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The city of Puri is one of the most popular pilgrimage destinations in the country. Jagannath Temple, devoted to the Lord of the Universe or Lord Jagannath, is one of the four holy dhams of Hindus. Jag means universe and nath means Lord. It is one of the tallest temples in the country with a height of about 62 metres. The main temple is located on the raised platform, and reaches a height up to 65 meters. The spire on the top of the temple, which represents Vishnu’s wheel, dominates the surrounding landscape.
Jagannath Temple was constructed by Raja Ananta Varman Chodaganga Dev during the 12th century. The temple’s architecture is greatly inspired by the Kalinga architectural style. Initially this temple comprised of Jagmohan (hall) and Deul (main shrine). The Bhoga Mandir and the Nata Mandir were constructed afterwards, during the 14th and 15th century. They were constructed in typical Kalinga architectural style.
The Jagannath Temple features four gates, at the southern, northern, eastern and western midpoints of Meghanad Prachir. These gates are referred to as Horse Gate, Lions Gate, Elephant Gate and Tiger Gate.
Jagannath Temple is held in high esteem by the Hindu people. This temple holds the sacred images of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra, and the Lord’s younger sister Subhadra. The peculiar feature of this temple is that the deities of Subhadra, Jagannath and Balabhadra are made from wood. Besides the main temple, there are many more temples in the complex, dedicated to deities such as Laxmi, Vimla, and other Gods and Goddesses. All total there are 120 temples spread across this temple complex, which is bound by a fortified wall. The sculptures on the walls of the temple complex present a vivid kaleidoscope of life in all its myriad forms, which deserves admiration and exploration. They present slices of life in ancient India, many of which we are not aware of.
Jagannath Temple is also popular for the festival of Ratha Yatra, which starts from here. It is a huge event attracting an awesome participation of devotees. During this festival, the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are placed on the ornate chariots, which are pulled by the euphoric and swelling crowd, amidst the loud praise of the Lord, which renders through the air to stir devotional chords in a million hearts.
The temple also houses the Ananda Bazar, the largest open-air food market in India. Here the bhog or the food offered to Lord Jagannath is being sold to thousands of devotees in a day. In a day, 10000 people can eat together in this unusual kitchen.
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