Some Least Known Facts About Jagannath Temple

At Puri, Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu welcomes you to his ancient shrine with the melodious sound of hymns and mantras, the playing of conches and drums and the perfume of flowers and incense.

The Jagannath Temple, also called Shrimandir, is at the heart of the town of Puri. It stands on the grand avenue called Bada Danda and is at the centre of the spiritual and daily life of this tirtha. The temple with the tall soaring shikhara has a huge chakra and a flag flying on top and from the sea it is visible from far away. The festival processions like the Rath Yatra all take place on the Bada Danda. Within the temple precinct there are many smaller shrines dedicated to various deities, pavilions, gardens and sacred tanks.

The temple is a gigantic enterprise and it employs over six thousand priests from thirty six clans. The religious rituals and festivals are unique to Puri as there is the involvement of not just Brahmin priests but also members of the Sabar tribal community called the Daitapatis who continue to create and maintain the images.

The administration of the temple was organised eight hundred years ago by King Anangabhima Deva of the Ganga dynasty who donated treasures in gold and also gave land to pay for its upkeep. Even today the king of Puri is considered to be the premier servant or sevak of Lord Jagannath and his presence is required to begin the Rath Yatra.

* Three massive chariots are built every year for the annual sojourn of the Holy Trinity. As many as 1400 carpenters build the chariots from the scratch each year for the festival. All the three chariots are built to precision without any measuring tapes, by using an ancient technique of measurement using hands and finger lengths. The construction of the chariots starts on Akshaya Tritiya, in front of the palace of the King of Puri in a place known as Ratha Khala (chariot yard). The massive chariots are made without using a single metal nail. Only wooden pegs and joints are used as per the old school carpentry.

* This centuries-old festival is known to have received rainfall every year on that particular day. According to certain records, there hasn’t been a single Rath Yatra that hasn’t rained. There have been times that it hasn’t rained for days before Rath Yatra and on that day it pours.

* The word Juggernaut in English is derived from the word Jagannath because of the huge and heavy chariot of Lord Jagannath. The word Juggernaut means “ a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force.” which was coined by the Britishers during colonial rule when they saw the gigantic Raths during the Rath Yatra.

* The king or Gajapati of Puri sweeps the rath with a golden broom before the commencement of the rath yatra, symbolizing that even the king is a servant in front of the lord.

* According to the devotees who are present during the festival, the chariot of Lord Jagannath refuses to move at first regardless of how many people are pulling it. According to the local folklore, the god is a friend of the servitor’s and would not move until they decide to abuse him.

* Lord Jagannath’s idol is one of the few idols that step out of the temple to make a visit to the people who are not allowed inside the temple due to various restrictions on a regular day. The temple of Jagannath in Puri only allows Hindus to visit inside the temple. This step by the god grants people from all religions and various sects to catch a glimpse of the idol.