| Jagannath | |
|---|---|
Jagannath |
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| Devanagari | जगन्नाथ |
| Sanskrit Transliteration | Jàgannāth |
| Affiliation | Deva, aspect of Vishnu/Krishna |
| Abode | Mount Nila |
| Mantra | Om Jagannathay Namah |
| Weapon | Sudarshana Chakra |
| Consort | Lakshmi |
| Mount | Garuda |
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Jagannath (Sanskrit: जगन्नाथ Jagannātha Oriya: ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ) is a transcendental non-anthropotheistic[1] Hindu god worshiped primarily by the people of Indian state of Orissa, and, to a great extent, West Bengal. In common belief, Jagannath is considered an aspect of the god Vishnu or avatar Krishna and worshipped as part of a triad along with brother Balabhadra deva and sister devi Subhadra.
The icon of Jagannath is a carved and decorated wooden stump with large round eyes and with stumps as hands, with conspicuous absence of any legs. The worship procedures, practices, sacraments and rituals of Jagannath do not conform with those of classical Hinduism.[2] The principal image of the deity at the temple city of Puri in the Indian state of Orissa, is made of wood, which is an exception to common Hindu iconographic deities of stone. The origin and evolution of Jagannath worship as well as iconography is unclear and has been subject to intense academic debate.
Arguably, Jagannath lacks any direct vedic reference and is also not a member of the traditional Dashavatara conception or the classical Hindu pantheon,[3] though in certain Oriya literary creations, Jagannath has been treated as the Ninth avatar, upon substituting Buddha.
Jagannath is non-sectarian and has not been associated with any particular denomination of Hinduism in entirety, though there are several common aspects with Vaishnavism, Saivism, Shaktism, Smartism as well as Buddhism and Jainism.
The oldest and most famous Jagannath deity is established in Puri, in Orissa. The temple of Jagannath in Puri is regarded as one of the Char Dham (sacred Hindu pilgrimage places) in India.
The most famous festival related to Jagannath is the Ratha yatra, where Jagannath, along with the other two associated deities, comes out of the sanctum sanctorum of the chief temple (Bada Deula). They are transported to the Gundicha Temple (located at a distance of nearly 3 kilometres), in three massive wooden chariots drawn by devotees. Coinciding with the Rath Yatra festival at Puri, similar processions are organized all around the world.
Etymologically, Jagannath means 'Master, Lord' (nātha) of the 'World, Universe' (Jagata). The word has Sanskrit origin, being a tatsama in Oriya. It is a relational case Tatpurusa compund word.
In the Oriya language, Jagannath is referred to with multiple names, as Jaga (ଜଗା) or Jagbandhu (ଜଗବନ୍ଧୁ) (Friend of the Universe). Both names derive from Jagannath. Further, on the basis of physical appearance of the deity, the names like Kālia (କାଳିଆ) (The Black-colored Lord), Darubrahma (ଦାରୁବ୍ରହ୍ମ) (The wooden Divinity), Dāruēdabatā (ଦାରୁ ଦେବତା "The wooden god"), Cakāākhi (ଚକା ଆଖି) or Cakānaẏan (ଚକା ନୟନ "With round eyes"), Cakāḍōḷā (ଚକା ଡୋଳା "with round pupils") are also in vogue. [2].
Some scholars have suggested that the word is a Sanskritization of a tribal word and have presented arguments concerning the Jagannath's tribal origins. According to author Bijoy C. Mohanty (1980), quoting Misra, in the villages of the Sora people in Orissa, the tribals worshipped a deity called Jaganaelo, meaning "made of wood”.
Jagannath is described as an Avataree i.e. the cause of the Avatars, and not merely an Avatar. The incarnations emanate from Jagannath, who is the cause of all material creation. Therefore, Jagannath does not have any life stories and lila, as contrasting from Avatars like Parshurama, Rama, Krisna etc.
As per author Dipti Ray in Prataparudra Deva, the last great Suryavamsi King of Orissa :
“In Prataparudradeva’s time Oriya poets accepted Sarala Dasa's idea and expressed in their literary works as all the Avataras of Vishnu (Jagannath) manifest from him and after their cosmic play dissolute (bilaya) in him (Jagannath). According to them Jagannath is Sunnya Purusa, Nirakar and Niranjan who is ever present in Nilachala to do cosmic play…. The five Vaishnavite Sakhas (Comrades) of Orissa during Prataparudradeva’s time expounded in their works that the idea that Jagannath (Purushottam) is Purna Brahman (i.e. god in toto) from whom other Avataras like Rama, Krishna, etc., took their birth for lilas in this universe and at the end would merge in the self of Purna Brahman…”
The most significant of Jagannath's many shrines is the temple at Puri, Orissa. In this temple, Jagannath is part of a triad of deities that includes Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra. Apart from principal companion deities Balabhadra, Subhadra, Jagannath is worshipped in the Shree Jagannath Temple of Puri along with Sudarshana Chakra, Madhava, Sridevi and Bhudevi on the principal platform, Ratnavedi (Ratna: Bejewelled, Vedi: Platform/Pedestal - The bejewelled platform) in the inner sanctum sanctorum of the temple.
Unlike other deities of the Hindu pantheon (gods), there is no anthropomorphic or artistic aspect to the idol of Jagannath. The idol has not been designed to represent the image of a human being. The image has a massive square head, merging with the chest into one piece of wooden stump without any demarcation of the neck. The arms have been inserted in a line with the upper lip. The eyes are very large and round. The waist is the limit of the body.
It has been hypothesized in the myths and legends that the idols of Jagannath, along with those of Balabhadra and Subhadra are unfinished, as there are no identifiable hands or legs. Such a state of affairs mixed with the hearsay led William Bruton, the first English traveller to Puri, to state that the idol of Jagannatha "is in shape like a serpent, with seven heads". The top upper portions of the deities' heads are triangular in shape, evoking the Trimundi (Triangular head).
The deity of Jagannath is about 6 feet tall. The color is predominantly black and the eyes are round and large. The eyes have three concentric circles - Red on the outer border, white in the middle and black in the center. The image of Balabhadra in the temple is also approximately 6 feet tall. Balabhadra's face is white, his eyes are oval-shaped, and his stump-like arms are at eye level. The Devi Subhadra statue is yellow in hue and stands about 5 feet tall. The goddess's eyes are also oval. The Sudarshana Chakra is approximately the same height as the two male deities and is red in color.
The idols of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshana Chakra are made of neem wood.
Within the main compound of Jagannath Temple at Puri, there are over one hundred shrines of lesser importance which are devoted to the demigods in charge of universal affairs or the sub-controllers of the universe. In the midst of these lesser shrines is the main temple, called the Bada Deula (The Big or principal Temple), in which the predominating deity Jagannath appears.
The Nila Chakra is the most revered iconic symbol in the Jagannath cult. The Nila Chakra is the only physical object whose markings are used as sacrament and considered sacred in Jagannath worship.
The legends regarding the origin of Jagannath, which have been recorded in various sources such as Mahabharat of Sarala Dasa, Deula Tola of Nilambar Das, Skanda Purana, Brahma Purana, Narada Purana, Padma Purana, Kapila Samhita etc., suggest the tribal as well as Brahmanical links of the deity in the initial stage.
It should be noted that, despite repeated references to King Indradyumna in the Jagannath lore below, Indradyumna remains a legendary figure and his historicity cannot be established on any safe ground. Some have identified him with the Indradyumna of the Mahabharat and considered him to be quite an ancient figure of the early Vedic era. Drawing from poet Sarala Dasa's Mahabharat, Indradyumna can be identified with Indraratha, the Somavamsi king of tenth century A.D. But identification of Indradyumna with Indraratha is at variance with the long-accepted tradition that Yayati I, the remote predecessor of Indraratha, built the Jagannath temple at Puri.
The following principal Puranic legends are associated with the emergence of Jagannath:
The Puranic text Purusottama Mahatmya[4] of the Skanda Puarana [3] contains the Indradyumna legend and the origin of Jagannath's wooden idol at Puri.
According to the legends, in the Satya yuga, Indradyumna was a Lunar Dynasty king of Somavamsa lineage. A traveling pilgrim came before Indradyumna and described the great God Nila Madhava (Blue Vishnu) being worshipped at Nilachal (Blue Mountain) in Odra (Orissa). The pilgrim disappeared after telling the story. At the king's request, his priest and his younger brother Vidyapati went in search of the legendary divinity. Vidyapati reached the forest in Savardvipa on the banks of the river Mahanadi. The Savara king, Visvavasu, received Vidyapati and promised to show him Nila Madhava the next morning. Vidyapati did not touch food or water before seeing the Lord. Seeing the eagerness of Vidyapati, the Savara king had him bathed in Rohini-kunda and seated him under the kalpa tree. There Vidyapati saw Nila Madhava being worshipped by the Devas. Then Vidyapati returned to Avanti, the capital of King Indradyumna.
After listening to Vidyapati’s account, Indradyumna set out for Nila Madhava along with the priest, Vidyapati, and his followers. But as it turned out, Nila Madhava had disappeared on the very day that Vidyapati had returned to Malava. Upon reaching the spot, they found the god missing and the entire area covered with the golden sand of the coast. The shocked king Indradyumna was apprised of the message of Brahma by Narada: that the King must worship the deity with one thousand asvamedha yajnas.
The divination of Nila Madhava went on:
"In this world I will not give you darshana in the form of Nila Madhava, but I will manifest in four forms: Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshana chakra. Wait near Cakra tirtha, and a daru would come afloat. I will manifest in the form of a very large, fragrant, reddish log, and the signs of sankha, cakra, gada, and padma will be seen everywhere on that form. Go there. Take Me out and make four deities from that log. Then you will be able to worship Me."
Upon receiving the devotion of the King, the Purusottama himself took the form of Visvakarma and secretly made the idols of daru (wood). Thereafter, Brahma himself established the holy idols on Vaishakha Sukla, on Pushya star.
The traditional version lacks historical support, as the identity of Nila Madhava remain unclear. For this reason, this traditional account of the emergence and origin of Jagannath worship remains a myth only. However, in the Orissa town of Kantilo, there is a temple dedicated to a deity named Nila Madhava, of uncertain genealogy.
The second legend is associated with the Vaishnava sect and narrates that Krishna appeared before a great devotee, King Indradyumna, and ordered him to carve a deity from a log which would eventually wash up on the shore at Puri. Upon finding the sacred log, Indradyumna searched for a craftsman to carve the idols. In due course, a mysterious old Brahmin carpenter appeared before Indradyumna and accepted the commission. In reality, this carpenter was the divine craftsman Visvakarma in disguise. The carpenter insisted that he not be disturbed while he was carving the image of the deity, and then began his work in complete isolation behind closed doors. The carpenter's strict condition was that no one should enter into the temple premises while he was within.
Everyone was anxious about the divine work, including the King Indradyumna and the Queen. Every day they gathered outside the closed door, to listen to the sound of carving. During this time the carpenter never emerged. After a few days of waiting outside the room, all sound suddenly stopped. The impatient Queen, worried about the fate of the carpenter and assuming the worst, opened the doors. The Queen found the idols of the deity half-finished and the carpenter vanished. The divine condition of isolation had been breached, before the idols could receive arms or legs. So they have remained in that unfinished form to the present day.
According to the Skanda Purana, there was a divine prophesy that King Indradyumna would arrive at the Purushottam kshetra and desire to settle down there after renouncing Samsar. In the legend, Visvavasu led Vidyapati (brother of Indradyumna) across the steep heights of Neelachal mountain and showed him the Rohini-kunda and a kalpa tree to the east of the pond. Jagannath's idol had once been established between the Rohini-kunda and the kalpa vat, where it was now hidden beneath a mound of sand. Tribhuneshwar then instructed Narada that Indradyumna should construct a magnificent temple of Jagannath at the same place.
Narada pointed out a tree that was unique in that it had only four branches on it. Indradyumna, following the instructions, ordered that the divine tree be uprooted and installed on the mahavedi inside the temple. When that was done, Lord Vishnu manifested himself on the altar as an old carpenter, Vishwakarma.
Here the legend begins to parallel the Vaishnava version above: Vishwakarma agrees to carve four idols for Indradyumna, on the condition that the door of the temple should be shut and nobody should try to enter the temple or disturb the carpenter until the idols were ready. Indradyumna promised to follow these conditions and Vishwakarma began his work. However, out of curiosity, the King (or in some versions, Queen Gundicha) could not help stealing a glance at Vishwakarma’s work. Vishwakarma, upset at the breach of promise, vanished without completing the idols. Thus, Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra are still represented with incomplete limbs.
According to Sarala Dasa's Mahabharat, the mortal remains of Krishna transformed into wooden form and floated up to the Puri sea shore. Jara Savara, an aborigine, picked it and worshipped it. Subsequently, Indradyumna, the king of Somavamsa, had three wooden images made out of the log and established a grand temple for the images.
In the Rgveda, verse 10.155.3, there is mention of a Daru (log of wood) floating in the ocean. Vedic prayers have indicated for taking shelter in the Daru.
In spite of the fact that Acharya Sayana, the noted commentator on the Vedas, has categorically interpreted the hymn with Jagannath as the daru floating at the sea shores, some scholars have refuted this interpretation under the argument that the hymn deals with ‘Alaxmi Stava’ of Arayi.
William Bruton, the first English traveler to visit Puri and to see the Jagannath temple, made certain counter-factual observation in 1633 that the image of Jagannatha "is in shape like a serpent, with seven heads" and the holy pagoda is "the mirror of all wickedness and idolatry". Thus, Jagannath became known to Europeans as a pagan divinity of monstrous form. To the Europeans, the iconography of Jagannatha remained a mystery from the time of Bruton’s visit until the 19th century. Bernier, who visited Puri in 1667 and left the first reliable description of the Car Festival, but failed to give any account of the image. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier later on described in detail the priceless jewellery of Jagannatha, which however, he never saw.
With the more enlightened views of the 19th century, the problem of the iconography of Jagannath became a fascinating field for speculation. After the British occupation of Orissa in 1803, the temple and its priests received special treatment from the East India Company, which decided to protect the institution for economic and political reasons. Europeans were still excluded from the great sanctuary and even General Alexander Cunningham, one of the doyens of Indian archaeology, had a rather vague knowledge of the appearance of the Puri images, chiefly based, it seems, on secondary sources. The restrictions imposed on non-Hindus did not prevent a number of scholars from observing the strange rites at Puri, which included the suspension of caste-rules during the Car Festival, nor from drawing conclusions concerning the origins of the cult of Jagannath.
As per noted Jagannath cult researcher, O. M. Starza, since the complex rites of the Brahmins had given Christian scholars a low opinion of Hinduism, they endeavoured (in their ignorance) (sic) to explain the enlightened features of the Jagannath cult by suggesting that it originated in the noble religion of the Buddha. It was thought, for instance, that the temple of Puri occupied almost certainly the site of an earlier Buddhist shrine, without any real evidence to support this view; while General Alexander Cunningham’s suggestions that the figure of Jagannath was derived from the Buddhist symbol of the triratna or taurine was accepted even by such authorities as the Sri Lankan Buddhist scholar Ananda Coomaraswamy.
In the Bhilsa Topes [4], Alexander Cunningham has identified the Jagannath triad as the Buddhist triad. Cunningham argues that the following two points are sufficient to conclude in favour of the Buddhist triad:
"the suspension of caste during the festival and the belief that the image contains the relics or bones of Krishna". In support of second point he says that "(it) is also not at all Brahmanical, it is eminently characteristic of Buddhism."
Cunningham asserts that the Brahma Padartha/Mani (Divine Life material) is nothing but a Buddhist relic (Buddha's Tooth).[5]
In the same line, noted writers like W. W. Hunter, A. Stirling, John Beames and N. K. Sahu in book ‘A History of Orissa’, Dr. H. K. Mahtab in his ‘History of Orissa’, and Dr. Mayadhar Mansinha in his ‘The Saga of the Land of Jagannatha’ opine that it is a Buddhist triad.
In fact, there is no historical evidence of worship of Jagannath at Puri prior to the 10th century A.D. when Yayati Kesari was the ruler. The Buddhist King Indirabhuti's Jnanasiddhi mentions about the place of Jagannath. Pandit Neelakantha Das has mentioned that the Savaras were worshipping the image of Jagannath made of neem wood in a place called Sambal (Samal, now in Talcher of Angul District) in Uddiyan, the kingdom of Indrabhuti, which was even prior to the rule of Yayati Kesari -I. Indrabhuti has described Jagannath as Buddhist deity in Jnanasiddhi. In the narrative of Indrabhuti, Jagannath was worshipped by the Savaras in one of the Budha Viharas. During the rule of King Sasanka and feudatory chief Madhav Raj-II, many anti-Buddhist campaigns were undertaken. Therefore, the Buddhist Jagannath was shifted before the arrival of Hieun-Tsang and destruction of the Puspagiri Vihar. In this period, Indrabhuti emerged as a worshipper of Jagannath in 717 A.D. There are various opinions about the place where the image of Jagannath was lying buried. The Madala panji (The temple Chronicles) identifies this place with the village Gopali of Sonepur district of Orissa. The Madala panji records legend of king Yayati recovering the wooden images of Jagannath from the Sonepur region where it lay buried for over 144 years. Thereafter, king Yayati reconstructed the wooden images from Sonepur forest tribes.
The book Gyanasidhi written by Indrabhuti was published from Baroda has descriptions about Jagannath worshipped as Buddha.
Jagannath is worshipped by the greatest Jainas, he is in the form the almighty Buddha, full of wisdom and compared to the sky. He offers everything to all the living beigs. He is omniscient and best among the Bajjajanis . I offer my solemn prayer to that Jagannath with devotion and tell the way of his Sadhana.[6]
Many of the ancient poets of Orissa have also explained Jagannath as the form of Buddha and worshipped as Baudhabatara (incarnation of The Buddha). Sarala Mahabharata:
Darubrahma gita:
Oriya bhagabata:
Sunya sanhita: Nija bansa gheni baudharupare nilachale achi rahi[10]
Ananta guptagita:
The texts of the above prove that Jagannath was worshipped in Puri by the Oriyas as a form of Buddha from a long time. Jayadeva, in Gita govinda also has described Buddha as one among the Dasavatara. Indrabhuti, the ancient king of Sambalaka (present Sambalpur district) of Oddiyan used to worship and proved Jagannth as Buddha. This culture also influenced Buddhism in Nepal and Tibbet. That is how Buddhadeva is also worshipped as Jagannath in Nepal.[12]
Anangavajja, the guru of Indrabhuti (Also described as Acharjya, Jogi, Jogiswara and Mahacharjya in the Tengur cannons). Pragyonpayabiniscayasidhi, written by Indrabhuti and published from Baroda also has description of Jagannath by Siddha Anangavajja.
Polish Indologist Olgierd M. Starza has reviewed various theories on the tribal, Buddhist, Jain, or Vaishnav origins of Jagannath in The Jagannatha Temple at Puri: Its Architecture, Art And Cult, (1993) (page no.s 53-64) and has arrived at the conclusion that "…several early theories regarding the origin of Jagannatha have been refuted; only the tribal theory remains a possibility..." (page no.72).
The factors responsible for the acceptance of tribal origin theories are as under:
(i) The structure and shape of Jagannath deity is commensurate to a pillar. The Savaras, the earliest tribal inhabitants of Orissa, were tree worshipers, and their rituals involved dancing and singing before the 'Kitung' or 'Jaganata' or God. It has been argued by some authors that when the Vedic Aryans migrated to Orissa, they adopted the local tribal tradition of 'Jaganata' worship, and effected the transformation of the tribal wooden pillar 'Jaganata' to aryanized 'Jagannath'. In fact, among tribals of Vindhya region, tree or khamba (pillar or post) worship is prevalent.
(ii) A deep association of a class of non-Brahmin, tribal origin servitors, called Daitas, exists with the worship of the Jagannath deities. These Daitas are the hereditary servitors of Jagannath. They are inextricably and exclusively connected with the funeral rites of Jagannath during the Nabakalevara (New embodiment/renewal) ritual and bear the sole responsibilities of Snana Yatra and Shri Gundicha Yatra. The instances of worship of Jagannath by Savara is also mentioned in Darubrahma Gita written by Jagannath Dasa in the 16th Century A.D. and in Deula Tola written by Nilambara Das in the 17th Century A.D.
(iii) The images of the Jagannath triad are built out of neem wood, as opposed to universal use of stone for construction of images of all brahminical Hindu deities.
(iv) There is no caste distinction in the cult of Jagannath which is akin to the practices of tribals and significantly different from Vaishnavism.
Thus, analysing the legendary association of Jagannath with a class of aborigines, called Savaras, the peculiar shape as a pillar and typical nature of the wooden icon of the deity and his associates, Balabhadra and Subhadra; many scholars have held that Jagannath has originally been a tribal deity of Savara origin.
Anncharlott Eschmann has pointed out that the Nabakalevara (New Embodiment) ritual, i.e. the ceremony of periodical renewal of the body of the deity is a tribal custom. Such practices of renewal of wooden deity are found among the primitive tribes like Savaras and Khonds.
British historian William Wilson Hunter in the first volume on the British province of Orissa and the temple of Jagannath has remarked that the aboriginal people worshiped a Blue Stone inside dense forests as Nila Madhava. Hunter in Orissa: Volum I ascribed the blue (Nila) colour to the use of the common chlorite schist stone of Orissa hills in which all the ancient images of Orissa were being made. As per Hunter, the Dravidian God, who was offered raw, uncooked food by the primitive tribes. Hunter hypothesized that with the passage of time, the Aryan elements assimilated Jagannath into fold of Hinduism where as per more sophisticated customs, Jagannath is being offered cooked food. The synthesis is clear even at present since worship methods of both these two folds (Tribal and Brahminical) coexist side by side at the Jagannath Temple, Puri.
Pandit Nilakantha Das in “The Orissa Historical Review Journal, April 1958”, opines that Savari Narayana of Madhya Pradesh (Dakshina Kosala), was brought to Puri from Phuljheur of Madhya Pradesh where a wooden deity was worshiped. This Narayana of the Savaras and became Jagannath.
Prof. B.C. Mazumder (ed), in the “Typical Selections from Oriya Literature”, 1921, maintains that Seori-Narayana has been located in the Bilaspur district of present Chhattisgarh state, which was then in the kingdom of Dakshin Kosala, where in the 7th century A.D. a line of rulers of Hinduized Savara origin, established its rule with Sivpur, in the north of Raipur, for its capital.
Verrier Elwin, anthropologist, ethnologist and tribal activist, in his book “Religion of an Indian Tribe” has narrated that:
"The god Jagannatha had appeared in Seori-Narayana and an old Savar used to worship him. The king of Orissa had built the great temple at Puri and wished to install Jagannatha in it, and he found a Brahmin to fetch it from Seori-Narayan, but nobody knew where it was except the old hermit, Savar. The Brahmin besought him in vain to be allowed to see the god and even went so far as to marry his daughter, and finally the old man consented to take him blindfolded to the place. The Brahmin, however, tied some mustard seeds on a corner of his cloth and made a hole in it so that they dropped out one by one on the way. After sometime they grew up and served to guide him to the spot. The Brahmin then went to the Seori-Narayana alone and begged the god to go to Puri. Jagannatha consented and assuming the form of a log of wood, floated down the Mahanadi to Puri, where he was taken out and placed in the temple."
As per Elwin there is an alternative Savara legend, according to which there are three most important and prominent kittungs (Gods) - two brothers and a sister, Ramma, Bimma and Sitaboi. Ramma is always coupled with the brother Bimma. The legend maintains that it was from them that the Savara tribe was born. Such a set up has significant resemblance to the Jagannath triad.
The argument, that because there is no caste distinction inside the Jagannath temple, the images are of Buddhist descent, cannot be accepted on merit. Verrier Elwin has argued that:
"they (The Savars) have no caste feeling, and they do not excommunicate one of their members if he changes his religion. Most of them have no idea of untouchability and accept food even from the Douss (Douss are treated as inferiors)" (The Religion of an Indian Tribe). Though Dr. Mayadhar Mansinha thought it (Jagannath triad) to be a Buddhist triad, in his other book History of Oriya Literature he writes: "Originally a god of the tribal Savaras, and adopted later successively by the Aryan faiths of Jainism, Buddhism, Tantricism and Vaishnavism, Jagannatha bears the indelible impress of each of these cults even today. The traditions and practices which centre in an around this famous temple are also still South Indian or Dravidian to a large extent."
The theory that Jagannath triad is a Vaishnava Cult has been ruled out as there is no semblance of Nila Madhava in the present triad images, nor are three images on the same platform being worshiped by the Vaishnavites. Further, the Brahma Padartha (life substance) has been argued not to be Lord Krishna's mortal remains, since puritanism in the Vaishnavism does not permit mortal remains to be inserted in a sacred image.
Further, the Buddhist relic, i.e. the tooth relic, cannot be the Brahma Padartha (Life material), as the relic has been kept at Anuradhapur in Sri Lanka.
In connection to the possible tribal origins of the Jagannath cult, a pertinent point has been raised by Pandit Nilakantha Das in "The Orissa Historical Review Journal, April 1958", whereby it has been argued that:
"Before Choraganga actually came to Orissa it appears from tradition that, Nilmadhava so much made of the Nihilists and perhaps accepted by the local Savaras, with whom also perhaps mixed up Uddas, has just been replaced by the image of the neem-wood, called Sawrinarayana. Choraganga instead of disapproving the attempt seemed to take ready advantage of the incident, specially as his Hindu patriotism as well as the imperialistic outlook dictated him to make the powerful Savara element of his newly annexed land completely his own and consequently, the new god more liberal and universally popular among these Savara people as well as the Hindu public. Jaina or Buddhist worship and practice were also retained there in making the offering acceptable by all clans and castes with equal reverence.”
All the above facts and arguments point out to a possible tribal origin of the Jagannath worship.
As per current predominant thought, Jagannath, embodies the metamorphosis of tribal god into a pre-eminent deity of the classical Hindu pantheon. The icon is carved out of wood (not stone or metal), and the tribes whose rituals and traditions were woven into his worship are still living as tribal and semi-tribal communities in the region. This tribal god may have taken a fairly circuitous route to his present pinnacle, via absorption of local shakti traditions and merger with the growing popularity of the Narasimha and Purushottam forms of Vishnu in the region in the medieval era.
As regards to archeological findings, Queen Vasata in the eighth century A.D. built the famous Lakshman temple built in brick at Sripur or Shreepur on the banks of river Mahanadi in present Mahasamund district. Sirpur or Shreepur was then the capital of Dakshin Kosala (Chhattisgarh region) kingdom. The Laxman temple is believed to have been built in the 8th century by Vasata, the daughter of King Suryavarma of Magadh. The temple plaque opens with a salutation to Purushottam, also titled Narasimha, suggesting a trend in Vaishnav tradition to stress the ugra (violent) aspect of Vishnu. This possibly culminates with Jagannath, widely revered as Purushottam until the end of the 13th century, which had close connections with Narasimha who became popular in Orissa in the post-Gupta period.
After Anantavarman Chodagangadev, who commissioned the temple at Puri, his chief queen, Kasturikamodini, built a temple in his homeland in Tekkali (present Andhra Pradesh), east of his first capital Kalinganagar, in 1150 C.E. The temple was dedicated to the god Dadhivaman, and the inscription reveals that the image installed was of the wooden God, and not the famous Puri Trinity of Jagannath-Balabhadra-Subhadra. Scholars maintain that such fact means that Chodagangadev was a devotee of this god, and as the god’s name is preserved in Tekkali in this early period, it seems likely that Dadhivaman (or the tribal form of this Sanskritised name) was the original name of the wooden God.
As the original wooden God was a unitary figure, temples for the single deity continued to be built even after a Trinitarian image emerged at Puri. Even today there are 344 Dadhivaman temples in Orissa, which perpetuate the original state of the god. The Kondh continue to practice a ritual renewal of wooden posts.
There is also something striking about the figures constituting the Jagannath triad. Subhadra’s image consists of only a trunk and a head, but Jagannath and Balabhadra are larger, with a trunk, over-dimensional head, and arm stumps. But while the heads of Subhadra and Balabhadra are oval with almond-shaped eyes, Jagannath’s head is curiously flat on top and is dominated by enormous round eyes.
Scholars explain this in terms of Narasimha’s association with wooden posts representing tribal deities. In the Andhra village Jambulapadu (Anantapur), Narasimha Svami is worshipped as a pillar to which a sheet shaped in the form of a lion’s head is attached. This lion-head explains Jagannath’s large round eyes, typical of Narasimha on account of his fury (krodh). The head of the Jagannath image makes sense when perceived as a lion’s head, where the emphasis is on the jaws, rather than as a human head.
The following salient issues emerge from the discussion:
(i) The wooden deity is of very remote ancestry, but the exact lineage has not been established due to paucity of archeological and epigraphic evidences.
(ii) Both the terms Jagannath and Purushottama are descriptive epithets. These are derivatives of the description of the supreme Godhead as Purushottama in the Bhagavat Gita or Jagannath in Valmiki Ramayan.
(iii) All the rulers of the region had worshipped this deity as their own and had left marks of their own beliefs and rituals into the cult.
(iv) The present triad is a later innovation. Even the Vaishnavite legend of Indradyumna does not mention the triad. The single God may have become a triad because of the different religious outlook that the ruling powers were upholding. During the reign of emperor Kharavela, a single deity Kalinga Jina existed. No evidence or information exists about the pre-Kharavela period. Hence, it has been assumed that since at the time of emperor Kharavela, there was a single deity, the possible assumption of existence of a triad does not stand. The existing triad has been hypothesized alternatively as Vaishnavite trinity of Krishna, Balaram and Subhadra, Shaiva triad of Samkarsana Balaram as Shiva, Krishna and Ekanamsa, Buddhist triratna, or Savara triad of Ramma, Bimma and Sitaboi.
The Madala Panji observes that Neela Madhav transformed into Jagannath and was worshipped alone as a unitary figure, not as the part of a triad. It is significant to note that the epigraphic sources refer only to a unitary deity Purushottama Jagannath. These sources are silent on the existence of Balabhadra and Subhadra. Such state of affairs has led to arguments that Purushottama was the original deity and Balabhadra and Subhadra were subsequently drawn in as additions to a unitary figure and formed a triad.
As per scholars, Devi Subhadra could be subsequent addition upon the resurgence of Shaktism as the consort (“Not sister”) of Jagannath. At some point of time the figure of Lord Balabhadra may have been added to satisfy the Saivas to the existing couple Jagannath and Devi Subhadra. At this juncture, a major change had to be introduced into the relationship between the deities since as per traditional Oriya culture, the elder brother is not permitted even to see the face of younger brother’s spouse. Therefore, as a solution, the erstwhile consort (Shri) of Jagannath was relieved from dual images of Jagannath-Shri and Subhadra, the sister to both to deities was introduced.
In the 1970s there was a joint German-Oriya attempt at a serious investigation to these issues and its results have been published in the magum-opus “The Cult of Jagannath and the Regional Tradition of Orissa”. In a note appearing in JRAS, 1981, pp. 26–39, as per noted historian, Dr. Hermann Kulke has tried of late to prove (with the academic help of Oriya scholars) that the Puri temple had been originally built by Ganga king Anantavarman Codaganga (1078-1147 AD) for Vishnu (Krisna) and Lakshmi and that Balarama was introduced there at about 1230 A.D), during the reign of Anangabhima III [1211 - 1239 AD] after Devi Laksmi’s transformation into Subhadra. This is because there is an Oriya convention, according to which the younger brother’s wife (i.e. Krishna's wife Lakshmi) could not have lived in the same house with her husband's older brother i.e. Balarama.
The discus Sudarshana chakra was also a subsequent addition to satisfy the Ganapatyas and Sauras. This could only have taken place over the process of Krishna consciousness was well advanced and given the political importance of the cult after Chodagangadev, only under a special royal impact.
Unique and enigmatic are the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarsan without any parallel in any Hindu shrine. They are not built according to the injunctions in traditional Shilpa Sastras (Iconography). In fact there is no foundation in traditional sculpture for the construction of image of Gods and Goddesses in wood. And thus the four-fold images of Daru-Brahma stand apart of all the other icons in the temples situated even in the precincts of the great temple.
All the hundred odd sub-ordinate deities all compare to traditional icons by and large, being anthropomorphic in form and built according to scriptural descriptions in stone so as to be eternal and immortal.
Yet the strange descriptions of Chaturdha Murti or four-fold deities is the centre of the Jagannath cult and has dominated Oriya life, art and culture and in the sense it synthesises all the major cults of India. It is not out of place to mention here that Neela Madhav in his primitive shape is now being worshipped on the hill-top Brahmadri or Brahmachala on the bank of river Mahanadi at Kantilo.
Seemingly, the origin of Jagannath cult is aboriginal, tribal Savara. However, in course of time, the cult has taken an Aryanised form and various major faiths like Saivism, Saktism, Vaishnavism, Jainism and Buddhism have been synthesised into this cult.
In the Puri temple, Jagannath is worshipped as Purusottama or Vishnu, Balabhadra as Lord Shiva and Devi Subhadra as Adyasakti Durga. Finally the fourth deity, Sudarsana Chakra symbolizes the wheel of Sun's Chariot, which attracts the Sauras. The conglomerate of such attributions are called the Chaturdha Murty or the “Four fold Form’.
Certain scholars like Pandit Nilakantha Das have opined that the three main images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra represent the Jain Trinity of Samyak Jnana, Samyak Charita and Samyak Drusti. It is also believed that the soul of Jagannath, most secretly hidden within the image of Jagannath is nothing but Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. The philosophy of Tantra, which in course of time became an integral part of Buddhism has also significantly influenced the rites and rituals of Jagannath temple.
Jagannath is also worshipped as Purusottama (The best of All). Jagannath is worshipped along with Lord Balabhadra or Balarama who is alternatively considered to be an incarnation of' Shesanaga Vasuki. According to some scholars, Subhadra who is worshipped along with Jagannath is the Goddess Durga. But some other Vaishnavite scholars regard her as the younger sister of Lord Krishna because of the similar name.
To the right of Jagannath is the Sudarshana chakra, a post-like structure that may have originated in processional Siva lingas, but that also has some parallels in pillars seen in orthodox Vaishnava contexts, in folk settings, and in tribal areas. Author O. M. Starza (1993) provides information about the processional Siva lingas (p. 70), Vaishnava pillars (p. 97 ff.), modern folk parallels to the Sudarshana chakra (p. 102 ff.), and stakes or pillar-like icons in the tribal settings (p. 105 ff.).
On the other hand, the importance or role of Sudarshana chakra, the fourth deity remains unexplained. Such a combination of deities is unique in India iconography.
The Saiva element in the cult of Jagannath are co-related with the doctrine of Tantricism and Shakta Dharma. According to the Saivas, Jagannath is Bhairav. The tantric literary texts identify Jagannath with Mahabhairav. It will not be out of place to mention here that Jagannath sits on the Sri Yantra" and is worshipped in the Vijamantra ‘Klim’ which is also the Vijamantra of Kali or Shakti. The representation of Balaram as Sesanaga or Sankarsana bear testimony to the influence of Shaivism on the cult of Jagannath. It may be pointed out that the third deity, Devi Subhadra, who represents the Sakti element is still worshipped with the Bhubaneswari Mantra.
The tantric texts also point out the name of Jagannath and his worshipers. According to these texts, Jagannath is Maha Bhairav and Goddess Vimala is the Shakti. The offerings of Jagannath becomes Mahaprasad only after it is re-offered to Goddess Vimala. Similarly, different tantric features of Yantras have been engraved on the Ratna vedi where Jagannath, Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are set up. The Kalika Purana depicts Jagannath as a Tantric deity.
In Vaishnav tradition, Lord Balabhadra is the elder brother, Jagannath is younger brother and Devi Subhadra is youngest sister.
According to the Jain version, the image of Jagannath (Black colour) represents sunya, Subhadra symbolizes the creative energy and Balabhadra (White colour) represents the phenomenal universe. All these images have evolved from the Nila Madhava, the ancient Kalinga Jaina. Sudarshana Chakra is contended to be the Hindu name of the Dharma chakra of Jaina symbol. The term Kaivalya (liberation) exclusively common in the cult of Jagannath is derived from Jaina tradition.
Jagannath has been depicted as the symbol of godhead in certain other belief systems and faiths as under:
In Vaishnavism, the Jagannath form is worshiped as the abstract form of Krishna.
The follower of Shaiva Culture maintain that the original shape of Jagannath was in shape of a Linga. Deity Balabhadra is also named as Shiva and Ananta Vasudev.
The Shaktas claim that in tantra systems, Jagannath has been accepted as Bhairava & associate deity Vimala represents ‘Bhairavi’. Such a belief is reinforced by the ritual whereby only after offering of the ‘Jagannath Bhog’ at Goddess Vimala, it is considered as Maha Prasad’.
Followers of Buddhism pray Jagannath in mantra ‘Namoh Jagannath Buddhaya’. In their opinion, Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra represent the Buddha-Sangha-Dhamma triad. A section of Buddhists believes that the tooth relic of Buddha is kept inside the Jagannath idol at the navel circle. Buddists draw parallel in claiming that the Jagannath Rath-Yatra is like the of Rath Yatra for Buddha. The Buddhists also do not follow casteism in society, which is also followed in the Ananda Bazar of Jagannath.
Jains believe that the word Jagannath has been derived from the word 'Jinanath’. Jagannath idol resembles with the ancient Jain Idol. The ‘Baisi Pahacha’ (22 steps) leading to the temple has been constructed in the memory of 22 tirthankaras or Kevalins. Similarly, the offerings made to Jagannath is called ‘Kaivalya’.
One of the most popular legends associated with Jagannath is that of Kanchi Avijana (or Conquest of Kanchi) also termed as Kanchi-Kaveri. According to the legends, the daughter of the King of Kanchi was betrothed to the Gajapati of Puri.When the Kanchi King witnessed the Gajapati sweeping the area where the chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were kept during Ratha yatra, the former considered that as an act unworthy of a King and declined the marriage proposal to the later. Gajapati Purushottam Deva, deeply insulted at the retraction and attacked the Kingdom of Kanchi, but was effectively repulsed.
Upon defeat, the Gajapati Purushottam Deva returned and prayed to Jagannath, the deity of land of Kalinga. Moved with the prayer, Jagannath and Balabhadra, left their places in the temple and started expedition to Kanchi on horseback, with Jagannath on a white horse and Balabhadra on a black horse. The legend has such a powerful impact on the Oriya culture that the simple mention of white horse-black horse brings the imagery of Kanchi conquest of the Lord.
On the road, Jagannath and Balabhadra grew thirsty and chanced upon a milkmaid Manika, who gave them butter-milk/yogurt to quench their thirst, and in return, Balabhadra gave her a ring. Later, Purushottam Deva himself passed by with his army. At Adipur near Chilika lake, milkmaid Manika obstructed the Gajapati pleading for the unpaid cost of yogurt consumed by Gajapati's two leading soldiers riding on black and white horses and produced the gold ring as evidence. Gajapati Purusottam Deva identified the ring as that of Jagannath and upon the divine support, enthusiastically led the expedition.
It was a war between Jagannath-led power of Orissa with that of Ganesh-led army of Kanchi. Purushottam Deva won the war, brought the princess to Puri and instructed his Minister to get the princess Padmavati married with a sweeper. [5]. Some writers opine that the Gajapati also brought images of Uchista Ganesh (Bhanda Ganesh or Kamada Ganesh) and enshrined at the Jagannath Temple.
This myth has been recounted by Mohanty (1980, p. 7). Das (1982, p. 120) notes that this story is mentioned in a chronicle of the Jagannath Temple, Puri in relation to Gajapati Purushottama. At any rate, the story was popular soon after Purushottama's reign, as a text of the first half of the sixteenth century mentions a Kanchi Avijana scene in the Jagannath temple. There is currently a prominent relief in the jagamohana (prayer hall) of the Jagannath temple of Puri that depicts this scene.
In modern culture, Kanchi Abhijan is a major motif in Odissi dance. [6].
In Oriya literature, the Kanchi conquest (Kanchi Kaveri) has significant [7] bearing, in medieval as well as modern literature. The first Oriya drama written by Ramashankar Ray, the father of Oriya drama in 1880 is Kanchi Kaveri. [8]
It has been asserted by researcher J. P. Das (1982, p. 120) that the historicity of this event is not certain.
However, the legendary Kanchi Kingdom has been identified as the historical Vijayanagar Kingdom. As per historical records, Gajapati Purushottam Deva's expedition towards Virupaksha Raya II's Kanchi (Vijayanagar) Kingdom started during 1476 [9] with Govinda Bhanjha as Commander-in-chief. Gajapati Purushottam Deva invaded Thiruvannaamalai of Tiruvannamalai district after crossing river Kaveri.
References and mention of Jagannath have been found in numerous religious texts and semi-religious literary works.
The most ancient reference is found in the 3rd rca of the 155th sukta in the 10th Mandala of the Rig veda. In a sukta there is reference to sacred log (Daru) which runs as thus:
"Ado yad daru plavate sindhoh pare apurusam,
Tada rabhasva durhano, tena gaccha parastaram." (10.155.3 R.V.)
Vedic Commentator Sayanacharya has ascribed this sukta to Jagannath in the following manner:
"The exists on sea-shore in a far off place, the wooden image of a deity with name Purusottama;
O ye, by worshipping that wood so indestructible, attain the supreme place.
However, the acceptance of this rca as referring to Jagannath is not universal. Alternately, it has been argued by scholars that the rca is Alaxmi Stava only.
In the Uttara Khanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, mention of Sri Jagannath has been found where Sri Rama has advised Vibhisana to devote himself to the worship of the deity, who has been described as the presiding deity of the Ikshvaku Kula (Clan) or Surya Vamsa. As a matter of fact, even today, the ritual Vibhisana Bandapana is observed in the temple of Jagannath. Further, in the Kiskinda Kanda of the Ramayana, there are references to the names of Sri Jagannath among other deities.
In the Mahabharata, the tale of King Indradyumna and the tank named after him is a direct reference to the Jagannath lore. In this epic, there is description of Vedi, which is identified by the scholars as Antarvedi or the seat of Sri Jagannath in the Samkha Kshetra. In the Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata, a reference has been made to the Jagannath Dharma.
Mention of Sri Jagannath and the Purusottama Kshetra abound in Puranic literature of Matsya Purana, Vishnu Purana, Agni Purana, Padma Purana, Narada Purana, Brahma Purana and Skanda Purana.
Also that, in some Sanskrit texts like Kapila samhita, Tirtha Chintamani, Niladri Mahodaya, Rudrayamala, Tantrayamala, Purusottama Tatwa etc. references to Sri Jagannath have been made.
The Jagannath Astakam of Adi Shankaracharya is another important historical literary piece on Jagannath which provides information about the temple and appearance of the deity.
Apart from the above Puranic and other ancient texts, the mention of Jagannath in medieval Oriya literature is enormous. Almost every Oriya literature literateure like Sarala Dasa, Jagannath Dasa, Jayadeva, Balaram Dasa, Achyutaand Dasa, Jasobanta Dasa, Ananta, Upendra Bhanja, Baladeva, Dinakrush Dasa, Kavi Jadumani have composed invocations, prayers pertaining to Jagannath.
In the modern Oriya literature, Jagannath has been a common reference point, both on historical as well as mythical paradigms. The most acknowledged literary pieces on Jagannath are Nila Shaila and Niladri Vijaya by renowned Oriya writer Late Shri Surendra Mohanty, [10] with the author receiving the Kendra Sahitya Academy award in 1969 for the novel [11].
The antiquity of Jagannath is supported by several historical, literary and epigraphic evidences.
318 A.D.: According to William Hunter, first appearance of Jagannath in history occurs during 318 A.D. when the priest fled with his image to escape the wrath of Raktabahu and his band of plunderers.
464 A.D.: As per A. B. Mohanty, the holy log was recovered by a King about 146 years later from the jungles of western kingdoms.
475 A.D.: The second reconstruction [First being the reconstruction from Nila Madhav shrine by King Indradyumna) of the Jagannath temple by Yayati Kesari and the renewal of the cult after Yavana invasion of Orissa in the 5th century A.D., as per Puri's late 16th century Madala Panji temple chronicles.
Historian K. C. Panigrahi suggested that Puri's legendary account of the claimed invasion of Orissa under the Yavana general Raktabahu in the 4th/5th century A.D. during the reign of the legendary king Sovanadeva (Legendary) may contain a historical reminiscence of the conquest of Orissa by the Rastrakuta King Govinda III during the reign of the Bhaumakara king Subhakara deva who ruled in coastal Orissa around 800 A.D. And moreover, he pointed out that Jagannath's legendary absence of 146 years in western Orissa (between Raktabahu's invasion and Yayati's 'rediscovery' of Jagannath and reinstallment at Puri) corresponds more or less exactly with the space of time between the historical reigns of Subhakaradeva and Yayati-I, the Somavamsi ruler Yayati Kesari established the first regional kingdom of Orissa. The installation of Jagannath at Puri temple took place several years after Yayati Kesari had come to throne, viz., in Yayati's 9th regnal years. Moreover in both cases the images were renewed outside Puri. Yayati Kesari performed the great 'Vanayaga' ritual in the vicinity of his former capital near Sonepur of Orissa and Jagannath was finally reinstalled on at Puri only two years after the renewal of the idol. However, In Puri, too, no pre-sixteenth century sources of the Yayati Kesari account are known. Contemporary facts are fully silent about any activities of the Somavamsis at Puri, particularly of Yayati Kesari as builder of the first Jagannath temple at Puri. The silence of early medieval sources would be surprising in view of the many available Somavamsi inscriptions and other literary sources which could have mentioned or even praised Yayati Kesari and his great deeds at Puri. In Purusottama Mahatmya which has contained the Indradyumna legend and the origin of Jagannath's Daru Devata at Puri there is no mention of Yayati Kesari.
That there was an earlier temple of Jagannath at Purushottama Kshetra prior to the present one built by Chodaganga Deva in 12th century A.D., is established by Sanskrit playwright Murari Mishra’s Anargharaghava Natakam (c. 9th century), which refers to Purushottama being worshipped on the seashore. (Orissa Historical Research Journal, Vol. III, No. I, PP. 9-10). In the drama Anargharaghava Natakam, the name Purushottama is used to denote the place. In the Ganga rule the Jagannath temple was rebuilt by Gangeswar or Chodaganga Deva (1078-1147 A.D).
8th century A.D.: In many copper plates dating 8th century A.D, mention of individuals bearing the name of Purushottama also substantiates the wide popularity of Purushottama Jagannath.
810 A.D.: Sankarcharya visits shrine at Puri in course of spiritual conquest over Buddhism and other denominations, and establishes Govardhana Matha at Puri upon mahavakya Prajñānam brahma (Brahman is Knowledge). Sankarcharya must have come across the image of Nila Madhava as described in Skanda Purana as above, during his visit to Puri.
1078 A.D.: Devayatana of Purushottama finds special mention in Krishna Mishra’s Prabodha Chandrodaya Natakam (c.1078 A.D).
1135 A.D.: Chodaganga Deva began the construction of the present temple in circa 1135 A.D. In the Dasgoba Copper Plate Inscription of the late 12th century, Chodaganga's grandson Rajaraja III praised his grandfather for having built the Jagannath temple which had been “neglected” by previous kings, as per Epigraphia Indica, XXXI, p. 255, which indicates epigraphical evidence of the existence of a Jagannath temple at Puri before the construction of the present temple.
12th Century A.D.: The Vaishnava preachers of the 12th century viz. Sri Ramanujacharya, Acharya Nimbarka, Acharya Vishnuswami and Sri Madhavacharya established monasteries at Jagannath Puri to spread their religious theories.
1210 A.D.: The Gitagovinda of Jayadeva mentions of the glory of Jagannath.
1211 A.D.: Emperor Anangabhima deva (1211- 1238 A.D) donated his vast empire to Sri Purushottama Jagannath and declared himself as his servant (Rauta). Due to his efforts several Jagannath temples were set up at different places in Orissa. During the Suryavamsi period (1435-1533 A.D.) the same trend continued.
13th century A.D.: A sculptural piece of Konark temple of the 13th century A.D depicts its builder, King Narasimha-I, offering worship to Siva Linga, Purushottama Jagannath and Durga.
1328 A.D.: Epigraphic sources reveal that the inscriptions of Bhanudeva II (1306-1328 A.D) of Eastern Ganga dynasty make the first mention of the name, ‘Jagannath’. (South Indian Inscriptions, Vol. V, No. 1214). Thus, the name Jagannath has been used for the first time in the inscriptions of Bhanudeva-II as in “Puri Copper Plates of Bhanudeva-II”, Ed. D.C.Sircar, JASB, XVIII, I, 1956, P.25. During the reign of Bhanudeva-II, a feudatory chief had made gifts at Sikurmam in the 3rd Anka of Jagannath Deva when Sri Bhanudeva was ruling. (Kalinga Historical Quarterly, I, P.251). According to the Puri Grant of 1313, Bhanudeva granted villages in the 7th Anka of Purushottama Jagannath deva. Thus in a private record Purushottama comes to be called Jagannath. It appears to be the earliest epigraphical reference to the name, Shri ’Jagannath’.
Late 16th century A.D.: The destruction of the 'Darumurti' of Puri's Holy Trinity by Islamic barbarian iconoclast Kalapahara. According to N'mat Allah's Makhzan-i-Afghan of the year 1612 A.D., "every Afghan, who took part in campaign, obtained as booty one or two gold images, Kalapahara destroyed the temple of Jagannath at Puri which contained 700 idols made of gold, the biggest of which weighed 30 Mans" (M.A.Rahim, History of Afghan in India, A.D.1545-1631).
1590-1592 A.D.: The rise of Ramachandra Deva of Khurda and his renewal of the images of Jagannath at Khurda in about 1587 and at Puri in 1590/92.
It has been argued somewhere that the most important message of the Bisar Mahanty and Yayati Kesari legends to Jagannath's devotees is proclaimed in the very beginning of the Madala Panji temple chronicle which commences with the words
"Jagannath, the Lord of deities, never abandons Sri Purushottama (Puri) even though crores of Brahma (Brahmanda) are destroyed."
A large number of traditional festivals are observed at the Jagannath Temple. Out of those numerous festivals, thirteen are important.
An unpublished text Yatra Bhagabata of poet Balunki Pathy lists down the following twelve festivals of Jagannath as of great import:
“[D]olajatra Damanaka Mahokshasya Punya Trutiya,
Manchasnana Rathabara Gatih Sayanam Chayane Dwe,
Parswabrutih Sayana Nibrutih Prabrutih Pusyapuja,
Chaiba Jatra Bidhi Nigadita Dwadaseta Narendra."
Ratha Yatra is most significant of all festivals of Jagannath.
The Jagannath triad are usually worshiped in the sanctum of the temple, but once during the month of Asadha (Rainy Season of Orissa, usually falling in month of June or July), they are brought out onto the Bada Danda (The main high street of Puri) and travel (3 km) to the Shri Gundicha Temple, in huge chariots (Rath), allowing the public to have Darshan (Holy view). This festival is known as Rath Yatra, meaning the festival (Yatra) of the chariots (Ratha). The Rathas (Chariots) are huge wheeled wooden structures, which are built anew every year and are pulled by the devotees. The chariot for Jagannath is approximately 45 feet high and 35 feet square and takes about 2 months to construct (Starza, 1993, p. 16). The artists and painters of Puri decorate the cars and paint flower petals etc. on the wheels, the wood-carved charioteer and horses, and the inverted lotuses on the wall behind the throne (Das, 1982, p. 40). The huge chariots of Jagannath pulled during Rath Yatra is the etymological origin of the English word Juggernaut. [12]. The Ratha-Yatra is also termed as the Shri Gundicha yatra.
The most significant ritual associated with the Ratha-Yatra is the chhera pahara. During the festival, the Gajapati King wears the outfit of a sweeper and sweeps all around the deities and chariots in the Chera Pahara (Sweeping with water) ritual. The Gajapati King cleanses the road before the chariots with a gold-handled broom and sprinkles sandalwood water and powder with utmost devotion. As per the sublime custom, although the Gajapati King has been the most exalted person in the Kalingan kingdom, still he would render the menial service to Jagannath. This ritual signified that under fiefdom of Jagannath, there is no distinction between the powerful sovereign Gajapati King and the lowest of the low devotee. [13]
Chera pahara is held on two days, on the first day of the Ratha-Yatra, when the deities are taken to garden house at Mausi Maa Temple and again on the last day of the festival, when the deities are ceremoniously brought back to the Shri Mandir.
As per another ritual, when the deities are taken out from the Shri Mandir to the Chariots in Pahandi vijay, disgruntled devotees hold a right to offer kicks, slaps and the derogatory remarks to the images, and Jagannath behaves like a commoner.
In the Ratha Yatra, the three deities are taken from the Puri temple in the chariots to the Gundicha Temple, where they stay for seven days. Thereafter, the deities again ride the chariots back to Shri Mandir in bahuda yatra. On the way back, the three chariots halt at the Mausi Maa Temple and the deities are offered Poda Pitha, a kind of baked cake which are generally consumed by the poor sections only.
The observance of the Rath Yatra of Jagannath dates back to the period of the Puranas. Vivid descriptions of this festival are found in Brahma Purana, Padma Purana and Skanda Purana. Kapila Samhita also refers to Rath Yatra. In Moghul period also, King Ramsingh of Jaipur, Rajasthan has been described as organizing the Rath Yatra in the 18th Century. In Orissa, Kings of Mayurabhanja and Parlakhemundi were organizing the Rath Yatra, though the most grand festival in terms of scale and popularity takes place at Puri.
In fact, Starza (1993, p. 133) notes that the ruling Ganga dynasty instituted the Rath Yatra at the completion of the great temple around 1150 A.D. This festival was one of those Hindu festivals that was reported to the Western world very early. Friar Odoric of Pordenone visited India in 1316-1318, some 20 years after Marco Polo had dictated the account of his travels while in a Genovese prison (Mitter, 1977, p. 10). In his own account of 1321, Odoric reported how the people put the "idols" on chariots, and the King and Queen and all the people drew them from the "church" with song and music. (Starza, 1993, p. 129; Das, 1982, p. 48).
The Temple of Jagannath at Puri is one of the major Hindu temples in India. The temple is built in the Kalinga style of architecture, with the Pancharatha (Five chariots) type consisting of two anurathas, two konakas and one ratha. Jagannath temple is a pancharatha with well-developed pagas. ‘Gajasimhas’ (elephant lions) carved in recesses of the pagas, the ‘Jhampasimhas’ (Jumping lions) are also placed properly. The perfect pancharatha temple developed into a Nagara-rekha temple with unique Orissan style of subdivisions like the Pada, Kumbha, Pata, Kani and Vasanta. The Vimana or the apsidal structure consists of several sections superimposed one over other, tapering to the top where the Amalakashila and Kalasa are placed.
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Temple of Jagannath at Puri has four distinct sectional structures, namely -
(i) Deula or Vimana (Sanctum sanctorum) where the triad deities are lodged on the ratnavedi (Throne of Pearls);
(ii) Mukhashala (Frontal porch);
(iii) Nata Mandira/Natamandapa, which is also known as the Jagamohana, (Audience Hall/Dancing Hall), and
(iv) Bhoga Mandapa (Offerings Hall).
Jagannath temple is built on an elevated platform, as compared to Lingaraj and other temples belonging to this type. Jagannath temple is the first temple in the history of Kalingaan temple architecture where all the chambers like Jagamohana, Bhogamandapa and Natyamandapa were build along with the main temple. There are miniature shrines on the three outer sides of the main temple. The Deula consists of a tall shikhara (dome) housing the sanctum sanctorum (garbhagriha). A pillar made of fossilized wood is used for placing lamps as offering. The Lion Gate (Singhadwara) is the main gate to the temple, guarded by two guardian deities Jaya and Vijaya. A 16-sided, 11 meter high granite monolithic columnar pillar known as the Aruna Stambha (Solar Pillar) bearing Aruna, the charioteer of Surya, faces the Lion Gate. This column was brought here from the Sun temple of Konark. [15]
The temple's historical records Madala panji maintains that the temple was originally built by King Yayati of the Somavamsi dynasty on the site of the present shrine. However, the historians question the veracity and historicity of the Madala records. As per historians, the Deula and the Mukhashala were built in the 12th century A.D. by Ganga King Anangabheemadeva, the grandson of Anantavarman Chodagangadev and the Natamandapa and Bhogamandapa were constructed subsequently during the reign of Gajapati Purushottama Deva (1461-1491 A.D.) and Prataprudra Deva (1495-1532 A.D.) respectively. According to Madala Panji, the outer prakara was built by Gajapati Kapilendradeva (1435–1497). The inner prakara called the Kurma bedha (Tortoise encompassment) was built by Purushottama Deva.
The temple is known as the Shri Mandira to the devotees.
As a matter of traditions, it is strictly forbidden for non-Hindus to enter the Jagannath temple.
There are many more Jagannath Temples all over India, with the temple at Hauz khash of New Delhi, that at Ahmedabad being the notable ones. One of the lesser known, but older than 300 years, temple is in Kurseong in Darjeeling District in North of West Bengal.
Outside India, in the Besakih temple of eastern Bali province of Indonesia, an ancient idol of Jagannath has been found.
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