The Jagannath Temple is actually an immense Hindu temple complex, one of the largest and most magnificent to be found anywhere in India. It is the easternmost of the four Char Dham, or Sacred Abodes, among the holiest places in Hinduism. It was established as such in the 9th century by the Hindu saint Shankara. There are over a hundred temples and shrines on the site, dedicated many different Hindu deities. The most important deity worshipped here is its namesake, Jagannath, one of the manifestations of Vishnu. Because of this Vishnu and Krishna are also very popular here. The Jagannath Temple is famous for its kitchens, which are spirutally overseen by the goddess Mahalakshmi, and for its famous wooden statue of Jagannath.
There are numerous legends associated with the founding of the Jagannath Temple. The most popular legend talks about a Brahmin priest named Vidyapati who traveled to Puri seeking to meet Lord Jagannath (also known locally as Lord Neela Madhaba). At first unsuccessful, Vidyapati was eventually obliged to trick the local ruler into showing him the way to Jagannath.
This still did not result in his discovery of the deity, who had gone into hiding. However, after the Brahmin priest fasted, the god spoke to him, directing him to sacrifice a horse, build a temple and plant a tree. The temple and tree subsequently became extremely sacred to the local populace as the site where Jagannath had appeared to the priest.
A related tale tells about how a local king retrieve a floating log from the sea, a log which was subsequently deemed to be sacred, and from which the first statue of Jagannath was carved. Ever since its earliest days, the Jagannath Temple has been associated with sacred trees and logs. These stories probably date back well over a thousand years, and according to tradition the first temple on the spot was supposedly founded by the king of Kalinga in ancient times.
The current temple dates from the early 12th century and has been Odisha’s most important sacred site ever since. It has been expanded and renovated many times until it reached its current, immense form. As an interesting side story, in the early 19th century, it is believed that the Maharajah Ranjit Singh, who had spent vast sums of money on the temple, intended to place in it the Koh-i-noor Diamond, one of the most famous jewels in history. However, it was confiscated by the British, and is now a part of the British Crown Jewel collection in London.
The Jagannath Temple complex is absolutely immense, encompassing over 100 temples and shrines, as well as large gardens, in an area of about ten acres. The entire site is fortified by a twenty-foot high wall. Giant, magnificent gates afford entrance into the complex. Great pyramid domes rise up from the labyrinth of buildings within, towering over the complex and the surrounding city. All of this pales beside the main shrine, one of the tallest temple structures in India.
This absolutely giant temple rises like a huge silo beyond the great pyramid roofs, crowned with a great chakra that can be seen from throughout the city of Puri. Inside is the temple’s greatest treasure: a large statue of Jagannath carved from sacred wood culled from the nearby forest. This statue traces its roots back to the temple’s early legends. Once every 12 years, the statue is replaced with a new one carved from the sacred trees. Each one is an exact replica of its predecessor and is set up in the temple with great pomp.
The Jagannath Temple is located on the west side of Puri just of the coast of the Bay of Bengal, approximately 800 miles southeast of New Delhi. The temple is open every day of the year (opening times vary). There is no cost of admission. Web: http://jagannath.nic.in (official website).
Not much can hold a candle to the Jagannath Temple complex in Puri, but nearby is the Lokanath Siva Temple, a major temple dedicated to Shiva in nearby Bhubaneswar.