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Puri
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Lord Jagannath |
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Temple Of Puri |
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Puri
Puri is the holiest place in Orissa and one of the biggest pilgrimage
centres in India situated on the shoreline of the Bay of Bengal. Here, the
city's activities generally revolve around the Jagannath Temple where devotees
visit from far and near. The town is divided into two - the old town the main
residential area, including the main shops and huge market area. Most nights,
the beaches host colorful markets and the city is abuzz with life.
Puri is washed by the sea, and embraced
by causarina - fringed beaches. It is said that one obtains 'moksha' from the
cycle of birth and rebirth, if one stays here for three days and nights. Puri is
the hallowed seat of Lord Jagannath (Lord of the Universe), Subhadra and
Balabhadra. One of the four holy dhams of Hinduism, Puri is possibly one of the
very few religious sites which combines the outdoor pleasures of sea and divine
beaches with the religious sentiments of 'darshan'.
A place, known by
many names over the centuries - Nilgiri, Niladri, Nilachal, Purushottam,
Sankhakshetra, Srikshetra, Jagannath Dham, Jagannath Puri - Puri is dominated by
two great forces, one created by God, and the other by man.
Location
Puri has the Bay of Bengal and the rice-growing
alluvial plain on its east, Khurda district on its west, Sambalpur on its south
and the state capital Bhubaneshwar on its northern side. The forest area lying
to the west of Puri provides bamboo and sal. The district of Puri encompasses
most of the Chilka Lake, Asia's largest freshwater lake. Bhubaneshwar is also
located in Puri district.
History
The holy
city of Puri is located 60-km from Bhubaneswar on the coast of the Bay of
Bengal. It is one of the four holy dhamas of India - Puri, Dwarka, Rameswaram
and Badrinath Sri Ramanuja visited Puri between 1107 and 1117 century AD and
stayed for some time. Vishnu Swami visited Puri in the second half of the 12th
century and established a 'Matha' near 'Markandeswar' Tank, called "Vishnuswami
Matha". Nimbarka Acharya also made a pilgrimage to Puri, and Srila Prabhupada
visited in January 1977. The present temple structure was built in the 12th
century by the 'Ganga' King 'Choda Ganga Deva', replacing an earlier structure,
which probably dated to the 10th century.
Until recently, almost the entire temple was covered in
white plaster, so much so that European sailors in previous centuries used it as
a navigation point, referring to it as the "White Pagoda"
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Puri Pilgrimage Attractions |
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Pilgrimage Attractions of Puri
- Puri Jagannath Temple
The temple of Lord Jagannath ('Lord of the
Universe') at Puri is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in India, one of
the four abodes (dhamas) of the divine that lie on the four directions of the
compass. The present temple structure was built in the twelfth century by the
Ganga king, Chodagangadeva, replacing an earlier structure which probably dated
to the tenth century.
Long before one reaches Puri, the 214 feet (65
meters) spire of the temple can be seen towering over the countryside. This
visual dominance is symbolic of the influence which the temple commands over
almost every aspect of life in Puri. The huge temple compound, each side of
which measures 650 feet (some 200 meters), is surmounted with a 20 foot (6
meters) wall. Within the compound is a city, or, more accurately, a universe
unto itself. With 6000 direct temple servitors, a temple kitchen which feeds
10,000 people daily (and some 25,000 on festival days), and a central deity who
has become the focus of religious life throughout Orissa, the Jagannath temple
is truly an institution unique in the world.
- Gundicha Mandir (Temple)
This temple is located at the end of
Grad road (the main road) about 3-km northeast of the Jagannatha temple . At the
time of the 'Ratha-Yatra' festival , Lord Jagannatha goes to the Gundicha temple
and stays there for one week. After one week He returns to His original temple.
It is said that the wife of 'Indradyumna', the king who originally established
the temple of Jagannatha, was known as "Gundicha". The cleansing of the Gundicha
temple takes place the day before the Ratha-Yatra festival as mentioned in
"Chaitanya-Caritamrita".
Non-Hindus can walk within the walls and see the
beautiful garden, but they are not allowed in the temple building.
- Satyabadi (Sakshigopal)
The shrine of Lord Sakshigopal is only 20
kms away from Puri. the sacred feet of Shri Radha can however be only seen on
'Anala nawami' day.
Festivals
Rath Yatra
Symbolically, the Rath Yatra (chariot festival) is a journey to light
from the dark and begins on the second day of the bright fortnight in the month
of Asad (June-July). It commemorates the journey of Krishna from Gokul to
Mtahura. This festival is celebrated at Puri with great pomp and ceremony. In
this religious journey, Jagannath, Subhadra and Balbhadra are taken out in
procession in three raths (chariots). The main rath is 43 ft high, 33 ft wide
and has 16 wheels. The ropes of the chariots are pulled by millions of devotees.
Nava Kalebara
Held once in every 12 to 19 years according to
lunar calander, on this religious ritual, the idols change their external forms.
New idols are carved out of specially sanctified trees.
Rath Yatra - - The Car Carnival
Orissa is a land of innumerable fairs and festivals celebrated
round the year but the most spectacular of them is the Rath Yatra, hitherto
known as the Car Festival to western world.
- Celebration
The three wooden deities of lord 'Jagannatha',
'Balbhadra' & 'Devi Subhadra' with 'Sudarshan' are brought out of the main
temple and taken to Gundicha temple for a week's visit in three beautifully
decorated chariots.
- Specialty
From the many specialties of the festival the most
unique one is that, this is the only occasion to see, even embrace the deities
irrespective of caste, colour and creed outside the Temple.
- Legend
After performing all the necessary prostrations, he carried
the lump of wood to the temple and, following instructions from 'Brahma', called
the court carpenter 'Vishvakarma' to carve out the image. Vishvakarma agreed to
perform the task on condition that no one so much as set eyes on the deity until
it was completed. The king, however, unable to contain his excitement, peeped
through a crack in the door of the carpenter's workshop during the night to see
how the job was progressing. Vishvakarma spotted him, downed tools just as he
had promised and cast a spell on the deity so that no one else could finish it.
- Sequence in the Rath Yatra
Divine Procession (Pahandi Bije): The
deities are brought out of the temple to the chariots by rhythmic movement
called "Pahandi" in a royal procession to the accompaniment of the beat of the
'cymbals' and drums and chanting of prayers by devotees.
Sweeping of the
Chariots (Chhera Pahanra): After the deities are installed on their respective
Chariots, the traditional King of Puri sweeps the Chariots with a golden broom,
which is known as "Chhera Pahanra".
Pulling of Chariots (Rath Tana): The
most exciting part of the Rath Yatra is the pulling of Chariots by thousands of
devotees to the Gundicha Temple, which is about 3-kms away from the starting
point of the 'yatra'. Devotees stay in the temple for a week.
Return
Journey (Bahuda Yatra): On 'Ashadha Sukla Dasami', the 10th day of the bright
fortnight of Ashadha (June-July), return journey or 'Bahuda Yatra' of the
deities commences in the same manner from Gundicha temple to the main temple
like Rath Yatra.
Suna Besha: Before going in their original abode, the
deities are dressed in Golden attire on the Chariots the next day.
- Nabakalebar
When two months of Ashadha fall in one year, Rath
Yatra is observed as the festival of 'Nabakalebar' the old deities are buried
within the temple premises ('Koilibaikuntha') and are replaced by new deities,
carved out of Margosa trees for which there are set procedures. Double Ashadha
occurs at intervals of 8 to 19 years. As history records, Nabakalebar was held
in 1996, 1977, 1969, 1950 and 1931 during this century.
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