Lakhs of devotees are in Puri, Odisha for the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath. Annually, devotees gather at the Jagannath temple in Puri. They draw the grand chariots of the three deities: Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balabhadra, and sister goddess Subhadra. The deities are taken to the Gundicha Temple. They reside there for a week. After that, they return to the Jagannath Temple.
About 10,000 security personnel have been deployed to the seaside pilgrim town for the event. This includes eight companies of the Central Armed Police Forces.
Celebrations in West Bengal’s Jagannath temple
Similar celebrations were also carried out in West Bengal where a temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath was inaugurated at Digha. The temple is witnessing its first ever rath yatra. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee participated in the celebrations.
The West Bengal government had triggered a row. It inaugurated the Jagannath Temple in the coastal town of Digha in April and named it ‘Jagannath Dham‘.
About Jagannath Puri Temple
- The Jagannath Puri temple, constructed in the 12th century by Raja Anantavarman Chodaganga, is in Puri, Odisha.
- The temple covers 4,00,000 square feet of area.
- It has a 20 feet high perimeter wall. This outer boundary wall is called Meghanada Pacheri.
- The Mahaprasad, or the food offerings made for Lord Jagannath, consists of “Chappan Bhog.” It includes a set of 56 different food items.
- Non-Hindus are not allowed entry into the temple.
- In 1692, according to the orders of the Mughal king Aurangzeb, the temple was closed. It reopened only after his death in 1707.
- A “tikdi” or trio of deities is worshiped in the temple – Lord Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra.
- Jagannath rath yatra is considered the oldest Hindu chariot festival. It is also the largest. The festival is celebrated annually on the bright half of the lunar month of Ashadh.
Mysteries and astonishing features of the temple
- The flag on top of the Jagannath Temple in Puri often flies in the opposite direction of the wind. This unique phenomenon has fascinated both devotees and scientists.
- The flag atop the temple is changed every day without fail. This ritual, known as Dhwaja Parivartan, requires a priest to climb the temple’s 214-foot spire. He does this without any safety equipment. The purpose is to replace the old flag with a new one. There is a rule. If the flag is not changed on a given day, the temple will be closed for the next 18 years.
- Despite its height and the sun’s position, the Jagannath temple’s spire and the entire structure remain shadowless. This is a well-known fact. It is a topic of much discussion. Some attribute it to architectural design. Others believe it is due to divine intervention.
- Neither birds nor any planes fly over the temple. This is because no one is considered to be above Lord Jagannath himself.
- The Sudarshan Chakra atop the Jagannath Temple in Puri is designed to face the viewer. It is visible from any direction in the city. This 20-foot-tall, one-ton chakra, also known as Neela Chakra, is a mystery. This is because of its unique placement. It seems to adjust its orientation. Regardless of the viewer’s location in Puri, the chakra always appears to be facing them directly.
- Generally, air flows from sea to land during the day, and vice-versa during the night. But inside the Puri temple, the airflow is opposite.
- The sound of the ocean waves is audible just outside the temple. It becomes inaudible inside the main temple area. This change happens just as you enter through the Singhadwar.
- The prasad prepared in the temple every day is sufficient for 20 Lakh devotees. It is prepared by 500 cooks and 300 helpers. Not even the tiniest amount of prasad is wasted. There is never any dearth of ingredients for the prasad in the temple.
- To make the prasad, stack earthen pots one upon the other in groups of seven. These are then kept atop a wooden fire. The top pot is believed to cook first, defying conventional cooking logic.
- The idols of the trio of deities are made from the wood of neem trees. The idols are periodically replaced. The old ones are ritually buried. New idols are crafted in a ceremony that takes place every 12 or 19 years.
Thus, the famous Jagannath Puri temple stands tall and shadowless. It is full of mysteries. The temple serves as an example of God’s divine intervention for the devotees.
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