), Bada Raja(King of puri), Maha Prasada(cooked food from the temple), Maha Dipa(oil candel) etc. are notable persons and things in Puri.
- Tota Gopinatha mandira, Alharanatha mandir at Bramhagiri.
- Jayadeba, the famous Oriya poet who has written "Gita Gobinda" in Sanskrit was born in Kenduli Sasan on the outskirts of Puri.
- Sakhigopala otherwise known as Satyabadi is a very significant religious place and tourist destination of Puri district. Utkalamani Gopabandhu Dasa with his four friends set up Bakula Bana Bidyalaya here, an open air school which played pivotal role in building character of students. Also immensely contributed to the freedom struggle of India.
Geography
Puri is located at19°48′N 85°51′E / 19.8°N 85.85°E. It has an average elevation of 0 metres (0 feet).
WikiMiniAtlas
Demographics
As of 2011[update] India census, Puri had a population of 2,01,026. Males- 104,267, females- 96,759, children under 6 years of age- 17,000. The sex ratio is 928.Puri has a very long, broad sand beach. The sea produces very big waves here. It attracts many national and international tourists because of its beautiful long beach and world famous Jagannath Temple The place to start a pilgrimage is here and Puri is a pilgrim's destination too. There are many ashrams and sacred temples in Puri.Nearby Tourist Spots
- Sri Yukteswar Samadhi Temple, Karar Ashram
- Konark Sun Temple
- Chandrabhaga
- Ramachandi
- Beleswar
- Chilika Lake
- Bhubaneswar
- Gopalpur Beach 100 km apart from puri
- Kenduli Sasan
- Sakhigopala
- Alarnatha Mandira
- Pipili
- Satpada
Konark Sun Temple
| Sun temple | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | India |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, iii, vi |
| Reference | 246 |
| Region ** | Asia-Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1984 (8th Session) |
Etymology
The name Konark is derived from the Sanskrit word Kona (meaning angle) and word Arka (meaning sun) in reference to the temple which was dedicated to the Sun god SuryaArchitecture
The entrance is guarded by two giant lions, which are each shown crushing a war elephant. Each elephant in turn lies on top of a human body. The temple symbolizes the majestic stride of the Sun God. At the entrance of the temple is a Nata Mandir. This is where the temple dancers used to perform dances in homage to the Sun God. All around the temple, there are various floral and geometric patterns. The temple is now partly in ruins, and a collection of its sculptures is housed in the Sun Temple Museum, which is run by the Archaeological Survey of India. The poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote of Konark: "Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man."
The Sun temple belongs to the Kalinga school of Indian temple architecture. The Main Sanctum which (229 ft. high) was constructed along with the Audience Hall (128 ft. high) having elaborate external projections. The Main Sanctum which enshrined the presiding deity has fallen off. The Audience Hall survives in its entirety, but only small portions of the Dancing Hall (Nata Mandir) and the Dining Hall (Bhoga-Mandap) have survived the vagaries of time. The Temple compound measures 857 ft (261 m) by 540 ft (160 m). The alignment of the Sun Temple is on the East-West direction. The Temple is located in natural surroundings, abounding with casuarina plantations and other types of trees such as mahogany, rosewood, eel which grow on sandy soil.
History
Kalapahad
Orissa came under Muslim control in 1568. There were constant attempts to destroy the Hindu temples. The Pandas (priests) of Puri, to save the sanctity of the Puri temple, took away the Lord Jagannath from the Srimandir and kept the image in a secret place. Similarly, it is said that the Pandas of Konark took away the presiding deity of the Sun temple and buried it under the sand for years. Latter on the image was said to have been removed to Puri and kept in the temple of Indra, in the compound of the Puri Jagannath temple. According to others, the Puja image of the Konark temple is yet to be discovered. But others hold the view that the Sun image now kept in the National Museum of Delhi was the presiding deity of the Konark Sun temple.
The Sun worship in the Konark temple ended upon the removal of the sacred image from the temple. This resulted in the end of pilgrimages to Konark. The port at Konark was also closed, due to pirate attacks. Konark was as glorious a city for Sun worship as it was for commercial activities, but after the cessation of these activities, Konark became deserted and was left to be enveloped by a dense forest over the years.
In 1626, the then king of Khurda, Raja Narasimha Dev, son of Purusottam Dev, took away the Sun image to Puri along with two other moving deities - Sun and Moon. Now they are found in a temple in the compound of Puri Jagannath temple.
As described earlier there was a big block of stone called Navagraha Paata placed in front of the Mukhasāḷā. The then king of Khurda removed the block. The king had taken away many sculptured stones from Konark and constructed some portions of Puri temple with them. During Maratha's time the outer compound wall of the Puri temple was constructed of stones from Konark temple.
It is reported that among all the temples the Nāṭa mandira or the Dancing hall, of Konark was in its original form for the longest period, and that it was broken intentionally since it was considered an unnecessary structure during the Maratha administration.
In the year 1779, a Maratha Sadhu had taken away the Aruna Khamba (Pillar) from Konark and put it in front of the Lion's Gate of Puri Jagannath temple. Thus by the end of 18th century, Konark lost all its glories and had been turned to a dense forest. In course of time, the temple area thus became devoid of people, covered with dense forest, filled with sand, overrun by wild animals and became the abode of pirates. It is said that even the locals feared to go to Konark in broad daylight.
Gopalpur-on-Sea
Gopalpur is a town and notified area in Ganjam district in the Indian state of Orissa. Gopalpur is located at
19°16′N 84°55′E / 19.27°N 84.92°E. It has an average elevation of 1 metres (3 ft).
Gopalpur-on-Sea is a famous sea beach near the coast of Bay of Bengal and a tourist destination near Brahmapur. It is about 15 km by road from Brahmapur. Gopalpur WebSite
19°16′N 84°55′E / 19.27°N 84.92°E. It has an average elevation of 1 metres (3 ft).
Gopalpur-on-Sea is a beach and tourist attraction near Berhampur. It is about 15 km by road from the nearest town, Berhampur. It on the shore of the Bay of Bengal.
The sea-beach at Gopalpur, 2010
Barely 16 km away from Brahmapur, the commercial hub of southern Orissa and close to the border of Andhra Pradesh, is the tiny town of Gopalpur on the Bay of Bengal. This languorous beach with coconut groves, casuarinas and gentle sand dunes is deserted for miles.
Gopalpur on sea has got a lovely beach that is absolutely deserted. The only sign of life that one gets to see is in the afternoon when the fishermen come back to shores with their fishes caught during the morning hour and the women loading them in large "tokris" (baskets) and carry them away for selling off in local markets. Apart from that you can see a lot many red crabs walking on the beach.
In the evening many people from Brahmapur drive in to Gopalpur on sea to have a peaceful time sitting on sea shore
The entrance to the busy beach, 2010.
Gopalpur Beach Fesival:The first Gopalpur beach festival was started in the year 1996 by Ganjam District Hotel Association to promote tourism and culture. The concept of Gopalpur Beach Festival was conceived by Mr V.Santosh Kumar and Mr Sayed Rahim Members of Ganjam district Hotel Association,Brahmapur.
Legendary account as found in the Skanda-Purana, Brahma Purana and other Puranas and later Oriya works state that Lord Jagannath was originally worshipped as Lord Neela Madhav by a Savar king ( tribal chief ) named Viswavasu. Having heard about the deity, King Indradyumna sent a Brahmin priest, Vidyapati to locate the deity, who was worshipped secretly in a dense forest by Viswavasu. Vidyapati tried his best but could not locate the place. But at last he managed to marry Viswavasu's daughter Lalita . At repeated request of Vidyapti, Viswavasu took his son-in-law blind folded to a cave where Lord Neela Madhav was worshipped.
Vidyapati was very intelligent. He dropped mustard seeds on the ground on the way. The seeds germinated after a few days, which enabled him to find out the cave later on. On hearing from him, King Indradyumna proceeded immediately to Odra desha (Orissa) on a pilgrimage to see and worship the Deity. But the deity had disappeared. The king was disappointed. The Deity was hidden in sand. The king was determined not to return without having a darshan of the deity and observed fast unto death at Mount Neela, Then a celestial voice cried 'thou shalt see him '. Afterwards the king performed a horse sacrifice and built a magnificent temple for Vishnu. Sri Narasimha Murti brought by Narada was installed in the temple. During sleep, the king had a vision of Lord Jagannath. Also an astral voice directed him to receive the fragrant tree on the seashore and make idols out of it. Accordingly the king got the image of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Chakra Sudarshan made out of the wood of the divine tree and installed them in the temple.
Indradyumna's prayer to Lord Brahma
King Indradyumna put up for Jagannath the tallest monument of the world. It was 1,000 cubits high. He invited Lord Brahma, the cosmic creator, consecrate the temple and the images. Brahma came all the way from Heaven for this purpose. Seeing the temple he was immensely pleased with him. Brahma asked Indradyumna as to in what way can he (Brahma) fulfill the king's desire, since was very much pleased with him for his having put the most beautiful Temple for Lord Vishnu. With folded hands, Indradyumna said, "My Lord if you are really pleased with me, kindly bless me with one thing, and it is that I should be issueless and that I should be the last member of my family." In case anybody left alive after him, he would only take pride as the owner of the temple and would not work for the society.
The episode of the Lord's grace during a war with Kanchi
At one time, a king of Kanchi in the down south remarked that the
king of Orissa was a chandala (a man of very low caste or status)
because, he performs the duties of a sweeper during the Car Festival.
When this news reached the ears of the king of Orissa, he led an
expedition to Kanchi. Before that, he implored the mercy of Lord
Jagannath. The soldiers of Orissa marched towards Kanchi from Cuttack
(then capital city of Orissa, located on the banks of Mahanadi, at a
distance of 30 km from Bhubaneswar). It so happened that when the
soldiers, headed by the king Purusottam Dev, reached a place near the
Chilika lake, a lady,who was selling curd (a milk preparation, sour in
taste) met him (the king) and presented a golden ring studded with
precious gems and submitted. "My Lord, kindly listen to me. A little
earlier, two soldiers riding over two horses (white and black in
colour), approached me and said we are thirsty give us curds to
drink.' I gave them curds. Instead of giving me money, they gave me this
ring and said,'the king of Orissa will come here, after some time, on
his way to Kanchi. You present it to him and he will pay you the money.'
So my Lord, you take it and give me my dues.
It took no time for the king to know that the ring belongs to Lord Jagannath. He was convinced that Jagannath and Balabhadra were proceeding to the battle field ahead of him to help him there. To perpetuate the memory of this great incident, the king founded a village in the Chilika lake area. As the name of the lady was Manika, the name given to the village was Manika Patana. Even to this day, the curds of this village are famous. The temple is sacred to the Vaishnava traditions and saint Ramananda who was closely associated with the temple. It is also of particular significance to the followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.
Replica of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra in Nayagarh temple,another shrine for Jagannath
The central forms of Jagannath, Balabhadra and the goddess Subhadra constitute the trinity of deities sitting on the bejewelled platform or the Ratnavedi in the inner sanctum. The Sudarshan Chakra, idols of Madanmohan, Sridevi and Vishwadhatri are also placed on the Ratnavedi. The deities of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan Chakra are made from sacred Neem
logs known as Daru Bramha.Depending on the season the deities are
adorned in different garbs and jewels. Worship of the deities pre-date
the temple structure and may have originated in an ancient tribal shrine.
Ritual chakra and flags at the top shikhara of Puri temple of Jagannatha also related to Sudarsana chakra. The red flag(12 hand or 14 Feet denotes that Jagannath is within the building.
According to recently discovered copper plates from the Ganga dynasty, the construction of the current Jagannath temple was initiated by the ruler of Kalinga, Anantavarman Chodaganga Dev. The Jagamohana and the Vimana
portions of the temple were built during his reign (1078 - 1148 CE).
However, it was only in the year 1174 CE that the Oriya ruler Ananga Bhima Deva rebuilt the temple to give a shape in which it stands today.
Jagannath worship in the temple continued until 1558, when Orissa was attacked by the Afghan general Kalapahad. Subsequently, when Ramachandra Deb established an independent kingdom at Khurda in Orissa, the temple was consecrated and the deities reinstalled.
The King found the log of wood. He did a yajna from which god Yajna Nrisimha appeared and instructed that Narayana should be made as fourfold expansion, i.e. Paramatma as Vasudeva, his Vyuha as Samkarshana, Yogamaya as Subhadra, and his Vibhava asSudarsana. Vishwakarma appeared in the form of artist and prepared images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra from the tree. When this log, radiant with light was seen floating in the sea, Narada told the king to make three idols out of it and place them in a pavilion. Indradyumna got Visvakarma, the architect of Gods, to build a magnificent temple to house the idols and Vishnu himself appeared in the guise of a carpenter to make the idols on condition that he was to be left undisturbed until he finished the work.
But just after two weeks, the Queen became very anxious. She took the carpenter to be dead as no sound came from the temple. Therefore, she requested the king to open the door. Thus, they went to see Vishnu at work at which the latter abandoned his work leaving the idols unfinished. The idol was devoid of any hands. But a divine voice told Indradyumana to install them in the temple. It is believed that this led to the origin of the idiom "Apna Haath Jagannath" or "self-help is the best help". It has also been widely believed that in spite of the idol being without hands, it can watch over the world and be its lord. Thus the idiom.
The Rath Yatra in Puri in modern times showing the three chariots of the deities with the Temple in the background
Sikh leader Maharaja Ranjit Singh, had donated massive amounts of gold to the Jagannath temple. In his last will, he also ordered that Kohinoor,
the most precious and greatest diamond in the world, to be donated to
this temple, but the diamond could never actually make its way to the
temple because the British, by that time, had annexed the Punjab and all
its royal possessions. Thus claiming that the kohinoor was theirs. (It
is currently housed in The British Museum)
Starting from Lord Jagannath himself, history has it that he was a tribal deity, adorned by the Sabar people, as a symbol of Narayan. Another legend claims him to be Nilamadhava, an image of Narayana made of blue stone and worshipped by the aboriginals. He was brought to Nilagiri (blue mountain) or Nilachala and installed there as Shri Jagannath in company with Balabhadra and Subhadra. The images made of wood are also claimed to have their distant linkage with the aboriginal system of worshipping wooden poles. To cap it all the Daitapatis, who have a fair share of responsibilities to perform rituals of the Temple, are claimed to be descendants of the aboriginals or hill tribes of Orissa. So we may safely claim that the beginning of the cultural history of Shrikshetra is found in the fusion of Hindu and Tribal Cultures. This has been accepted as a facet of our proud heritage. The three deities came to be claimed as the symbols of Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnana and Samyak Charita usually regarded as Triratha (of the Jain cult), an assimilation of which leads to Moksha (salvation) or the ultimate bliss...
Lord Jagannath is worshipped as Vishnu or Narayana or Krishna and Lord Balabhadra as Shesha. Simultaneously, the deities are regarded as the bhairava (Shiva the formidable) with Vimala (the bhairavi or the consort of Shiva) installed in the campus of the temple. So ultimately we find a fusion of Saivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism of the Hindu religion with Jainism and up to an extent Buddhism in the culture of Jagannath and the cultural tradition so reverently held together in Shrikshetra.
Ratha Yatra Festival in Puri. Painting by James Fergusson
The huge temple complex covers an area of over 400,000 square feet (37,000 m2), and is surrounded by a high fortified wall. It contains at least 120 temples and shrines.
With its sculptural richness and fluidity of the Oriya style of temple
architecture, it is one of the most magnificent monuments of India.
The main temple is a curvilinear temple and crowning the top is the
'srichakra' (a eight spoked wheel) of Vishnu. Also known as the
"Nilachakra", it is made out of Ashtadhatu and is considered sacrosanct.
Among the existing temples in Orissa, the temple of Shri Jagannath is
the highest. The temple tower was built on a raised platform of stone
and, rising to 214 feet (65 m) above the inner sanctum where the deities
reside, dominates the surrounding landscape. The pyramidal roofs of the surrounding temples and adjoining halls, or mandapas, rise in steps toward the tower like a ridge of mountain peaks.
The main shrine is enclosed by a 20 feet (6.1 m) high wall. Another wall surrounds the main temple.
The Bada Danda or the Grand Avenue
The Singhadwara in 1870 showing the Lion sculptures with the Aruna Stambha Pillar in the foreground
The Singahdwara, which in Sanskrit
means The Lion Gate, is one of the four gates to the temple and forms
the Main entrance. The Singhadwara is so named because two huge statues
of crouching lions exist on either side of the entrance. The gate faces
east opening on to the Bada Danda or the Grand Road.The Baisi Pahacha or the flight of twenty two steps leads into the temple complex. An idol of Jagannath known as Patitapavana,
which in Sanskrit, means the "Saviour of the downtrodden and the
fallen" is painted on the right side of the entrance. In ancient times
when untouchables were not allowed inside the temple, they could pray to
Patita Pavana. The statues of the two guards to the temple Jaya and Vijaya stand on either side of the doorway.
Just before the commencement of the Rath Yatra the idols of Jagannath,
Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out of the temple through this gate.On
their return from the Gundicha Temple they have to ceremonially placate Goddess Mahalakshmi,
whose statue is carved atop the door, for neglecting to take her with
them on the Yatra. Only then the Goddess allows them permission to enter
the temple. A magnificent sixteen-sided monolithic pillar known as the Arun stambha stands in front of the main gate. This pillar has an idol of Arun, the charioteer of the Sun God Surya,
on its top.One significant thing about Arun stambha is that prior it
was located in the Konark Sun temple, later the then, it was removed
from there by great Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and relocated at Puri in
order to save it from the hands of Mughals and the British so that they
cannot plunder it.The Puri Jagannath Temple was also saved by Shivaji
Maharaj from being plundered at his times from the Mughals.
Mahaprasad (Large)
The temple's kitchen is considered as the largest kitchen in India. Tradition maintains that all food cooked in the temple kitchens are supervised by the Goddess Mahalakshmi,the empress of Srimandir
herself. It is said that if the food prepared has any fault in it a
shadow dog appears near the temple kitchen.The temple cooks or
Mahasuaras take this as a sign of displeasure of Mahalakshmi with the
food which is promptly buried and a new batch cooked. All food is cooked
following rules as prescribed by Hindu
religious texts, the food cooked is pure vegetarian without using
onions and garlic . Cooking is done only in earthen pots with water
drawn from two special wells near the kitchen called Ganges and
Yamuna.There are total 56 varieties of naivedhyas offered to the deities,near ratnavedi as well as in bhoga mandap on five particular muhurtas.The most awaited prasad is kotho bhoga or abadha,offered at mid-day at around 1 pm,depending upon temple rituals. The food after being offered to Jagannath is distributed at reasonable amount as Mahaprasad,which
considered as divine to devotees in the Ananda Bazar located to the
North-east of the Singhadwara inside the temple complex.
Devotees visiting the Jagannath Temple in Puri on the occasion of Snana Yatra
There are elaborate daily worship services. There are many festivals
each year attended by millions of people. The most important festival is
the Rath
Yatra or the Chariot festival in June. This spectacular festival
includes a procession of three huge chariots bearing the idols of
Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra through the Bada Danda meaning the Grand Avenue of Puri till their final destination the Gundicha Temple.
Early European observers told tales of devotees being crushed under the wheels of these chariots, whether by accident or even as a form of meritorious suicide akin to suttee. These reports gave rise to the loan word juggernaut suggesting an immense, unstoppable, threatening entity or process operated by fanatics. Many festivals like Dol Yatra in spring and Jhulan Yatra in monsoon are celebrated by temple every year.Pavitrotsava and Damanaka utsava are celebrated as per panchanga or panjika.There are special ceremonies in the month of Kartika and Pausha.
The annual shodasha dinatmaka or 16 day puja beginning 8 days prior to Mahalaya of Ashwin month for goddess Vimala and ending on Vijayadashami,is of great importance,in which both the utsava murty of lord Madanmohan and Vimala take part.
Puri Shri Jagannath Temple from a lane nearby
Lord Jagannath is the Purushottama as per the scripture, Skanda Purana.In order to teach humanbeings how to lead life full of virtue he has taken the form of Darubrahman.He is the best brother to his siblings, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.He is the best husband to goddess Shri.The most noteworthy thing is still in the month of Margashirsha,on three consecutive days during amavasya he does Shraaddha
to his parents
(Kashyapa-Aditi,Dasharatha-Kaushalya,Vasudeva-Devaki,Nanda-Yashoda),along
with king Indradyumna and queen Gundicha.As a master he enjoys every
comforts daily and in various festivals.He grants everything to all his
subjects,and those who surrenders before him he takes the utmost care of
them.
The District has the happy conglomerate of different religions, sects and faith in course of history, Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina, Muslim, Christian, Sikh found here in the District.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, an incarnation thought of Lord Krishna, appeared 500 hundred years ago, in the mood of a devotee to taste the sublime emotions of ecstacy by chanting the holy name of Krishna. Stalwart scholars of Puri like Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya (a priest & great Sanskrit pandit) and others followed His teachings. Even kings and ministers of His period became His disciples. Especially King Prataparudra became His great admirer and ardent follower.
19°16′N 84°55′E / 19.27°N 84.92°E. It has an average elevation of 1 metres (3 ft).
Gopalpur-on-Sea is a famous sea beach near the coast of Bay of Bengal and a tourist destination near Brahmapur. It is about 15 km by road from Brahmapur. Gopalpur WebSite
Geography
Gopalpur is located at19°16′N 84°55′E / 19.27°N 84.92°E. It has an average elevation of 1 metres (3 ft).
Gopalpur-on-Sea is a beach and tourist attraction near Berhampur. It is about 15 km by road from the nearest town, Berhampur. It on the shore of the Bay of Bengal.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census, Gopalpur had a population of 6660. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Gopalpur has an average literacy rate of 51%, lower than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 59%, and female literacy is 42%. In Gopalpur, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.History
Gopalpur also has an ancient, commercial port, now lying in ruins. From an obscure little fishing village, Gopalpur became a prominent trading port during the days of British East India Company. The East India Company built large warehouses and godowns because the trade with Burma had picked up and it had become a trading point for rice from Rangoon. The British and the wealthy Bengalis, who once made Gopalpur a vibrant, happening place, have left. Gopalpur has reverted to being a quiet, relaxed place but with one major difference — it is one of India's most sought after beaches, with a distinct charm of its own.Beach
Development
Renovated in 1970s at the initiative of the Orissa government, the jetties were supposed to revive the trading activities of Gopalpur port. It's a wonderful drive-in for the people and from the beach, vast expanse of deep blue sea and the horizon can be seen. Another thrilling sight is the long stretch of cashew nut trees. Cashew nuts are processed here and exported. A major landmark of Gopalpur-on-Sea is its lighthouse. The view from the top is splendid and one can see at a glance the entire town of Gopalpur. Gopalour-on-sea is also famous for its 'beach festival' organized annually. A nearby beach is Dhabaleshwar, which also houses temple of the same name.Gopalpur on sea has got a lovely beach that is absolutely deserted. The only sign of life that one gets to see is in the afternoon when the fishermen come back to shores with their fishes caught during the morning hour and the women loading them in large "tokris" (baskets) and carry them away for selling off in local markets. Apart from that you can see a lot many red crabs walking on the beach.
In the evening many people from Brahmapur drive in to Gopalpur on sea to have a peaceful time sitting on sea shore
Beach festival
Jagannath Temple, Puri
The Jagannath Temple in Puri(orissa) (Oriya: ବଡଦେଉଳ, ଶ୍ରୀମନ୍ଦିର) is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to Jagannath and located in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Orissa, India. The name Jagannath (Lord of the Universe) is a combination of the Sanskrit words Jagat (Universe) and Nath (Lord of). The temple is an important pilgrimage destination for many Hindu traditions, particularly worshippers of Krishna and Vishnu, and part of the Char Dham pilgrimages that a Hindu is expected to make in one's lifetime . The temple was built in the 11th century atop its ruins by the progenitor of the Eastern Ganga dynasty, King Anantavarman Chodaganga Deva. The temple is famous for its annual Rath Yatra, or chariot festival, in which the three main temple dities are hauled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars. Since medieval times, it is also associated with intense religious fervour.
Legendary account as found in the Skanda-Purana, Brahma Purana and other Puranas and later Oriya works state that Lord Jagannath was originally worshipped as Lord Neela Madhav by a Savar king ( tribal chief ) named Viswavasu. Having heard about the deity, King Indradyumna sent a Brahmin priest, Vidyapati to locate the deity, who was worshipped secretly in a dense forest by Viswavasu. Vidyapati tried his best but could not locate the place. But at last he managed to marry Viswavasu's daughter Lalita . At repeated request of Vidyapti, Viswavasu took his son-in-law blind folded to a cave where Lord Neela Madhav was worshipped.
Vidyapati was very intelligent. He dropped mustard seeds on the ground on the way. The seeds germinated after a few days, which enabled him to find out the cave later on. On hearing from him, King Indradyumna proceeded immediately to Odra desha (Orissa) on a pilgrimage to see and worship the Deity. But the deity had disappeared. The king was disappointed. The Deity was hidden in sand. The king was determined not to return without having a darshan of the deity and observed fast unto death at Mount Neela, Then a celestial voice cried 'thou shalt see him '. Afterwards the king performed a horse sacrifice and built a magnificent temple for Vishnu. Sri Narasimha Murti brought by Narada was installed in the temple. During sleep, the king had a vision of Lord Jagannath. Also an astral voice directed him to receive the fragrant tree on the seashore and make idols out of it. Accordingly the king got the image of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Chakra Sudarshan made out of the wood of the divine tree and installed them in the temple.
Indradyumna's prayer to Lord Brahma
King Indradyumna put up for Jagannath the tallest monument of the world. It was 1,000 cubits high. He invited Lord Brahma, the cosmic creator, consecrate the temple and the images. Brahma came all the way from Heaven for this purpose. Seeing the temple he was immensely pleased with him. Brahma asked Indradyumna as to in what way can he (Brahma) fulfill the king's desire, since was very much pleased with him for his having put the most beautiful Temple for Lord Vishnu. With folded hands, Indradyumna said, "My Lord if you are really pleased with me, kindly bless me with one thing, and it is that I should be issueless and that I should be the last member of my family." In case anybody left alive after him, he would only take pride as the owner of the temple and would not work for the society.
The episode of the Lord's grace during a war with Kanchi
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It took no time for the king to know that the ring belongs to Lord Jagannath. He was convinced that Jagannath and Balabhadra were proceeding to the battle field ahead of him to help him there. To perpetuate the memory of this great incident, the king founded a village in the Chilika lake area. As the name of the lady was Manika, the name given to the village was Manika Patana. Even to this day, the curds of this village are famous. The temple is sacred to the Vaishnava traditions and saint Ramananda who was closely associated with the temple. It is also of particular significance to the followers of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism whose founder, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was attracted to the deity, Jagannath, and lived in Puri for many years.
Deities
Origins of the temple
Jagannath worship in the temple continued until 1558, when Orissa was attacked by the Afghan general Kalapahad. Subsequently, when Ramachandra Deb established an independent kingdom at Khurda in Orissa, the temple was consecrated and the deities reinstalled.
Legend surrounding the Temple Origin
The traditional story concerning the origins of the temple is that here the original image of Jagannath (a deity form of Vishnu) at the end of Treta yuga manifested near a banyan tree, near seashore in the form of an Indranila nilamani or the Blue Jewel. It was so dazzling that it could grant instant moksha, so the god Dharma or Yama wanted to hide it in the earth,and was successful.In Dvapara Yuga King Indradyumna of Malwa wanted to find that mysterious image and to do so he performed harsh penances to obtain his goal. Vishnu then instructed him to go to the Puri seashore and find a floating log to make an image from its trunk.The King found the log of wood. He did a yajna from which god Yajna Nrisimha appeared and instructed that Narayana should be made as fourfold expansion, i.e. Paramatma as Vasudeva, his Vyuha as Samkarshana, Yogamaya as Subhadra, and his Vibhava asSudarsana. Vishwakarma appeared in the form of artist and prepared images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra from the tree. When this log, radiant with light was seen floating in the sea, Narada told the king to make three idols out of it and place them in a pavilion. Indradyumna got Visvakarma, the architect of Gods, to build a magnificent temple to house the idols and Vishnu himself appeared in the guise of a carpenter to make the idols on condition that he was to be left undisturbed until he finished the work.
But just after two weeks, the Queen became very anxious. She took the carpenter to be dead as no sound came from the temple. Therefore, she requested the king to open the door. Thus, they went to see Vishnu at work at which the latter abandoned his work leaving the idols unfinished. The idol was devoid of any hands. But a divine voice told Indradyumana to install them in the temple. It is believed that this led to the origin of the idiom "Apna Haath Jagannath" or "self-help is the best help". It has also been widely believed that in spite of the idol being without hands, it can watch over the world and be its lord. Thus the idiom.
Buddhist Origins
Some archaeologists theorize that there existed a Buddhist stupa named Dantapura at the site of the present one, which may have housed the tooth relic of the Buddha before it was transported to its present location in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Around that period Buddhism was imbibed within the Vaishnava fold, whence Jagganath worship gained popularity. This was before the tenth century, during the reign of the Somavamsi kings of Orissa.
Ethnic Discrimination
Temple security is selective regarding who is allowed entry. Practicing Hindus of non- Indian descent are excluded from premises, as are Hindus of non-Indian origin. Visitors not allowed entry may view the precincts from the roof of the nearby Raghunandan Library. There is some evidence that this came into force following a series of invasions by foreigners into the temple and surrounding area. Buddhist, and Jain groups are allowed into the temple compound if they are able to prove their Indian ancestry. The temple has slowly started allowing Hindus of non-Indian origin into the area, after an incident in which 3 Balinese Hindus were denied entry, even though Bali is 90% Hindu.Cultural Integrity
Shrikshetra of Puri Jagannath, as is commonly known, can verily be said to be a truthful replica of Indian culture. To understand this culture, one has to have some idea of the history of this land, which again is different from that of other countries of the world.Starting from Lord Jagannath himself, history has it that he was a tribal deity, adorned by the Sabar people, as a symbol of Narayan. Another legend claims him to be Nilamadhava, an image of Narayana made of blue stone and worshipped by the aboriginals. He was brought to Nilagiri (blue mountain) or Nilachala and installed there as Shri Jagannath in company with Balabhadra and Subhadra. The images made of wood are also claimed to have their distant linkage with the aboriginal system of worshipping wooden poles. To cap it all the Daitapatis, who have a fair share of responsibilities to perform rituals of the Temple, are claimed to be descendants of the aboriginals or hill tribes of Orissa. So we may safely claim that the beginning of the cultural history of Shrikshetra is found in the fusion of Hindu and Tribal Cultures. This has been accepted as a facet of our proud heritage. The three deities came to be claimed as the symbols of Samyak Darshan, Samyak Jnana and Samyak Charita usually regarded as Triratha (of the Jain cult), an assimilation of which leads to Moksha (salvation) or the ultimate bliss...
Lord Jagannath is worshipped as Vishnu or Narayana or Krishna and Lord Balabhadra as Shesha. Simultaneously, the deities are regarded as the bhairava (Shiva the formidable) with Vimala (the bhairavi or the consort of Shiva) installed in the campus of the temple. So ultimately we find a fusion of Saivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism of the Hindu religion with Jainism and up to an extent Buddhism in the culture of Jagannath and the cultural tradition so reverently held together in Shrikshetra.
Acharyas and Jagannatha Puri
All of the renowned acharyas except Madhvacharya have been known to visit this kshetra. Adi Shankara established his Govardhana matha here. A number of sites belonging to Ramanujacharya, Nimbarkacharya and Gaudiya Vaishnavism have also been established. Srimad Vallabhacharya has a "baithakji" here also, which he established on his visit to Puri. There is also evidence is that Guru Nanak, Kabir and Tulsidas had visited this place.Char Dham
The temple is one of the holiest Hindu Char Dham (four divine sites) sites comprising Rameswaram, Badrinath, Puri and Dwarka. Though the origins are not clearly known, the Advaita school of Hinduism established by Sankaracharya, who created Hindu monastic institutions across India, attributes the origin of Char Dham to the seer.[19] The four monasteries lie across the four corners of India and their attendant temples are Badrinath Temple at Badrinath in the North, Jagannath Temple at Puri in the East, Dwarakadheesh Temple at Dwarka in the West and Ramanathaswamy Temple at Rameswaram in the South. Though ideologically the temples are divided between the sects of Hinduism, namely Saivism and Vaishnavism, the Char Dham pilgrimage is an all Hindu affair. There are four abodes in Himalayas called Chota Char Dham (Chota meaning small): Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri - all of these lie at the foot hills of Himalayas. The name Chota was added during the mid of 20th century to differentiate the original Char Dhams. The journey across the four cardinal points in India is considered sacred by Hindus who aspire to visit these temples once in their lifetime. Traditionally the trip starts are the eastern end from Puri, proceeding in clockwise direction in a manner typically followed for circuambulation in Hindu temples.Structure
The main shrine is enclosed by a 20 feet (6.1 m) high wall. Another wall surrounds the main temple.
The Singhadwara
Other Entrances
Apart from the Singhadwara, which is the main entrance to the temple, there are three other entrances facing north, south and west. They are named after the sculptures of animals guarding them. The other entrances are the Hathidwara or the Elephant Gate, the Vyaghradwara or the Tiger Gate and the Ashwadwara or the Horse Gate.Minor Temples
There are numerous smaller temples and shrines within the Temple complex where active worship is regularly conducted.The Bimala Shaktipeeth considered one of the most important of the Shaktipeeths marks the spot where Sati's feet fell. It is located near Rohini Kund in the temple complex. Until food offered to Jagannath is offered to Goddess Bimala it is not considered Mahaprasad. The temple of Mahalakshmi has an important role in rituals of the main temple.It is said that preparation of naivedya as offering for Jagannath is supervised by Goddess Mahalakshmi. The Kanchi Ganesh Temple is dedicated to Uchhista Ganapati. Tradition says the King of Kanchipuram in ancient times gifted the idol,when Gajapati Purushottama Deva married Padmavati,the kanchi princess.There are other shrines namely Muktimandap, Surya, Vimala, Saraswati, Bhuvaneshwari, Nrsimha, Ramachandra, Hanuman and Eshaneshwara.The Mandapas
There are many Mandapas or Pillared halls on raised platforms within the temple complex meant for religious congregations. The most prominent is the Mukti Mandapa the congregation hall of the holy seat of selected learned brahmins. Here important decisions regarding conduct of daily worship and festivals are taken. The Dola Mandapa is noteworthy for a beautifully carved stone Torana or arch which is used for constructing a swing for the annual Dol Yatra festival. During the festival the idol of Dologobindo is placed on the swing. The Snana Bedi is a rectangular stone platform where idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are placed for ceremonial bathing during the annual Snana YatraDaily Food Offerings
Main article: Mahaprasad
Daily offerings are made to the Lord six times a day. These include:- The offering to the Lord in the Morning that forms His breakfast and is called The Gopala Vallabha Bhoga.
- The Sakala Dhupa forms his next offering at about 10 O’ clock in the morning Sakala Dhupa. This generally consists of 13 items including the Enduri cake & Mantha puli.
- Bada Sankhudi Bhoga forms the next repast & the offering consists of Pakhala with dahi and Kanji payas. The offerings are made in the bhog mandapa, about 200 feet from the Ratna Vedi. This is called Chatra Bhog and was introduced by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century to help pilgrims share the temple food.
- The Madhyanha dhupa forms the next offering at the noon.
- The next offering to the Lord is made in the evening at around 8 o’clock it is Sandhya Dhupa.
- The last offering to the Lord is called the Bada Simhara Dhupa. Breakfast is a seven item treat — Khua, Lahuni, sweetened coconut grating, coconut water, and puffed rice sweetened with sugar known as khai and curd and bananas.
The Temple Kitchen & Mahaprasada
Festivals
Early European observers told tales of devotees being crushed under the wheels of these chariots, whether by accident or even as a form of meritorious suicide akin to suttee. These reports gave rise to the loan word juggernaut suggesting an immense, unstoppable, threatening entity or process operated by fanatics. Many festivals like Dol Yatra in spring and Jhulan Yatra in monsoon are celebrated by temple every year.Pavitrotsava and Damanaka utsava are celebrated as per panchanga or panjika.There are special ceremonies in the month of Kartika and Pausha.
The annual shodasha dinatmaka or 16 day puja beginning 8 days prior to Mahalaya of Ashwin month for goddess Vimala and ending on Vijayadashami,is of great importance,in which both the utsava murty of lord Madanmohan and Vimala take part.
- Pana Sankranti: Also known or Vishuva Sankranti and Mesha Sankranti: Special rituals are performed at the temple.
Chandan Yatra
Main article: Chandan Yatra
In Akshaya Tritiya every year the Chandan Yatra festival marks the commencement of the construction of the Chariots of the Rath Yatra.Snana Yatra
Main article: Snana Yatra
On the Purnima of the month of Jyestha the Gods are ceremonially bathed and decorated every year on the occasion of Snana Yatra.Literally means vacation. Every year,the main idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra & Sudarshan after the holy Snana Yatra on the jyestha purnima,go to a secret altar named Anavasara Ghar where they remain for the next dark fortnight (krishna paksha). Hence devotees are not allowed to view them. Instead of this devotees go to nearby place Brahmagiri to see their beloved lord in the form of four handed form Alvarnath a form of Vishnu. Then people get the first glimpse of lord on the day before Rath Yatra, which is called 'Navayouvana. It is said that the gods fall in fever after taking a huge bath and they are treated by the special servants named, Daitapatis for 15 days. During this period cooked food is not offedto the deties.
Main article: Nabakalevara
One of the most grandiloquent events associated with the Lord
Jagannath, Naba Kalabera takes place when one lunar month of Ashadha is
followed by another lunar month of Aashadha. This can take place in 8,
12 or even 18 years. Literally meaning the “New Body” (Nava = New,
Kalevar = Body), the festival is witnessed by as many 8,00,000 people
and the budget for this event exceeds $500,000. The event involves
installation of new images in the temple and burial of the old ones in
the temple premises at Koili Vaikuntha. The idols that are currently
being worshipped in the temple premises were installed in the year 1996.The name Purushottama Kshetra and Its Significance
Culture and Tradition of Puri
Puri is one of the fascinating littoral district of Orissa. The Cultural heritage of Puri with its long recorded history beginning from third century B. C till present day, The monuments and religious sanctity, way of life of the people with their rich tradition possess emphatically to be the cultural heart of Orissa. In deed Puri is considered cultural capital of Orissa. The culture here is flourished with its manifold activities.The District has the happy conglomerate of different religions, sects and faith in course of history, Hindu, Buddhist, Jaina, Muslim, Christian, Sikh found here in the District.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, an incarnation thought of Lord Krishna, appeared 500 hundred years ago, in the mood of a devotee to taste the sublime emotions of ecstacy by chanting the holy name of Krishna. Stalwart scholars of Puri like Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya (a priest & great Sanskrit pandit) and others followed His teachings. Even kings and ministers of His period became His disciples. Especially King Prataparudra became His great admirer and ardent follower.
Gallery
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Jaganath temple during construction
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Lord Puri Jagannath
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Devotees during Rath Yatra
