Lord Jagannath

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Lord Jagannath is a deity unique to Orissa, no other region worships a form of Vishnu like him. As Jagannath he is called the Lord of the Universe, of the three worlds of the heavens, earth and the netherworld. He is also one of the forms of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Jagannath possesses many of the qualities of Vishnu who is the preserver of the universe that has been created by Lord Brahma.

So to his devotees Jagannath is kind and compassionate, patiently listening to their prayers and then offering them the joy of many colourful festivals and the most delectable offering of food. Jagannath is a protective and generous god and that is why he is so beloved of his devotees.

This is a temple of truly ancient origins and it also possesses many unusual qualities. First, Krishna-Jagannath, his sister Subhadra and elder brother Balabhadra are worshipped at Puri, the only temple with the tradition of worshipping Krishna with his siblings. Then the icons in the sanctum look unique as they are not like the traditional depiction of Hindu deities. Finally the religious rituals and festivals have ancient traditions and have continued till today.

The history and legends of the Puri temple are full of ancient stories that have been narrated for centuries and enrich the traditions of the Jagannath Temple. Many of the Puranas mention a tirtha named Purushottam Kshetra. The Agni, Skanda, Padma and Brahma Purana mention the myths about the temple. Both the Ramayana and Mahabharata also mention Lord Jagannath. In the Ramayana Lord Ram tells Vibhishan that Jagannath is the family deity of his Ikshvaku clan. Then Vibhishan is said to have composed a hymn praising the god and even today there is a ritual in the temple called ‘Vibhishan bandana’.

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