Jagannath Temple

Legend

Tradition holds that King Indradyumna sought the deity Nilamadhava, a blue-stone image worshipped in secret by a tribal chief; it vanished before he could reach it. A great log then floated ashore, and Vishwakarma appeared as an artisan and carved from it the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The deities are made of sacred neem wood, daru, and are called Daru Brahma. Every 8, 12 or 19 years, when the calendar allows, new images are carved and the old ones buried in the Nabakalebara ceremony, most recently in 2015.

Why this temple matters

Puri is one of the four Char Dham. The present temple was begun by the Ganga king Anantavarman Chodaganga in the 12th century; its tower rises about 214 feet, topped by the Nila Chakra, a wheel of eight metals, and the flag Patitapabana, changed every day. Four gates, Lion, Elephant, Tiger and Horse, face the four directions, with the Aruna Stambha before the Lion Gate. The kitchen, said to be the second largest in the world, cooks 56 kinds of food that become Mahaprasad after being offered to Jagannath and Goddess Vimala.

What devotees pray for here

Festivals

• Chandan Yatra (April–May, from Akshaya Tritiya): 21 days of boat rides for the representative deities on the Narendra tank
• Snana Yatra (May–June, Jyeshtha Purnima): the ceremonial bath of the deities, after which they rest unseen for a fortnight
• Rath Yatra (June–July, Ashadha): Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra ride three giant chariots to the Gundicha temple about 3 km away
• Bahuda Yatra and Suna Besha (June–July): the return journey, after which the deities are dressed in gold on the chariots
• Niladri Bije (June–July): the deities re-enter the sanctum, closing the Rath Yatra cycle

Poojas & rituals

• Mangala Alati darshan, the dawn lamp offering around 5:30 AM
• Sponsoring bhog, which is offered to the deities and distributed as Mahaprasad
• Taking Mahaprasad in the Ananda Bazaar inside the temple
• Sandhya Alati, the evening lamp offering around 6 PM
• Badasinghara Besha darshan, the night dressing of the deities around 9 to 10 PM
• Pulling the chariot ropes at Rath Yatra, which devotees consider meritorious

How to reach

Biju Patnaik International Airport at Bhubaneswar is about 60 km from Puri, about an hour and a half by road. Puri railway station is in the heart of the town, with direct trains from Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and other cities. Buses from Bhubaneswar run frequently.

Timings

The temple is open from about 5 AM to 10:30 PM. The doors open around 4:30 AM for Mangala Alati, the deities retire at Pahuda around 11:30 PM, and darshan pauses several times a day during the bhog offerings.

Rules & dress code

Only Hindus are allowed inside; others may view the temple from outside and see the deities on the chariots during Rath Yatra. Shoes, cameras, mobile phones and leather items are not allowed inside and must be deposited at the stands outside. Dress conservatively.

Frequently asked questions

Photo gallery