The principal deity of Sri Jagannath Temple or Sri Mandir is Lord Jagannath. Though He is primarily worshipped as Vishnu or the Purusottama, He is also perceived as Bhairava or Siva by the Shaivites, Dakhina Kalika by the Shaktas and Rama, Krishna, Nrusimha by the Vaishnavas. Devotees of different sects regard Lord Jagannath as their supreme Lord and attribute all the mark of God in Him. Famous Gurus who were ardent devotees of the Lord are Adi Sankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Guru Nanak, Madhwacharya, Ballavacharya, Nimbark, Sankara Dev, Kabir Das, Tulsi Das etc. However the entrance into the Sri Jagannath Temple is restricted to orthodox Hindus only. But everyone can have a glimpse of the deities once in a year during Rath Yatra (Car Festival) when they come out of the temple to visit Gundicha Temple in three decorated wooden chariots.
Lord Jagannath to my mind is the most fascinating contribution of Indian Culture to the world and one of the most significant manifestations of human culture. Sri Jagannath Consciousness is so all pervading that it seems to have the capacity to provide nurture to all levels of human existence – rich or poor, learned or… read more »
Sometimes the question arises – why the idol of Lord Jagannath is made of wood instead of stone or metal and called “Daru”. In one of the chapters of the Skanda Purana, Brahma explains to the king Indradyumna the reason and the mystery behind it. When the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and… read more »
Social or familial, religious or political, a tradition usually originates from an objective and gets refined with the dedication in observing it. Both the objective and the dedication are indispensable in keeping a tradition alive with all its glory and effects. Rathyatra over the years has been kept alive along with its essence to invoke… read more »