A Comprehensive Compendium of History, Culture, Lifestyle and Tourism of Odisha
“Jagannath” is a compound word, consisting of “Jagan” and “Nath”. The word nath means “Master, Lord” (nātha) while jagan or “jagat means the “universe”. Thus, Jagannath means “lord of the universe”. In the Odia language, “Jagannath” is linked to other names, such as “Jagā” (ଜଗା) or “Jagabandhu” (ଜଗବନ୍ଧୁ) (“Friend of the Universe”). Both names derive …
Author: Bhagaban Mahapatra Credit: This Article was First Published in June-2009 Issue of odisha Review The daily rituals of Lord Jagannath performed in the temple are popularly known as nitis, which signifies a particular religious rite. The religious rites are performed by the particular sevakas. For the performance of various rituals in the temple, a …
Pilgrimages to Puri consider bathing in the Pancha Tirtha, or the five sacred bathing spots of Puri, India, to be a necessary part of completing a pilgrimage to Puri. The five sacred bodies of water are as follows: Indradyumana Tank This tank is located near Gundicha Temple. The Mahabharat describes King Indradyumna’s Ashvamedh Yagna and …
Puri’s Jagannath Temple is a significant Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a manifestation of Vishnu. It is located on India’s eastern coast in the town of Puri in the state of Odisha. The temple is a popular pilgrimage destination and one of India’s four great ‘Char Dham’ pilgrimage sites. King Chodagangadeva initiated the construction …
According to another legend, Savari Narayana was originally worshipped at Seori Narayana in Madhya Pradesh. The King of Puri (Odisha) brought the idol of the deity to Puri and had it installed here. But Seorinarayana, in fact, referring to the name of the original place, remained unchanged.
The Jagannath cult exercises deep impact over the socio-religious-political life of Orissa. During the Ganga and Surya rules, Jagannath, so to say, became the State deity. Puri has been visited from ancient times by founders of different religious cults, who left their legacy through the monasteries.
The cult of Jagannath is stated to be of tribal origin. It is difficult to determine whether this tribal origin of God Jagannath is pre-Vedic or not. As per the depiction of Sarala’s Mahabharata, God Krishna, killed by the arrow of Jara Savara, was not burnt in wood fully after his death. As per the order of the divine voice, Arjuna and Jara threw the half-burnt body into the sea and that body was, later on, worshipped by Jara in the Dhauli hill at Bhubaneswar.